Return of the King

Monday May 24th: Heavy Bench (volume week 6 of 6) & Squat, Light Deadlift

Bench Press (to failure @6reps)
20kg - 1x6
50kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
83.5kg - 1x5f, 1x3, 1x3f ... *target 3x6*
90kg - 3x3 all with lots of spotter help ...*target forced reps 3x3*
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DB Bench Press (to failure @6reps)
32.5kg per arm - 1x4f, 1x3, 1x2 ...*target 3x6*
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DB Overhead Press (to failure @6 reps: seated, to rear, little finger higher than thumb)
20kg per arm - cannot remember... maybe 6, 6, 5f? ...*target 3x6*
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Deadlift
40kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
85kg - 3x6
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Squat
20kg - 1x6
65kg - 1x5
85kg - 1x3
100kg - 3x6 ... sets across pb. Vids of these. Handy enough. First was toughest
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EZ Curl
EZ bar - 1x6
EZ bar + 20kg - 3x6

EZ Lying Tricep Extension
EZ bar - 1x6
EZ bar + 20kg - 2x6
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Took ages tonight: 7:30pm to 10pm. Weighed 82.6kg on the gym scales - heaviest ever. Finally broke 13 stone! A lot of water in there.

Thankfully tonight was the 6th and final week of my bench slaughter programme. Last week and this week were woeful bench-wise. I had been warned to expect this due to fatigue creeping in. Next week is back to 3x5s starting at 80kg with less overall assistance. Bench strength should return in a couple of weeks. Let's see.

Squat was easy.

Tuesday May 26th:

Shoulder Dislocates (band)
2x10

Pull Apart (band)
2x10
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Shoulders are a bit sore from all the benching. Not DOMS sore... but sore sore. If I get some time I'll try to get some extra rows/facepulls/light swimming in over the next few days.

Thursday May 27th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
20kg - 1x6
30kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x3
50kg - 3x6

Lying Twist
1x4 ... no weight
2x4 ... with 3.3kg ball between ankles
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Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
140kg - 3x5 ... equals sets across pb from last cycle. Got a video
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Glute Ham Raise
2x10 ... vid of the 1st set to see if I'm doing them correctly
1x6

Pull Ups
bodyweight + 3.3kg ball between ankles - 3x6 ... stopping dead on the ground between reps
---
Squat
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x3
50kg - 1x2
60kg - 3x5

Steep Decline Sit Ups
3x10
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140kg 3x5 was easier today than last cycle where my 3x5s peaked at that weight. I've got another two weeks of 3x5 increases to look forward to: 144kg, then 147kg, before something like 155kg 2x2.

The reps got progressively worse as the sets went on. Need to keep the bar closer to shins and not get pulled forward.

Bodyweight 82.85kg on gym scales.

Sunday March 30th:

External Rotation
2kg - 3x10

Foam Rolling ~5mins

Sangre wrote: »

No expert but are you lifting with yourback a bit too much in your last DL set? Great lifting though.

Yeah, those 3x5s were right near my limit. Need to be careful and focus a lot on form. Cheers.

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

your backs rounding a lot at the bottom boss, any thoughts about widening your stance?

Yeah, and the thoughts are no

Feels grand the way it is. Not going to tinker any more as at the business end of the cycle.

Monday June 7th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Bench Press
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x3
70kg - 1x2
81.5kg - 3x5 ... stalled right at the top of the last rep and spotter gave a bit of assistance. Got vids of all 3. Annoyed.
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DB Bench Press
25kg per arm - 2x10
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EZ Curl
EZ bar + 22.5kg - 2x10

EZ Lying Tricep Extension
EZ bar + 22.5kg - 2x10 ... heavy
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Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x4
90kg - 3x5
---
Squat
20kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
90kg - 1x2
107kg - 3x5 ... sets across pb. Didn't kill me or anything close. Videos later.
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Annoyed with the bench. Happy enough with the squat.

BW 83.3kg at the start, then down to 83kg 2 hours later just after the squats.

Thursday June 10th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x3
50kg - 1x2
60kg - 3x5

Lying Twist
1x4 ... no weight
2x4 ... with 3.3kg ball between ankles
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Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x1
130kg - 1x1
*belt*
147.5kg - 2x5 + 1x4 ... didn't set up properly on very last rep and dropped it. Wasn't a strength issue. Sets across pb. Videos later
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Squat
30kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x3
50kg - 1x1
60kg - 3x5
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Pull Ups ... bit narrower than usual with little ring on rings - usually ring finger
bodyweight - x8, x6, x4, x2, x1

Decline Sit Ups
2x10

Glute Ham Raise
2x10
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Messing about
- Military Press - 20kg x10, 30kg x10
- Ab Wheel ~a few reps
- EZ overhead press
- EZ curls
- One Arm Row - 22.5kg x8
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Bodyweight 83.9kg initially, having drank half a can of pepsi. Down to 83.5kg after deadlifts.

So ends my 3x5's of this deadlift cycle. I wasn't looking forward to them but in the end the 147.5kgs felt no worse the 144kg and 140kg 3x5s of recent weeks.

MIscounted the first set and wasn't sure if I was on four or five but finished it out after a quick query.

Cannot remember the second set.

Third was fine up until the last rep. I had been told that I was waiting too long before the last reps of the first and second sets. On the video you will hear them urging me to hit the 5th rep quickly. I did - but too quickly for my own peace of mind. Setup felt too loose so dropped it. Not a strength issue.

Coming to Australia in January my max deadlift was 150kg. Now less than 5 months later I've brought it up to almost 3x5 at almost that weight. Pleased with that progress. Doubles next week before a deload ahead of the competition.

Steak & bedtime.

BossArky wrote: »

Deadlift
147.5kg - 2x5 + 1x4 ... didn't set up properly on very last rep and dropped it. Wasn't a strength issue. Sets across pb. Videos later

Saturday June 12th: @home

Shoulder Dislocates (band)
6x10

Pull Apart (band)
6x10
---
External Rotation
2kg per arm - 3x10

One Arm DB Row
10kg per arm - 3x10
---
Foam Rolling ~5mins

Stretching ~10mins
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Have to train tomorrow instead of the usual Monday, so did the above to loosen up following Thursday.

BossArky wrote: »

Bench Press
82.5kg - 1x5, 1x4f, 1x3f ... supposed to be 3x5. Videos later

BossArky wrote: »

Squat
110kg - 3x5 ... sets across pb. Videos later

Monday June 14th: evening@home

External Rotation
2kg per arm – 2x10
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Bird dog
2x10 per side

Tuesday June 15th: evening@home

Swimming 400m as follows:

• 200m bs
• 200m fc