Bodyweight back raises are quite easy now. They’re more for back health. Different story with an extra 45 lbs or bands, then they get hard quite quickly.
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OK, so I had a little brainwave yesterday night while lying in bed. I think I need to look at my attempts for July and make a couple of tweaks based on how I’m currently feeling under heavier loads. Yes, I haven’t started peaking yet, but the last thing I want to do is start struggling with my peaking loads. The main thing to do is hit a PR total. Given I’ll be competing two weight classes lighter, even a five pound PR total would be perfectly fine. Then in October I can look at adding a bit more, especially as I’ll have a better idea of how I go at 181 lbs.
Here’s how I’m looking at this: probably the best way to go forward is to aim for a triple weight class bodyweight squat and DL and one and a half for bench. That equates to a 545 lbs (247.5 kg) squat and DL and a 275 lbs (125 kg) bench press. That gives me a 1365 lbs total (620 kg), which leaves me 28 lbs short of a PR total. I figure I’ll aim to make that up on bench and DL, so I’m looking at having my third squat at 545 lbs; my second bench at 275 lbs with third at either 281 or 286 lbs (or a second crack at 275 lbs if things go pear shaped); and have my second DL at 545 lbs with my third at either 567 lbs or 572 lbs depending on what my third bench is (again leaving me a second crack at 545 lbs if I have a very bad day).
I don’t compete, and if I did, my total might be 900 at best. But, I think you should look to equal a PR at the new weight rather than exceed it.
I mean seriously, you were 220, right? So, if you hit the same numbers at 181, that’s huge.
Why don’t you peak for that? I mean, I agree with your numbers, but maybe your second attempts should be your PR numbers and if you hit them, then go up.
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You’re dead right.
What I’m planning effectively does that, with an extra six pounds on my total IF I hit all my planned third attempts. Otherwise it’ll be PRs at 181 lbs with a second highest total by way of my third squat and second bench and DL.
I plugged the numbers in and peaking looks civilised now. Squat will be the big question, although what I think I’m starting to see is a drop more in higher load rep capacity than a big drop in limit strength. That’s what I hope is what’s happening anyway. I’ve got deload, then anchor cycle two, final deload and peak.
I may well hit a heavy single when I squat on Thursday depending how I feel. I’ll probably apply the same third rep criteria to my plus set as I did yesterday. I’d definitely like to have a crack at a heavier sleeved squat, if only just to see where I’m at. I’ll see how I feel on the day.
Further to all that my attempts should look very close to this:
Squat
473 lbs (215 kg)
A 512 lbs (232.5 kg)/B 506 lbs (230 kg)
A 545 lbs (247.5 kg)/B 539 lbs (242.5 kg)
Bench
253 lbs (115 kg)
A 275 lbs (125 kg)/B 269 lbs (122.5 kg)
A 286 lbs (130 kg)/B 275 lbs
DL
500 lbs (227.5 kg)
A 545 lbs (247.5 kg)/B 533 lbs (237.5 kg)
A 572 lbs (260 kg)/B 561 lbs (255 kg)
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Gotta be honest though, it’s a goal of mine to fill out the sleeves of most clothes I wear. Keep in mind that I don’t buy overly small shirts just to do this. Not 95% of the time anyways.
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Your smile afterwards said it all. AWESOME PULL!!!
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Thanks 
I was pretty happy. Still am, in fact.
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Woke at 185.7 lbs. So far I’m very pleased with how steady my scale weight has kept.
Logging yesterday today again
Training
Lazy lifter plus shoulders
Bench press
35 pull aparts between first three warmup sets
5x198 lbs, under 6 RPE
3x220 lbs, 6 RPE
5x236 lbs, 10 RPE - epic grind on rep five, felt like I didn’t quite lock out on the right but video could go either way. Remembering to flare is a lift saver
1x253 lbs, 9 RPE - felt great but tweaked something in the back of my left hand unracking
CGBP FSL
7x198 lbs, 7-8 RPE
6x198 lbs, 8-9 RPE
5x198 lbs, 9 RPE
Supersetted DB military press/CSRs
Press 50 total reps at 40 lbs: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
Rows 50 total reps at 60 lbs: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
Rested 90 seconds between each round. Cooked by the end. Still not convinced by DB press. I don’t see how it’s any better than barbell.
Supersetted rope cable curls/rope tricep pushdowns
Curls 50 total reps at 27 lbs: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
Triceps 100 total reps at 27 lbs: 20, 20, 20, 20, 20
Rested 60 seconds between rounds
Curls didn’t feel as good as BB, but much easier on my left hand/wrist. Amazing tricep pump.
Stationary bike sprints 10 x 40 sec off/20 sec on at level 14 - kept good intensity
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Today’s training
Lazy lifter plus shoulders
Dips 50 total reps: 10xbw, 10x +22 lbs, 10x +44 lbs, 10x +66 lbs, 20xbw
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSxuHTRFXvZ/
Pretty pleased with this. At some point I’d like to hit 10 with an extra 100 lbs at some point and go from there. Kind of like that 400 lbs front squat.
Warmed up for Kroc rows between dip sets, then decided to do a DB row drop set instead.
DB row drop set: 10x120 lbs, 12x100 lbs, 8x80 lbs, 10x60 lbs, 10x40 lbs
This left me gasping
Frankenstein reverse lunges 50 total reps/leg: 10xbar, 10x88 lbs, 10x110 lbs, 10x132 lbs, 20xbw
Good leg pump, breath was rasping from the pressure on my throat
Supersetted GHR sit-ups/RDFs
Sit-ups 50 total reps: 13, 13 with 22 lbs, 25 bw
RDFs 50 total reps at 25 lbs: 25, 25
Cut the last superset a bit short, was starting to run out of gas and time. Want to be fresh for tomorrow.
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Woke at 185.2 lbs. So far things are going according to plan. Eleven days 2400 calories and I haven’t ballooned up, but I feel better and look good PLUS scale weight has held in the range I want. Night shift starts tomorrow so that’ll be the usual little tester.
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Are you on Facebook? Tnation posted your training log there, mentioning your 3 x BW pull.
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I am, but I didn’t see it until Duke told me. I’m flattered to be honest.
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Ups I didn’t see that someone already mentioned it
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Today’s training
Lazy lifter plus shoulders
Wrapped squat
On a whim decided to test my EFS Normal wraps. I’ve been itching to have a go with them since I bought them and since this week was a bit different and I’m deloading next week I figured I’d have to look a lot further to find a better time.
5x357 lbs, under 6 RPE - tried wrapping higher up my leg. Felt like I got about zero out of the wraps, but they were loose: 7 revolutions at 5, X
3x407 lbs, 6 RPE, maybe under 6 - felt like the wraps were still giving very, very little even though they were up to 8 revolutions at 4, X, 2 and I was wrapping as normal, not high on the thigh
3x451 lbs, 7-8 RPE - apart from maybe the first rep felt like I wasn’t getting jack shit out of the wraps which by now were at 10 revolutions at 4, X, 4
1x500 lbs, 9-10 RPE - finally got something (I think) out of the wraps. Maybe. Like, 10 lbs at most, if that, with the damn things at 11 revolutions at 4, X, 5. Honestly still unconvinced that I got much at all.
Don’t get me wrong, the wraps are very well made and certainly the most comfortable I’ve ever put on. Even cranked at 11 (I could probably get to 13 if I really, really wanted to) they’re just tight. But in terms of giving me anything out of the hole they SUCK. I’m disappointed, but really glad I tried them before peaking. I’ll go straight into the Slingshots. Yes, I have considered the possibility that I was doing a shit job at wrapping and/or have gotten a fuckton weaker - except that I wrapped exactly as I have when I got a bunch out of my Slingshots and I’ve been hitting all the weights bar the 500 lbs for five or more in the last five weeks. I guess, on the plus side, I’m still probably good for or very close to a 500 lbs squat in sleeves.
3x8x357 lbs, under 6, 6 and 6-7 RPE - bare knees and these felt the best squats of the day. This further makes me think the EFS Normals don’t do anything for me. Took relatively short breaks
Bench press, all work sets paused
35 pull aparts between first three warmup sets
5x198 lbs, 6 RPE
3x220 lbs, 6-7 RPE
1x236 lbs, 7-8 RPE
1x253 lbs, 9 RPE
Every rep of every set felt the neatest they ever have, although benching right after squats made a noticeable difference to how much I could feel my leg drive.
CGBP FSL 3x5x198 lbs, 7-8, 8-9, 9 RPE
Supersetted FSL sets with TRX fatman pull-ups: 20, 15, 15
Decided to have a little play with drop sets for biceps and triceps
BB curls 50 total reps in one set: 12x70 lbs, 10x60 lbs, 8x50 lbs, 10x40 lbs, 10x30 lbs
Holy wow. I think I’ll do my curls like this once a week.
Rope tricep pushdowns 100 total reps in one set: 35x27 lbs, 18x21 lbs, 20x12 lbs, 30x14 lbs, 30x8 lbs
Yes, tiny, tiny weights. I think I’ll do this again, but start at something like 50 lbs, and work down.
Either way, I’ll do this drop set on bench day two and my usual five sets with timed breaks on bench day one.
Incline treadmill walk 15 minutes at 15 incline and 5 km/hr
I’ll put up the highlights video later.
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Jesus man, a three times body weight to a mundane advertisement. That video was simultaneously one of the most awesome, and Australian thing I’ve seen in a little while.
Also, Mark, I am pretty sure the EFS normals are meant to be intro wraps for raw guys/bodybuilders. I liked my super heavies, but I don’t feel like they are the kind of wraps you are looking for. I definitely hear a lot of good stuff about slingshot gear in general though. A buddy of mine owns a pair of gangster wrist and knee wraps, and liked both of them a good bit.
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Here are the week’s highlights
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