4/30 – Incline Bench Press 5’s

OK workout today. Forearms are real sore so everything was just so-so. Didn’t push inclines too hard – did the target and some extra reps. Tried declines for the first time in a long while – not too bad there. Close grips were sluggish, and rows hurt the forearms so I dialed the weight down a bit.

Incline Bench Press:
135x12x1
160x12x1
205x5x1
235x5x1
270x9x1

Decline Bench Press:
225x12x1
275x5x1
295x5x1
315x5x1
315x5x1
315x5x1

CG Bench Press:
225x5x1
255x5x1
255x5x1
255x5x1
255x8x1

BB Rows:
315x5x1
315x5x1
225x10x1
225x10x1
225x10x1

+ stretching

Duration: 80 minutes

4/27 – Deadlift

This was an unexpected great workout. I knew from the start that sumo pulls just weren’t happening due to the crazy soreness from Monday’s workout still so I decided to give conventional pulls a try. I haven’t pulled heavy conventional deads in years, with my all-time PR being 585 for a grinding single several years ago. I ended up getting some great pulls in and hit a big PR with 615×2. Super pleased with how things felt today. Did some wide-grip rows and lying leg curls to finish.

Deadlift (conventional):
135x5x1
225x3x1
315x3x1
405x3x1
495x1x1
545x1x1
595x1x1 (PR)
615x2x1 (PR)
545x2x1

Wide-grip BB Rows:
225x5x1
255x5x1
285x5x1
315x5x1
345x5x1

Lying Leg Curls:
150x5x1
181x5x1
212x5x1 (PR)
181x5x1
150x12x1

Single-arm Cable Curls:
20x12x1
30x12x1
40x12x1
50x12x1
40x12x1
30x20x1
20x30x1

+ stretching

Duration: 80 minutes

4/25 – Push Press 5’s

Tough session being really sore from squats and such Monday. Squat rack was in use so I had to clean each weight to start the push presses. Not a big deal though, still got an easy 6 with 235 and called it good. Did some single arm standing overhead db presses, dips, reverse cgb to call it a day.

Push Press:
135x12x1
155x5x1
180x5x1
210x5x1
235x6x1

Single-arm Standing DB Press:
70x5x1
85x5x1
100x5x1

Smith Reverse CG Bench:
190x12x1
245x10x1
265x5x1
285x5x1
305x3x1
325x1x1

Dips:
bw x12x1
+30x5x1
+50x5x1
+70x5x1
+90x5x1

Freemotion Lat Pulldowns:
160x12x1
160x12x1
160x12x1
160x12x1
160x12x1
160x12x1

+ stretching

Duration: 90 minutes

4/23 – Squat 3’s

Decent squatting. 545 felt heavier than usual, but still got a reps PR. Moved on to full zerchers and hit a PR with 465. Decided to really push it and go for 495, which I doubled. Finished with some easy curls.

Squats:
135x12x1
225x12x1
315x3x1
405x3x1
435x3x1
485x3x1
545x4x1 (PR)

Zercher Squats:
225x5x1
315x5x1
405x5x1
465x1x1 (PR)
495x2x1 (PR)
315x15x1

DB Hammer Curls:
60x8x1
80x8x1
100x8x1
130x8x1

+ stretching

Duration: 70 minutes

4/20 – Incline Bench 3’s

Went through inclines today doing the minimum. Pretty sore and achy from the previous 2 great workouts this week. Tried decline db presses for the first time in years to mix things up a bit. Felt real good. Wide-grip rows went well.

Incline Bench Press:
135x12x1
160x12x1
185x3x1
225x3x1
250x3x1
285x3x1

Decline DB Bench:
100x12x1
100x12x1
110x12x1
110x12x1
120x15x1

Wide-grip BB Rows:
225x5x1
245x5x1
265x5x1
285x5x1
305x5x1

DB Curls:
60x8x1
50x8x1
45x8x1
35x10x1
25x15x1

+ stretching

Duration: 80 minutes

4/18 – Deadlift 3’s

A nice deadlift session that finally felt ‘good’. Deads seemed to be clicking today and hit a solid triple with 675. No form issues, hip or back pains, etc. My sprained ankle was a bit achy during pulls, but it held up. Did some straight-leg sumo deads and hit a PR there with 555 for 5. Finished with some light, but strict shrugs, and some 45-degree hypers.

Deadlift:
225x12x1
335x5x1
425x3x1
515x3x1
605x3x1
645x1x1
675x3x1
605x3x1

Sumo SLDL:
515x5x1
535x5x1
555x5x1 (PR)

Shrugs:
315x12x1
405x12x1
495x12x1
585x12x1
675x12x1
585x12x1
495x12x1
405x12x1

45-degree Hypers:
+100x5x1
+150x10x1 (PR)
+150x10x1
+150x10x1
+150x10x1
bw x20x1

+ stretching

Duration: 90 minutes

4/16 – Push Press 3’s

Back from a nice off-week, although babying a slightly sprained ankle from Friday (slipped on an uneven sidewalk of all things and rolled my ankle a bit). Target for this cycle’s push press triple was 250, so I cranked that out with ease and moved on to 275, where I set a 4 rep PR despite not having much leg drive. Should have had 5 but I lowered the weight too fast on my 4th rep and almost dropped the weight and stumbled forward a bit to keep it racked. Finished push presses with 250×5 and moved on to reverse cgb. Nothing exciting to report there – just good solid rep work. Chins were good. Finished with some light pec flyes.

Push Press:
135x12x1
160x3x1
195x3x1
225x3x1
250x3x1
275x4x1 (PR)
250x5x1

Smith Reverse CG Bench:
195x10x1
245x10x1
245x10x1
285x10x1
285x10x1
315x4x1
195x12x1

Close-grip Chins:
bw x10x1
+35x10x1
+35x10x1
+55x10x1
+55x10x1
bw x20x1

Pec Flye Machine:
100x20x1
120x20x1
140x20x1
170x20x1
140x20x1
100x20x1

+ stretching

Duration: 70 minutes

4/6 – Squat 5-3-1

Real nice squatting. Skipped the 5 and 3 sets and just went for singles in an effort to push things a bit more. Ended up hitting a new 1rm PR with 610. Wasn’t too bad – probably could have ground out a double. Moved on to ATG zercher squats and hit 455 there. Real nice. Finished with some curls and extensions.

Squats:
135x12x1
225x5x1
315x3x1
405x1x1
495x1x1
565x1x1
610x1x1 (PR)

ATG Zercher Squats:
225x3x1
315x1x1
405x1x1
455x1x1 (PR)

Seated Leg Extension:
305x50x1

Standing DB Curls (one big dropset):
55x10x1
55x10x1
45x10x1
30x10x1
25x10x1
55x6x1

+ stretching

Duration: 70 minutes

4/4 – Incline Bench 5-3-1

Strong pressing today. Hit a new 1RM PR with 325 on incline – 330 or 335 is probably there. Real happy with how incline bench is shaping up right now.

Incline Bench Press:
135x12x1
155x10x1
185x5x1
230x5x1
260x3x1
290x1x1
315x1x1
325x1x1 (PR)
300x3x1
275x3x1

CG Bench Press:
225x5x1
255x5x1
275x3x1
295x3x1
275x5x1

Bench Press:
225x6x1
275x10x1

BB Rows:
325x5x1
325x5x1
325x5x1
325x5x1
415x6x1

+ stretching

Duration: 70 minutes

4/2 – Deadlift 5-3-1

Decent pulls today. Skipped the 5-3 reppers and did singles. Was only in the mood to get the target set done and out of the way. Hit 635 for 6, which is a PR. Finished with some moderate shrugs, and some light curls. Seasonal asthma is killin me so I took things easy.

Deadlift:
245x12x1
335x5x1
425x2x1
500x1x1
565x1x1
635x6x1 (PR)

Shrugs:
225x10x1
315x5x1
405x5x1
495x5x1
585x5x1
675x6x1
675x6x1
495x10x1

Single-arm DB Hammer Curls:
110x12x1
110x12x1

Concentration Curl:
60x8x1
60x8x1
60x8x1
60x8x1
60x8x1

+ stretching (20 min)

Duration: 100 minutes