Week 3
SUNDAY
AM
3.5 mi. Marshall-Franklin Mississippi bridge circuit.
Very humid, but this is a great distance for me. I can push the pace just slightly the whole way. Not a true tempo run, but maybe it could develop into one fairly soon, by mid fall?
MONDAY
AM
One-mile run-commute
PM
One-mile walk-commute with 60-lb weighted vest. Felt it in the upper corner of my back mostly. Got my heart rate up. Made a spectacle of myself, a bit more than usual. Half of the route is along a busy thoroughfare. So commuters and fair-goers got to see a barefoot middle-aged guy with what might look like a bullet-proof vest, or maybe a suicide-bomb, marching towards the State Fair.
Then ST. I didn't have time for my full workout, having been distracted by my wife, who was just getting ready to go to work, so I decided to just do a heavy deadlift workout and save the rows and pullups for Tuesday.
I warmed up quickly again--1x1x135, 1x2x225, 1x1x315. Everything felt good and automatic. Then, since I was just doing deadlifts and had 5-10 minutes more to do them than I normally would have during a full workout, I decided to take another stab at 365. Just had to get that out of the way, even though I knew it would serve no real purpose.
On my first attempt, I felt it going up, but a little doubt lingered in my mind about whether I really could do it, and whether I was putting myself at risk, so I dropped it back down after 5-6 inches. I knew I had it though, so I switched from the mellow, bubbling Afro pop station I had on Pandora and put on the Green Day Pandora station again, and once again, a song by the Offspring came on while attempting a DL PR. Just the right amount of whitey aggressive energy.
The second attempt went up, but towards the end my back rounded a bit, so it was a technical fail. I'd say I'm at least a month away from being able to do the thing properly. Definitely overreached, but it was good to see the six 45s and two 25s all lined up on the bar go up. I guess the number 365 also has seasonal significance.
Then, as I got ready to do my normal singles, I looked at my charts on the garage door but found myself looking at the squat rep-counts, which say 245, instead of the deadlift chart, which has 335 as the single. So I took off the two 25s, ignored the '2' of the 245 and loaded two 10s and two 5s to bring it up to 345. Then, thinking it might be a good idea to add five pounds to last week's singles, I loaded the two new 2.5-lb plates I bought over the weekend, to bring the whole thing up to 250.
Jesus, that didn't feel right, it was as hard as 365! So I thought maybe the weighted-vest walk had tired me out more than I thought, and took off all the small plates, leaving just the six 45-pound plates on, bringing it down to 315. Ah, that felt better. After another single, I realized I had been looking at the wrong paper taped on the garage door, and saw that the DL single was supposed to be 335, not 345. Since I still had plenty of time to get through the deadlift portion of the workout, I figured it was worth a second try, and so added the two 10s back on. It was challenging, but solid, although I didn't feel like I could do any more. Still, 335 felt like it would've been a pretty good single for three sets if I hadn't already done 365, 350, and 315 twice.
I came back down to 315, did another single and then started in on the triples. Like the programmed 335 for singles, the programmed 295 weight for the three sets of triples was also pretty much spot on. Challenging, but doable.
When I looked at my quintuples, I noticed on the chart that they were fifty pounds lighter than the triples instead of forty, which had been the 1/3/5 increment I had intended to do for the deads. So I added thirty pounds to the four 45s and brought it up to 255. Last week I must have done the quintuples at 245, as written on the log. Anyway, 255 felt just right for the two five-rep sets. In fact, probably could've been heavier, as it was my grip on the fourth and fifth rep that gave out more than my back. So I adopted more of a hanging, looser finger grip. After I did two sets, I decided to blast one more, but by then my palms were trashed by the knurling, so I put on my bike gloves and got in four more reps. Just didn't have the last rep in me. I was spent.
The somewhat messy workout's total sets/reps went like this
warm-up
1x1x135, 1x2x225, 1x1x315.
work sets
1x1x365(166kg), 1x1x350(159kg), 2x1x315(143kg), 1x1x335(152kg), 1x1x315(143kg), 3x3x295(134kg), 2x5x255(116kg), 1x4x255
In sum, I spent three extra sets on singles and one extra set on quintuples.
One thing I tried that was new was a slightly narrower grip and stance. I moved everything inwards 2 inches. Now my thumbs are just at the edge of the knurling section, before the smooth part on either side of the short knurling section right in the middle. My feet are just inside that, less than shoulder-width I think. This seems better for my knees, and there was less tendency for them to want to cave inwards.
In general, I gotta have more faith in my 1/3/5 rep scheme, and stick to the script. I just need to do it for a few more weeks, get a good feel for how it progresses, and then, and only then, think about adding five pounds. The 40-pound increments between the different rep-counts feels pretty accurate, so I think when I do add weight, I'll try adding it across the board. 3x1x335/3x3x295/2x5x255 --> 3x1x340/3x3x300/2x5x260
I'm also thinking of maybe adopting a two-week cycle. I re-read some Rippetoe yesterday, while searching for more info on proper chinup technique, and his rant reinforced the importance of just doing the big, basic lifts (
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/rippetoe_throws_down). After yesterday's workout, my whole back was doing a number on me. Not painful, or sore, or stiff, but just shouting out for a really good massage, all through the evening. I even called my 6'5" nephew to come pound me, but I had forgotten he had already gone off to college.
This morning my back is still really feeling it, almost like I can feel it growing. Probably over-trained, but the experience has reinforced the value of the big lifts--deadlifts and squats. I think every workout should have at least one of those, so that means either squatting twice a week and deadlifting once, or going on a two-week rotation:
Week 1
Deadlift
Squat
Deadlift
Week 2
Squat
Deadlift
Squat
I've never done more than a one-week cycle but I guess this could work. Last Friday while doing my rows and OH press, the workout did feel like it was missing something without either a squat or a deadlift. Seems like every workout should start with one of those two lifts, cuz they really work the whole body and do a good job priming the upper body for the more specific pulls and presses.
So maybe I'll try something like this:
Week 1
Deadlift 3x1/3x3/2x5, DB Rows 3x3/3x5, Cable Rows 3x5, OH Press 3x3/3x5
Squat 3x1/3x3/2x5, Bench Press 3x1/3x3/2x5, Pull-ups/Pull-downs 3x5
Deadlift 3x1/3x3/2x5, 90-Row 3x5, 120-Row 3x3, OH Press 3x3/3x5
Week 2
Squat 3x1/3x3/2x5, Bench Press 3x1/3x3/2x5, Dips 3x5, Pullover 3x5
Deadlift 3x1/3x3/2x5, DB Rows 3x3/3x5, Cable Rows 3x5, OH Press 3x3/3x5
Squat 3x1/3x3/2x5, Bench Press 3x1/3x3/2x5, Pull-ups/Pull-downs 3x5
Or even more simplified:
Week 1
Deadlift 3x1/3x3/2x5, DB Rows 3x3/3x5, Cable Rows 3x5, OH Press 3x3/3x5
Squat 3x1/3x3/2x5, Bench Press 3x1/3x3/2x5, Pull-ups/Pull-downs 3x5
Deadlift 3x1/3x3/2x5, 90-Row 3x5, 120-Row 3x3, OH Press 3x3/3x5
Week 2
Squat 3x1/3x3/2x5, Bench Press 3x1/3x3/2x5, Pull-ups/Pull-downs 3x5
Deadlift 3x1/3x3/2x5, DB Rows 3x3/3x5, Cable Rows 3x5, OH Press 3x3/3x5
Squat 3x1/3x3/2x5, Bench Press 3x1/3x3/2x5, Pull-ups/Pull-downs 3x5
More schematically, that's simply alternating
Deadlift, Rows, OH Press
with
Squat, Bench Press, Pull-ups/Pull-downs
with maybe 1-2 assistance exercises thrown in.
Deadlift, Rows, OH Press (Russian Twist, Lawnmower Row)
Squat, Bench Press, Pull-ups/Pull-downs (Dips, Pullovers)
If I can maintain good rep-count discipline and get through each exercises efficiently, should be possible. I think I'll cut out the singles for everything but the big three lifts, and maybe reduce the singles sets from three to two, so that will reduce sets somewhat, and give me a total rep count of 21. Sets determine the length of the workout, reps seem to determine fatigue, weight or intensity determines energy expenditure. If a workout is planned correctly, it seems to me, all three should coincide, so that all the sets have been completed about the time the energy/motivation runs out and you're starting to feel fatigued.
Weigh in: 250lbs this morning!
TUESDAY
Well, we've decided on a sort of spur-of-the-moment trip up to the North Shore of Lake Superior Thursday thru Sunday, my younger brother and the kids, so I thought it best to get in more st, since it will probably be possible to get in some running while we're up there, early morning while everyone else sleeps.
Started late so I decided to just focus on the bench press to start with, and put off the squats until my lower body had had more time to recover from Monday's deadlifts.
I warmed up quickly again, got up to 185, and then took off the two 25s and replaced them with two 45s and my new 2.5-pound plates. But 230 felt pretty easy. I thought about adding another five, but added ten instead, bringing it up to 240. I haven't done that sort of weight since the end of my time in Chicago, about 11 years ago now.
240 was challenging, but doable, so I'd put my true 1RM at about 245-250. Amazing. I haven't been pushing the bench press at all for the last several months, but it's been improving on its own! Further proof that you gotta do all the basic lifts heavy. As my squat and deadlift have improved, so has my bench, apparently. I'm beginning to see that my past limitations, where I always seemed to plateau around 225, 245 tops, were due to the fact that the bench press was the only lift I did seriously, always pyramiding down from technical failure with spotters. It wasn't supported by strength from other lifts.
Intrigued, I decided to do drop-sets in five-pound increments, with short rests in between. The workout went like this:
1x1x240, 1x1x235, 1x1x230, 1x1x225, 1x2x220, 1x3x215, 1x3x210, 2x5x195.
This seems to indicate that my initial estimates for the 1/3/5 rep scheme was about ten pounds off at all rep counts. Instead of 3x1x225, 3x3x205, 2x5x185, it should be 3x1x235, 3x3x215, 2x5x195. Maybe I could even push the three singles up to 240, we'll see.
So all-of-a-sudden, 275 doesn't seem unrealistic. If I continue to get stronger in the deadlift and squat, I expect my bench will continue to improve too.
So the idea of just keeping things basic for as long as I'm improving has been reinforced. I really should just alternate
Deadlift, Rows, OH Press (assist: Russian Twist, Lawnmower Row)
with
Squat, Bench Press, Pull-downs (assist: Dips, Pullovers)
and keep doing everything heavy, 22 reps or so for the bottom and middle exercises, 15-18 for the top and the assistance exercises. If I can do these efficiently, then I should be able to get through them in about 40-45 minutes, and then still have 15-20 minutes leftover for the plyo/mobility/stabilizer/bag work.
WEDNESDAY
Wanted to get in one more workout before the trip up north on Thursday. Started with squats, and once again laid a turd. I was supposed to do singles at 245, but instead, after warming up to 225, I put two 10-pound plates on either side, bringing the weight up to 265, just ten pounds below my 1RM. I guess I was thinking twenty pounds past the big 45s, but put twenty on both sides instead of total. After two months I'm still getting confused by the Olympic plates. Shows you how much I like my workouts to be mindless. Even with a simple rep scheme, I'm screwing up.
Anyway, I failed the first squat. I thought to myself that maybe it felt so heavy because I hadn't spent enough time on the warm-up sets. I managed to get through the next two singles though, and then, while taking off the plates and reloading for my triples, I realized I had been doing the singles twenty pounds too heavy. Oh well. I only managed two reps on my last triple set, and then missed the last rep of my quintuples:
1x1x265, 1x1x265, 1x1x265, 2x3x215, 1x2x215, 1x5x185, 1x4x185
It was a lack of will though, not physical or technical failure. Nonetheless, I'm thinking if I had done the singles at the proper weight, then my 3x1x245/3x3x215/2x5x185 increments would've been just about right, physically and mentally.
Then I moved onto the OH press. For my triples, I did a little push-press, but I managed strict form for the quintuples:
3x3x215, 2x5x205
Wondering if I shouldn't go back to doing the OH Press seated, in order to enforce strict form for all the rep-count increments. In any case, for the time-being, I've decided to do away with the singles for the OH Press, since I can't manage to do those with good form.
That's it until next week. I got in the deadlifts, squats, and both presses this week, so I should be in good stead when I try to hit the new two-week cycle starting next Monday. Overall, I'm really enjoying the simplicity of this new workout scheme. Just need another week or two to get it more automatic and efficient.
I'll try to get in one or two runs while on our trip.
THURSDAY
A few miles walking barefoot around Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior.
SATURDAY
Three miles of gravel on the road at our property on Deer Lake.