Is staying away from failure part of the peaking plan?
I want a big neck so badly. I don’t think it’ll ever happen though 
yeah this week was a volume deload, but I got some heavier weights in. My coach gives me an RIR for my set, so on most compounds, I should be able to do it with 3-4 reps in reserve.
But because I’m not used to sets and reps because of my summer of working up to, a heavy single frequently, my first set will be 3 RIR, second set will be 2 or 1, and then it goes downhill.
Its not hard to work your neck. I just hang my head off a bench in prone/supine and work up to 50 reps of flexion and extension. I just started them again, so I did 20 today. I think working extension will help my desk posture, and prevent my head from dipping forward or down when I deadlift
Also having a big beard can give you the illusion of a big neck
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I’m sorry i have to say this, do strongman for a big neck lol 
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Having a big beard is just a win for everything 
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Meet Prep starts today
Got some Pause Squat/Squat/RDL/and some sorta Row
Programs got me doing deficit DL and lots of competition bench. Have some pin squat later this week too. haven’t done those before so this should be fun.
Hit Pause squat at 320x2 which felt easy. Squats at 295/295/305 for fives felt a lil hard, but whatever. Hit some RDLs and totally jumped around weight. I figured 245x8 would be no issue but they killed me. So I went to 175x8 (I was working in with these girls, so I just jumped in to their working weight), that felt too light. Wrapped up with 185. Looking back, I shoulda done 185-205 for my sets.
The belt squat/row combo was occupied so I did dumbbell rows with 60s
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Bench today felt great. Kinda sandbagged.
190 for paused 5’s. I kept the weight light because I didn’t know how the pause affected me, but I think the pause got me tighter to launch the bar up. Even on my touch and go I’ve always done a long ecentric.
Went a little heavier for 1x3 at 205. Got a lil bold and tried to pause the last rep extra long but I think it was a sloppy execution and probably woulda been a red light.
Closegrip for 1x4 at 185, then 3x6 at 170. I realized all this was too light. SHoulda started heavier on close grip, and shoulda started my 3x6 at 180-185. Finished my sets out with 185. Basically I was going for RIR 2 or 3
Closed the day off with some tricep extensions at 4x12, but tried adding bands which was dumb as hell. Worst call ever.
Also hit a band pull apart PR of 50 reps with the blue rogue band.
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Impromptu gym day today for cardio.
Did waiter walks with 24lbs and 44labs for 1 lap each side, each weight.
Some agility ladder drills, then I did the stork squats and bench leg curls that my PT recommended, but don’t do often enough (added heavier good mornings and RDLs into my training), then stretched.
Felt a lot harder than I had expected. Probably going to add this cardio day more often.
Also met a bodywork specialist who does cupping, scraping, and stretching. She’ll be working right from our gym. She also does this for the Portland Blazers.
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Deficit DL for 1x2 at 365, which felt amazing and blazing fast
Deadlift for 2x4 at 315, 325. Trying to practice my lockout by holding it a lil long (as if waiting for a down command), but also I’ll know if my position is bad if I can’t hold that lock out (I think)
Hit Pin Squats for the first time at 3x3 of 315, 315, 325. Felt great. Lost my tightness at 325 and just called it there after 1/3 reps.
Totally spaced and forgot about the rows I was supposed to do - OOPS! Just gonna tack those onto the end of next session. Prolly seated cable rows or seal rows.
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Did some 3x7 Comp Bench at 185. Really pausing long on the chest, so my reps and sets take forever since I ease it down onto my chest.
Then some incline, which was a pain to set up since my gym is mostly combo racks, fixed benches, and power racks. Put an adjustable bench in a power rack and used the rogue monolift attachments. Haven’t done incline bench in forever, so kept it light. 1x4 of 185 and 2x6 of 165. Closed off with some rolling tricep extensions and horizontal row.
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Haha, you think your incline is a pain, mines a block of wood under my flat bench
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Damn, that sounds easier to set up at least 
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1x2 of a paused 345 on squat today, then 3x5 at 305,305,310
Been too quick on my breathing and haven’t fully braced before descending and my coach caught me doing this during warmup sets. The 5’s felt terrible because it got harder to brace as I ran out of breath. The pause double felt great though and I love pausing a little longer for Instagram.
After squat, I had 3x8 RDLs which I really didnt wanna do because my back was sore. Just tried to do the reps unbroken and prolly had half-ass lockouts. Then 3x10 Dumbbell row.
Nutrition wise, I’ve been really eating more protein. Maybe my natural appetite is just directing me to more protein, but I’m getting 130-150 lately when I usually used to get 100-120.
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How much do you weigh?
195 now, competing at 181, but trying to qualify for drug tested nationals with the 198 classification standards.
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Hit some bench today
3x5 at 205, 205, 210 with pause
then 1x3 for 230, which felt great. Kept that last pause extra long for instagram.
To be honest, I don’t think I’m keeping my bar that still when I pause, but I got a few weeks to work on that.
Then wrapped up with close grip at
1x4 205
3x6 185
No longer having trouble on the lockout, but still staying strong with the tricep extensions 4x12 at 105,115,105,105… making my way down the cable tower
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Got scraping and cupping done on Friday which bruised me the fuck up. Did a movement seminar the next day, which was great. Learned all about bracing, breathing, rooting, etc.
Went into todays deadlift session a day later than planned with about 3 or so days off. Felt good, but might have been hypercritical or something.
1x2 Deficit DL at 385 (PR since I never done it before)
2x4 DL at 335, which kinda felt good
Then Pin Squats, which drained the FUCK out of me at 3x3 with 305, 315, 315
Ended off with some cable row with 50lbs and blue band tension.
Got vacation coming up again and I kinda don’t wanna train the rest of the week. My next session is prolly gonna be tomorrow, with bench and incline.
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Not quite sure what happened today, but I was beat the fuck up.
Slept in later than usual (8AM vs 6/7AM)
Did my work. I was definitely more mentally engaged at work lately since I’m trying to wrap up stuff before vacation.
Had 3x7 of comp bench at 190, 195, 195. Missed the last 2 reps on set 3 and just called it there. Pretty embarassing to fail on that low weight.
Then 1x4 of Incline, which was programmed for 190-200 but I did 185.
Dialed back to a 2x6 of 175.
Then did my rolling tricep extensions - programmed for 30, but I did 25 because my elbows were cranky.
Maybe I’m already in vacation mode?
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First day back in the gym today.
On my trip I tried to do a front flip in the water and landed right on my head! Took a few days off but def had some trap/neck pain. Had some headaches today during the session, and I hope it’s not related.
Also didnt drink coffee today till right before the gym, when I usually do a triple shot of espresso in the AM.
But
Pause squat 1x2 at 350, which felt great, even with extra long pauses for the gram
My 3x5 at 310 felt kinda rough, especially after the second set.
Was supposed to do my RDLs today, but I’ll defer those to tomorrow or wednesday
Finshed off with 45 degree lat pulldowns at 3x10
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Damn glad you’re ok
Yeah it was bad. Luckily the water kinda slowed me down and the sand had some give to it.