ActivitiesGuy Log III: StrongFirst Kettlebells & Deadlifts

Sunday 5/21

Front Squat

2x135
2x165
2x195
2x225
1x255
1x285
1x300
1x315

Back Squat

1x225
1x255
1x285
1x315
1x330
1x345
1x360

Deadlift

1x135
1x225
1x315
1x405
1x405
1x455
1x455
1x500
1x500
1x500

3 Likes

Monday 5/22

Front Squat

2x135
2x165
1x195
2x225
2x255
1x285
1x315

Back Squat

1x315
1x315
1x315
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x315
1x315
1x315

Tuesday 5/23

Back Squat

3x135
3x185
3x235
1x285
1x335
1x350
1x365
1x385 (PR)

Front Squat

2x135
2x185
2x235
1x285
1x300
1x235
1x235
1x235
1x235
1x235
1x235
1x235
1x235

1 Like

Wednesday 5/24

Deadlift

1x135
1x135
1x225
1x225
1x315
1x315
1x405
1x405
1x455
1x455
1x500
1x500
1x500
1x500
1x500

1 Like

Getting closer and closer to those 4 plates!

How is 500 moving for you on deads?

Thanks for checking in man.

I’m pretty sure that I could squat 4 plates right now, but I’m trying to be very patient (I’m always encouraging my wife to “take the 5 pound PR”) and progress slow-and-steady. Starting next Monday, I’m planning to run a self-designed six-week front squat linear progression “program” (if one can call it that). I’ll be going “back down” to 225 for Day 1; front squatting four times per week, performing five solid doubles in each session, adding five pounds per workout; beginning each new “week” with the last weight from the previous week.

So the progression will be as follows:

Week 1: 5x2x225, 5x2x230, 5x2x235, 5x2x240
Week 2: 5x2x240, 5x2x245, 5x2x250, 5x2x255
Week 3: 5x2x255, 5x2x260, 5x2x265, 5x2x270
Week 4: 5x2x270, 5x2x275, 5x2x280, 5x2x285
Week 5: 5x2x285, 5x2x290, 5x2x295, 5x2x300
Week 6: 5x2x300, 5x2x305, 5x2x310, 5x2x315

I’ll be logging here, we’ll see how this goes. My best front squat is 330 going into this “program” - I expect to come out on the other side with at least a 345 front squat, hopefully 365. I’ll also be deadlifting once a week, probably just working up to a few singles at 500 each time, which brings me to your next question.

500 is a weight that I now can handle “any time” for sure, but it doesn’t exactly “fly” upwards. Each rep still probably looks like somewhat of a grind, but when I step up to the bar and start pulling, I know that I have plenty of strength to lock it out.

5 Likes

Thursday 5/25

Front Squat

2x135
2x165
2x195
2x225

Back Squat

2x225
2x255
2x285
1x315
1x345
1x365
1x375
1x385
1x385

Friday 5/26

Front Squat

2x135
2x165
2x195
2x225
2x255
1x285
1x315
1x325

Back Squat

2x225
2x255
2x285
2x315
3x345 (vid below)

2 Likes

PLAN FOR NEXT SIX WEEKS

As noted above, I’m planning to run a six-week program wherein I will front squat four times per week, five doubles in each session, sort of a low-volume, high-frequency program, progression as follows:

Week 1: 5x2x225, 5x2x230, 5x2x235, 5x2x240
Week 2: 5x2x240, 5x2x245, 5x2x250, 5x2x255
Week 3: 5x2x255, 5x2x260, 5x2x265, 5x2x270
Week 4: 5x2x270, 5x2x275, 5x2x280, 5x2x285
Week 5: 5x2x285, 5x2x290, 5x2x295, 5x2x300
Week 6: 5x2x300, 5x2x305, 5x2x310, 5x2x315

I will also deadlift once per week, working up to a couple singles at 500 each time. I’m going into this thing with a 550 deadlift, 385 back squat, and 330 front squat. I’m expecting to come out on the other side with a 565 deadlift, 405 back squat, and 365 front squat. We shall see.

2 Likes

Saturday 5/27

Bikram Yoga (90 Minutes)

Sunday 5/28

Deadlift

1x135
1x135
1x225
1x225
1x315
1x315
1x405
1x405
1x455
1x455
1x455
1x455
1x500
1x500
1x500
1x500

Back Squat

2x135
2x165
2x195
2x225
2x255
2x285
2x315
1x345
1x345
1x315
1x315

Tomorrow the gym is closed, so I’ll get out for a long run with my wife, and then Tuesday begins the aforementioned six-week high-frequency front squat progression.

Monday 5/29

7-Mile Run (71 Minutes)

Tuesday 5/30

Front Squat

2x135
2x165
2x195
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225

Back Squat

1x225
1x255
1x285
1x315
1x345
1x345

1 Like

Been lurking for a while and really enjoy your log. Very interested to see your progress on this squat progression as I’ve been contemplating increasing my frequency as well. I’m probably 50 pounds behind you in the squat but about 100 in the deadlift. Keep up the hard work brother!

@bctx1981: thanks man! Definitely check back, see how it’s going for me, decide if maybe it will work for you!

Wednesday 5/31

Front Squat

2x135
2x165
2x195
2x230
2x230
2x230
2x230
2x230

Back Squat

2x225
2x255
2x285
2x315
2x315

Wore a new pair of liftiing shoes today. After squatting in an old (10+ years, a gift from my dad when I was in college) pair of Reebok weightlifting shoes for the last several months, I decided to buy myself a new pair, the Adidas Powerlift 3, which has good reviews as a “bargain” shoe at $75-90. I still love that old pair of shoes, but they’re starting to fall apart and I’m hoping maybe I can extend their life a little by switching to the new Adidas shoe for “daily” lifting, saving the old-and-trusty Reebok for big lifts once a month or so.

2 Likes

Thursday 6/1

Front Squat

2x135
2x165
2x195
2x235
2x235
2x235
2x235
2x235

Back Squat

2x225
2x255
2x285
1x315
1x345
1x375
1x375

Finishing with a couple heavy singles - the gym is closed for the next 4 days for renovations, so wanted to go off with a bang until I can get back to the routine next week. I’ll get some running in, do a yoga class, maybe pay the drop-in rate at my old (pre-CrossFit) gym for a day over the weekend.

1 Like

Do you train in a EMOM type style? It seems like with so many doubles and singles you would go that route!

More or less. Some days I actually set a timer and truly go EMOM; other days I just go by feel, but in general the pace moves pretty quickly. I rarely take more than two minutes of rest between sets.

1 Like

Friday 6/2

Back Squat

5x135
2x225
2x245
2x275
1x315
1x325
1x335
1x345
1x365
1x375
1x375
1x315
1x315
1x315

Deadlift

5x135
1x225
1x315
1x405
1x455
1x500
1x515

With the CrossFit gym temporarily closed for renovations, I went to my “old” gym a few blocks further away to get some squats and deadlifts in. The 500 and 515 deadlift singles were really quite strong - very pleased with that! Tomorrow planning on yoga class, Sunday morning long run, whatever I feel like on Monday, and back into the CF gym next Tuesday.

1 Like

Saturday 6/3

Bikram Yoga (90 Minutes)