Week 2: Day 2
Paused Bench: 1x5-105; 6x5-80lbs with 1min rests
Dips: 4x12 w/4kg DB
Face Pull: 2x20, 1x25- 15kg w/40sec rests
Preworkout: felt good, pretty high energy but shoulders slightly tired
Workout: Bench wasn’t tiring but really hard to complete. I actually had to raise my butt off the bench for the last two reps of the first set. Back off sets felt pretty good but heaver than expected. Everything else wasn’t too bad. The dips really hard on my chest but didn’t really feel in tricep.
Postworkout: Pretty disappointed and felt like I could have done more
That’s not a good habit to get into. Maybe you should lower your working weights so that you can get 5 good reps.
It’s odd that you don’t feel dips in your triceps, I’m quite sure that you can’t do them without using triceps. Either way, I wouldn’t worry too much because you need to work your pecs too.
If you are using an upper/lower split then the upper body days will feel much easier than lower body days. You want them to, otherwise you won’t get very far, especially if you are training 5 days a week.
Week 2: Day 3
Deadlift: 1x5-220
6x5 every 40sec -180lbs
Split Squats: 3x11/leg- 16kg DBs
Rows: 3x12-95lbs w/ slow descents
Abs: 10x(40sec RKC plank hold+20sec rest)- still can’t do ab wheel
Preworkout: pretty tired and unmotivated, definitely didn’t want to deadlift.
Workout: The set of 5 felt pretty heavy, but easier than expected especially since I got pretty lightheaded after 3 at 215. The 6x5 at 185lbs felt quick and good. Everything else felt smooth and good. Surprisingly, the split squats felt a lot easier than last week, but my grip started giving out.
Yeah, you could keep it at 105, but stop at 3 or 4 if you can’t do another rep without lifting your butt. Try to get yourself in a position where you can’t lift your butt, setting your feet wider and internally rotating your hips (basically try to turn your knees in and point your toes straight rather than out, if that makes sense) should help. I had an issue with lifting my butt too, I ended up wasting time trying to fix my technique instead of actually getting stronger.
Was that your last warmup or what? How do your warmup sets go? I would do as much as necessary to get warmed up, but if your top set is 220 then last warmup should be about 200-205 for a single, or double at most. Save your energy for the sets that count. Better to do more reps with lighter weight.
How come you were so tired? I thought yesterday’s workout was too easy?
Do you use hook grip or mixed grip? Based on what you are saying about grip giving out on split squats, I think you could use some grip work. Try this: at the end of your deadlift workout (Wednesday) load 50% of your DL 1rm on a bar and hold it with a double overhand grip (not hook grip) for 2 sets of 15 seconds. If you can’t do 15 seconds then lower the weight, maybe 40% instead. Each week add 5lbs. It actually feels easier to hold the bar if you squeeze it as hard as you can.
For warm up, I first did 5min of easy cardio, then 1x5- 135, 155, 1x4-175, 195, 205, then 1x3 215
I was probably tired because I didn’t sleep well and it was particularly humid. Nothing was sore. I do have a question though. Since I used to deadlift 2-3x/week and now I’m only deadlifting 1x/week, is there the possibility of detraining because of the reduced frequency?
I wouldn’t worry about the frequency, the main thing is total volume and that would also include squat volume as well (same muscles, similar movement pattern). But it also sounded like you were doing too much before. There can be some benefit in terms of technique in more frequently training a lift but deadlift normally does well with low frequency. Very few people pull more than twice a week. If you find that your technique feels off after only pulling once a week then we can change it to twice a week, for now I wouldn’t worry.
Week 2: Day 4
Close Grip Bench: 3x9-75lbs
Ovh Press: 3x10-60lbs
Skulcrushers: 4x15-25lbs w/30sec rests
Handstand walk practice
Preworkout: felt pretty good, nothing sore or tired
During workout: I was pretty short on time so glad for the quick workout. Everything killed my triceps. Nothing felt particularly hard to complete but it did take some time to get used to the skullcrushers.
Try to rest a bit longer, at least one minute. If you can do 15 on the last set you could probably do a lot more on the first one, it would be better to use more weight and push each set harder.
Week 2: Day 5
Front Squat: 1x5- 130
6x5 120lbs w/pause, 1min rests
RDL: 3x15- 135lbs
DB row: 3x15/arm 20kg
Glute work: 3x(1min bridge walkout+1min 1-legged glute bridge/leg+1min rest)
Preworkout: not sore or tight but strangely tired- it was very hot and humid and I had some stomach cramps
Workout: Had a really hard time keeping my core tight. I had to use a belt for the
“heavy” set of 5. The 6x5 at 120 weren’t too bad on my legs, but I had a hard time breathing. I actually got borderline emotional for some strange reason. Everything else wasn’t too bad on my muscles, but felt strangely lightheaded through all the sets and really struggled mentally. Definitely took longer rests than necessary.
Postworkout: tired and not much better than preworkout. Felt accomplished though
Week 2: Day 6
Bench Press: 1x10,8,6- 90lbs
DB Incline Bench: 3x10,11,12-14kg Dbs
JM Press: 3x12-20kg
3x(12Dumbbell Flyes-8kg DB w/5sec descents+20 rear delt flyes-6kg Db) w/1min rests
Preworkout: felt pretty good going in but shoulders tight
Workout: a lot harder than expected. I wasn’t tired at all but the weights felt heavy and my triceps pretty much gave up. I used the tempo for the DB flyes and actually felt them in my chest.
You can go a bit heavier on these, I would aim for 3 hard sets of 10-12.
So just like last week, increase the weights on just about everything, if you won’t be able to stay in the prescribed rep range then aim for more reps. Like with DB flys, try to get more reps each week until you can do 3 sets of 15, then add weight.
Back Squat: 1x5-165lbs; 5x5-145lbs w/60sec rest
Pause Squat: 2x8-140lbs
Lat pull downs: 3x15-24.5kg
Preworkout: Felt pretty good, legs refreshed
During workout: Felt good- the weights went up very smooth. This is the first time I’ve done 165 for 5 but it felt easy. The back off sets felt light but got my heart rate up pretty good and really worked my abs. Paused squats killed me as usual.
Post workout: felt good but legs and glutes tired. Surprisingly energized
If you find that the pause squats are killing you, perhaps resting a bit longer between after the regular squats would be a good idea. I know you like to move fast, maybe like 5 minutes would be good. If I was doing that same workout I would probably rest 7-8 minutes before doing the pause squats.
Wasn’t it supposed to be 6 sets of 5 after the top set?
Paused Bench: 1x4-105; 6x5-85lbs with 1min rests
Dips: 3x13, 1x15 w/4kg DB
Face Pull: 3x20-17.5kg w/40sec rests
Preworkout: Slightly tired but pretty excited to workout, nothing was sore
Workout; Bench felt better, but still couldn’t get 5 at 105… Back up sets still felt pretty heavy. Dips felt good. I switched directions with the dips and actually felt it in triceps and less in chest- they were brutal
Post workout: felt good, shoulders and triceps tired.
You probably started off too heavy, also 5lbs is a 5% increase for you so it will make a difference. Just add another 5lbs next week and try to get 4, you are going away for a week soon (if I remember correctly?) so you can always reset your numbers when you come back.
I would just do the dips whatever way feels strongest, which would probably be leaning forward somewhat. You don’t want to avoid chest involvement and triceps are working no matter what. If you do them with a vertical torso (as some people do and call them “triceps dips”) it puts a lot of strain on your shoulders so it’s probably not the greatest idea.