Not sure what it’s going to take to make them grow. I might add 100 weighted reps per training day or something because the bodyweight doesn’t seem to be doing much.
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I had a thought: after this Thursday and how good pull-up ladders felt in my lats, I think I might roll the dice and do them instead of lat pull-downs.
I might also do the ladders for my DL warmup pull-ups, except in reverse.
That’s a great idea
I “rolled the dice” myself about two years ago. At the time I could only do two pull-ups in a row so it really was a gamble. But it was worth it. My pull-up strength flew up and my back developed like crazy.
I don’t know what it is, but it feels like doing both pull-ups and lat pull-downs just makes you lose your pull-up power.
For me it’s a gamble because of my elbows. The bloody things can act up a ton over very little if I’m not careful. However, I think the ladders may be a way around this because there are minimal sets with anything over three reps.
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Oh yeah, you had elbow problems (I’ve definitely been away for too long, I forgot that)
Ladders could be a way around it, yes. Experiment with it and be sure to write about it - gaining more knowledge helps us all.
Have you tried the westside style of doing a ton of curls and extensions to battle elbow injuries? If not, it could be worth a shot.
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Yes, lots of curls - hammer especially. They’re very effective. Tricep work so-so, although pushdowns certainly don’t hurt them at all.
Also, partly I’m moderately paranoid because of how stupid I was messing them up initially: I kept plugging away with poorly executed pull-ups and poor squat grip despite pain. Now, I’m much more careful, and perhaps overly cautious.
I’ll just try and see how it works.
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Well, you learned a lesson there, and that’s a good thing.
And as long as you are progressing you are not being overly cautious - being overly cautious is consciously refusing to add weight to the bar even when it’s needed in order to progress. (So when there is nothing to fix about your technique and the rep ranges you are approaching no longer serve your goals)
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I think I went around 100-150 calories over today, courtesy of some chips (French fries for my American friends), not more though. They were delicious.
Edit: still hungry though
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Hmmmmmm chips
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Woke at 186.8 lbs again, looking the same.
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Felt really flat training, today, no idea why until I thought about it. Last week I hit DL TM for 10, the day after hit my best bike sprints yet and then Friday squatted TM for eight - all improvements on the first week. Also benched TM for three sets instead of one, not to mention Thursday and Friday I trained after night shifts. So when I thought about it, it made sense that I’d be flat.
Today’s training
Lazy lifter plus shoulders
Bench press
TM is 220 lbs
Work up from bar in 22 lbs x 3-5 to 60%, 20 pull aparts between sets
Both shoulders feeling achy and stiff from the get go
3x154 lbs, under 6 RPE - something feeling off
3x176 lbs, 6 RPE - eew, definitely feeling off, no snap
1x198 lbs, under 6 RPE - somehow got it together for this one and it felt decent
7x220 lbs, 10 RPE - glad I went past last week’s reps, but honestly I could have hit this in week one if I’d had the confidence. Next cycle I’ll be gunning for TMx10 again, and I’ll be annoyed if I get under six in week one.
Incline press
8x154 lbs, 7-8 RPE
7x154 lbs, 8-9 RPE
Cuffs go on here, elbows hinting they’d appreciate it
6x154 lbs, 8-9 RPE
Jury’s still out on these, so I’ll carry them over to next cycle. They’re definitely harder, but also may irritate my shoulders - although that could be because my upper pecs are weak and that makes my shoulders bear the load.
Supersetted strict BB rows/single are DB press
Rows 3x15x154 lbs
Press 3x10x40 lbs
REALLY noticed how flat I was during the rows, they were hard today.
Paul Carter rope lat pulldowns
3x15x66 lbs, felt really good in my lats, short rests
Bis/tris giant set, 60 second rests
BB curl 3x15x50 lbs
BB JM-ish press, 3x20x50 lbs
Calves
3x15x300 lbs standing raises, 30 second rests
Seated dropset 20x132 lbs, 16x88 lbs, 27x44 lbs
Stationary bike sprints 10 x 35 sec off/25 sec on at level 15 - intensity not quite up to last week but close, also not as even across each interval. Way harder too, although my arms were shaking when I got on the bike so no surprise there.
Decided to have another refeed today - it’s only been 11 days since the last one, but I think I would do well for it. Physique-wise I don’t think I’ve lost anything so I’ll throw the dice. I’ve noticed that since going to 2500 calories/day, somehow I’ve managed to eat less carbs (not huge, down to around 220 g/day instead of 240 g/day) because I’m getting in a little extra fat. I suppose that could explain why I felt flat, and would explain why those chips yesterday were so damn good. I’ll just have to track how I look the next few days to see what happens.
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Here’s my meal today. I’m guessing around 5000 calories. Best parts: burger, choc pb brownie. The Nutella cheesecake was meh, won’t have again.
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[quote=“MarkKO, post:2897, topic:208986, full:true”] The Nutella cheesecake was meh, won’t have again.
[/quote]
How is this NOT amazing?
Not quite my thing. It was good, just not amazing.
Woke at 190.7 lbs, but looking pretty much the same. A little softer around the lower abs maybe, but the two veins running from junk upwards are still popping. So far, so good.
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Just caught up to your recent training. Keep it going man! How many days do go between refeeds?
I play it by ear. Initially I was looking at two to three weeks, but recently I’ve gone every 11 or 12 days. I go by when I feel flat and have been hungry for a while.
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Today’s training
Lazy lifter
Sumo DL, stiff bar, briefs
TM is 440 lbs
Work up from 132 lbs in 44 lbs x3-5 to 60%, 5 pull-ups between sets, various grips
1x308 lbs, under 6 RPE, beltless, double overhand
1x352 lbs, under 6 RPE, beltless, double overhand
1x396 lbs, under 6 RPE, beltless, hook grip
1x440 lbs, under 6 RPE, hook grip
3x484 lbs, 7-8 RPE, straps
2x528 lbs, 8-9 RPE, straps, failed third - ordinarily I’d have put it as 10 RPE but the set went first rep, two more in the tank for sure, second rep, one or two there, third failed in my normal sumo place.
What have we learned? Up to around 500 lbs, the briefs give a bunch of carryover off the floor. Past that weight, this diminishes. They help, but the groove goes back to what it is raw.
New phone, and managed to delete the videos. Go me.
2.5 inch deficit conventional DL, briefs, beltless, straps
3x3x308 lbs, all under 6 RPE
SSB squat, briefs, belt
5x330 lbs, under 6 RPE but called early because my rectus femoris close to my knee felt strained AF on both legs. Not a good feeling
2x10x330 lbs, 7 RPE or so apiece - went back and played it by ear. Knees/rectus calmed down although on the last reps I could feel the strain again.
I’m guessing the heavy double had something to do with this. Glad it’s conventional for the next three weeks.
Played with some 242 lbs SSB box squats, beltless. A couple in briefs, a couple not. Around that weight will be fine for brief squat backoff sets.
Reverse hyper 3x25x220 lbs
Abs/shoulders
Rope kb upright rows 2x25x35 lbs
Standing cable crunches 2x25x77 lbs
Calves
3x25x220 lbs standing raises, 30ish second rests
Discovered what looks like a kind of power squat machine. Will investigate further.
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I really like your log and the direction you are taking with your training (introducing briefs and the like). The only problem is: It is so damn hard to keep up with this log 
Every time I come on here there are like 30 new posts in your log
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You use a lot of terms I’m not familiar with, but it’s good to see how a pro does things. 
In for progress.
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