Helton's Log

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-05

Vacation lifting.

Bench Press
75 x 15 / 4
85 x 15 / 4
95 x 15 / 4
Starr Protocol

Dips
Skipped due to pec strain.

303 Tempo Squat
275 x 3 / 3 @ 5
295 x 3 / 3 @ 6
315 x 3 / 3 @ 7
325 x 3 / 3 @ 8
These continue to feel really good and get easier and easier.

[JohnHelton]

Family pic from yesterday. This is from my other Instagram account where I don't post my lifts.



Stalking @Hanley this week...staying in Bozeman. What an awesome town!

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-06

More vacation lifting.

Bench Press
95 x 15 / 15
115 x 15 / 15
135 x 14 / 15
Starr Protocol. Didn't finish the last set as I didn't want to push the pec too hard.

Deadlift (sumo) with Belt
375 x 4 / 4 @ 6
395 x 4 / 4 @ 7
415 x 4 / 4 @ 8
415 x 4 / 4 @ 8
415 x 4 / 4 @ 8
Again good. Up 10 more pounds. Got a little light headed on the 4th set but the 5th felt good.

Wide Grip Bench Press
Didn't do because of pec strain.

Pendlay Row
135 x 12 / 12 @ 7
150 x 12 / 12 @ 8
165 x 12 / 12 @ 9
Felt like cardio in the mountains.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-10

Pivot

High Bar Squat
225 x 10 / 10 @ 7
235 x 10 / 10 @ 8
235 x 5 / 5 @ 8
235 x 5 / 5 @ 8
Sets 3-4 were 5-3-0 tempo. Was hard at altitude (9600 feet). Was out of breath.

Bench Press
135 x 10
145 x 10
155 x 10
Starr Protocol.

Standing Military
85 x 10 / 10 @ 6
95 x 10 / 10 @ 7.5
100 x 10 / 10 @ 9
85 x 10 / 10 @ 9

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-13

PIvot - Last vacation workout.

Deadlift (conv)
285 x 10 / 10 @ 7
315 x 10 / 10 @ 8
315 x 5 / 5 @ 8
315 x 4 / 5 @ 10
Sets 3-4 were 5-3-0 tempo. I was having trouble with my lower back rounding. Was also very short of breath given altitude.

Bench Press
155 x 10
165 x 10
175 x 10
Starr rehab.

Ab Wheel
Was not available.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-15

GPP

BW: 208.5. Gained a bit of weight while on vacation. Time to add some GPP and cut a little weight.

Treadmilll work. Started walking on the treadmill, increasing the speed from 3.0 mph by .2 mph every minute until my heart rate reached 110 bpm. Then adjusted the speed to keep heart rate <= 120 bpm.

Time: 30:00
Distance: 2.37 miles
Average Pace: 12:40 min./mile
Average HR: 112
Max HR: 123

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-16

Pivot

BW: 206.8

High Bar Squat
250 x 7 / 7 @ 7
265 x 7 / 7 @ 8
240 x 5 / 5 @ 8
240 x 5 / 5 @ 8.5
Sets 3-4 with 5-3-0 tempo.

Bench Press with Feet Up
155 x 10 / 10 @ 5.5
165 x 10 / 10 @ 6.5
185 x 10 / 10 @ 7.5
Starr rehabilitation.

Standing Military
85 x 10 / 10 @ 6
90 x 10 / 10 @ 7
95 x 10 / 10 @ 9
90 x 10 / 10 @ 9

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-17

Pivot

BW: 205.7

Deadlift (conv)
345 x 7 / 7 @ 7
365 x 7 / 7 @ 8
285 x 5 / 5 @ 8
285 x 5 / 5 @ 8
Set 3-4 with 5-3-0 tempo.

Bench Press with Feet Up
195 x 5 @ 6
205 x 5 @ 7
215 x 5 @ 8
215 x 5 @ 8
215 x 5 @ 8
Starr rehabilitation. Moved grip in one inch for the last two sets given an uncomfortable feeling in the right pec during the third set. Moving the grip in made that feeling go away. Need to consider going back to the slightly narrower grip.

Ab Wheel
No ab wheel. Did front planks. 1x2:00, 3x1:00.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-20

Pivot

BW: 206.1

Standing Military
95 x 10 / 10 @ 6
105 x 10 / 10 @ 7
115 x 10 / 10 @ 8
115 x 10 / 10 @ 8.5

Reverse Grip Pull Up
205 x 5
205 x 5
205 x 5
205 x 5
205 x 5
205 x 4
205 x 4
205 x 4
205 x 4
205 x 3
EMOM. Rx = Vertical Pull of Choice x10 @6, x10 @7, x10 @8 plus 1 down set (repeat). However, I didn't have the equipment to do lat. pull downs. I didn't figure that I was strong enough to do 14 pull-ups (not having down significant pull-ups in more than 7 months. Thus, I improvised.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-21

Pivot

BW: 206.2

Pendlay Row
160 x 10 / 10 @ 6
165 x 10 / 10 @ 7
170 x 10 / 10 @ 7.5
175 x 10 / 10 @ 8

Incline Bench
155 x 5 @ 6
175 x 5 @ 7
195 x 5 @ 8.5
185 x 5 @ 7.5
185 x 5 @ 7.5
Still part of my Starr rehab. I think I'm almost 100%. Next week should be the last week.

Starting a real microcycle next week with heavy singles and triples @ 8 RPE.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-23

GPP

BW: FAT

LISS on the Treadmill
30 minutes, slowly increased the incline to 8.5 degrees while walking at 3.0 mph. HR peaked at 118 bpm.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-24

Development Cycle

BW: 205.9

Squat with Belt
415 x 1 / 1 @ 8
385 x 3 / 3 @ 8
385 x 3 / 3 @ 9
365 x 3 / 3 @ 8
These felt a bit awkward as I haven't squatted heavy in a while.

Bench Press
205 x 5 @ 5
215 x 5 @ 5.5
225 x 5 @ 6
235 x 5 @ 7
245 x 5 @ 8
Starr rehab. Very pleased with how the bar moved. Pinky finger on the ring. No pain or discomfort. e1RM back up to 300 lbs. Just 10 lbs. less than where I was.

Front Squat
135 x 10 / 10 @ 7
135 x 10 / 10 @ 8
135 x 10 / 10 @ 9
135 x 10 / 10 @ 9
Wow. I haven't done these in forever. Sets of 10 reps wasn't comfortable. I have to really focus to keep my back tight.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-25

GPP

BW: 206.0

LISS on the Treadmill
30 minutes, slowly increased the incline to 8.5 degrees while walking at 3.0 mph.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-26

Development Cycle

BW: 206.4

Bench Press
235 x 4 / 4 @ 6
245 x 4 / 4 @ 7
255 x 4 / 4 @ 8
255 x 4 / 4 @ 8
255 x 4 / 4 @ 8
Given rehab has been going well, I decided to push the intensity a little so I was handling heavier weights. No problem.

Dumbbell Flies
70 x 10
80 x 10
90 x 10
100 x 10
120 x 10 @ 8
More rehab. I didn't really know what weight to use here, so I just kept pushing the weight up. This was minimal rest. The weights are total, not per dumbbell.

2ct Pause Squat
275 x 3 / 3 @ 6
295 x 3 / 3 @ 7
315 x 3 / 3 @ 8
315 x 3 / 3 @ 8
315 x 3 / 3 @ 8
These felt great. I think I can push it another 10 lbs. next week.

[KoolaidMannn]

I was gonna say... those would have been the strongest dumbbell flies ever done

[JohnHelton]

I was gonna say... those would have been the strongest dumbbell flies ever done

No doubt. I recorded them that way because the RTS log needs the total for total volume calculations. I’m definitely not that strong.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-27

GPP

BW: 206.7

LISS on the Treadmill
30 minutes, slowly increased the incline to 8.5 degrees while walking at 3.0 mph. Third GPP this week. Hitting 2200 calories per day. And yet no movement in my weight. Stubborn.

[JohnHelton]

I found this pretty cool. This is where I was one year ago coming off of my SSLP:

BP: 225x5x3
SQ: 290x5x3
OHP: 140x5x3
DL: 350x5

Onward. Bench press is the only lift that hasn't progressed as well as I would have liked. However, I think that is turning around.

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-28

Development Cycle

BW: 207.1

Deadlift (sumo) with Belt
465 x 1 / 1 @ 8
430 x 3 / 3 @ 8
430 x 3 / 3 @ 8
430 x 3 / 3 @ 8
Sumo PR. Gym PR for both sumo and conventional. Relating to the 3x3 sets, breaking the weight from the ground on the first rep is the hardest part. The subsequent reps were easier.

Bench Press
215 x 5 / 5
215 x 5 / 5
215 x 5 / 5
215 x 5 / 5
215 x 5 / 5
215 x 5 / 5
215 x 5 / 5
7x5 at 70%. This was a fair amount of volume and the bar speed was pretty slow at the end. Started every 2:30 on the 2:30.

Pendlay Row
155 x 12 / 12 @ 7
160 x 12 / 12 @ 8
170 x 12 / 12 @ 9

[JohnHelton]

2018-07-30

GPP

BW: 206

LISS on the Treadmill
30 minutes, slowly increased the incline to 9.0 degrees while walking at 3.0 mph.