I don't know what I'm doing but I know what I've done

Alf Veedersane

What the doc thought was the tail end of a viral infection was worse so with a full blown chest infection I finally have some drugs.

But I'm wiped. Not ideal timing at the start of week 3 of a 4 week peaking block so fúck that for a game of soldiers.

At this point, feels like I'll be back at it early next week and I'll restart the block.

Dtp1979

Get well soon

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Get well soon

Ara I'll be grand in a few days but thanks. Just a pain in the hole (not literally, thank god)

Alf Veedersane

Tuesday 17/12/2019

A) High Bar Squat
137.5kg x 4 x 3


Bench
92.5kg x 4 (@8.5)
85kg x 2 x 5
75kg x 11 (@9)


C) Barbell Row
72.5kg x 15
77.5kg x 12
82.5kg x 10
87.5kg x 8
92.5kg x 6



Take 2...

11 days since I last squatted. Not feeling 100% yet but moved well enough. Probably better than when I started this block the first time. The movement, specifically in my hips and knees, felt so good.

Bit off on the bench but thereabouts. Just felt good to be back at it again. Felt like an eternity since I'd last done anything.

Not too bad of a first day back.

Alf Veedersane

Saturday 21/12/2019

A) High-Bar Squat
127.5kg x 4
137.5kg x 4
142.5kg x 4
127.5kg x 2 x 5
115kg x 10 


RDLs
185kg x 5 (@9)


C) Lat Pulldown
5 x 12



142.5kg was closer to 10 than 8. Had to stave off weird feelings of doubt before the top set. Bit annoyed at how it went but it is what it is and I'll just have to keep at it and be better with heavier next week.

Alf Veedersane

Sunday 22/12/2019

A) Bench
82.5kg x 4  (@6)
87.5kg x 4  (@7)
92.5kg x 4  (@8)
85kg x 2 x 5
75kg x 11 (@9)


Seated Row
5 x 10


C) Tricep Pressdown 
5 x 10



Exactly a month after I did this session first time around. Feels a couple of percent off where I was a month ago. Not sure if that's the residual effect of not training for ~ 2 weeks cos of being sick or if it's cos I was 2 weeks into 4 week peaking block and I might not be able to catch that wave again just now. With have better idea at the end of rerun of week 2.

Alf Veedersane

Monday 23/12/2019

A) Deadlift
170kg x 3
185kg x 3
200kg x 3
170kg x 5, 5, 6


Back Extension
4 x 12


C) Hamstring Curls
4 x 20



DL was ok but I feel like it moved faster last time. Speed didn't slow but just think it moved a touch faster last time.

Not consistent enough on the pull...it's like I rush the pull a split second before hips are set and it throws the rep off. The back offs were drilling that. One rep I slacked on the cue and the reps either side showed it up. Needs to be better.

Hamstring pump walking out.

coffee_cake

Fair play you're back in action

Alf Veedersane

bluewolf wrote: »

Fair play you're back in action

Ara, sure what else would I be at?

Alf Veedersane

Thursday 26/12/2019

A) High Bar Squat
142.5kg x 3 x 3


Bench
100kg x 3 (@8.5)
90kg x 2 x 4
81kg x 10 (@9)


C) Barbell Row
73.5kg x 15
78.5kg x 12
83.5kg x 10
88.5kg x 8
93.5kg x 6



I'm hoping that I'm back on track for a decent peaking block after that.

The squats moved well and felt nowhere near as heavy as 142.5 did last Saturday.

Bench was on a par with the last time, a month ago. Back offs moved.

Hope ta fu*k this is the way it's gonna feel from now.

Dtp1979

God I remember not too long ago you maxing 100kg bench at a comp. now your doing 3 @8.5. Well done.

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

God I remember not too long ago you maxing 100kg bench at a comp. now your doing 3 @8.5. Well done.

Think that was last August 12 months. But was stuck at 95/97.5 for way longer before that.

But it's one of those milestones that the barrier can be mental more than physical and once you hit it, the aura of the number falls away.

To be honest, it's just nice to actually not feel like I'm that 5% off like I was the last few weeks

Alf Veedersane

Saturday 28/12/2019

A) High-Bar Squat
132.5kg x 3 
140kg x 3 
147.5kg x 3 
132.5kg x 2 x 4
120kg x 10 


RDLs
190kg x 4 (@9)


C) NG Pull Ups
5 x 10



Was a fairly active day. Had about 11k steps done before going in, which had really helped my hip feel a little less gluey.

Was a bit more conservative but only 2.5kg shy of last time around. Made a balls of the first rep on 147.5 - wasn't tight enough though it didn't look as bad as it felt - but refocused and next 2 reps moved well.

Had to stop at 10 reps with 120 cos pins and needles were all I could feel in my hands. Probably good for 2 more to get to RPE 9.

Was supposed to be lat pulldowns for C but the Pulldown machines were in use so did pull ups which felt a lot better since I rested the pulling exercises for a couple of blocks following the elbow issue before that.

Alf Veedersane

Monday 30/12/2019

A) Bench
90kg x 3  (@6)
95kg x 3  (@7)
100kg x 3  (@8)
90kg x 2 x 4
81kg x 11 (@9)


Seated Row
5 x 10


C) Tricep Pressdown 
5 x 10



Reasonably satisfied with benching.

Good burn from the rows and pressdowns #swole

Threw in some curls at the end because summer and also #functional

Alf Veedersane

Wednesday 1/1/2020

A) Deadlift
172.5kg x 3
187.5kg x 3
202.5kg x 1
172.5kg x 1


Felt my left glute go on me on first rep at 202.5. Dropped to 172.5, which is what the back off would have been at and while it wasn't as bad, it definitely felt like I'd be pushing my luck to continue so no going full retard for me.

I don't think it'll be too bad. I hope not anyway. But it's literally a pain in the arse.

Not quite the start to 2020 I had in mind.

Alf Veedersane

Friday 3/1/2020

A) High Bar Squat
147.5kg x 3 x 2


Bench
105kg x 2 (@9)
95kg x 2 x 3
85kg x 9 (@9)


C) Barbell Row
75kg x 15
80kg x 12
85kg x 10
90kg x 8
95kg x 6




Well that went alright! Eased myself into it on account of the glute issue the other night. Had done a fair bit of loosening up today and no real issue.

Squats moved well enough for 92%. Second set, the first rep was a bit too loose but sorted that. Last set felt comfortable. Only doubles so it should do. 145/147.5 is opener territory.

Bench flew. Wasn't sure what to expect. Last time around this was the last workout I was able for. 102.5 was probably an RPE 9.5 and that was the heaviest double I'd ever done. I sort of expected I'd be a little bit tentative with 105 but it was nice and calm. Actually felt a lot more comfortable than it looked. Usually the other way around.
Might be a rep PR on the back off with 85 as well.

Can't ask for more than that out of the session.

Alf Veedersane

Sunday 12/1/2020

Few weeks back, had just started week 3 of a 4-week peaking block and got a chest infection. Restarted 2 weeks later to see if I hadn't missed the back of the leaking wave. Was getting back to where I had been and at the same point, I got a vomiting bug. And not just that, it turned out there was an infection. Marvellous. Goodbye peak. 7 weeks in, I still wasn't finished the 4-week block. That wave doesn't continue indefinitely so time to pull the plug. 

Only just started antibiotics so still not feeling brilliant. Appetite is still non-existent and I haven't been able to put back on any of the 2.5-3kg I lost when I was sick despite trying to hack it.

But I wanted to get in the gym for the sake of sanity. Did nothing overly taxing....mostly machine movements with higher reps. Leg extensions, chest press, leg press etc. Was good for the brain.

Signed up for the Open in Limerick at the end of March so will get healthy and start focusing on that.

Alf Veedersane

Tuesday 14/1/2020

Just went in to mess about again.

Habit.

Stomach still like the witches cauldron on Macbeth.

Did a bit of SBD just cos I wanted to. Didn't expect much from it but my form was solid.

Squat and deadlift, I didn't push cos CNS isn't upto it yet but was about 10% off anyway but the form held up well so there's that.

Bench didn't fall back much and hit 105 with kgs in the tank and hit an OHP 2.5kg short of my PR. So pressing seems to be not too bad.

Did some lateral raises and light rows to wrap up.

In and out in about an hour.

Hope to start training again in the next couple of days.

Alf Veedersane

Thursday 16/1/2020

A1) Snatch Grip RDLs: 5 x 12
A2) Calf Raises: 5 x 12 e/s

B1) Close Grip Bench: 5 x 12
B2) DB Curls: 5 x 15

C1) DB Flys: 5 x 15
C2) DB Reverse Flys: 5 x 12

D1) Leg Extensions: 5 x 15
D2) Hamstring Curls: 4 x 15
D3) Facepulls: 5 x 15

E1) DB Shoulder Press: 3 x 15
E2) DB Rows: 3 x 15



It was just good fun to go in and chase a pump for an hour or so.

After spending 12-14 weeks building towards testing, you become focused on just the big 3 and how they're coming together so it's like a mental rest to just go in and mess about for pumpage.

Not that I don't find training enjoyable...it's just the change is like a cool breeze on a warm day. The heat of the sun is nice but it's nice to get a brief break from it.

Anyway, chased a pump and caught it. Caught it big.

coffee_cake

July Limerick open plz

Alf Veedersane

bluewolf wrote: »

July Limerick open plz

Doing the March one. See how that goes and might do the July one as well

Alf Veedersane

Sunday 19/1/2020

A) Paused High-Bar Squat
107.5kg x 4 x 12
107.5kg x 12


Bench
65kg x 4 x 12


C) Seated Row
4 x 15


D) Tricep Pressdown
5 x 15



High volume to kick this cycle off. It reads a lot easier than it was. But the first day is always the hardest...next time put you're mentally prepared for it to suck donkey balls.

Last time I did any sort of high volume squats was a mess around session a week after comp in Oct 2018. Did 5 x 10 with 100kg then. But in terms of programmed work, it's 18+ months since I did anything like sets of 12. 3x8 back off sets is as close as it got. So I was wrecked. Coming down the stairs the few hours after, quads felt like they did after the marathon.

Squats done in COH's on Saturday but hadn't time to finish so rest was done today. Oh...the squat DOMS.

Like the look of this block. Squats one day, paused squats another. Deadlift one day, block pulls another. Some form of bench every day.

Voluminous.

This week will be most spent dying of DOMS.

Mr. CooL ICE

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

...

x 12
x 12

x 12


...


It reads a lot easier than it was.

The only thing sets of 12 read easier than are sets of higher than 12.

Alf Veedersane

Mark Rippetoe wrote: »

The only thing sets of 12 read easier than are sets of higher than 12.

It was more the % of max that sounded easy.

65%? That won't be too bad.

It wasn't too bad. Until I started it. Sitting on the floor between sets looking f**ked.

Alf Veedersane

Tuesday 21/1/2020

A) Deadlift
152.5kg x 5 x 8


Bench
73.5kg x 4 x 10


C) Bent-over Row
72.5kg x 4 x 15


D) Weighted Plank
15kg x 5 x 60s



Deadlifts moved well. Quickly. I know I have a tendency to be less  conscious of form when it moves so quickly. But that's when you should be drilling it so I did just that.

Hands got sweaty and didn't have chalk with me so put straps on for 4th set. Felt they were just throwing things off and took them off for last 3 reps and was just so much smoother.

Bench moved well. Felt stronger than the sets of 12 with 65.

Some lat pump from the rows.

Alf Veedersane

Wednesday 22/1/2020

A) Beltless Squat
90kg x 4 x 15


Close-Grip Bench (@8)
80kg x 8
75kg x 4 x 8


C) DB Chest-Supported Row
kgs x 4 x 15


D) Tricep Pressdown
5 x 15



Was glad the squats were light. Really felt my core working hard. Drilled technique hard. Nice to get in a bit of conditioning as well. It's only 54% so just about enough to drill lots of reps cleanly.

Got a bit carried away with the set of 80 on CGBP. Too big a jump from previous warm up. 75 was right for today.

Used the T-bar row machine for chest-supported rows because DBs I wanted in use so didn't hang around. Always liked where I felt it working anyway so that was fine.

After the 3-day festival of suffering that started post-squats on Saturday, it's been grand since.

Alf Veedersane

Thursday 23/1/2020

A) Bench
77.5kg x 3 x 8
83.5k x 8


3" Block Pulls (@8)
165kg x 7
160kg x 4 x 7


C) RDL (@8)
115kg x 4 x 12


D) Lat Pulldown
5 x 12



Had aimed for 10 on the AMRAP set with 83.5 but misgrooved the 8th rep and drained the last of the energy.

Hamstrings were fried after block pulls so had to drop back the RDLs.

One of those days. Was glad to go in and do some work.

Alf Veedersane

Sunday 26/1/2020

A) Paused High-Bar Squat
111kg x 4 x 10
111kg x 10


Bench
68.5kg x 4 x 10


C) Seated Row
4 x 12


D) Tricep Pressdown
5 x 12



Knees were bothering me for some reason and threw me a bit. Stupid pins and needles in left arm again so racked the bar but if my knee hadn't been bothering me I'd have gone for a couple more just to at least register more than 10.

Wasn't as hellish as last week because I had probably adapted a little physically and a lot mentally to the volume.

Bench moved well. Bar path nice and consistent. I think that's the main thing with all the bench volume at lower %.

Pump show from the rest.

Dtp1979

,

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

,

Yep. Minimal DOMS this week.