17-23/4/18

5 week.

I got the reps for the deadlift wrong (did 3 instead of the minimum 5 and I actually wanted 7); it probably doesn't matter as I'm in a state of being most severely fatigued not since the tourney last November. Doing 5 reps would have been the most I could have done, and I probably would have failed trying to get 7 (or even the 6 in the previous cycle). I'm keeping the reps just as prescribed this training month to focus on dialing in the nutrition and getting my weight below 90 kg consistently. And trying to dial in on my stimulant dependence, which is starting to affect my work performance too.

On the plus side, the little bit of rest during the training week helped me get back my targeted reps for the pullups.

Deadlift:
DL - Up to 180 kg x 3
Power clean - 72.5 kg x 3
Pistols - 3 x 10
Pushup plank with alternating elbow touches, 10 kg on back - 3 x 22

Bench:
BP - Up to 97.5 kg x 5
TRX Inverted Rows - 1 x 11, 4 x 10
Standing DB Press - 4 x 10, 1 x 9 with 16 kg

Squat:
Squat - Up to 127.5 kg x 5
SLDL - 3 x 15 with 20 kg
External rotations while side planking - 2 x 11, 1 x 10 with 8 kg DB

Military Press:
Pullups - 8 x 6, 2 x 5
MP - Up to 60 kg x 5
Pushups with 10 kg plate on butt - 1 x 12, 2 x 11

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6-15/4/18

A deload week of much more "rest" than usual.

I was really worn out physically and mentally and was really overdue for a stimulant deload as well. I decided to limit (relatively successfully) any stimulants to only a drink a day, except for my lifting days, for which I took two. I also, training-wise, deloaded more than usual. Instead of my usual 5/3/1 deload sets but plus 1 rep for my accessory lifts (which I also add on my 3 week), I decided to do -2 sets of my accessory work too to really keep the load down.

By the end of the deload week, I still haven’t felt like I’ve recovered enough, such has been the week for me.

Deadlift:

DL - Up to 3 sets of 127.5 kg x 5
Power clean - 72.5 kg x 1
Pistols - 1 x 10
Pushup plank with alternating elbow touches, 10 kg on back - 1 x 22

Bench:
BP - Up to 3 sets of 67.5 kg x 5
TRX Inverted Rows - 1 x 11, 2 x 10
Standing DB Press - 3 x 10 with 16 kg

Squat:
Squat - Up to 3 sets of 90 kg x 5
SLDL - 1 x 15 with 20 kg
Pallof press - 1 x 11 x 33 lb
Face pulls - 2 x 11 x 33 lb

Military Press:
Pullups - 6 x 6
Standing DB Press - 5 x 5 x 16 kg
Pushups with 10 kg plate on butt - 1 x 12

The aim next month is improved pullup performance first, +1 reps for the main lifts second.

28/3-4/4/18

5/3/1 week.

I did better benching in the power rack by not failing, but the second rep would have been a fail in competition. I think my subconscious confidence in benching has been shot. My other pressing exercise performance has been progressing as planned.

I did uncharacteristically poorly with the pullups. There were many factors. I usually superset my pullups with my MP’s and pushups to save time. Instead I had to do a few straight sets first (at a pullup station with smooth bars) as I was waiting my turn at a rack to do MP's, and then stopped for a while as the squat rack (not power rack) wouldn't allow me to superset. So I then only continued my pullups when I finished the MP's, back at the smooth bar. Only very late on was the power rack with its knurled pullup bar was available so again I switched places to pull. So I wasn't really sure if I was doing the planned number of sets and not doing more; by supersetting there was no micromanagement as all of the sets were paired together. The smooth bar forced me to focus harder on gripping (I do have a BMI of 34...) instead of pulling and probably sapped the stamina to pullup with a heavy body.

I'm still experimenting between the tightness I prefer when lifting with the new belt, between the second and third pair of holes. The third continues to be just right

Deadlift:

DL - Up to 200 kg x 2
Power clean - 72.5 kg x 3
Pistols - 3 x 10
Pushup plank with alternating elbow touches, 10 kg on back - 3 x 22

Bench:
BP - Up to 107.5 kg x 2
TRX Inverted Rows - 1 x 11, 5 x 10
Standing DB Press - 4 x 10, 1 x 9 with 16 kg

Squat:
Squat - Up to 142.5 kg x 2
SLDL - 3 x 15 with 20 kg
Pallof press - 2 x 10, 2 x 11 x 33 lb
Face pulls - 2 x 10, 4 x 11 x 33 lg

Military Press:
MP - Up to 67.5 kg x 3
Pullups - 8 x 6, 2 x 5 (half-ass repped the last reps on the last three sets)
Pushups with 10 kg plate on butt - 1 x 12, 2 x 11

I'll probably not increase the reps of accessory work until I'm happy with my pullups.