Kik - Aug08 - Bench - Intensity - Doubles

Bench (normal grip):

221x2 @8
265x2 @9.5
265x2 @9.0
265x2 @9.5
265x2 @9.5
265x2 @10

went so-so, more below...

Floor Presses (normal grip)

221x2 @8
265x2 @9.0
265x2 @9.0
265x2 @9.0
265x2 @9.0

Didn't kill myself on these, always being aware of not overdoing things.

Chin-ups:

BWx10x4

Before this training, I was willing to try 275 for a double, but now chance. Pinching the bar on the way down on 265 put already so much stress on my forearms, that anything heavier was out of the picture. This feeling - stress on forearms and elbows - repeats itself every Sunday, and it started after the second session with reverse bands. In retrospective, I went too hard during my volume weeks, squeezing out 4 reps over and over without leaving anything in the tank. I also remember now that this was the only exercise where I went to failure since I started RTS (besides my squat failures).

I will make it a priority to be easier on myself during volume weeks. I will stop intensity after this week and have a transition block of 2 weeks that will have a focus on reps, techniques and pauses. In my next volume block, I will also reduce pauses in between sets.

Assessing current damages: Sensitive forearms, tight spots in lower back (right side), cramping hip flexor (right side). I need some rest, probably next weekend.

Kik - Aug08 - DLs - Intensity - Doubles

Nate, please invite Chuck (vogelpohlp@gmail.com) and Louis (simmons@westside.com) to come down and train my deadlift.

Deads (conventional)

315x2 @8
365x2 @9
365x2 @9
365x2 @9
365x2 @9
365x2 @9

Box Squat (High Box, 7 elements)

225x2 @8
315x2 @8
345x2 @9
345x2 @9

My form on deads still suck. Thanks to pointers from Frank and Gordon, I got in one good set with minimal rounding.

Kik - Aug05 - Bench - Intensity - Doubles

Bench (medium grip):

223x2 @9
253x2 @9.5
253x2 @9 (went easier than the one before)
258x2 @9.5
266x2 @10 (Danny mentioned I strained on the second one - hell yeah, I had to...)


Board Press (narrow grip, white foam pad)

221x2 @8
241x2 @9
248x2 @9
253x2 @9.5
266x2 @10


SOP:

135x7
135x4 (lost balance, canceled the lift right there)

no back, no time.

Overall, a very good training. It took a little bit to warm up on bench and the second set was feeling heavy, but with more focus things went just fine. Given that everything is more or less paused, these benches are potential PR material. However, I have no real reference yet since medium grip and white board are new. Still feeling strong.

Kik - Aug04 - Squat - Intensity - Doubles

This workout seemed to be sliding into a disaster at several occasions.

Squat:

315x2 @8
345x1 @9 (failed the second by falling backward)
345x2 @9 (still slightly off, but safe)
355x1 @10 (did not even try the second, too heavy)
355x2 @9.5 (went fine, with slight form issue on the first)

In retrospective, I was overconfident on the second work set, just lowering myself without being all contracted. I fell backward, caught the fall, then had to rest the weight on the safety pins. One issue I had with several sets was thinking about where to fix my eyes. I never really cared about that, but after reading Wendler's stupid pamphlet I wondered how to do it (squats were way better when I did not care for that). The double on the last set felt very safe, probably with one rep left.

Rack Pulls:

405x2 @8
455x2 @9.0
455x2 @9.5
455x2 @9.5

Danny diagnoses rounding of my middle back on all of these. I have no clue what to do about this. All pulls came through easy...

No time, no paused squats, no abs - bad...