Helton's Log

[JohnHelton]

Cut Day 67
87.9/88.2
Target Calories - 2202
Avg. Calories - NA
Expenditure - 2724

Current program that I am using for my compound lifts:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

I haven't decided yet if I will start doing press and conv. deadlifts, but I have them in the spreadsheet as a placeholder. I have shoulder impingement issues that I have been bothering me when I press.

[JohnHelton]

MM - Day 3
Thursday 8 Sep 2022, 13:57

Bench Press - Wide Grip (Barbell)
Set 1: 95 lbs × 5 [Warm-up]
Set 2: 135 lbs × 3 [Warm-up]
Set 3: 175 lbs × 1 [Warm-up]
Set 4: 215 lbs × 1 [Warm-up]
Set 5: 245 lbs × 1 [Warm-up]
Set 6: 270 lbs × 1 @ 6.0
Set 7: 285 lbs × 1 @ 7.0
Set 8: 240 lbs × 3
Set 9: 240 lbs × 3
Set 10: 240 lbs × 3
Set 11: 240 lbs × 3
Set 12: 240 lbs × 3
Set 13: 240 lbs × 3
e1RM = 145/319. Same as last time.



Triceps Pushdown (Cable - Straight Bar)
Set 1: 60 lbs × 15
Set 2: 60 lbs × 15
Set 3: 60 lbs × 15

Bicep Curl (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 20 lbs × 15
Set 2: 20 lbs × 15
Set 3: 20 lbs × 15

[JohnHelton]

Cut Day 68
87.8/88.1
Target Calories - 2206
Avg. Calories - 2078 - Been hitting mid-week targets. Friday and Saturday are about 2500 each.
Expenditure - 2724

[JohnHelton]

Cut Day 69
88.4/88.1
Target Calories - 2206
Avg. Calories - 2160
Expenditure - 2724

Saturday 10 Sep 2022, 09:51

Sumo Deadlift (Barbell)
Set 1: 80 kg × 5 [Warm-up]
Set 2: 115 kg × 3 [Warm-up]
Set 3: 150 kg × 1 [Warm-up]
Set 4: 185 kg × 1 [Warm-up]
Set 5: 207.5 kg × 1 [Warm-up]
Set 6: 230 kg × 1
Set 7: 242.5 kg × 1 @ 7.5
Set 8: 200 kg × 3
Set 9: 200 kg × 3
Set 10: 200 kg × 3
Set 11: 200 kg × 3
e1RM = 267/589
Note: I just felt weak today. Might be in my head. However, in the past when I have ignored such a feeling, then I end up with a failed lift. I decided to listen today and stop short of a 255 kg pull. My backoffs felt fine. My form may have been a bit off on the single. Looking at the video, I would like to get the top of my head pointed a bit more at the ceiling.

[JohnHelton]

Cut Day 70
87.8/88.1
Target Calories - 2206
Avg. Calories - 2216
Expenditure - 2693

CG Bench Press - VBT
Sunday 11 Sep 2022, 08:25

Bench Press - Close Grip (Barbell)
Set 1: 45 kg × 5 [Warm-up]
Set 2: 65 kg × 3 [Warm-up]
Set 3: 85 kg × 1 [Warm-up]
Set 4: 105 kg × 8
Set 5: 105 kg × 6
Set 6: 105 kg × 5
Set 7: 105 kg × 6
Set 8: 105 kg × 4
Set 9: 105 kg × 4
All sets < @ 5. Still giving a big pump with a fair amount of intraset fatigue. Set Vitruve to beep at .45 m/s. I think this should probably be increased to .5 m/s.

Face Pull (Cable)
Set 1: 20 kg × 15
Set 2: 21.25 kg × 15
Set 3: 22.5 kg × 15 @ 9.5

[JohnHelton]

@Hanley I think I'm going to duplicate your approach to bench training. I'm cutting, so I'm going to put squat and deadlift on the backburner for recovery purposes. I really like the approach of varying the workout session dependent on how you are feeling that day. We'll see if it works for me. 330 lbs is my current bench PR.

[Hanley]

I really like the approach of varying the workout session dependent on how you are feeling that day.

Yeah. I think autoregulation of the sessions & cycle itself (instead of just scaling load) was my bench programming breakthrough this cycle (no reason that approach wouldn't work for other lifts...but my dead and squat don't yet need that level of programming attention).

[JohnHelton]

I really like the approach of varying the workout session dependent on how you are feeling that day.

Yeah. I think autoregulation of the sessions & cycle itself (instead of just scaling load) was my bench programming breakthrough this cycle (no reason that approach wouldn't work for other lifts...but my dead and squat don't yet need that level of programming attention).

I have mapped out a scaled back version of the program for deadlifts and squats. I will just pick the workout session based on the same criteria though. The HNFM for both of those lifts will be relatively low.

[JohnHelton]

Cut Day 71
87.7/88.1
Target Calories - 2206
Avg. Calories - 2205
Expenditure - 2661 - Expenditure is cratering. I have been hitting my calories but not my steps.

[alek]

I know this is a little late, but I'm sorry to hear that about your dog, John. We lost our last one a while ago, and I still can't bring myself to adopt another one yet.

[JohnHelton]

I know this is a little late, but I'm sorry to hear that about your dog, John. We lost our last one a while ago, and I still can't bring myself to adopt another one yet.

Thanks, Alek. We almost always have 2-3 dogs. We have had as many as four. Now we are down to two. I'm grateful to have the others around when we lose one. Dottie is the 6th dog that we have lost over the years. Of course, the more dogs you have, the more you lose over the years. You could say that our family is a bit animal crazy.

We also have two old cats. They are sisters that hate each other. We had to kick one of them out of the house about 5 years ago, because she didn't like to use the litter box. We put food outside for her. However, we almost never see her, because she has adopted another family down the street. So instead of feeding her, we seem to be feeding our neighbor's two cats that have adopted us.

Growing up with all these animals has definitely had an effect on my kids. My oldest daughter at school in Montana "had to" adopt a dog a couple of years ago. Those two are inseparable. My other daughter at school in Austin volunteers at the animal shelter and is always fostering cats.

[houzi]

@Hanley I think I'm going to duplicate your approach to bench training. I'm cutting, so I'm going to put squat and deadlift on the backburner............. because bench is the best lift by far

Fixed that for you! haha

Im very much considering doing something similar towards the end of the year, just push very hard on Bench and pull back on Squats and Deads. I really want to get close to 4 plates.

[JohnHelton]

@Hanley I think I'm going to duplicate your approach to bench training. I'm cutting, so I'm going to put squat and deadlift on the backburner............. because bench is the best lift by far

Fixed that for you! haha

Im very much considering doing something similar towards the end of the year, just push very hard on Bench and pull back on Squats and Deads. I really want to get close to 4 plates.

Yeah. I never dread a bench workout. I'd like to maintain my squat and deadlift, but putting even 5% on my bench PR would be amazing. I don't have any competition plans any time soon, so now seem like a good time to just do what I want to do. You don't get the back for the buck from bench in competition, but that is okay.

[alek]

Thanks, Alek. We almost always have 2-3 dogs. We have had as many as four. Now we are down to two. I'm grateful to have the others around when we lose one. Dottie is the 6th dog that we have lost over the years. Of course, the more dogs you have, the more you lose over the years. You could say that our family is a bit animal crazy.

We also have two old cats. They are sisters that hate each other. We had to kick one of them out of the house about 5 years ago, because she didn't like to use the litter box. We put food outside for her. However, we almost never see her, because she has adopted another family down the street. So instead of feeding her, we seem to be feeding our neighbor's two cats that have adopted us.

Growing up with all these animals has definitely had an effect on my kids. My oldest daughter at school in Montana "had to" adopt a dog a couple of years ago. Those two are inseparable. My other daughter at school in Austin volunteers at the animal shelter and is always fostering cats.

We've also usually had quite the menagerie--right after our first was born, we had one kid, three dogs, two chinchillas, one lizard, a bunch of fish, and eight chickens. Now we have two kids, different chickens, different fish, the same lizard, and thousands of honeybees. We'll be getting a dog sometime soon I imagine as the kids are asking pretty regularly now.

[Skid]

Thanks, Alek. We almost always have 2-3 dogs. We have had as many as four. Now we are down to two. I'm grateful to have the others around when we lose one. Dottie is the 6th dog that we have lost over the years. Of course, the more dogs you have, the more you lose over the years. You could say that our family is a bit animal crazy.

We also have two old cats. They are sisters that hate each other. We had to kick one of them out of the house about 5 years ago, because she didn't like to use the litter box. We put food outside for her. However, we almost never see her, because she has adopted another family down the street. So instead of feeding her, we seem to be feeding our neighbor's two cats that have adopted us.

Growing up with all these animals has definitely had an effect on my kids. My oldest daughter at school in Montana "had to" adopt a dog a couple of years ago. Those two are inseparable. My other daughter at school in Austin volunteers at the animal shelter and is always fostering cats.

We've also usually had quite the menagerie--right after our first was born, we had one kid, three dogs, two chinchillas, one lizard, a bunch of fish, and eight chickens. Now we have two kids, different chickens, different fish, the same lizard, and thousands of honeybees. We'll be getting a dog sometime soon I imagine as the kids are asking pretty regularly now.

Speaking of pets, our family has 2 dogs, 1 outdoor cat that showed up at the farm years ago that we feed (It feeds inside so the dogs don't take her food, but wants to immediately go back outside once done eating), fish tank, chickens, several bee hives, and basically all the wildlife in the valley that we live in. We inadvertently feed the bears and the birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc. from our nut and fruit orchard. We hear the owls hooting all night feeding on the many squirrels/mice etc. that live around us. Quite amazing actually. My daughter volunteers at the local vet clinic too, but my boys like to hunt LOL.

[JohnHelton]

Speaking of pets, our family has 2 dogs, 1 outdoor cat that showed up at the farm years ago that we feed (It feeds inside so the dogs don't take her food, but wants to immediately go back outside once done eating), fish tank, chickens, several bee hives, and basically all the wildlife in the valley that we live in. We inadvertently feed the bears and the birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc. from our nut and fruit orchard. We hear the owls hooting all night feeding on the many squirrels/mice etc. that live around us. Quite amazing actually. My daughter volunteers at the local vet clinic too, but my boys like to hunt LOL.

That is just awesome, Skid. We live in the city, but we will eventually move to the mountains outside of Bozeman where we will be building a house. Hopefully, we will be starting the house next summer. I look forward to being able to enjoy more of what you experience where you live.

[JohnHelton]

We've also usually had quite the menagerie--right after our first was born, we had one kid, three dogs, two chinchillas, one lizard, a bunch of fish, and eight chickens. Now we have two kids, different chickens, different fish, the same lizard, and thousands of honeybees. We'll be getting a dog sometime soon I imagine as the kids are asking pretty regularly now.

That is a lot. We did the lizard at one point. The kids enjoyed watching it eat crickets. Once they got older and weren't as interest, another family with young kids in the area adopted it. We can't do chickens here, but I would interested in having them in the future, assuming that I can keep them alive.

[JohnHelton]

Cut Day 72
87.7/88.0
Target Calories - 2206
Avg. Calories - 2203
Expenditure - 2631

[JohnHelton]

BP Session 3
75% x (3,4,5) x 3-4
Set 1: 50 kg × 5 [Warm-up]
Set 2: 70 kg × 3 [Warm-up]
Set 3: 90 kg × 1 [Warm-up]
Set 4: 110 kg × 3
Set 5: 110 kg × 4
Set 6: 110 kg × 5
Set 7: 110 kg × 3
Set 8: 110 kg × 4
Set 9: 110 kg × 5
Set 10: 110 kg × 3
Set 11: 110 kg × 4
Set 12: 110 kg × 5
Set 13: 110 kg × 3
Set 14: 110 kg × 4 @ 9.5
HNFM = 688. I couldn't get the last set. That was a lot of work for me.

[slowmotion]

That's a lot of reps at 75%!