Blut Wumps Another 25

[blut wump]

Week 6 Day 3

I was feeling a lot better recovered today than I was expecting to be after Wednesday's workout. It pretty much felt as though I'd just taken a weekend off. By Monday I'm going to feel as though I've had a layoff.

I knew when I started the squats that I was likely to be shooting for a PR by the time I got to the end of them despite today being another reconditioning day. The last rep made me see a couple of stars but it was never in any doubt. 145x5 PR

Flush from the squat PR I reckoned I'd test out 120Kg on bench and, if it felt ok, consider sticking with it. They were never in doubt from the first set. I went for the usual couple of back-off sets of close-grip. The first one went to 10 reps nicely enough but the second was dying after 8 reps. I tried for one more and couldn't get it up so had to suffer the ignominy of shrugging it down to my thighs. I was going to rest and press it back up but one of my elbows complained so I went for the safer option. 120x5x5 PR.

I was out of spirit by the time rows came around and didn't have the heart to try for anything new. I think that I really don't like doing the Pendlay rows when it comes down to it although they are a very effective exercise. A couple of the middle sets were a little scrappy but nothing to see here.

I'm pretty pleased at getting in the squat and bench PRs but concerned that I might struggle to keep hitting PRs over the next few weeks and that, maybe, keeping this week a little lower would have been sensible. The lifts felt right, though, and I'm happy with the decision to notch them up.

My back was very tight by the time I finished and I just didn't fancy any more lifting so stretched everything out and went home.


Weights in Kilos
ATF Squat
20x10, 30x10, 60x5, 80x5, 95x5, 110x5, 125x5, 145x5
Bench
20x10N, 40x8S, 60x5W, 80x3W, 100x2W, 110x2W, 120x5x5 W, 90x10N, 90x8N
BB Row
20x10, 60x5, 80x4, 105x5x5

 

[Guinness5.0]

Nice casual PRs, BW. If I knew what ignomy was I bet I'd hate suffering from it too.

 

[Cynical Simian]

Nice, congrats on the PRs. From your description of the ease of the PRs, I'm guessing the answer will be the latter, but I'll ask anyway: is this pretty standard post-deload progress/recovery for you or noticeably improved by the gear?

 

[blut wump]

I've never before run two consecutive loading phases so I'm into new territory, anyway. The ease of deloading has been a surprise, especially since I really only took two deload workouts before getting back into volume.

I intended to take it reasonably easy this week but have continued to set PRs and none of them has left me feeling out of gas. I usually expect to see some kind of progress during a volume phase but I think there was a workout at the end of the second week where I felt that the lifts were a shade easier than I'd expected. I've had a slow but steady enhancement of that feeling ever since.

The gear seems, basically, to improve recovery times. Except for two workouts, I've been running 5x5 volume-phase workouts for 6 weeks straight, with small, steady PRs rolling in since the third. In a normal state, I'd expect that the thought of the gym at this stage would make me feel ill. I'm looking forward to at least two more weeks and maybe three before feeling like another deload and over these past few days I've begun to feel notably greater vitality.

 

[nelmsjer]

Nice stuff. ALL of it.

 

[anotherbutters]

Congrats. I've been wondering about doing rows before bench to give them more emphasis. Everyone likes to bench a lot, but like you say, rows are a very effective exercise.

 

[blut wump]

There's something I'd just like to comment on. From a few posts on here I get the feeling that I'm giving the impression that these have been easy PRs. It's not the case.

I guess they've been easy in the sense that they've been coming thick and fast and they're easy in the sense that they aren't the all-out gutbusting effort that a new 1RM would be. Every one except the 145x3 squat has been a thrill and a pleasure to attain. When I say that I knew I could get a set from the moment I unracked the bar I mean just that and no more. I don't mean that the bar flew up and it was easy. I've been lifting long enough to have a good idea when a set is going to be hopeless but I almost always lift with a good sense of optimism.

Today, for example, my quads, glutes, pecs, front delts, lats and biceps are sore. On Thursday my hamstrings were very tight and my traps were sore. These were focussed workouts not trivial, breazy sessions with gift lifts.

I guess I'll put it down to an inate British tendency for understatement. Jim has pulled me up in it in the past.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who voted for this thread as thread of the month, especially those corrupt few who were happy to sell their votes.

 

[nelmsjer]

There's something I'd just like to comment on. From a few posts on here I get the feeling that I'm giving the impression that these have been easy PRs. It's not the case.

I guess they've been easy in the sense that they've been coming thick and fast and they're easy in the sense that they aren't the all-out gutbusting effort that a new 1RM would be. Every one except the 145x3 squat has been a thrill and a pleasure to attain. When I say that I knew I could get a set from the moment I unracked the bar I mean just that and no more. I don't mean that the bar flew up and it was easy. I've been lifting long enough to have a good idea when a set is going to be hopeless but I almost always lift with a good sense of optimism.

Today, for example, my quads, glutes, pecs, front delts, lats and biceps are sore. On Thursday my hamstrings were very tight and my traps were sore. These were focussed workouts not trivial, breazy sessions with gift lifts.

I guess I'll put it down to an inate British tendency for understatement. Jim has pulled me up in it in the past.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who voted for this thread as thread of the month, especially those corrupt few who were happy to sell their votes.

Dammit, man. You crack me up. I want to be as witty as you.

What kind of books do you read?

 

[Jim Ouini]

Today, for example, my quads, glutes, pecs, front delts, lats and biceps are sore. On Thursday my hamstrings were very tight and my traps were sore

Bi's and tri's not sore? Not working hard enough, throw in an arm day my friend.

 

[blut wump]

Bi's and tri's not sore? Not working hard enough, throw in an arm day my friend.

My triceps must be better conditioned than the rest of me.


Cheers, Nelms, it's odd to encounter someone who thinks my humour is humourous. People usually just make some odd gesture with their humerus and other arm parts.

Re books, I read typically either for education or escapism. As such, my light reading is entirely science fiction and fantasy. I tried 'normal' fiction but found it empty and gave up on it way back.