Bolder's Training Log

[Bolder]

28/6/24

Squats felt good. I think the pants/material I wore gave me a bit of assistance out of the hole.

Squats, high-bar and beltess:
160kg x 1
128.5kg x 3
128.5kg x 3

Goblet Squats with Step-Ups:
BW + 16kg x 8 + 8
BW + 16kg x 5 + 5

GHR with 90-degree Back Extensions:
BW x 5 + 3
BW x 3 + 3

Calf (leg-press) Raises:
150kg x 6
150kg x 5

A bit of knee pain (I think they mostly came from the leg-extensions, so swapped it out for goblet squats and step-ups). I wonder how I would load the goblet squat since my arms may end up giving out in the future (or perhaps I may have to do higher reps with them and the kettlebells we have at the gym doesn't go up that heavy anyway).

I'm going to start increasing my squats slowly and try to nip 172.5kg for a beltless PR. Once I start getting stipends, I'll invest in a belt and knee sleeves (but going still do high-bar squats).

[DanCR]

I wonder how I would load the goblet squat since my arms may end up giving out in the future

You can’t. I love goblet squats but that’s their flaw. I’ve taken them up to, I believe, a 120 lb DB, and it just becomes entirely unwieldy.

or perhaps I may have to do higher reps with them

Yup, and play with tempo / pauses.

[Bolder]

I wonder how I would load the goblet squat since my arms may end up giving out in the future

You can’t. I love goblet squats but that’s their flaw. I’ve taken them up to, I believe, a 120 lb DB, and it just becomes entirely unwieldy.

or perhaps I may have to do higher reps with them

Yup, and play with tempo / pauses.

Oh gee, wow. Your arms must be pretty that strong . I didn't know you can use DB and I think gym goes up to 200lb'ish DBs.

Yeah, may go higher-rep on them, and not mess with the patella tendon too much.

[Bolder]

30/6/24

Bench Press, touch and go:
121kg x 1 (Felt pretty grindy)
63.5kg x 5
75kg x 3
88.5kg x 2
95kg x 1
100kg x 8 (I think I could've gotten the ninth rep, but the eighth rep felt pretty grindy. Maybe I'll get a spotter next time)

BB Incline Bench Press:
60kg x 10
60kg x ???
40kg x ???
40kg x ???
40kg x ???

Overhead Press, strict:
30kg x 10
30kg x ???
30kg x ???
30kg x ???
30kg x ???

Cable Tricep Extensions:
7.5kg x 8
7.5kg x 7 (overhead)
7.5kg x 6
7.5kg x 5 (overhead)

Nice volume work on the incline and overhead presses (played around with them), and a nice tricep pump along with a big front delt pump, lol. Hopefully, they drive up my future bench gains.

Anyway, the next bench session is a "deload" session and after that, the 8s phase/wave ends. Then onwards to the 5s and eventually 3s phase/wave. Let's finally give a good verdict on whether the Juggernaut Method works for me.

[Clearwater47]

Nice volume work on the incline and overhead presses (played around with them), and a nice tricep pump along with a big front delt pump, lol. Hopefully, they drive up my future bench gains.

Anyway, the next bench session is a "deload" session and after that, the 8s phase/wave ends. Then onwards to the 5s and eventually 3s phase/wave. Let's finally give a good verdict on whether the Juggernaut Method works for me.

Nice, well rounded pressing day.

It would be really cool to see an immediate impact in the coming weeks, but also don't lose sight of the long term. Even if you don't see an impact to strength over the next few weeks, keep stacking good sessions and it will pay off over time.

I'm reminded of what a friend at another forum always likes to say when people put in good solid work - "none of it makes you smaller" (or weaker).

[Bolder]

Nice volume work on the incline and overhead presses (played around with them), and a nice tricep pump along with a big front delt pump, lol. Hopefully, they drive up my future bench gains.

Anyway, the next bench session is a "deload" session and after that, the 8s phase/wave ends. Then onwards to the 5s and eventually 3s phase/wave. Let's finally give a good verdict on whether the Juggernaut Method works for me.

Nice, well rounded pressing day.

It would be really cool to see an immediate impact in the coming weeks, but also don't lose sight of the long term. Even if you don't see an impact to strength over the next few weeks, keep stacking good sessions and it will pay off over time.

I'm reminded of what a friend at another forum always likes to say when people put in good solid work - "none of it makes you smaller" (or weaker).

Thanks for the kind words. I hope training has been going well for you as well.

Indeed. Having a bad workout isn't necessarily a waste of time, still going towards something.

[Bolder]

2/7/24

Deadlifts, conventional and beltess w/ straps:
140kg x 1
175kg x 0
112.5kg x 3
112.5kg x 3

Pull-ups, Assisted:
-61kg x 7
-61kg x 6

Machine Rows:
95kg x 6
95kg x 6

DB Preacher Curls:
12.5kg x 4
12.5kg x 5 (neutral/hammer grip)
12.5kg x 4
12.5kg x 5 (neutral/hammer grip)

[Bolder]

I couldn't get to the gym, so I trained at home today.

I did a quick light leg session (not gonna bother listing what I've done).

Well, I have squat stands but not a squat rack, so I can't bail out on squats. My knees sort of felt a little iffy from the last squat session anyway, a bit of a good break for my patella tendons.

[DanCR]

I couldn't get to the gym, so I trained at home today.

I did a quick light leg session (not gonna bother listing what I've done).

Well, I have squat stands but not a squat rack, so I can't bail out on squats. My knees sort of felt a little iffy from the last squat session anyway, a bit of a good break for my patella tendons.

I had the same set up at home (stands, not rack) during covid. I did pause squats only so that, even if I were to get stapled (which was unlikely because I was very careful with the loading), I'd have a moment or two to consider how best to dump the bar.

[SaviorSelf]

How often do you lift at home, or want to lift at home? You can get a decent power rack for dirt cheap nowadays

Here's the one I bought for reference:

https://www.amazon.com/TDS-Power-Rack-S ... B00QZ2G7FY

[Bolder]

I couldn't get to the gym, so I trained at home today.

I did a quick light leg session (not gonna bother listing what I've done).

Well, I have squat stands but not a squat rack, so I can't bail out on squats. My knees sort of felt a little iffy from the last squat session anyway, a bit of a good break for my patella tendons.

I had the same set up at home (stands, not rack) during covid. I did pause squats only so that, even if I were to get stapled (which was unlikely because I was very careful with the loading), I'd have a moment or two to consider how best to dump the bar.

Yeah, likewise to you, I've gotten them almost at the start of Covid. Yeah, I too was worried about getting stapled, and I wanted to avoid getting stapled as well lol. I didn't go too hard on squats between 2020 to 2023 because of that... deadlifts as well because a mix of injuries and I didn't want to damage the floor (as this house doesn't belong to me anyway).

How often do you lift at home, or want to lift at home? You can get a decent power rack for dirt cheap nowadays

Here's the one I bought for reference:

https://www.amazon.com/TDS-Power-Rack-S ... B00QZ2G7FY

Not very often. Not a lot like I used to in 2020–2023. I lift every once in a blue moon at my home gym now. The weights feel heavier at home, especially when I bench press lol.

But yeah, thanks for providing me with that suggestion (although looks like they only sell it in the States). I'll look to having a more better-improved home gym in the future as I'm not too fond of commercial gyms anyway. I also sort of enjoy more of the basic barbell/strength training anyway.

[Bolder]

6/7/24

Bench Press, touch and go:
50kg x 5
62.5kg x 5
75kg x 5
100kg x 1
122.5kg x 1 (Deload on bench today, but worked up to a single and it felt pretty grindy lol).

BB Incline Bench Press:
70kg x 9
70kg x 8 (Did it inside the rack; it felt pretty awkward).

Overhead Press, strict:
25kg x 17 (Bilbo set, trying to get 20 reps at this weight)
31kg x 8
31kg x 6
31kg x 6 (gonna stay at these weights till I get 8+ reps on all the other sets, just volume work on the OHP for now).

Cable Tricep Extensions:
7.5kg x 8
7.5kg x 6 (overhead)
7.5kg x 6
7.5kg x 5 (overhead)

An okay bench/push session; nice shoulder and tricep pump. Anyway, that the concludes the 8s phase/wave, now onwards to the 5s phase/wave on the Juggernaut Method for the bench press (which will be interesting...).

[Bolder]

8/7/24

Deadlifts, conventional and beltess w/ straps:
140kg x 1
175kg x 0 (Why????)
112.5kg x 3
112.5kg x 3

Pull-ups, Assisted:
-59kg x 9
-59kg x 6

Machine Rows:
95kg x 9
95kg x 6

DB Preacher Curls:
12.5kg x 6
12.5kg x 5 (neutral/hammer grip)
12.5kg x 4
12.5kg x 3 (neutral/hammer grip)

I just don't know what's going on with my deadlifts (tried to do 175kg again). Oddly, there was a time when I could rep out 175kg to 185kg on deadlifts, but then now I have trouble getting 175kg off the floor for one rep... I think I'll just have to reduce the load and work up to a single set of 5 (and see where I go). Maybe I'll start with 155kg for 5 reps and work my way up.

I do try to round my back, which does help with the bar speed off the floor, but then the bar just hovers around my shin. I think the problem of my deadlifts mainly come from my upper-back, not properly bracing, and easily losing tightness when setting up at the bottom. I also try to use Mike Tuscherer's from RTS pressure breathing technique (but that doesn't seem to work for me).

Anyway, I can't wait to get the belt and chalk (the bar at the gym is quite slippery) and return to using the mixed grip as well (I seem to collect air better from the top than the bottom anyway, and mixed grip makes that process easier as well).

[SaviorSelf]

IMO here's what I would do

Alternate your deadlift sessions easy and hard. And by easy I mean really easy. Like a top set of 90kg for 3 reps or something

On the hard day, after your deadlifts, add in an exercise or two that should have carry over to deadlifts like KB or DB swings, box squats, good mornings etc

[Bolder]

IMO here's what I would do

Alternate your deadlift sessions easy and hard. And by easy I mean really easy. Like a top set of 90kg for 3 reps or something

On the hard day, after your deadlifts, add in an exercise or two that should have carry over to deadlifts like KB or DB swings, box squats, good mornings etc

Yeah, I'll give this a shot. I will do a light deadlift session next week. I suspect that I easily get fatigued...

Perhaps I'll throw in RDLs (taking the bar off the hooks or rack). Well, since I lose a lot of recovery points from the initial pull off the floor.

People also say that squats improve deadlifts. I don't think it does much for me because my squat (170kg beltless for one rep is somewhat close to 185kg for 3 reps on deadlifts). Perhaps I'll cycle or swap some of the carryover exercises if the deadlift doesn't move up (until I find ones that work for me).

Anyway, thanks for your suggestion. Definitely going to give it a go; let's see how it goes in the next few weeks.

[DanCR]

People also say that squats improve deadlifts.

Front squats, specifically. I fucking hate them, but it's true.

[Clearwater47]

This is obviously anecdotal, but I've also had great success with lower intensities on Deadlift. My biggest improvements came when I was doing Conjugate training. At one point I added 40 pounds to my max over about a 3 month period by doing heavy deads once every 3 weeks and doing speed work (about 70% of 1RM for 6 sets of 2) weekly. I think most of the gains came from improvement in technique/efficiency from the constant repetition provided by the speed work, but I was also very fresh throughout and that for sure played a part as well. If I tried to push up my Deadlift max again, I'd likely take the same approach.


Edit - I was also doing somewhat wide stance box squats for speed work at that time and I think that helped too.

[Bolder]

People also say that squats improve deadlifts.

Front squats, specifically. I fucking hate them, but it's true.

Having done front squat, it does feel somewhat awkward. People also swear by it for strengthening their backs and helping with their positioning.

What was your experience with them? What part of the deadlift did you feel improved for you?

This is obviously anecdotal, but I've also had great success with lower intensities on Deadlift. My biggest improvements came when I was doing Conjugate training. At one point I added 40 pounds to my max over about a 3 month period by doing heavy deads once every 3 weeks and doing speed work (about 70% of 1RM for 6 sets of 2) weekly. I think most of the gains came from improvement in technique/efficiency from the constant repetition provided by the speed work, but I was also very fresh throughout and that for sure played a part as well. If I tried to push up my Deadlift max again, I'd likely take the same approach.


Edit - I was also doing somewhat wide stance box squats for speed work at that time and I think that helped too.

Interesting. Yeah, I suppose the conjugate method would make sense for deadlifts. IIRC Eddie Hall rotated between heavy and light deadlifts weekly, but however, of course, he's on a completely different level.

Currently going to go with Savior's suggestion (his approach is a little similar to yours). May give your method a go depending how I go with Savior's suggestion for 8 weeks. Also, nice results you got there.

[Bolder]

10/7/24

Squats, high-bar and beltess:
140kg x 1
162.5kg x 0
112.5kg x 3
112.5kg x 3

Calf (leg-press) Raises:
150kg x 5
150kg x 6

Goblet Squats with Step-Ups:
BW + 16kg x 5 + 10
BW + 16kg x 3 + 5

GHR with 90-degree Back Extensions:
BW x 6 + 3
BW x 3 + 3

I think I tend to quickly get detrained on squats. My squats usually need 2x times a week to get it moving up north. I don't know if I want to do an upper-lower split or return to squatting more than once a week (which usually leads to knee problems).

[DanCR]

People also say that squats improve deadlifts.

Front squats, specifically. I fucking hate them, but it's true.

Having done front squat, it does feel somewhat awkward. People also swear by it for strengthening their backs and helping with their positioning.

What was your experience with them? What part of the deadlift did you feel improved for you?

I felt that I was able to rise / pull my chest up faster. Admittedly, there’s another variable - when I set my DL PR, front squats were the only squats that I was doing, so I also wasn’t walking into DL sessions fatigued from heavy back squats.

Regarding your most recent post, I don’t think that you’ve got enough volume to make once a week squatting work. You’ve got a reasonably heavier single, a failed rep, and two back off triples. That doesn’t seem like nearly enough stress to justify a week between sessions. I also think that you’ve gotta get on some program and commit to yourself to stop failing reps.