Strength in the Time of Quarantine

[Hanley]

95kg>95.5kg

SQ: 160kg est > 170kgx1
BP: 100kg est > 107.5kgx1 (could have done 110)
DL: 165kg est > 180kgx1 @ 9

Did the 3 day,4 week version of this with the minimum session volume. First program in a few years where I didnt regress after a few weeks and actually succesfully tested 1RMs. Compared to my DL, the squat was a bit disappointing though. Still had a great experience overall. Going to repeat the program again but maybe 4 workouts/week this time.

95.5kg>96.0kg

SQ: 170kgx1 > 185kgx1
BP: 107.5kg > 110kg
DL: 180kgx1 @ 9 > 190x1 @ 9ish, 200x1 @ 10

SQ and DL are flying. BP gains seems to be petering out compared to the previous cycle. Traps, palms, forearms etc feeling quite beat up.

Next plan of action @Hanley? Switch back to HVLF or do I just stick with it? Maybe cut out the singles and/or a deload week?

Nice progress! Not Hanley, but I definitely wouldn't run 3 times back to back. Either deload and repeat, or do a work capacity cycle, HVLF, and come back.

Awesome progress.

I agree with this. Take a 1-2 week deload period then start up with something like hypertrophy with a work capacity focus. Big ranges of motion, different movements etc.

Then HVLF type stuff, then maybe cycle back to this template in a few months.

[alphagamma]

95kg>95.5kg

SQ: 160kg est > 170kgx1
BP: 100kg est > 107.5kgx1 (could have done 110)
DL: 165kg est > 180kgx1 @ 9

Did the 3 day,4 week version of this with the minimum session volume. First program in a few years where I didnt regress after a few weeks and actually succesfully tested 1RMs. Compared to my DL, the squat was a bit disappointing though. Still had a great experience overall. Going to repeat the program again but maybe 4 workouts/week this time.

95.5kg>96.0kg

SQ: 170kgx1 > 185kgx1
BP: 107.5kg > 110kg
DL: 180kgx1 @ 9 > 190x1 @ 9ish, 200x1 @ 10

SQ and DL are flying. BP gains seems to be petering out compared to the previous cycle. Traps, palms, forearms etc feeling quite beat up.

Next plan of action @Hanley? Switch back to HVLF or do I just stick with it? Maybe cut out the singles and/or a deload week?

Nice progress! Not Hanley, but I definitely wouldn't run 3 times back to back. Either deload and repeat, or do a work capacity cycle, HVLF, and come back.

Awesome progress.

I agree with this. Take a 1-2 week deload period then start up with something like hypertrophy with a work capacity focus. Big ranges of motion, different movements etc.

Then HVLF type stuff, then maybe cycle back to this template in a few months.

Right thanks @Hanley and @gtl

For HVLF, Ill just follow the template as written for the Squat and BP I suppose, but what about the DL? Im thinking of maybe continuing using this program for deadlifts since Im gonna be squatting a lot anyway. High volume DLs may therefore not work?

This is technically offtopic so Im happy to move this to the other thread if needed

[DPriest442]

3 more failed PRs
Guess I need to quit this cutting crap

[Hanley]

3 more failed PRs
Guess I need to quit this cutting crap

Cutting's fine, man. Gunning for lifetime strength PRs during a significant caloric deficit is just not a great idea.

This template is not at all "aggressive cut friendly".

[DPriest442]

3 more failed PRs
Guess I need to quit this cutting crap

Cutting's fine, man. Gunning for lifetime strength PRs during a significant caloric deficit is just not a great idea.

This template is not at all "aggressive cut friendly".

I'm weak dude. PRs are not supposed to be that hard at my level. And besides, I changed my deficit up to around 1800 calories. Not that aggressive any more. Not sure what else to do aside from more muscle

[Hanley]

Not sure what else to do aside from more muscle

I'd maybe try a program that uses higher intraset fatigue.

[DPriest442]

Not sure what else to do aside from more muscle

I'd maybe try a program that uses higher intraset fatigue.

You don't think this program would build muscle?

[Hanley]

Not sure what else to do aside from more muscle

I'd maybe try a program that uses higher intraset fatigue.

You don't think this program would build muscle?

I didn't say that.

Just seems you're not having a strong response to this program. So I'd try something quite different. Low intraset fatigue is a central feature of this program...you might respond better to high intraset fatigue.

[gtl]

I changed my deficit up to around 1800 calories. Not that aggressive any more.

Is that 1800 cal deficit for the week? Like ~260 cal/day? Or you mean you were eating 1800 cal/day?

I ran this 3x back to back (dont recommend), took a break for a bit, came back, and missed a 250lb bench again for the 4th time

[DPriest442]

I changed my deficit up to around 1800 calories. Not that aggressive any more.

Is that 1800 cal deficit for the week? Like ~260 cal/day? Or you mean you were eating 1800 cal/day?

I ran this 3x back to back (dont recommend), took a break for a bit, came back, and missed a 250lb bench again for the 4th time

Per day; 260 calories a day would be crazy
I'm just trying to get to a 200 bench

[gtl]

I changed my deficit up to around 1800 calories. Not that aggressive any more.

Is that 1800 cal deficit for the week? Like ~260 cal/day? Or you mean you were eating 1800 cal/day?

I ran this 3x back to back (dont recommend), took a break for a bit, came back, and missed a 250lb bench again for the 4th time

Per day; 260 calories a day would be crazy
I'm just trying to get to a 200 bench

I meant are you eating 1800 cal deficit for the week, or a 260 cal deficit each day
Or did you mean 1800 cals a day is what you are eating, which puts you in a deficit

[FredM]

3 more failed PRs
Guess I need to quit this cutting crap

Cutting's fine, man. Gunning for lifetime strength PRs during a significant caloric deficit is just not a great idea.

This template is not at all "aggressive cut friendly".

I'm weak dude. PRs are not supposed to be that hard at my level. And besides, I changed my deficit up to around 1800 calories. Not that aggressive any more. Not sure what else to do aside from more muscle

I empathize with this attitude because it used to be mine with upper body stuff. I still fall back into this mindset from time to time and get a little depressed, but I've learned to accept I'm not a genetically gifted bencher and that's just gonna have to be OK. First step is to stop comparing yourself to random dudes on the internet.

You're going to have to decide if you want to get stronger or get leaner. Stop believing whatever you're reading on the internet that's convincing you you can do both. It can happen, yes, but it's not easy, regardless of how weak you think you are. When it does happen for me, almost every time, it's because I did some assistance on my cut that addresses a huge weakness (like front squats) and didn't even try to PR until after my cut was over.

1800 calories is not enough, even at your weight, to drive progress. I plugged your numbers in here: https://legionathletics.com/macronutrient-calculator/. And got almost 2500 calories. Which is basically what I would have guessed. If you decide you want to get stronger I'd take a week or 2 at 2100 then up to 2400 and see how that goes for another few weeks.

As for programming, think about what you were doing when your bench went up the last time. Loosely try to replicate that with your program choice with assistances that address your weakness and don't beat you up. It's weird how we never think about this, but when I think back on my LP, my bench went up when it was pretty easy and stalled quickly when it got hard. It shouldn't really have been surprising to me that HVLF works really well for my bench. But I still spent almost a year doing high fatigue RTS/BBM style bench programs making no progress because I'm an idiot.

[Hanley]

missed a 250lb bench again for the 4th time

If you're hitting 237.5 @8 and missing 250 I think you try something like a peaking format.

[gtl]

missed a 250lb bench again for the 4th time

If you're hitting 237.5 @8 and missing 250 I think you try something like a peaking format.

You've got my attention....

I hit 165x15@9 this morning, a day after missing that 250 twice lol

[Hanley]

You've got my attention....

I'll post the program I'm currently using for bench. It seems to be working (I think I'm seeing an uptick in usually glacially-slow rate of gains).

[DPriest442]

I meant are you eating 1800 cal deficit for the week, or a 260 cal deficit each day
Or did you mean 1800 cals a day is what you are eating, which puts you in a deficit

1800 a day, which was putting me in a deficit

I empathize with this attitude because it used to be mine with upper body stuff. I still fall back into this mindset from time to time and get a little depressed, but I've learned to accept I'm not a genetically gifted bencher and that's just gonna have to be OK. First step is to stop comparing yourself to random dudes on the internet.

You're going to have to decide if you want to get stronger or get leaner. Stop believing whatever you're reading on the internet that's convincing you you can do both. It can happen, yes, but it's not easy, regardless of how weak you think you are. When it does happen for me, almost every time, it's because I did some assistance on my cut that addresses a huge weakness (like front squats) and didn't even try to PR until after my cut was over.

1800 calories is not enough, even at your weight, to drive progress. I plugged your numbers in here: https://legionathletics.com/macronutrient-calculator/. And got almost 2500 calories. Which is basically what I would have guessed. If you decide you want to get stronger I'd take a week or 2 at 2100 then up to 2400 and see how that goes for another few weeks.

As for programming, think about what you were doing when your bench went up the last time. Loosely try to replicate that with your program choice with assistances that address your weakness and don't beat you up. It's weird how we never think about this, but when I think back on my LP, my bench went up when it was pretty easy and stalled quickly when it got hard. It shouldn't really have been surprising to me that HVLF works really well for my bench. But I still spent almost a year doing high fatigue RTS/BBM style bench programs making no progress because I'm an idiot.

You don't think RTS/BBM works well? My best run of progress was made following one of their templates

[Frog]

I changed my deficit up to around 1800 calories. Not that aggressive any more.

Is that 1800 cal deficit for the week? Like ~260 cal/day? Or you mean you were eating 1800 cal/day?

I ran this 3x back to back (dont recommend), took a break for a bit, came back, and missed a 250lb bench again for the 4th time

Per day; 260 calories a day would be crazy
I'm just trying to get to a 200 bench

What’s been helpful for me is realizing this is a marathon, not a sprint. My squat has actually gone backwards by ~20lbs over the last four years, and I’m not a super strong guy either (340 squat @ 6’4 215). However the older I get, the longer I feel I can take to get to my goals. I really want to squat 405, but I probably have a solid 7-8 years ahead of me if I take care of myself before my knees start blowing out. That means I can just enjoy training and enjoy the process, and when I get frustrated I’m not hitting PRs I will just take a random exercise I never do and focus on that for some period of time (dips or KB press or something).

Unless you compete, training has to remain an enjoyable hobby. Remind yourself why you’re doing this, and make sure your training is scheduled such that you’re having fun. There is no rule that says « thou shall bench press », so maybe just ditch the bench and do something more rewarding for some period of time. The bench will always be there when you get back to it.

My 2 cents.

[FredM]

You don't think RTS/BBM works well? My best run of progress was made following one of their templates

That's what you got from my post? I'm really starting to think you're attempting some elaborate troll and are actually a 240 lb fat a** from Aasgaard.

On the off chance you aren't -- if BBM worked for you, wth are you doing with a completely different program? Run the same template that actually worked, modify it slightly, or run something of theirs similar -- and stop losing weight. Or lose weight and absolute strength. Those are your options, man. Welcome to post novice training for us weak, mere mortals.

[JohnHelton]

@FredM, you are a true gentleman to keep dealing with this. You offer sound advice.

[alphagamma]

Not sure what else to do aside from more muscle

I'd maybe try a program that uses higher intraset fatigue.

Do you have an example of a high intraset fatigue program? Does that mean more RPE 8-9s and higher %s?