alek’s log

[alek]

3/28/23 Tuesday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus (7-day)
191 & 35.36

Pushups
BW x 10 x 5
OT 1:15

Pullups
BW x 4 x 5
OT 1:15

Conditioning
1.5 km walk with the dog.

Breathe It In
PowerBreathe Setting 5
58 cmH[math]_2[/math]O x 6 x 5

I'm going to try setting 6, 66 cmH[math]_2[/math]O, next time.

[alek]

3/29/23 Wednesday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus (7-day)
191.1 & 35.38

Comp Squat
375 x 3 @ 7.5,8,9, 9; e1rm = 441
OT 3:00

TnG Bench
225 x 1 @ 7.5; e1rm = 248
190 x 4 @ 5.5,6,6, 6
OT 2:30

Comp Deadlift
405 x 6 @ 9.5; e1rm = 492
405 x 1 @ 9,8.5
405 x 2 @ 9
OT 3:00

Session Length
0:59

Notes
Pretty good session. That's a rep pr for deadlift.

@augeleven, we're taking the kids camping this weekend; pray for me.

Conditioning
1 km walk with the dog.

Breathe It In
PowerBreathe Setting 6
66 cmH[math]_2[/math]O x 6 x 5

[augeleven]

, we're taking the kids camping this weekend; pray for me

Sometimes prayers aren’t enough.
We tend to fight fire with gasoline - sugar em up, run em around, and watch em fall.

We have one trip on the books and it isn’t until the end of June. Last April trip we took saw a little snow and a lot of gale winds.

[alek]

, we're taking the kids camping this weekend; pray for me

Sometimes prayers aren’t enough.
We tend to fight fire with gasoline - sugar em up, run em around, and watch em fall.

We have one trip on the books and it isn’t until the end of June. Last April trip we took saw a little snow and a lot of gale winds.

This time hasn’t been as terrible as last year. I’m having the last beer we brought right now while my wife and kids are in the tent.

[alek]

4/3/23 Monday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus (7-day)
191.9 & 35.5

Leg Curl
160 x 8 x 4
OT 1:45

Leg Press
Sled + 450 x 8 @ 6,7,7
Sled + 450 x 6 @ foot pain
OT 3:00
I got some pain on the top of my right root near where my shoelaces were tied.

TnG Bench Press
230 x 1 @ 9.5
190 x 4 @ 5.5,6,6
190 x 10 @ 10; e1rm = 257
OT 2:30

Barbell Hip Thrust
195 x 8 x 4
OT 2:00

Upright Row
85 x 8 x 4

Session Length
1:16

Notes
Well that bench top single sucked. Hmm...

Breathe It In
PowerBreathe Setting 6
66 cmH[math]_2[/math]O x 6 x 5

[alek]

Breathe It In
PowerBreathe Setting 6
66 cmH[math]_2[/math]O x 6 x 5

[alek]

4/5/23 Wednesday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus (7-day)
191.9 & 35.54

Comp Squat
395 x 2 @ 8,9,9.5, 9.5; e1rm = 443
OT 3:00

TnG Bench
205 x 1
215 x 1
225 x 1
235 x 1
245 x 1 @ 9.5; e1rm = 251
OT 2:30

Session Length
0:48

Notes
That’s a new 2rm.



Breathe It In
PowerBreathe Setting 6
66 cmH[math]_2[/math]O x 6 x 5

Making gains with this. This setting is getting easier, and I was able to breathe in Setting 8 a couple times after the workout.

[alek]

3/24/23 Friday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus (7-day)
192.1 & 35.61

Leg Curl
165 x 8 x 4
OT 1:45

Paused Squat
275 x 4 @ 6
295 x 4 @ 6,6
315 x 4 @ 7
OT 3:00

TnG Bench
230 x 1 @ 8
190 x 4 @ 5.5
195 x 4 @ 6,6
195 x 8 @ 10
OT 2:30

DB Bench
50 x 8
55 x 8,8

Session Length
???

Notes
Took a deload for deadlift this week--didn't deadlift at all. I think I'm going to deload squat a bit next week and pick deadlift back up.

Breathe It In
PowerBreathe Setting 6
66 cmH[math]_2[/math]O x 6 x 5

[alek]

Breathe It In
PowerBreathe Setting 6
66 cmH[math]_2[/math]O x 6 x 5

[alek]

Breathe It In
PowerBreathe Setting 6
66 cmH[math]_2[/math]O x 6 x 5

Going to go up a setting next time.

[alek]

4/10/23 Monday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus (7-day)
192 & 35.63

Leg Curl
170 x 8 x 4
OT 1:45

TnG Bench Press
205 x 1 @ 6
215 x 1 @ 7
225 x 1 @ 7.5
235 x 1 @ 8; e1rm = 255
190 x 4 @ 6.5,6.5,7, 6.5
Volume OT 2:30

Barbell Hip Thrust
205 x 8 x 4
OT 2:00

TnG Deadlift
275 x 8 x 4
OT 2:30

Machine Chest Press
100 x 8,8
90 x 5
OT 2:00

Session Length
1:08

Notes
The tng deadlift gassed me real good...

Pushups
BW x 10 x 5
OT 1:15

Pullups
BW x 4 x 5
OT 1:15

Conditioning
1 km walk with the dog.

[alek]

My bench has pretty much been stalled for years… and years… Back in spring 2018, almost exactly 5 years ago—see Page 4 of this log—I benched 225 for the first time. Since then, the most I’ve benched is 265 touch and go. The most I’ve ever paused bench is 255, which happened about a year ago. I would really like to bench 275 sometime.

Given that context, I’m trying to think how I would counsel someone who asked me for advice if their training/performance had been similar.

[augeleven]

My bench has pretty much been stalled for years… and years… Back in spring 2018, almost exactly 5 years ago—see Page 4 of this log—I benched 225 for the first time. Since then, the most I’ve benched is 265 touch and go. The most I’ve ever paused bench is 255, which happened about a year ago. I would really like to bench 275 sometime.

Given that context, I’m trying to think how I would counsel someone who asked me for advice if their training/performance had been similar.

I’ll take that advice. samesies.

[DCR]

This: viewtopic.php?t=3641

The link in the thread is dead, which doesn’t surprise me because the program seems to disappear from the internet now and then. You can find it here now:

http://www.criticalbench.com/MM2K.htm

And also here:

https://www.oocities.org/~slopitch/mm2k/

As you’ll see in the thread, it has its possible drawbacks / insanities (and there’s more if you read through it, like absurdly insisting that overhead work is awful for you). But in my personal experience (granted as a young dude who’d never peaked before) and that of a surprising number of folks I’ve run into online and in person over the years, the fucking thing works.

I’m currently trying to bench 225x10 just to say that I did and expect to have it in the next two to three weeks. Afterward, I’d like to chase after 300 again. (Lifetime max is 295.) Run this and I’ll run it with you. I know that I’m some random guy on the internet but it would be fun. Come on!

[CheekiBreekiFitness]

My bench has pretty much been stalled for years… and years… Back in spring 2018, almost exactly 5 years ago—see Page 4 of this log—I benched 225 for the first time. Since then, the most I’ve benched is 265 touch and go. The most I’ve ever paused bench is 255, which happened about a year ago. I would really like to bench 275 sometime.

Given that context, I’m trying to think how I would counsel someone who asked me for advice if their training/performance had been similar.

The first question I'd ask them is "what is the amount of time that you have been bulking over the last year ?". If they haven't been in a caloric surplus most of the time I'd argue that they need to eat more, because bench is a "muscle lift". If you're not getting bigger then I'd doubt you can make a large improvement.

Once nutrition is sorted I'd look at their last blocks over the last year, and do an emerging strategies approach. Just try a bunch of things and keep what makes bench moving upwards. Doing this myself I've found that doing 1@8 followed by some backoffs works very well for my deadlift and squat (got me to all time pr level of performance), but does nothing for my bench. Instead ramping sets of 5 seem to work. Also training 4 times a week was too much work, but 3 times a week is just enough stress to make some progress. I've had a similarly stalled bench for a long long time, and this block is the first time it's actually going up consistently. I feel that this kind of information is only going to appear if you actually disregard "principles" and do some experimentation/educated guessing.

Now I'm a mediocre lifter, so listen at your own risk (lol).

[alek]

This: viewtopic.php?t=3641

The link in the thread is dead, which doesn’t surprise me because the program seems to disappear from the internet now and then. You can find it here now:

http://www.criticalbench.com/MM2K.htm

And also here:

https://www.oocities.org/~slopitch/mm2k/

As you’ll see in the thread, it has its possible drawbacks / insanities (and there’s more if you read through it, like absurdly insisting that overhead work is awful for you). But in my personal experience (granted as a young dude who’d never peaked before) and that of a surprising number of folks I’ve run into online and in person over the years, the fucking thing works.

I’m currently trying to bench 225x10 just to say that I did and expect to have it in the next two to three weeks. Afterward, I’d like to chase after 300 again. (Lifetime max is 295.) Run this and I’ll run it with you. I know that I’m some random guy on the internet but it would be fun. Come on!

Sure, I'll try it. I've got 8.5 weeks until my meet, so I'll find a 1rm tomorrow and start the program on Monday. I can't do any worse... unless I get injured.

[alek]

My bench has pretty much been stalled for years… and years… Back in spring 2018, almost exactly 5 years ago—see Page 4 of this log—I benched 225 for the first time. Since then, the most I’ve benched is 265 touch and go. The most I’ve ever paused bench is 255, which happened about a year ago. I would really like to bench 275 sometime.

Given that context, I’m trying to think how I would counsel someone who asked me for advice if their training/performance had been similar.

I’ll take that advice. samesies.

Well, I'm about to try this crazy ass program that DCR recommends, so maybe don't.

The first question I'd ask them is "what is the amount of time that you have been bulking over the last year ?". If they haven't been in a caloric surplus most of the time I'd argue that they need to eat more, because bench is a "muscle lift". If you're not getting bigger then I'd doubt you can make a large improvement.

Not much--mostly maintenance, but I'm bulking now--February through November--trying for about a pound a month.

[DCR]

This is gonna be awesome. I’ll find a max this week. Should be 270-275 or so. If this works as well as it once did…

[alek]

My bench has pretty much been stalled for years… and years… Back in spring 2018, almost exactly 5 years ago—see Page 4 of this log—I benched 225 for the first time. Since then, the most I’ve benched is 265 touch and go. The most I’ve ever paused bench is 255, which happened about a year ago. I would really like to bench 275 sometime.

Given that context, I’m trying to think how I would counsel someone who asked me for advice if their training/performance had been similar.

I’ll take that advice. samesies.

Although, I’ve read over this article a few times, and I aim to read it on the regular.

https://www.strongerbyscience.com/how-to-bench/

[alek]

This is gonna be awesome. I’ll find a max this week. Should be 270-275 or so. If this works as well as it once did…

Oh boy!!