Exodus Strength

Thursday, Mar 2nd, 2023
1.3

2ct Pause Squat

275lbs x 4 @ 4
275lbs x 4 @ 4
275lbs x 4 @ 4
Total x Stress: @ 0.93,
Central x Stress: @ 0.64

Notes: fairly low loading here, trying to adjust back slowly to a 4 day full body routine. recovery and fatigue management are imperative on this programming.

Touch & Go Bench Press

205lbs x 4 @ 4
205lbs x 4 @ 4
205lbs x 4 @ 4
Total x Stress: @ 0.93,
Central x Stress: @ 0.65

Notes: probably even lower than rpe 4 but i dont rate past what would be 10RM for the day. again, load management here. technique sets, if you will.

Friday, Mar 3rd, 2023
1.4

Stiff Leg Deadlift

295lbs x 4 @ 4
295lbs x 4 @ 4
295lbs x 4 @ 4
Total x Stress: @ 0.93,
Central x Stress: @ 0.64

Notes: SLDLs felt bad today, first time doing them in months. Usually I like them, but low back has been feeling like trash lately

Bench Press with Feet Up

175lbs x 6 @ 4
175lbs x 6 @ 4
175lbs x 6 @ 4
Total x Stress: @ 1.02,
Central x Stress: @ 0.59

Notes: fine

Monday, Mar 6th, 2023
2.1

Squat with Belt

315lbs x 5 @ 6
325lbs x 5 @ 7
335lbs x 5 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 2,
Central x Stress: @ 1.68

Notes: not too bad, didn't move fast but technically they were pretty sound. stress index at 2. right about where i need to be right now

1ct Pause Bench Press

255lbs x 4 @ 6
260lbs x 4 @ 7
265lbs x 4 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 2.13,
Central x Stress: @ 2.15

Notes: getting some strength back on these. felt good.

vids:

Thursday, Mar 9th, 2023
2.2

High Bar Squat

275lbs x 4 @ 5
275lbs x 4 @ 5
275lbs x 4 @ 5
Total x Stress: @ 1.07,
Central x Stress: @ 0.89

Notes: a little rusty on the high bar position. felt light but good since i have been pretty sedentary lately

Touch & Go Bench Press

205lbs x 6 @ 5
205lbs x 6 @ 5
205lbs x 6 @ 5
Total x Stress: @ 1.13,
Central x Stress: @ 0.77

Notes: easy. slow, controlled form here.

Chins
5, 5, 5


---> This week sort of turned out to be a deload week. Will come back next week with a more structured approach, probably 4 days. Kids are home though for spring break though so I may have to be flexible with my session times.

Monday, Mar 13th, 2023
RTS 1.1
BW: 226 p.m. (I need to lose about 6 pounds)

Squat with Belt

305lbs x 4 @ 6
325lbs x 4 @ 7
345lbs x 4 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.8,
Central x Stress: @ 1.56

Notes: Squats went well today, not my strongest but not my weakest either, just a regular day. low back joints are still a little stiff and achy but these went well today, especially the top set. Will look to improve as the cycle progresses.

1ct Pause Bench Press

245lbs x 4 @ 6
257lbs x 4 @ 7
270lbs x 4 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.86,
Central x Stress: @ 1.66

Notes: Adjusted the rack height down a notch because my grip has widened over the years and on tough reps I have been hitting the uprights when trying to rack. Not sure if I like it since it requires more triceps to lift off and im worried that the extra fatigue from that may be a problem for a limit lift.

3ct Pause Bench Press

225lbs x 5 @ 7
Total x Stress: @ 0.65,
Central x Stress: @ 0.54

Notes: practice bracing and pattern here

video:

Tuesday, Mar 14th, 2023
RTS 1.2

Deadlift (conv)

315lbs x 4 @ 5
340lbs x 4 @ 6
365lbs x 4 @ 7
Total x Stress: @ 1.29,
Central x Stress: @ 1.01

Notes: Held back, went top set to @7 instead of @8 since my low back has been irritated/inflamed. I'd rather under target than overshoot especially on pulls.

Tempo Bench Press

185lbs x 4 @ 5
195lbs x 4 @ 6
205lbs x 4 @ 7
Total x Stress: @ 1.37,
Central x Stress: @ 1.14

Notes: went well.


Session Notes:
9 year old son watched me lift the whole time. He seemed like he was interested, so after my session I taught him how to DL. He did 65x5 fairly easily and felt proud of himself afterward. Also I caught my 16 year old, who I really thought only cared about video games, DLing in the garage. He did 275x5. I guess my habit is rubbing off on them.

Thursday, Mar 16th, 2023
RTS 1.3

2ct Pause Squat

275lbs x 5 @ 6
295lbs x 5 @ 7
315lbs x 5 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.78,
Central x Stress: @ 1.31

Notes: E1RM is 385, sounds about right.

Touch & Go Bench Press

225lbs x 6 @ 6
235lbs x 6 @ 7
245lbs x 6 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.86,
Central x Stress: @ 1.27

Notes: shoulder joints felt achy. E1RM 311

Press

105lbs x 6 @ 6
105lbs x 6 @ 7
Total x Stress: @ 1.03,
Central x Stress: @ 0.64

Notes: these felt great. i love pressing and i need to include it more

Friday, Mar 17th, 2023
RTS 1.4

2" Deficit Deadlift (conv)

275lbs x 5 @ 6
295lbs x 5 @ 7
315lbs x 5 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.78,
Central x Stress: @ 1.31

Notes: A very conservative rpe 8 top set

Close Grip Bench Press

185lbs x 6 @ 5
195lbs x 6 @ 6
205lbs x 6 @ 7
Total x Stress: @ 1.38,
Central x Stress: @ 0.86

Notes: I could have gone heavier on these but I havent done CGBP in a while and ever since my bicep tendonitis they have been uncomfortable. Went better today, felt strong.

Sunday, Mar 19th, 2023
ES 2.1

Squat with Belt

365lbs x 3 @ 8
325lbs x 3 @ 5
325lbs x 3 @ 5
Total x Stress: @ 1.46,
Central x Stress: @ 1.48

Notes: top set moved well, low back joints still a little achy/stiff. drop sets were easy, technique/explosive sets. E1RM 425

1ct Pause Bench Press

285lbs x 2 @ 8
255lbs x 2 @ 5
255lbs x 2 @ 5
255lbs x 2 @ 5
Total x Stress: @ 1.55,
Central x Stress: @ 1.74

Notes: felt stable. E1RM 320

Close Grip Bench Press

225lbs x 6 @ 7
225lbs x 6 @ 7
Total x Stress: @ 1.26,
Central x Stress: @ 0.9

Notes: getting used to these again


vids:

Well it finally happened, I tested positive for COVID this a.m. and I feel like a dead horse. I guess well see how long it takes to get some energy back but I am not lifting while I feel like this. Will plan on restarting this coming Sunday if I feel better. Thats 6 days.

Feels better. COVID is no fun.

JohnHelton wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:06 am Feels better. COVID is no fun.

Thanks. On day 5 and at least no more fever, but still super weak and fatigued. This is bullshit

cole wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 7:51 am Well it finally happened, I tested positive for COVID this a.m. and I feel like a dead horse. I guess well see how long it takes to get some energy back but I am not lifting while I feel like this. Will plan on restarting this coming Sunday if I feel better. Thats 6 days.

Damn.
Hope it's mild.
Flu like stuff is one thing, but it freaked me out losing my sense of smell and taste.
And i got a mad vertigo like thing with last summer's bout.
I was curled up in fetalposition for two days just sucking on ice cubes.
Today is 6 days after my meet though, and it seems like i didn't get infected there.

Wilhelm wrote: ↑Fri Mar 24, 2023 11:22 am
Damn.
Hope it's mild.
Flu like stuff is one thing, but it freaked me out losing my sense of smell and taste.
And i got a mad vertigo like thing with last summer's bout.
I was curled up in fetalposition for two days just sucking on ice cubes.
Today is 6 days after my meet though, and it seems like i didn't get infected there.

I was curled up too for the first couple days, then it was mostly just fatigue and a sense of depression. I went on a few walks after about 5 days, tried to drink as much water as possible. Now just finally getting back to normal.

Wednesday, Mar 29th, 2023
Intro 1
BW: 219

Squat with Belt

275lbs x 5 @ 6
300lbs x 5 @ 7
325lbs x 5 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.7,
Central x Stress: @ 1.19

Notes: legs got a little shaky after these. E1RM took a hit, 400

Touch & Go Bench Press

220lbs x 5 @ 6
235lbs x 5 @ 7
250lbs x 5 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.8,
Central x Stress: @ 1.34

Notes: went well, nothing crazy. E1RM 320

----------------------

* Covid took about 10 days to fully recover from. I am a little detrained, but today actually wasn't too hard. I was nervous going in bc I have been so inactive for the last week and a half. E1RMs took a little hit, but I will bounce back quick. I will plan on another intro session later this week so I can pull and bench again. Then hopefully next week get back on track with 4 sessions. In the meantime, both my boys have a toncilectomy tomorrow and I couldn't get out of work the next 3 days so I wont have much free time.

Glad you're better Cole!

Skid wrote: ↑Wed Mar 29, 2023 7:41 pm Glad you're better Cole!

Thank you skid. Good to feel ok again

Friday, Mar 31st, 2023
Intro 2

Stiff Leg Deadlift

275lbs x 5 @ 6
300lbs x 5 @ 7
325lbs x 5 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.7,
Central x Stress: @ 1.19

Notes: very stiff legged, absolutely no quad involvement here. lots of low back pump. it would be cool to be able to SLDL 405. Current E1RM is 400 but that seems high

Close Grip Bench Press

225lbs x 5 @ 7
225lbs x 5 @ 7
225lbs x 5 @ 7
Total x Stress: @ 1.94,
Central x Stress: @ 1.61

Notes: got interrupted by a phone call. will work these back up to a respectable E1RM

Monday, Apr 3rd, 2023
1.1 (Starting over, again...)

Squat with Belt

315lbs x 5 @ 6
335lbs x 5 @ 7
355lbs x 5 @ 8.5
315lbs x 5 @ 7
Total x Stress: @ 2.49,
(E1RM 440)

Notes: Probably slightly over @8 on top set. Maybe could have got 2 more but it would have been close. Either way, I wanted to push it a little today so I did. I wish that @8 was 365 though. This is the most ive done for 5 in a while though, even more than my last meet prep which was a success in the platform, so I am heading in the right direction. E1RM 440

1ct Pause Bench Press

245lbs x 5 @ 6
260lbs x 5 @ 7.5
275lbs x 5 @ 9
245lbs x 5 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 2.9,
(E1RM 330)

Notes: Fatigue set in quick here, I thought 275 would be @8 but ended up being near max effort. Gun to head I could have got one more so I call it @9. Not too worried, I only did one drop set instead of 2 ... autoregulation style.

*** Really good performance today. I pushed it for the first time in a while, and held up fairly well. We will see how I feel tomorrow when doing pulls. I really need those to go well too so I complete the SBD for the week.

videos:

Tuesday, Apr 4th, 2023
1.2

Deadlift (conv)

315lbs x 5 @ 6
340lbs x 5 @ 7
365lbs x 5 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 1.75,
Central x Stress: @ 1.26
(E1RM=450)

Notes: Pulls went so so today, I had the strength but lacked any explosiveness. I have some DOMS from yesterdays squats, and I need to get used to back to back days again. They weren't hard, but they moved slow if that makes sense.

Close Grip Bench Press

175lbs x 8 @ 5
175lbs x 8 @ 5
205lbs x 8 @ 8
205lbs x 8 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 2.11,
Central x Stress: @ 1.04

Notes: first two sets were too easy so I went up. Probably went up about 10 lbs too much. target was @7, oh well

*** Im happy with the first two sessions this week despite getting very little sleep last night and being over stressed with work and kids recovering from surgery still.

video: