Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

[Zak]

10/15

BW: 177

BP
260/1@7.5 (287)
230/5@7.5
230/5@8
230/5@8

BPfe
217.5/6@8
217.5/6@8

TBar
145/10@7
145/10@7
145/10@7

DBCurl
40/10@8
40/11@10


Have real good momentum going here. None of these sessions are spectacular or anything but progress is steady and I can kind of just feel the wave building.

[Zak]

10/17

SQ
395/1@6.5 (450)
360/5@7.5

SQhbp
295/6@7.5
295/6@7.5
295/6@8

GHR
B/16@9
B/5, 5, 4 (myo-reps)


These RPEs are all kind of low-balled just to keep from adding load too quickly. Everything is feeling dialed in, this training cycle kicks major ass so far.

[DCR]

@Zak, would you mind explaining what you’re doing, and what’s your current training focus?

I’m still running your pyramid scheme on bench and now also incline bench, although the former is just about to get really real given the TM. Considering putting DL on it too since I recently started doing them again.

[Zak]

@Zak, would you mind explaining what you’re doing, and what’s your current training focus?

I’m still running your pyramid scheme on bench and now also incline bench, although the former is just about to get really real given the TM. Considering putting DL on it too since I recently started doing them again.

With the pulls, one piece of unsolicited advice: The regular pyramid is probably fine but I would strongly caution against comp-style pulls for the backoff set. I'd either omit it or sub in RDLs or stiff-legs and take maybe 10% off the prescription. If you omit it you can just roll right into rows, chins, whatever. I'd also move from what you're doing to pulling 1x/week. If you truly cannot help yourself do not do that deadlift pyramid twice a week (or 3 times in two weeks or any arrangement that averages more than once a week,) and do some kind of lighter variation, or at least (much) lighter set/rep scheme for the second time. But really, don't do that, just pull once. So i guess that's two pieces of unsolicited advice.

On to me. The focus is limit strength (basically always is,) and I'm looking at a meet in late winter/early spring. I think I can beat my best 198 numbers at 181 so if there's a performance goal that would be it. The approach is a little complicated to describe, but what I've done is take a DDS cycle they gave me from the time I used their individualized programming, ran it through faithfully with solid results, and then modified it pretty heavily for my preferences and what I think will work better.

The result is what I'm doing now. The template is:

M. Bench Press / Feet-up Bench / Assistance
T. Squat / High-bar Pause Squat / Assistance
R. Spoto Press / Military Press / Assistance
F. Pause Squat / Deadlift / Stiff-leg from 4" mats

There are two blocks. DDS calls them hypertrophy and strength blocks, but in reality they're similar, it's not a dramatic shift from the first to the second block, weights get a little heavier, RPEs get a little lower. The main lifts (which include Spotos and Pause Squats) are trained with a single that ramps over the course of a block, then 1-3 backoffs. The backoffs are around 77.5-82.5% for 4-6 reps depending on the lift. Little heavier, little lower RPE in the strength block.

The supplemental work is 2-3 hard sets of 6-8 mostly in the 7-8 rpe range. This gets lower rep/lower RPE in the strength block.

Assistance for me is limited and is a couple hard sets at whatever rep range is appropriate for the exercise.

Some of the DDS spirit is preserved but I've modified things heavily. The split is mine, I've adjusted the parameters for the main and supplemental work quite a bit, and have cut the volume and number of exercises and upped the RPEs for the assistance.

I really like what I have going on here so far but it's only been a couple weeks.

[Zak]

10/19

BPspoto
265/1@7.5 (292)
225/6@7.5
225/6@7.5
225/6@8

MP
140/6@7.5
140/6@8

N/G Pullup
27.5/8@6.5
27.5/8@7
27.5/10@8.5

DB Ext
40/6@10
40/5@10


Forward, inch by inch, with the inevitability of death.

[Zak]

10/20

SQ2ct
390/1@7.5 (425)
350/4@8

DL
455/1@7.5 (502)
405/5@8.5

SLDLmats
365/8@6
375/8@6


Can’t all be winners.

[Zak]

10/23

BW: 178

BP
262.5/1@7 (294)
235/5@7.5
235/5@8
235/5@8

BPf/e
225/5@8
225/6@8.5

TBar
150/10@6.5
155/10@7.5
155/10@7.5

DBCurl
40/12@9.5
40/3, 3 (myo-rep)


Another really good bench session. This formula looks like a keeper.

[Zak]

10/24

SQ
400/1@7 (448)
360/5@8

SQhbp
295/6@7.5
295/6@8
295/6@8

GHR
B/7@9.5
B/4, 2


Adjusted the leverage on my GHR to bring the reps down. Passable day.

[Zak]

10/26/23

BPspoto
275/1@9 (288)
225/6@7
225/6@7.5
225/6@7

MP
142.5/6@7.5
142.5/6@7.5

N/G PU
30/8@7.5
30/8@7.5
30/8@8

DB Ext
35/11@9.5
35/3, 3, 3 (myo)


Another solid session. May have lowballed the top set RPE because the backoffs felt easier than last week's.

[Zak]

10/27

SQ2ct
400/1@8.5 (426)
350/4@7.5

DL
455/1@7.5 (502)
400/5@7.5

SLDLmats
385/8@6.5
385/8@6.5


Have a deload week coming up, welcome but not urgently needed which is perfect.

[Zak]

10/30

BP
250/1@6 (289)
225/5@6.5

BPf/e
205/8@7

TBar
145/10@6
145/10@6

Pullapart
2x25


Deload week.

[Zak]

10/31

BW: 180

SQ
380/1@5 (454)

SQhbp
275/6@6
275/6@6

GHR
B/6@8


Bodyweight has been drifting up kind of quickly here. Think it's a combination of lower training volume, a little too much sitting on my ass, and maybe a couple higher fiber meals over the past week.

Squat feels good.

[Zak]

11/2

BPspoto
260/1@6.5 (296)
225/6@7

MP
135/6@7

N/G PU
25/8@6.5
25/8@7

[Zak]

11/3

SQ2ct
370/1@6.5 (421)

DL
435/1@6 (504)

SLDLmats
385/8@5.5

[Zak]

11/6

BW: 178.5

BP
257.5/1@6.5 (293)
235/2@4.5
235/2@5
235/2@

BPf/e
205/5@4.5

TBar
150/8@5.5
150/8@5.5

DB Curl
35/11@7


Thus begins the "strength" block. Very very easy work. Bodyweight is back to where I'd expect it.

[Zak]

11/7

SQ
405/1@7 (454)
350/3@6

SQhbp
265/5@4.5
265/5@4

GHR
2 sets


This was fine. Really been stringing together workmanlike, unspectacular days with modest but pretty consistent progress, which I think is awesome. The top set today was unrateable. I called it a 7 based on video and because that's about what it was supposed to be. I expelled enough gas in the hole to power the Hindenburg and that was really the only sensation I could perceive.

[Zak]

11/9

BW: 177.8

BPspoto
255/1@6 (295)
230/3@5.5
230/3@5.5

MP
135/5@5

N/G Pullup
25/6@5
25/6@5

DB Ext
35/10@8.5


Picking my spot here to up running mileage a little bit and see if I can keep the lifts moving. This program is about as "easy" as anything I've ever done but the numbers keep edging up. Feeling good.

[Zak]

11/10

SQ2ct
365/1@5.5 (429)
345/2@5.5

DL
450/1@6.5 (513)
395/3@5

SLDLmats
385/6@4


Feeling all twitched up, strong, invincible. I attribute this to the programming and in particular the best assistance exercise in the world, distance running. I have theories as to why distance running is such a winner for strength athletes, but as I am not a man of science I do not care overmuch whether they are true. Getting stronger by the week over here.

Have my eye on a meet in late February. Big goal here will be a triple-bodyweight deadlift which to my shame I have not yet done. Also think I can make a real run at a 500+ squat at 181 which is something I would not have considered realistic in my 20s or 30s but plenty of time between now and then.

[Zak]

11/13

BW: 178

BP
270/1@8 (293)
240/2@5
240/2@5
240/2@5
240/2@5.5
240/2@5.5

BPf/e
215/5@5.5
215/5@6

TBar
160/8@6
160/8@6.5
160/8@7.5

DB Curl
35/13@7.5


Nothing to blow a wad over but a solid day.

My 5-year old had her Kindergarten's Run-a-thon this morning and cranked out 4.5 miles in a little under an hour, which is a shade under a 12:30 pace. Not sure the kid has ever run a mile straight before, but she did not stop to walk once. I took a couple laps with her but she did not need me, she paced herself fine. Was very proud of her.

The kid has inspired me to up my roadwork, and reminded me that it does not take a drop of talent to out-hustle, outwork, or out-suffer the other guy. That kid is hard as steel.

[Zak]

11/14

SQ
415/1@8 (450)
360/3@6.5
360/3@7

SQhbp
275/5@5
280/5@5
285/5@5

GHR (mechanical drop set)
B(pin5)/10@10
B(pin4)/5@10


Nothing wrong with this, but I do need to bump calories. Bodyweight has stagnated a little too long.