Day by day I get stronger and stronger.

[Root]

Hey, just checking in to see if you're still brutally strong and overwhelmingly positive.

You are.

Carry on. And best of luck with your little guys' recovery!

[Wilhelm]

Nice! Our meets are on the same day.

I'm doing all paused bench , holding to re-rack squats, and holding deads too.

Much success to you, @Chebass88!

Hope the kids feel better soon.

[Chebass88]

Thanks Root!

It is pretty easy to become a negative asshole - lifting is a hobby, and being miserable about a hobby isn't worth it.

[Chebass88]

Nice! Our meets are on the same day.

I'm doing all paused bench , holding to re-rack squats, and holding deads too.

Much success to you, @Chebass88!

Hope the kids feel better soon.

Thanks Wilhelm, you too! It will be a blast!

[Chebass88]

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Bench Press: (280x3)x6, (280x2)x2, (235x6)x3; rest 2:00 - 3:20, reps @ 280 with 3-count pause, reps at 235 T&G

Curls: 110x43 in 4:47.27

Time: 52 minutes
BW: NM

This was a good clock-puncher training session. Every bench rep was solid. As usual, curls were fun. I did them facing the mirror so I could make kissy-face at myself while I did them.

[Allentown]

Today's training session was interrupted by a call from my wife, after she took my little guys to see the doctor. One has a double ear infection and they both have pneumonia. Wheee!!!

Oof, no fun. Good luck!

[Chebass88]

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Rowing machine: ~33 minutes @ ~2:05.5 pace, 23 spm

BW: 254.5lb

Apparently the batteries in the display on the rower are on the fritz. I set up the machine to do my planned 33:00. With roughly ~23:00 remaining, the display crapped out. I continued rowing, as I was using a metronome, and could use the clock occasionally shown on CNN to know when I was finished. The thing came back on - I wasn't sure how much time had gone by, so I did 23 minutes. ~10 minutes with 2:05.7 average pace and
23 minutes with 2:05.3 average pace, so I'll call it 2:05.5, and make sure next week is better.

I need to remember to bring in some AA batteries next time.

[Chebass88]

Oof, no fun. Good luck!

Thanks, AT! I took off from work this morning to go and see their Christmas concert at school. One of the little guys spent most of the time with his finger knuckle-deep in his nose. I'll bet there is now a huge boogie, a hoogie boogie if you will, on the pulpit of the church. I'm sure the cleaning staff will love that.

[Allentown]

Thanks, AT! I took off from work this morning to go and see their Christmas concert at school. One of the little guys spent most of the time with his finger knuckle-deep in his nose. I'll bet there is now a huge boogie, a hoogie boogie if you will, on the pulpit of the church. I'm sure the cleaning staff will love that.

My most current picture at my desk at work features a closeup of watery eyes, an upper lip 2/3 covered in green snot, and a really big smile. Sometimes you just have to smile and laugh.

[Chebass88]

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Deadlifts: (515x3)x2, (515x2)x7; rest 1:45-2:00 (FAST!!)

Dips: (BW+20) x 46 in 4:58

Time: 41 Minutes

This was a quick session. I had planned on doing half the sets as triples, but didn’t quite feel triples today. That’s okay. I made sure all the rest were solid, and held at the top for a minimum of a three count.

Today is a great day to be alive.

[Chebass88]

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Rowing machine: 7888m in 32:46 @ 23 spm

I estimated the distance based on the pace from earlier in the week, and was slightly faster during this session (objective met).

Have a great Christmas, People of the Exodus!

[Chebass88]

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Bench Press: (280x3)x8, 235x7,7,6; 2:00 rest

Curls: 135x5, 110x46 in 4:58

Time: 53 Minutes

This was a decent session, despite being incredibly cold in the garage and being sick with a cold since Christmas morning. I’ve earned an increase on the bench, so I get to lift more next session. I skipped squats due to staying in bed all day yesterday. Next week will be better.

[Chebass88]

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Rowing machine: 7985m in 33:00 at 23spm

This session ended up a little faster than I was planning for, but it felt great to pull hard for the last few minutes.

[broseph]

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Rowing machine: 7985m in 33:00 at 23spm

This session ended up a little faster than I was planning for, but it felt great to pull hard for the last few minutes.

You must have been exploding on that thing. Especially with your trademark slowish cadence. You need to post a video snippet of some of this.

[KarlM]

Chebass, Thanks so much for the detailed and thoughtful response! The simplicity of this method is appealing, and while it is often argued the rate of progression is slow, it actually doesn't seem so when I compare it with my own training history. I'm on week 2 (out of 9) of my current HLM cycle, and when I'm done I'll certainly think on this approach for my next round.

One question I have is whether you think it's appropriate to start with higher intensities (maybe 85%) for upper body movements. It seems those need a bit more intensity than squats and deads for progression.

Thanks again!

You're welcome!

Re. intensity requirements for bench & press. I don't think it **MUST** be 85% to progress. I'd suggest starting with 80% and see if it works. When you test your new max - were you able to get an increase (~5lbs)? If yes - you don't need to use a higher intensity. If you missed the new maximum - was it a lack of intensity, was it just a poor showing that day you tested (poor technique / overly fatigued, etc)? As long as you can increase the 8x3 & 3x8 successfully, you're getting stronger. Even if you miss a max attempt in training - on a day when you've had two coffees, the music is loud, and it is on and poppin', you might get +15lbs.

The percentage recommendation is mainly for finding the starting weight. In addition, if you are not used to this style of training, there is no harm in spending 4-5 weeks acclimating yourself and nailing every set. If you find 80% is too easy - just do more triples than doubles, which gets you to 8x3 quicker, with a more rapid progression. This will put you into higher intensities, but I don't think it is necessary.

Chebass, I'm going to start the Hepburn program you've outlined, but I have a couple of questions that I hope you can help me out with.

1) It appears you add two reps per session (i.e. it takes you 5 weeks to go from 8X2 to 8X3). As you obviously know, when you poke around online you discover that the original Hepburn program calls for adding a single rep per session (which would take 9 weeks to go from 8X2 to 8X3). Is it correct to say that you've had success almost doubling the rate of progression on this program?

2) I'd like to keep my squatting, benching and pressing frequency at twice per week. For example, for my presses on Monday I could do the power phase for bench followed by the pump phase for the OHP and then on Thursday I could switch these and do the power phase for OHP first, then do the pump phase for bench. Would you advise against this?

Thanks again for your help!

[Chebass88]

Chebass, I'm going to start the Hepburn program you've outlined, but I have a couple of questions that I hope you can help me out with.

1) It appears you add two reps per session (i.e. it takes you 5 weeks to go from 8X2 to 8X3). As you obviously know, when you poke around online you discover that the original Hepburn program calls for adding a single rep per session (which would take 9 weeks to go from 8X2 to 8X3). Is it correct to say that you've had success almost doubling the rate of progression on this program?

2) I'd like to keep my squatting, benching and pressing frequency at twice per week. For example, for my presses on Monday I could do the power phase for bench followed by the pump phase for the OHP and then on Thursday I could switch these and do the power phase for OHP first, then do the pump phase for bench. Would you advise against this?

Thanks again for your help!

Hey Karl,

There are a few variations of the Hepburn program, depending on when he wrote about it. I do each lift once per week, but many of Hepburn’s programming recommendations are to do each lift twice per week. Adding one rep per session twice weekly = two per week. I’ve been able to add two reps per week for a while, so I continue to do that. If I can no longer recover, I’d drop back to one per week only.

For your second question (mixing power/pump sessions for bench/press): that could definitely work. Personally, I’d probably keep the same lift on the same day as an efficiency measure, to avoid having to setup and warmup for a second lift. If you only have one bench or press power session per week - try to add two reps per session, same with the backoff sets.

I think the biggest take-away message from this style of programming is that a small, manageable amount is added to a submaximal weight. Lots of small increases over time = big weight gains.

[Chebass88]

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Rowing machine: 7985m in 33:00 at 23spm

This session ended up a little faster than I was planning for, but it felt great to pull hard for the last few minutes.

You must have been exploding on that thing. Especially with your trademark slowish cadence. You need to post a video snippet of some of this.

Thanks! I’ll try to capture some the next time i row. Maybe I’ll do two paces, ~2:05 and ~1:55.

[Chebass88]

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Deadlifts: (515x2)x11, 2:00 rest between sets

Dips: (BW+20)x48 in 4:57

Time: 52 Minutes (without putting plates back)

The first few sets were a little uncomfortable today, as the temperature was 22F and I decided to lift in work boots. Pulling in heeled shoes isn’t the same as pulling in flats, but as @chromoly can attest to, it “builds character”. (Lulz). Instead of doing a mix of doubles and triples, I did more doubles, and made sure every single rep was perfect. One more week at 515 before I earn an increase. I earned an increase on dips today, so that is exciting.

Today is a great day to be alive.

[Chebass88]

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Rowing machine: 7985m in 32:28.8 @ 23 spm

My goal for today was to do this distance in under 33 minutes. Done.

Training is done, prime rib is in the oven, groceries are all put away, and beer drinking has commenced. Healthy living resumes tomorrow.

I hope all of you have a great New Years!

[Chebass88]

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Squats: 135x5, 245x3, 335x2, 385x1, (425xF)x2, (385x3)x7; mostly 2:00 rest

Pullups: 30 in 5:00

Time: 66 minutes
BW: 258.5lb

Squats were ugly today. I asked a gym buddy to observe if I was hitting depth on a double at 425 - I wasn't. I dropped the weigh to 385 (plate math), and did a bunch of triples. I filmed all of the subsequent sets to directly observe depth, which I got on all reps. Pull-ups were decent (wide grip on large diameter, knurled cross bar on power rack).

I'll need to rethink my approach for the squat for the next few weeks in anticipation of the meet. My last few sessions with higher weights have been ugly - shitty form resulting in rounding my back on the way up. And if there is shitty form that would definitely not get white lights - continuing on that path is nothing more than wankery and ego-lifting.

On a positive note, I only fat-fucked myself by four pounds over the holidays. I thought it would have been more, given how much I ate.