Ryaan’s Log

[Ryaan]

Background
Male, 5'6". Born '88—30 years old. Current bodyweight ~175 lb. Waist ~92 cm.

I'm a musician and software developer and occasional academic.

I made rpecalculator.com, which folks here might find useful.

Old log on Starting Strength: https://startingstrength.com/resources/ ... g-log.html
Much briefer log on BBM: https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/forum ... aining-log

I'm American but live in the UK, so units will be a hodgepodge of imperial and commie. If I don't label a weight, it's in kg.

I (usually) log in:
- weight x reps x sets, or
- weight x reps, reps, ..., reps (if rep count varies)

PRs singles
Squat: 141 kg
Bench: 95 kg
Deadlift: 165 kg
Press: 65 kg

[Ryaan]

On the road this week—visiting my parents in the States from Tu-Sun—so irregular training schedule. I tried to cram as much stuff into each session as I could.

2018-04-22
Deadlift
100 x 5 @6
110 x 5 @7
115 x 5 @7
115 x 5 @8
115 x 5 @8

4 min rests. Warmups moved very fast, and first two work sets felt almost easy.

Bench press
60x0 —> sharp pain on outside of elbows

Cut off my workout early due to elbow pain. Kinda feel like I should’ve pushed through, but I also hadn’t had a day off training for about 7 consecutive days because of the weird scheduling stuff last week, so I figured maybe pushing through wasn’t a great idea.


2018-04-24
Squat
92.5 x 5 @7
92.5 x 5 @7.5
92.5 x 5 @7.5
92.5 x 5 @8
92.5 x 5 @8
92.5 x 5 @8.5
92.5 x 5 @8.5

2 min rests. Inspired by the Montana Method W1D1, but accidentally did 7 sets. I've never squatted with so little rest. Surprisingly fun.

Bench
60 x 5 @8.5
55 x 5 @8
55 x 5 @8
55 x 5 @8

Bench still weird. Something funny going on with my bar path that's causing me to hurt my elbows on the way up. Maybe related to me trying out the bulldog grip and doing it wrong?

Squeezed this session in before running to make a flight, so cut it off here.


2018-04-25 - GPP
Chins - 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2 = 23
Very close grip - I did these on the door gym thing in my childhood bedroom, which I bought about 10 years ago in my first attempt to get in shape, doing the SimpleFit program

Plank - 5x65s, 30 second rests.

Treadmill - 10 min 10% incline, 5 min flat, 10 min 10% incline


2018-04-26
All weights in lbs for this workout.

Squat
260 x 1 @7
225 x 3 @6
225 x 3 @7
225 x 3 @7
225 x 3 @8
225 x 3 @8

2 min rests. Whammed Montana Method W1 D3 and D5 together due to travel schedule this week, which means I'm unlikely to lift again until next Monday.

Bench
150 x 1 @8
160 x 1 @8

2 min rests. Get elbows in front of the bar! Moved on after finishing D3 sets and skipped CGBP / D5 stuff bc I knew I'd run out of time to finish deadlifting otherwise.

Deadlift
305 x 1 @8
255 x 4 @7
255 x 4 @7
255 x 4 @8
255 x 4 @8
255 x 4 @8

3 min rests. I was a little scared of this deadlift session but it was totally manageable. I'm LOVING this style of training.


2018-04-27 - GPP
Chins - 6, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2 = 31

Very close grip on door gym thingie again.

Plank - 70, 70, 45, 35, 40 = 260 s total

Dropped my butt a little lower for the last three sets, and instantly these were a lot harder.

Treadmill - 30 min at various inclines

[Wilhelm]

Welcome, @Ryaan!

Good to have you here.

[Ryaan]

Thanks, @Wilhelm! Seems like a great community.


2018-04-28
Chins - alternating sets of 3 and 2 with 30 second rests = 32 total


2018-04-29
Chins - 5 x 5 = 25 total


2018-04-30 - Montana Method W1D1
Thus begins my first proper cycle of the Montana Method.

I did this session after getting off an overnight transatlantic flight, so I had to drag myself around the gym a bit, but it felt good to get the work in.

Squat - 6x5 @70%
92.5 x 5 @7
92.5 x 5 @8
92.5 x 5 @8
92.5 x 5 @8
92.5 x 5 @8.5
92.5 x 5 @9

2 min rests. The increase in RPE over the last two sets was probably the result of lack of sleep / poor conditioning. I did 7 sets at the same weight last week without feeling nearly as winded, so I'm going to chalk it up to travel stress and not take the @9 so seriously.

Bench - 7x5 @70%
55 x 5 @6
55 x 5 @6
55 x 5 @7
55 x 5 @7
55 x 5 @8
55 x 5 @8
55 x 5 @8

1-2 min rests. Figured out some bench technique stuff: I think I've been letting my wrists extend on the way down, so I need to focus on keeping them straight while getting my elbows where they need to be.

Pendlay Rows - 10 minute density block
65 x 3 x 10 = 30 total

I've been using density blocks for chins, where my strategy is to set an interval timer and then to gradually decrease the length of the intervals in order to get more sets, or to increase the number or reps per set. This is my first time doing a weighted exercise in a density block, and these triples every 60 seconds felt pretty easy. I'm going to stick to this rep/rest scheme for now and LP the weight for a while. I've only been doing rows for a few weeks now, and I think there's quite a lot of headroom left here.

Bodyweight - 183 lb
Workout time - 65 minutes

[Ryaan]

2018-05-01 - Montana Method W1D2
Press - 1@9, 7 min density block @80%
57.5 x 1 @7
62.5 x 1 @8
66 x 0
52.5 x 3, 3, 3, 1, 3, 1, 1, 1 = 16 total

I pretty much fucked this up completely. After 62.5 @8 (which frankly might've been @9, but I'm boneheaded and wanted to lift a heavier single), I should've maybe added a kg or two (or just called it), instead of going for a PR 66 kg for no reason at all other than ego.

Then, my strategy going into the density block was to do a triple every ~46 seconds, which would result in 9x3 (=27 total). I've been doing 6x4 (=24 total) presses for the last few weeks, so I figured this would give me a manageable volume increase of +3 reps for this session.

EXCEPT I'VE BEEN DOING THE 4s WITH 2 MINS OF REST BETWEEN THEM, DUHHHHH. I somehow didn't think this through and was pretty much smoked after the first 3 sets. Some of those last singles were almost certainly @10. Oh well. Low bar to beat next week.

Chins - 7 min EMOM
bw x 5, 5, 4, 2, 3, 2, 1 = 22 total

CurlzZz - 7 min EMOM
20 kg x 7, 7, 7, 5, 3, 3, 4 = 36 total

Treadmill - 25 min LISS, 15% incline, 3-3.5 km/hr

Bodyweight - 181.4 lb
Workout time - 75 min

[Ryaan]

2018-05-02 - Montana Method W1D3
Squat
80 x 3
92.5 x 2 @6
102.5 x 1 @7
102.5 x 1 @7
110 x 1 @7.5
120 x 1 @8

1-2 min rests. Fiddling with my grip to keep the bar from moving on my back. Cueing "take all of the weight of the bar on your back". Elbows less cranky after this session, so maybe it's working, or maybe it's because this was a low volume session.

Bench
50 x 3
55 x 2 @6
60 x 1 @6
60 x 1 @6
67.5 x 1 @7
72.5 x 1 @8

1-2 min rests. Don't be afraid of the weight. Tuck elbows in. Wrists straight.

CGBP
50 x 5 x 3 @7

2 min rests. These were supposed to be 8s, but I misread my workout plan.

Deadlift
120 x 1 @8
140 x 1 @9
117.5 x 4 x 5 @8

3 min rests. On later sets, I need to focus on setting my back before pulling.

Bodyweight - 180.8 lb
Workout time - 85 min

This workout took longer than expected. I should move between the squat/bench power day sets much faster. I don't really need as much rest as I took. Weight loss is progressing well and faster than I'd expected. Last week was supposed to be a diet break, so I didn't track my food or weigh myself for a week, but I accidentally lost about 2 lb during that time. Back on my measured diet this week. I'm enjoying the rapid progress, but I hope it doesn't mess with my gainzZz too too much.

[Ryaan]

2018-05-03 - GPP
Chins - “myo/density block”
Activation set: 8 PR
7 min density block: 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2
= 34 total
Based on @Hanley's recommendation/reasoning here. First set to failure, then a density block.

Curls - “myo/density block”
Bar + 17.5, so 22.5 kg... maybe? I'm not sure how much the ez curl bar weighs, and it was the only bar no one was using.
Activation set: 5
7 min density block: 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2
= 24 total

Spin bike
5 rounds of 20 s rev up, 20 s sprint with 120 s rest between rounds
Wow this sucked. I haven't done HIIT since last October or November. The "rev up" bit involves reaching max RPM, and then in the last 3 seconds I crank up the resistance for the sprint.

[Ryaan]

2018-05-04 - Montana Method W1D5
Squat - 5x3 @80%
107.5 x 3 @7
107.5 x 3 @8 —> chest fall, last rep
107.5 x 3 @8
107.5 x 3 @8 —> chest fall, last rep
107.5 x 3 @8 —> chest fall, last rep
2-3 min rests. Bar path feels better / less chest fall. I think I'm starting to let knee slide creep in, though.

It's interesting comparing this with the experience of 3x5. I'm pretty sure at least on that second set any additional reps would've been done with serious form breakdown. Keeping intraset fatigue down with the same number of reps —> more high quality reps.

Bench - interleaved TnG triples and paused singles @80%
4 rounds of:
62.5 x 3 - TnG
30 second rest
62.5 x 1 - 3-count pause

2 minute rests between rounds. No idea about the RPEs here bc I forgot to track. I slow the eccentric down way too much on TnG reps.

Snatch Grip Deadlift
40 x 5 x 2
60 x 5
70 x 3
85 x 5 x 4 @7-8

2 min rests. My first time doing this movement. Grip was a problem. My gym has junky, thick bars that I can't get a secure hook grip on, so I did these all double overhand. I think it's time to buy some straps. Also the bar path intersected the position of my, uh, junk. I'll need to sort that out.

Bodyweight - 179.2 lb
Workout time - 75 min
Workout listening - Stuff You Should Know - Why Isn't the US on the Metric System?

Good first week on the Montana Method. Volume is manageable, and none of the sessions felt crushing. Bodyweight moving in the right direction.

[Ryaan]

2018-05-07 - Montana Method W2D1
Squat - 4x3 and 3x4 @75%
100 x 4 x 3 @7-8
100x3 @7.5
100x3 @7
100x3 @8
100x3 @9

2 min rests. Form was messy. I'm trying to find a grip and bar placement that doesn't hurt my elbows. Elbows were fine after this, but I ended up carrying the bar too high on my back, which screwed the mechanics up. It's a work in progress. This is making me think that switching to high bar might be a good idea, for my elbows' sake. Or maybe I should just fix my low bar technique.

Bench - 4x3 and 3x4 @75%
57.5 x 4 x 3 @7
57.5 x 3 x 4 @7

2 min rests. EZ PZ. Everything about bench feeling better today. I think I whacked a rib or something benching last week, which worried me a bit going in, but it had no effect on this session at all. Major props to the BBM docs’ work on not freaking out in response to everyday aches and pains.

Pendlay Rows - 7 min density block
60 x 8 x 2
Density block: 70 x 3 x 8 = 24 total

One triple every 52.5 seconds.

Bodyweight - 180.2 lb
Workout time - 90 min (unnecessarily long—I let myself dilly dally too much throughout the session)

[Ryaan]

2019-05-08 - Montana Method W2D2
Press
10 minute density block with 52.5 kg
5, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1 = 16 total

Trying the myo/density approach here, too, sorta. After the first set of fahve, all of these reps were ridiculously slow. Unracking the press seems to aggravate whatever it is I've pissed off just under my left pec. Got the same number of reps in 10 minutes as I did last week in 7. Not so good.

Chins - “myo/density block”
activation set: 9 PR
7 min density block: 3, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3
= 25 total

PR first set, but then fewer overall reps than last session.

Curls - “myo/density block”
10 kg plates + 10-15 kg bar (no one seems to know...) = ~22.5
activation set: 8
density block: 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 3
= 30 total

Treadmill - 25 min LISS
5 mins - 15% incline, 3 km/h
5 mins - 15% incline, 3.5 km/h
5 mins - 15% incline, 4 km/h
5 mins - 10% incline, 4 km/h
5 mins - no incline, 4 km/h

Bodyweight - 181.4 lb
Workout time - 75 min
Workout listening - Barbell Medicine podcast with Mike Tuchscherer

[GlasgowJock]

Good to have you here @Ryaan. Glad to see another MMer and the log's nice and easy to read (+1 for logging in KGs).

Where in the UK are you?

[Ryaan]

Thanks, @GlasgowJock! I've been following your log with interest, too. I'm in London. I've only been up to Scotland once, back in 2016, but I've got good friends in Glasgow, plus my wife's family is not too far off in Newcastle, so I'll have to make a trip up there soon.

2018-05-09 - Montana Method W2D3
Squat
80 x 3 @<7
92.5 x 2 @<7
102.5 x 1 @<7
102.5 x 1 @<7
110 x 1 @7
120 x 1 @7.5
122.5 x 1 @8.5

12 min total for squats. Found a better low bar position.

Bench
50 x 3 @<7
55 x 2 @<7
60 x 1 @<7
60 x 1 @<7
65 x 1 @<7
70 x 1 @7
75 x 1 @8

Felt good. Without a handoff, I need to setup far enough back on the bench that I don't create a huge moment between the unrack and the locked out position. Is it too early to say this thing is working? Bench is moving way more easily than before.

CGBP
50 x 8 @7
50 x 8 @7
50 x 8 @7

2 min rests.

Deadlift
110 x 2 —> double overhand PR, fwiw
130 x 1 @7.5 —> switched to mixed grip
142.5 x 1 @8.5
125 x 4 x 5 @7-8 —> straps, except 4th set mixed

3 min rests. Used my homemade straps for the first time. I noticed the bar starting to windmill out a bit on the left side, so I switched back to mixed grip for one set to see if it was due to my straps. Nope. New thing to fix. This W2 heavy pull session is hard but manageable. Not a single grindy rep, which is great.

Strap note: make sure to wrap the strap around the center of where I'll be gripping, not to the inside of the grip.

Bodyweight - 179.4 lb
Workout time - 80 min
Workout listening - Trevor Pinnock - 16th Century English Harpsichord and Virginal Music and Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

[Ryaan]

2018-05-10 - I'm just training to get jacked and healthy, so it feels way too high falutin' to call this GPP day
Chins
Activation set: 8
7 min density block: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 1
= 32 total

Barbell CurlzZz
25 kg
Activation set: 8
7 min density block: 4, 3, 2, 4, 2
= 23 total

Spin bike
HIIT - 6 rounds of:
20 s rev up, 20 s go go go
with 120 s rest between cycles
@

Bodyweight - 179.2 lb
Workout time - 40 min

[Ryaan]

2018-05-11 - Montana Method W2D5
Squat - 82%
110 x 3 x 3 @7, 7, 8 —> chest fall last rep of last set
110 x 2 x 3 @7

3 min rests. This workout makes so much sense. Third set of three I could feel the last rep slowing down. Switch to doubles then. Boom.

Bench - 82%, paused first rep
65 x 3 x 4 @7
65 x 2 @7, 8

2 min rests. Hot. Damn. These flew. As in, I checked the bar to see if I'd misloaded lighter plates after the first two sets.

SGDL - 60% of conventional
92.5 x 5 x 4 @7, 7, 7, 8

2 min rests. Straps. If I take a wide enough grip, I can avoid whacking myself in the groin. I'm finding it hard to get a consistent grip position and starting position after putting the straps on. My homebrew straps work okay, but I think I'll buy some real ones soon. They're too thin, and my stitching sucks, so I'm sure they'll fall apart at an inopportune moment.

Bodyweight - 179 lb
Workout time - 100 min
Workout listening - Jeff and Casey's Guide to Becoming a Bigger Programmer between sets, and Metallica - Hit the Lights during sets. Yeah, just that one song. Over and over again.

Thus ends my first cycle of the Montana Method. It's a little too early to tell for sure, but it feels to me like this is working and is sustainable, even while losing weight. Props to @Hanley for designing something so elegant. It makes sense in theory, but you have to run a cycle to experience how well considered this thing is.

My end of week e1rms based on the P and S days from this week are more-or-less the same as the ones I used to setup this cycle's weights, which might mean that I overestimated them to begin with, so maybe the prudent thing to do would be to run this same cycle again.

Nahhh, screw that. I'm going to go with ~2.5 kg arbitrary load increases and see what happens.

[AaronM]

Weights in kg, bodyweight in lb? Is confused...

[Ryaan]

Weights in kg, bodyweight in lb? Is confused...

I'm confused, too:

I'm American but live in the UK, so units will be a hodgepodge of imperial and commie. If I don't label a weight, it's in kg.

Although I now know I should've written "United States customary".

[Ryaan]

2018-05-13 - Montana Method - Cycle 2 - W1D1
I took only 1 day's rest between training weeks rather than the full weekend off in order to shift my training schedule over by a day to accommodate training with my wife at the weekend, and so I can fit this whole cycle in before taking a 4-day break for an international trip. I went into this session feeling pretty rough...

Squat
95 x 5 x 6 @7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8

3 min rests. I decided to give myself a little extra rest today on account of feeling godawful. Low back fried. Focused hard on bracing between sets. Form is feeling a lot better dialed in.

Bench
57.5 x 5 x 7 @7

2 min rests. I've been pausing the first rep of all of these sets, as it helps me figure out the bar path and get used to pulling the bar down to my chest. This doesn't seem to cause any problems getting through the session, so I'll keep doing it for now.

Pendlay Rows
10 min density block - 72.5 x 3 x 10 (triples EMOM) = 30 total

Bodyweight - 180.2 lb
Workout time - ??? (forgot to time!)

[Ryaan]

2018-05-14 - Montana Method - Cycle 2 - W1D2
Press
60 x 1 @8
65 x 0 —> got it over my head, but no higher
62.5 x 1 @9
7 min density block: 50 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1 = 17 total

One rep more than last week... with 2.5 kg less weight. I miss training the press as a primary lift. I'll have to get back to it once my bench sucks less.

Chins - myo/density block
Activation Set: 10 PR
7 min density block: 3, 3, 3, 3, 1, 2, 3, 2
= 30 total

First double digit chin-up set! Chins are cool. I did a grand total of 1 chin-up in the first 20-odd years of my life, and I could only manage a few singles when I started training again in 2016. There's something very tangible and satisfying about chin up progress.

Treadmill - 25 min LISS

Bodyweight - 182.2 lb
The slope of my 10-day weighted average weight has been leveling out over the last few days after a couple of solid weeks at negative, so it might be time to cut a few more calories or add another cardio session.

[Ryaan]

2018-05-15 - Montana Method - Cycle 2 - W1D3
Squat
105 x 1 @<7
105 x 1 @<7
112.5 x 1 @7
122.5 x 1 @9

14 min total.

Bench
62.5 x 1 @<7
62.5 x 1 @<7
70 x 1 @8
75 x 1 @9

10 min total.

CGBP
52.5 x 8 x 3 @7

2 min rests.

Deadlift
130 x 1 @8
142.5 x 1 @9
120 x 4 x 5 @7-8

3 min rests. Singles with mixed grip, volume work with straps.

Bodyweight - 179.6 lb
Workout time - 75 min

[Ryaan]

2018-05-16
Chins
Activation set: 10
7 min density block: 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 2
= 32 total

Curls
~12.5 kg bar + 12.5 kg plates = ~25 kg
Activation set: 6
7 min density block: 4, 4, 3, 4, 2, 2
= 25 total

Spin bike
HIIT - 6 x 20 s

Bodyweight - 179.4 lb
Workout time - 40 min