Raven78's on the set of the Living Dead

Thanks fella! Keen to see where I can take the higher weights and lower reps in 1.5weeks onwards - in the next portion of this block.

W4 D6 (gym) Strength Building Block
21.08.2021 (5.45am session)
Mobility, warmup
Glute bridges, clamshell stuff

KB walking lunges (2sets) ss side to side BW squats

LEGS
Squats
bar x 8
40kg x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
(3.1t)

Hex deads
bar x 8
40kg x 8
60 x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8
(3.6t)

Calf raises (hack squat +30kg)
x8, 8, 8

-bring on deload week!

1 Like

W5 D1 (gym) Strength Building Block deload: 3set x 7-9r week
23.08.2021 (5.45am session)
Mobility, warmup
band pullaparts during below, 50 ish various grips

VERTICAL
warmup sets of both at lighter weights then
Lat pull downs (wide overhand grip)
50kg x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
(1.2t)

-ss-

OHP
30kg x 8
30 x 8
30 x 8
(1.2t)

Cable curls
x15, 15

Elliptical
5mins HIIT 30 sec bursts, then
15mins SSC (HR 115 ish)

-cruising through this week, lower volume a nice refresher I hope.

2 Likes

W5 D2 (gym) Strength Building Block
24.08.2021 (5.45am session)
Mobility, warmup
band pullaparts during below, 100 ish various grips

HORIZONTAL
Low Incline Bench
bar x 10
40kg x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
(1.5t)

–ss–

Seated rows (chest support pin machine)
54kg x 8
54 x 8
54 x 8
(1.3t)

Cable tri’s
x15, 12, 10, 10 (40+ ish reps)

Dreadmill
12mins highest incline HR 147 by end

-flew thru this, being deload. form solid.

2 Likes

W5 D3 (gym) Strength Building Block - deload week
25.08.2021 (5.45am session)
Mobility, warmup

KB walking lunges (2sets) ss side to side BW squats

LEGS
Squats
bar x 8
40kg x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
(1.6t)

Deads
bar x 8
40kg x 8
60 x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8
(1.8t)

Calf raises (hack squat +30kg)
x10, 10

Elliptical
10min 12sec emom leg refresher

-first time deadlifting using the straight bar, weird to return to it, but solid lift.

2 Likes

W5 D4 (gym) Strength Building Block deload: 3set x 7-9r week
26.08.2021 (5.45am session)
Mobility, warmup
band pullaparts during below, 50 ish various grips

VERTICAL
warmup sets of both at lighter weights then
Lat pull downs (wide overhand grip)
50kg x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
(1.2t)

-ss-

OHP
30kg x 8
30 x 8
30 x 8
(1.2t)

Lying leg curls
x10 (lighter) then x15, 15

Took some conditioning motivation from @T3hPwnisher (not sure if thanks or you’re insane is the better comment to add here… hehe), as many rounds as possible in 10mins, hitting a higher HR early then doing my best to maintain movement…

Conditioning:
10 x Thrusters 15kg BB
8-10 KB Swings (one arm lighter KB x 8-10 per side) then half way thru switched to heavier KB two handed)

Hit maybe 8 rounds, maybe more… probably not? Swings were (too) easy, thrusters brutal. gassed me a few rounds in…

Then some core and glute band work

-silly PT class next door stole most of the KB’s, so made do with an ultra light and a heavier one. They weren’t even using most of them… could see them sitting unused on the floor. douchebags!
-solid conditioning effort, cleared out the lungs nicely dang.
-glute/back sore yest, a sound reminder to get back into working glutes with the lacrosse ball etc at home. Something I’ve not done for a while.

5 Likes

W5 D5 (gym) Strength Building Block * deload week *
27.08.2021 (5.45am session)
Mobility, warmup
band pullaparts during below, 90 ish various grips, various angles

HORIZONTAL
Low Incline Bench
bar x 10
40kg x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
(1.5t)

–ss–

Seated rows (chest support pin machine)
33 x 8
54kg x 8
54 x 8
54 x 8
(1.3t)

Lateral raise drop sets
6kg DB > 4kg > 2kg > empty hands
x10, 10, 8-10

Dreadmill
12mins highest incline HR 149 by end

-fresh out this morning, coldest morning in a year (minus 2 on the car and icy), cracking day now though.

4 Likes

Good solid work mate

1 Like

W5 D6 (gym) Strength Building Block - deload week
28.08.2021 (6.30am fasted session)
Mobility, warmup

KB walking lunges (2sets) ss side to side BW squats

LEGS
Squats
bar x 8
40kg x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
55 x 8
(1.6t)

Hex Deads
bar x 8
40kg x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8
(1.8t)

Calf raises (hack squat +30kg)
x10, 10, 8

Elliptical
10min 12sec emom leg refresher
10min SSC HR 140 ish (iirC)
(3.5km ish)

-winning start to a weekend.

1 Like

W6 D1 (gym) Strength Building Block: 8 sets x 5-6r
30.08.2021 (5.45am session)
Mobility, warmup
band pullaparts during below, 120+ ish various grips

VERTICAL
Lat pull downs (wide overhand grip)
33kg x 8
50 x 4
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
(2.6t)

-ss-

OHP
15kg x 8
35 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
(1.4t)

Seated curls
7.5kg DB’s
x10, 10, 7+3rp (30 total)

Conditioning:
10 x Thrusters 15kg BB -ss-
8-10 10kg KB Swings (single arm then switch)

-lost count again, maybe 7 - 8 rounds again on conditioning
-lat pull downs really pushing technical failure zone towards the latter sets. Nice change up to 8 sets for this week. That’ll increase in the coming weeks as reps per set come down.
-BW 72kg (same belt notch now as recent cut where i cut down to 67kg, reckon I’m the heaviest I’ve been ever). And building strength.

1 Like

@kleinhound appreciate you dropping in here matey. I’m keen to see where this block takes me. I’m an avid lurker on your log too!

1 Like

I hear you dude. You’re doing the right stuff, putting in the work. Investing those reps :muscle:

2 Likes

W6 D2 (gym) Strength Building Block 8 sets x 5-6r
31.08.2021 (5.45am fasted session)
Mobility, warmup
band pullaparts during below, 90 ish various grips, various angles

HORIZONTAL
Low Incline Bench
bar x 8
40kg x 8
50 x 5
55 x 4
55 x 4
55 x 4
55 x 5 (dialing in the reps today)
55 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5
(2.8t)

–ss–

Seated rows (seated row))
35 x 8
54 x 6
62 x 5
62 x 5
65 x 5 (switched to seated row from pin machine (in use)
65 x 6 dialing in reps
65 x 6
65 x 6
65 x 6
65 x 6
(2.9t)

DB Pullover
22.5kg
4 x 10

Tri’s
-rope overhead x 12, 10
-rope standing pushdowns x 8, 6

Elliptical
12mins leg refresher 12s emom (2.1km ish) HR 139 ave

-solid session, feeling settled on those weights for this week. always a bit of trial and error upping sets and lowering reps whilst still looking to leave 1-2 reps in the tank on this training block.

1 Like

Mate that is a lot of reps for bench press. Is there a specific reason for so much volume at a lighter weight ?

W6 D3 (gym) Strength Building Block 8 sets x 5-6r
01.09.2021 (5.45am fasted session)
Mobility, warmup, clamshell band work

KB walking lunges (2sets) ss side to side BW squats

LEGS
Squats
bar x 10
40kg x 8
50 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 6
60 x 6
60 x 6
60 x 6
(3.1t)

Hex Deads
bar x 10
40kg x 8
60 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
(4.6t) - volume PR surely here.

-no accessory today, no supersetting these so it chews up time with rest periods.
-upped DL’s and felt good

1 Like

Following a good mate’s program for strength building atm.
Post 717 outlines the training block layout. i.e. 2 weeks ago was 6 sets of 7-9 reps = 48 total reps on 2x main lifts per session
This week is 8 sets of 5-6 reps so 48 total reps again
Next week jumps to 10sets x 4 reps (40 total), etc

Bench is slight incline (more ohp focus, less care for regular bench here). And the weight is getting ‘up there’ for me.
Intent is to set the weight each week, to leave 1-2 reps in the tank for the main lifts.

Not sure I’ve answered your Q totally, but discussion good! Thoughts?

Program makes sense and please dont think I was saying ‘light weight’. It was more that some programs would have less overall volume but the weight would be higher. Really all roads lead to the same destination. As long as you are progressing and slowly adding weight to the bar then its all good.
40+ reps seems like a lot to me because I don’t rep that high, but then I look at what the boys on deep water are doing 10x10 and I guess its not that high.

Is the weight each week programmed at the start or do you mean here that sets and reps are programmed and you just pick what you think will work ?

In many respects I’m heading in the slow and steady path on this block.

Weights are worked out on the fly in my head, I know roughly what I’m looking at based on the week prior though… noting the reps and sets are fixed.

eg this week 5-6r for OHP, I just upped to the next 5kg on the fixed BB’s in the gym. Hit a good level of fatigue come end of the later sets. Squats went from 55 to 60kg today (was nice throwing up the big wheel on the bar finally), and likely add 5 to 10kg next week, then another say 5kg the week after as reps per set drop incrementally…

Slow and steady is a great way to go. Its not like we are trying to break records. It looks to me like you are accumulating some nice volume and the weights are going up. Thats a win win.

1 Like

W6 D4 (gym) Strength Building Block: 8 sets x 5-6r
02.09.2021 (5.45am session)
Mobility, warmup
band pullaparts during below, 120 ish various grips

VERTICAL
Lat pull downs (wide overhand grip)
33kg x 8
50 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5
(2.6t)

-ss-

OHP
15kg x 8
35 x 6
35 x 6
35 x 6
35 x 6
35 x 6
35 x 6
35 x 6
35 x 6
(3.1t)

Lying leg curls
2x20

Conditioning:
emom 15x 16kg KB Swings
(total 150 reps)
Elliptical 10min SSC (HR 146 ave)

-losing grip on the KB’s (all smoothed handles) towards the latter sets
-added in swings to hit the doms
-solid session

1 Like