Squat (Smolov)

Weds, 31 Oct 18

Squats: 135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x2, 325x8x4

Sets six and seven were getting hard lol.  I survived though.

Bench (Smolov)

Tues, 30 Oct 18

Bench: 135x5, 185x5, 205x5, 215x1, 205x1, 195x6x5

I overestimated my raw 1RM.  215 and 205 were too much for my shoulders - too slow. I dropped it down to 195, which definitely felt better and had decent speed and exertion. Remember, this is three weeks with 3 sessions a week ramping up to 10x3.

Update:  I don't know where I got my initial numbers and calculations from.  I should have done 190x8x4 - which is close to where I ended up.  That's with a 1RM of 240.  

Squats (Smolov)

Mon, 29 Oct 18

Squats: 135x5, 225x5, 275x5, 320x7x5

OMG the last two sets were tiring.  I was fast enough on them, but I was getting so short of breath.  However, volume must be done.

Bench (Smolov)

Fri, 26 Oct 18

Bench Press: 135x5, 185x5, 200x7x5

I found it much easier to bench with my hands closer to the center.  Positioned my baby finger on the inside rings for 4 of the 7 top sets, and mixed in a few index finger on the inside rings for variety.  Not a ton of rest time, top rep of the set near the end were getting hard.  Supersetted a 3x10 sets of towel grip behind the neck plate raises with a 45, and seated tricep rows with a 45 plate.  My forearms were still a little sore from the curls last day, so I decided to give them a break.

Squats (Smolov)

Thurs, 25 Oct 18

Squats : 135x5, 225x5, 275x5, 300x6x6

OMG I was gassed by this!  My breathing issues are really interfering with these workouts.

Bench - time to change it up

Weds, 24 Oct 18

Bench: 185x6x6
Curls: 40x6x10

So, my lifts are essentially stalled.  I'm going to try a Smolov Jr. run for my squat and bench and see if I can't boost those numbers a bit.  It only stands to reason that if I'm in a caloric surplus, have enough protein, receiving HRT, that lack of progress is likely due to lack of stimulus.

Deadlifts, no improvement.

Tues, 23 Oct 18

Hack Squats: 135x10, 225x10
Deadlifts: 315x2x5, 365x5, 385x3, 405x2, 425xF, 405xF

Despite being in a caloric surplus with good carb and protein intake I'm not gaining strength on the deadlift.  Anything over 400 starts to be a pain.  I think I'm going to actually have to do some programming on this one, and see how often I need to be working the deadlift.  Historically, once a week was fine - but it doesn't seem to be now.

Upper body oops.

Mon, 22 Oct 18

OHP: 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 145x5x5
Bench: 135x5, 185x5, 205x5, 225x5, 235x5x5

I don't know why, but I thought I was doing 235x5x5 today instead of 245x5x5 which I should have done.  Now, I think 245 would have been real hard hitting 5x5 with - the last rep of each set was slow with a bit of vocalization to rack it.  I may have been able to do 3x3 on the 245s.

Squats (335x5x5)

Fri, 19 Oct 18

Squats: 135x5, 225x5, 315x5, 335x5x5

Went very well.  Top sets were hard, but not grindy.  I'll bump up the weight by 20 lbs and go 3x3 to start next week.  My glutes are fried, so at least I'm hitting the right spot.

Upper body (245x4x4)

Thurs, 18 Oct 18

Bench: 135x10, 185x2x5, 205x10, 225x5, 235x5, 245x4x4

OHP: 95x10, 115x10, 135x5, 145x4x4

Went really well.  The last rep of each of the work sets was hard but not grindy - ie - I growled a bit and wasn't moving superfast, but wasn't hitchy.

Deadlifts (425x1)

Mon, 15 Oct 18

Hack Squats: 135x10, 225x10
Deadlifts: 315x2x5, 365x3, 385x2, 405x1, 425x1

I'm not sure what was up today, but I was a little weaker at the top.

Upper Body (245x3x3)

Tues. 9 Oct 18

Bench: 135x10, 185x2x5 , 205x2x5, 225x5, 235x2, 245x3x3
OHP : 95x10, 115x2x5 , 135x5, 145x3x3

Went well.

Squats (335x5x5)

Weds, 10 Oct 18

Squats: 135x5, 225x5, 315x5, 335x5x5

The work sets were hard, but smooth.  I think I'll leave that weight for a session or two more as I was pretty out of breath when done.

Upper body (245x3x3)

Tues. 9 Oct 18

Bench: 135x10, 185x10, 205x10, 225x5, 235x2, 245x3x3
OHP : 95x10, 115x2x5 , 135x5, 145x3x3

Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, so no workout, but fully carbed up for today!  The sets were hard, but not grindy.  Will move up to 4x4 next day.

Squats (375 1 RM)

Fri, 5 Oct 18

Squats: 135x5, 225x5, 315x2x5, 335x3, 355x2, 375x1

I wasn't feeling right today - my back was sore from my mattress, I def need a new one.  In any case when I started I wasn't sure I was going to be able to go higher than 315 - but then, while doing the second set I got a little uneven.  I normally only use clamps on my work sets, so the weights started to spread on the bar, so I attempted to rebalance myself, looking in the mirror - with a continually more unbalanced load.  I finally got it back on the hooks and sat down for a while - needless to say, that used a lot of adrenalin and rushed strength.  I then decided to do a few heavy sets and call it a day.

Bench (235x5x5)

Thurs, 4 Oct 18

Bench: 135x10, 185x10, 205x10, 225x5, 225x2, 225x1, 225x2, 235x5x5
Seated Smith OHP: 50x10, 70x10, 90x4x10

Good bench session.  Couldn't get a rack to OHP so I used the smith.  They were very taxing, the last reps were brutal.

Deadlifts (405x5x2)

Weds, 3 Oct 18

Hack Squats : 135x10, 225x5
Deadlifts : 315x5, 365x5, 385x3, 405x5x2

I upped the sets on the top end of the deadlift and kept the hack squats in the workout.  They do seem to help get the hamstrings and glutes warmed up without fatiguing me too much.  I'm typically quad dominant, so anything to engage the glute-hams more will help.  I believe that's also why they tend to be an injury target (although I'm not a doctor or scientist), because my front and lat quads can manage the load up to a certain point and THEN the hams engage, as opposed to from the start.  At least, that's my theory.

Upper body (Bench 265x1 RM)

Tues, 2 Oct 18

Bench : 135x10, 185x2x5, 205x5, 225x5, 235x5, 245x2, 255x2, 265x1
OHP : 95x10, 115x2x5 , 135x5