TCam's Log - The Road to Elite

Training Logs
981

Monday - Upper - Deload

Paused Bench:
2x8x275
12x275 - RPE 8

Single Arm Incline DB Press:
3x12/12x65

Chaos Push-Ups:
3x12xBW

Machine Lat Pulldown:
3x12x180

Triceps Pushdown:
3x15x70

Prone Incline DB Curl:
3x12x35s

This went pretty well. Just a basic pressing day. I’ve recently been hitting 275 for more total reps than this, so it’s a volume deload there.

Wednesday - Lower - Deload

Sumo w/ Belt/Straps - Stiff Bar:
3x3x495 - RPE 8ish

Beltless RDL w/ Straps:
2x12x315

Beltless Squat:
3x10x225

BFR Squat Press:
30, 15, 15, 15 x 180 - 20 sec rests

Knee rehab stuff and other mobility

This wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, moving back to a stiff bar suddenly. The form wasn’t perfect since I’m out of practice on the bar, but the reps were smooth. Squats nearly killed me today for some reason. My conditioning must be shot. I did come into the session with an unusual right knee pain, which was keeping me from using my quads a lot on deadlift. Pain went away by the end of the workout though. Just gotta keep working on using my hips more to control the knees’ position.

982

Friday - Upper - Deload

Paused Bench:
4x2x315
8x315 - RPE 8

Smith Machine - Seated OHP:
4x8x140 - Never done these before, not horrible

Prone Incline DB Row:
4x10x110s

Don’t remember the specifics of the rest

Saturday - Lower - Deload

Sumo w/ Belt/Straps - Stiff Bar
3x1x585
2x8x455

Beltless Paused Squat:
3x5x315

BFR Squat Press:
30, 15, 15, 15 x 180 - 20 sec rests

Lying Leg Curl:
3x15x80

Hollow-Body Hold:
3x0:30xBW+10 lbs in hands

This was a pretty good workout. Kept the set count low for deadlift and squats to deload volume. 585s felt decent for not having pulled on a stiff bar before this week.

983

Tuesday - Upper Volume

Paused Bench w/ Fat Bar:
4x8x285 - Last set was RPE 10

A1 | DB Floor Press - 4 Ct Eccentric:
3x10x85s

A2 | Seal Row - 3 Ct Eccentric:
3x10x185

Seated Triceps Overhead Extension:
3x12x55

Cable Shoulder External Rotation:
3x15x25

Prone Incline EZ Bar Curl:
15x75
2x15x75+Mini band
15x75

I don’t have a plan actually written out, but I’m generally trending towards a more structured version of what I’ve been doing for bench at least. So a volume day and a heavy day basically. Still playing with how to reintroduce squats as the weight becomes more tolerable. But until that happens, I’m going to continue focusing on deadlift. I may do 3 days per week there.

984

Lower - Volume

SSB Squat w/ Belt:
5x5x335 - Hard but no pains

Convention 2" Block Pulls - Beltless/Straps:
6x6x405

Static Posterior Lunge w/ Slides:
3x10/10xBW+52

Hyperextension w/ KBs:
2x15xBW+52 - KBs in isometric row position throughout

Squats did not feel strong (unsurprisingly) but I’m very happy that I had no pain during them. I’m starting back with the SSB because I already sucked at it before the injury and now since I’ve barely squatted at all, I may as well start with the bar that forces me to go lighter and get better at something I suck at.

I hate conventional deadlift currently, but they’re going back in since the knee feels okay with them. Blocks are a weak movement as well, so starting there!

985

Upper - Heavy

Bench:
1x375 - Paused
4x6x315 - Soft pause or TnG depending on the set

Incline Spoto Press w/ Duffalo Bar:
3x8x195

A1 | Paused Cable Low Row - Mod Neutral Grip:
10x180
2x10x210

A2 | Cable Fly:
15x25s
2x15x32.5s

B1 | Lying Cable Lateral Raise:
10x30
10x40
10x50

B2 | Facepull:
3x15x47.5

BW Triceps Extension on Smith Machine:
2x15

My right elbow has been giving me some random pains over the last week. UCL tests are positive for pain, but I have no mechanism of injury for that. Regardless, it’s has only hurt in the gym when bench unracking. Otherwise it has been things like opening a door or holding something light and raising it slightly. Something to look out for, but it shouldn’t affect my lifting (knocks on wood).

Bench felt pretty good. The top single was easy and smooth. 315 was chosen as a safe weight for the elbow basically. I wanted lower reps, but it was easy enough to hit 6’s with. I’ll take the volume.

986

Lower - “Heavy”

Belt Squat:
3x15x45

Squat w/ Belt:
3x2x405

Sumo w/ Belt/Straps:
3x3x495 - First set beltless

Hyper w/ Rackable Cambered Bar:
4x10x110

Really didn’t want to be at the gym today. Just some personal distractions going on, so my mind wasn’t in it. I also had significant adductor soreness going into this workout, so I didn’t feel safe pushing any volume.

On the plus side, I haven’t had 405 on my back since 6/12 and I have not squatted it without a box since 4/13, just before my flag football injury. I didn’t have any patellar tendon pain, but I am a little inflammed now, an hour later. Just need to manage that and continue with rehab stuff and I’ll be fine.

Anyway, what I really, really need to work on is not rounding over in the squat. My power transference is utter shit because of it. So, I’m going to focus as much as I can on that as the weight gets linearly heavier. Hypers with the cambered bar are a decent start, but I will need to figure out how to squat with the SSB without rounding over, because that’s my best bet.

987

Didn’t realize I hadn’t wrote my log in a while with school starting back. I’ll write the highlights from last week.

Upper Days

Volume Day:
Paused Bench w/ American Cambered Bar:
3x8x295
10x295 - Failed on 11

Heavy Day:
Paused Bench:
1x395 - Lost position but was able to pull it out
3x5x325
3x325 - Plus minor R anterior delt strain

Lower Days

Volume Day:
Pin Squat - Full Depth:
3x5x315
2x5x365 - Rough

Conventional 2" Block Pull w/ Belt/Straps:
2x8x455
5x455 - These just felt like straight trash after those pin squats

Heavy Day:
Sumo Deadlift w/ Belt/Straps:
4x2x545
10x545 - 50 lb PR!

SSB Squat w/ Belt:
5x5x335 - I think. This was brutal after that deadlift PR

Main things to note are the delt strain and the huge PR deadlift. One will be fine within a week or two. The other was a big surprise and I’m mostly happy with how well my form held up. The video is on my IG at teekamble. Only thing I can attribute this to is the re-addition of squats into my programming. Other than that, maybe it was just a good day, because the e1RM is 692 based on that set. Of course, the further from 1 rep that gets, the less valid it is, but still. Nice.

988

Lower - Volume

Pin Squats - Full Depth - Belt:
5x315
3x5x365 - Got hard to maintain upper back position on reps 4-5 each set
2x5x315 - Felt easy after the heavier sets

Conventional 2" Block Pulls w/ Belt/Straps:
8x3x455 - 1 minute rests

A1 | Cable Low Row - V-Grip:
20x150
15x180
12x210
10x240

A2 | Seated Band Leg Curl w/ Pause:
3x20xDbl Mini

So I think that pin squats are a great exercise for me to focus on for a barbell squat instead of just normal squats and SSB squats. Pins are really challenging me to stay upright and also use my hips. They’re definitely wrecking me for any subsequent deadlifts, but it is what it is. I did the 8x3 on block pulls to at least get some overall volume in, but it’s not my preferred method.

989

Jesus Christ dude. I’m still lurking around your log when I have time, but this was too insane for me not to comment here. Haha

990

Thanks, @oldbeancam!

Friday - Upper

Bench:
5x10x225 - No delt pain

Lat Pulldown:
2x10x165 - Paused w/ V Grip
2x10x165 - Normal w/ Wide Neutral

Triceps Pushdown:
15x55
12x70
2x12x85

Alternating DB Curl w/ Iso-Hold:
3x15/15x20s

Incline Chest Press:
15x90
15x140
2x15x180

Wasn’t sure how the delt would feel since it had only been 7 days since the strain. I didn’t feel it at all, but I didn’t want to go heavy for no reason and make it worse.

DB curl variation was basically holding the non-working elbow at 90 degrees isometrically while the other worked isotonically. I did 5 reps before switching sides and did 15 reps total per arm.

Saturday - Lower - Heavy

2" Sumo Block Pulls w/ Belt/Straps:
4x2x585
6x585 - +3 rep PR

Paused Cambered SSB Squat w/ Belt:
8x3x335

A1 | Belt Squat:
12x180
2x12x230
15x180

A2 | Dead-Bug w/ UE Band Hold:
3x20 - Explained below

Only time I’ve hit 3x585 off 2" blocks was when I got 725 off this height and the 585 set was “like nothing” according to my log. The last time I performed sumo block pulls, 3x585 felt like trash after I failed 730. I’m really happy with how this went today. The 6th rep had downward motion, so that’s something to fix, but I’m still counting it as a rep. Just something to compare it to next time.

Cambered SSB is much whippier than the normal SSB. Really had to focus on controlling my descent with it. Felt more like something that could transfer to my competition squat than the normal SSB honestly, so I think I’ll continue using it.

Dead-bug variation: Lying on the floor, starting in the normal dead-bug start position, hold a band anchored superiorly, and then alternate the legs like a normal dead-bug. “UE” stands for upper extremities.

1 Like
991

Tuesday - Upper

3 Ct Paused Bench w/ Fat Bar:
3x3x275
5x3x275 - Feet up to make it harder without increasing the load

Cable Fly:
15x25s
2x15x32.5s

Band Triceps:
2x20xDbl Mini - Pushdown
2x20xDbl Mini - Overhead extension

Seal Row:
3x15x185

Prone Rear Delts:
15x30s
15x40s

Lying Cable Lateral Raise:
10x50
2x10x40

Cable External Rotation:
3x15x15

Right shoulder is feeling tight during bench, but otherwise this felt fine with regard to the delt strain. I’m just playing it safe and not increasing the weight a ton just because it feels okay. Repair process is likely still happening.

992

Thursday - Lower

Pin Squats w/ Belt:
5x3x365

A1 | Beltless RDL:
3x10x315

A2 | Belt Squat:
3x10x140

B1 | Unilateral Front Rack KB Carry:
3x25/25ydsx53

B2 | Hip CARs:
3x3/3

I made this a sort of volume deload week since things have been feeling kind rough and bench is lowered for at least the week anyway. Volume was the same on pin squats at 365, but the RPE was lower due to lower reps.

Saturday - Upper

Paused Bench:
4x2x315
6x315 - Played pretty safe. RPE 8 at most

A1 | Incline Chest Press + Band:
10x180+Mini
3x10x230+Mini

A2 | Machine Lat Pulldown:
3x15x230

B1 | Fatbell Incline Triceps Extension:
3x12x35s

B2 | Fatbell Rear Delt Fly:
3x12x35s

Plate Curl w/ Pause at Top:
2x15x45 - This was done more for the pause at the top for isometrically preventing anterior tipping of the scapulae than it was for elbow flexion

Right shoulder still feeling a little shitty and tight, but I’m working on it. Right pec did tighten up at the end of the benching too. I’m liking this incline press machine. I can actually feel my pecs with something heavy.

993

Sunday - Lower

Sumo Deadlift w/ Belt/Straps:
1x585
1x635 - hoo hoo spicy
1x675 - 20 lb PR! - Downward motion in the middle, but I’m considering it good lift for training. Huge grind to finish. Video link here.
3x5x405 - Paused sumo

Cambered SSB Squat w/ Belt:
3x5x335 - Last set paused

A1 | Sissy Squat - 5 Ct Eccentric:
2x15xBW

A2 | Anterolateral Step Up w/ KB:
2x10xBW+26

A3 | Split Stance KB Deadlift:
2x15/15x53

The last 2 heavy deadlift days were rep PRs, so I had it in my head before going into the gym that I would like to try 675 if the warm-ups went well. 545 did not feel like it would go for 10 like two weeks ago. 585 felt okay, but not like I could get a rep PR with it. 635 then moved fast as shit relatively, so I loaded up the 7th plates.

Like I said, there was downward motion around the same point I had it last week with the block pulls. That’s an obvious point of weakness that needs to be addressed, so that’s what I’ll do. Next time 675 will be clean. Still incredibly happy with pulling this.

The superset at the end was a take on the “fixing uneven squats” video posted by Stefi Cohen today. I didn’t do the pistol squats, but I will add them. Wanted to do some sissy squats (which is done with a sissy squat bench, it’s not the free standing version) to get some quad tendon eccentric stress. I noticed my step ups / downs were really shitty in the eccentric, so I’m going to focus on that to strengthen my hips and see if it continues to alleviate my knee pain, which is still persisting a bit.

1 Like
994

Tuesday - Upper

Paused Bench w/ American Cambered Bar:
4x6x285 - Think my tight pec from last upper day was actually a little strain. Felt it at the end of these sets

Plus seal row and some other accessories

Not entirely worried about this strain, but I’m not going to push through it. Just rehab for a couple weeks and be perfectly fine.

Thursday - Lower

Pin Squat w/ Belt:
3x3x405 - Hard but it’s progress
3x5x365 - Happier with this because it was easy

Conventional 1" Deficit Deadlift w/ Belt/Straps:
3x8x405

A1 | Sissy Squat:
3x10xBW+25

A2 | Split Stance KB Deadlift:
3x12/12x70

A3 | Dead-Bug w/ UE Band Hold:
3x20 - Light band

My goal that popped into my head for pin squats last week was 455 for reps. Good form reps with that weight seems good to use as a marker for good eccentric control and not losing my position on the reversal.

Deficit pulls were hard, but I maintained decent positioning. Hamstrings were lit up until Sunday basically.

No 2nd upper day

Sunday - Lower

Squat w/ Belt:
4x2x405
7x405 @ RPE 9 - Decent start. Had some hip shifting on the last 2 reps, otherwise I’d probably call this RPE 8 for how many reps I could grind out for no reason

Paused Sumo w/ Belt/Straps - Paused below knees:
5x3x495 - These felt great

A1 | Belt Squat w/ Band:
10x180 - No band
3x10x180+Dbl Light

A2 | Standing Chest Press:
4x20x45 - No pec pain

B1 | Standing Single Leg Curl:
12/12x"12/18"
12/12x"15/18"
12/12x"18/18" - This suddenly got a lot easier. Hello hammies.
20/20x"10/18"

B2 | Band Pec Fly:
2x20/20xMini

405 felt heavy as shit today for the first 3 sets, but I locked it in for the last 2. I’m following the 5th Set (by Swede Burns) sort of with my heavy days. I like it a lot so far because it’s allowing me to get acclimated to a weight without killing myself before an AMRAP. I’m more inclined to hit true AMRAPs while deadlifting and hit more like RPE 8-9 on squats to save my knees.

Paused sumo felt great, but also realize that 495 is now 73% of my 1RM lmao fuuuuuuu

995

Tuesday - Upper

Football Bar Incline Bench - 2nd Handles:
4x6x225
10x225

Single Arm DB Row:
3x15/15x100 - Very controlled reps here

A1 | Incline DB Skullcrusher:
15x25s
15x30s
15x35s

A2 | Chest-Supported T-Bar Row:
15x45
2x10x90

No delt issues here at all, so that strain is healed. Just gotta wait on the pec. I’m really happy with how well incline moved today actually.

Nothing else too special about this workout. Just gotta study tonight.

996

The Last Week

Some things that occurred:

Pin Squats w/ Belt:
3x4x405
3x5x365

1" Deficit Deadlift w/ Belt/Straps - Stiff Bar:
4x6x455

Spoto Press:
5x10x225

And I’ve come down with a cold.

Today

Paused Squat w/ Belt:
5x3x365 - Hard

Paused Bench:
3x5x275

Beltless RDL:
3x12x315

Deficit Push-Ups:
3x15

KB Fly:
3x15x9s

KB Side-Lying Shoulder ER:
2x15/15x9

Eccentric Only Band Shoulder ER:
2x10xMinis

Skipped my workout yesterday and I just did a slot for each of the big 3 today. This is basically an impromptu deload week due to my cold. Left hip was not feeling good for squats today anyway.

997

Saturday - Lower

Paused Squat w/ Belt:
4x2x405
5x405 @ RPE 8

Beltless RDL w/ Straps:
3x6x405
12x405

Band Lying Leg Curl:
3x12xDbl Mini

Rowing:
3x500m/1:00 rest

Did this at the school gym due to studying. Wasn’t horrible, but it was an unusual environment. Chose to do RDLs instead of normal deadlift because 1) hex plates and 2) it was dead silent in there lol

998

Restarting - Week 1 - Day 1 - Upper Volume

Paused Bench w/ Chains (+70):
10x225+70
3x8x225+70 - Dropped from 10s because I didn’t want to over-do it on the first day. Pecs were feeling this

A1 | DB Incline Bench - Neutral Grip:
12x75s
2x12x90s

A2 | Prone DB Rear Delt Fly:
3x20x25s

Band Concentration Curl:
3x20/20xMini

Feeling decently healthy now, so I’m going to push some volume a bit and see if I can run some programming that is somewhat coherent, after so many months of winging it.

Decent first day. Could have pushed DB presses to another set, but again, I need something to actually improve upon, rather than just killing myself each week and sinking myself into a recovery hole.

999

Week 1 - Day 2 - Thursday - Lower Mix

Sumo w/ Chains (+115) - Belt/Straps:
4x455+115
2x3x455+115

SSB Box Squat - 5 Ct Eccentric:
5x5x245

Backwards Prowler Push:
2 x 25 yds x 180
2 x 25 yds x 180 - BFR quads

Cross-Body KB Single-Leg RDL:
3x10/10x27

Depth Drops w/ KBs - About 18"
10xBW
3x10xBW+54

Standing Single Leg Curl:
2x20/20x"12/18"

Banded Tibial Internal Rotation:
2x20xLight

So I played flag football on Thursday and aggravated my patellar tendon issue. I didn’t jump or anything but even just decelerating while running and juking was enough. I thought it could happen, so I’m not upset. Just began aggressive rehab with some of these exercises today. Clearly deceleration is an issue, so the depth drops work on that. The tibial IR is something I had been doing without a band to help rehab this previously.

This was also at the end of a hellish week of school, so deadlifting heavy did not feel good at all. Hence the low volume there.

Week 1 - Day 3 - Upper Heavy

Fat Bar Paused Bench:
4x285
4x325
4x335 - RPE 8.5
3x6x295 - RPE 7

Far Bar JM Press:
3x10x195

A1 | Prone DB Rear Delt Fly:
3x20x30s

A2 | Facepull:
3x15x40

B1 | Chest Supported Row - Underhand:
2x20x45

B2 | Incline Chest Press:
3x15x180

Pretty happy with this bench session. I’m basically starting off the programming with my heavy day to include a top set of 4 around RPE 8 and dropping to 87.5% of that number for some volume sets. After a while, I’ll drop to working on 3s with drop to 90%, and then changing again to either 1s or 2s with a drop to 92.5%. Something like that.

1000

1000th Post Special - Whoops I’ve Forgotten to Log

Things that have happened:

Slow Eccentric Squat + Concentric Pause:
3x8x275

RDLs:
4x8x405

Bench w/ Chains (+70):
3 or 4x8x245+70

This Week
Restarting - Week 3 - Day 1 - Monday

Paused Bench:
3x10x275

5 Ct. Eccentric JM Press:
3x10x135

A1 | KB Fly:
2x15x18s
2x15x18s+Mini Band

A2 | Prone KB Row:
3x12x97s

B1 | BW Skullcrusher:
3x15

B2 | Unilateral Band High Row:
3x15xLight

I need to get some hypertrophy work done and increase my work capacity, especially for my pecs. If I can recover from more volume, I’ll have a better chance at not getting injured later on. But the pecs are definitely sore and need more outside-of-the-gym recovery efforts. Just going to be a part of my life now.

Week 3 - Day 2 - Today

Squat w/ Belt - Close(r) Stance:
3x5x315 - Feeling out the patellar tendon, but counting this volume
3x10x315

Sumo RDL - Beltless/Straps:
3x8x405

A1 | Belt Squat:
10x90
2x10x180
20x90

A2 | KB Suitcase Carry:
2 x 25 yds x 97
1 x 25 yds x 124

Modified Copenhagen Adduction Drill:
3x10/10

Depth Drops:
2x10x32 inches
1x10x38 inches

Haven’t done high rep squats in a while, prior to the 8s last week, so these are killing me. But I need to have the intensity lower for my patellar tendon and I need the volume/hypertrophy. Been sitting at 221 for a while now and I probably need to get that back up a few pounds.