Here's my Korte

[Jim Ouini]

Well I don't know about cruising...weights aren't real hard but the volume is kinda taxing. Do you think I should up the weight? I don't think I'd miss any of the reps if I went up to Week 3's weights, but on the other hand I don't want it to sneak up on me towards the end of the week...

As far as the workout partner, he's doing his one bodypart/week thing, although he told me he's squatting now. Actually he's already passed me, he said he got a 315 x 10 box squat. Yikes.

Funnily enough I had an old friend who wanted to get back into the gym after a long layoff and he called and asked me if I was still working out, so I said 'yeah, I'm still working out' So he met me at the gym and jumped into 4 sets of squats with me and a couple sets of bench before he had to leave. After he left this other prospective workout guy comes up to me and says 'so is that your new workout partner?' lol.

 

[blut wump]

I reckon that if you're hitting 8 sets regularly then the weight is probably too light. That said, you don't want to be fully loaded halfway through week3 and you know what happened to me with my incessant ramping through 3 and 4.

Don't forget that aspect of Korte percentages and being based from full gear when you're working almost raw. I'd suggest trying to think in terms of the 5x5 and starting to hit the grind in week 3 and making it worse in week 4. Looking back through my own log, I didn't get silly with the ramping until week3 but I did the intended week3 weights in week2.

You seem to be feeling it pretty much the same as I did regarding the volume. Your body should start to shrug off the volume after a while and then you can start to bear down. Super Rice had the same experience, I think, and you feel like you have a lot more by week3.

The box squat weight can vary a lot by box-height. There's also a big difference in weight you can use between an ATF squat and a wide PL-stance squat. The PL weight is more pertinent to the box-squat.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Yeah that was my main concern, getting loaded up too soon. When I look at the way Korte has it set up, 58-64% 1RM really should be light, right?

Anyway, as you said I think I'm going to keep Week 2 as is, then maybe accelerate the ramp up in Weeks 3-4 just like 5 x 5.

As far as this guy's box squat, yeah I was going to ask how high a box and I don't know if he knows the diff between PL and ATF squat, but I didn't want sound defensive

 

[blut wump]

Yeah that was my main concern, getting loaded up too soon. When I look at the way Korte has it set up, 58-64% 1RM really should be light, right?

That's the problem, though, since the 1RM is meant to be based off a fully-equipped 1RM.

For example, you're aiming for 315 squat. Maybe you use a belt at your top weight, as I do. If you were a competing power-lifter, then your 1RM would include a suit and wraps and be a hundred pounds more. If you take 60% of that then you're looking at 250 ish for the volume phase all done without equipment rather than the 190 you are doing.

It makes it very difficult then to know what weights you really should be using. From those thoughts, I viewed the 58-64% values of the initial projections just as raw guidelines to be adjusted as needed. I look forward to a time when I have the conditioning to be able to run it at full intensity from full-gear 1RMs. You just have to play it by ear and ensure that you get as loaded as needed in the four weeks.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Ah hell. I hadn't though through the gear factor even though you mentioned it a few times but now that you've spelled it out I'm on board.

OK, I'm going to play it by ear...If I'm flying through sets I'll start ramping, especially in week 3-4. I hadn't really though about belt usage much except for max squat attempt and hadn't planned on it for dead.

Thanks BW.

 

[blut wump]

That's a relief. I thought you would maybe tell me off for harping on about the irrelevant gear nonsense again.

I've only ever used a belt for heavy squats and never deadlifted in a belt. As for benching in one...

I have used wraps for squatting but, since I can't get ATF in wraps, I see it as a different type of squat altogether.

 

[Jim Ouini]

That's a relief. I thought you would maybe tell me off for harping on about the irrelevant gear nonsense again.

Not at all. Obviously it wasn't registering

I've only ever used a belt for heavy squats and never deadlifted in a belt. As for benching in one...

I have used wraps for squatting but, since I can't get ATF in wraps, I see it as a different type of squat altogether.

I've seen guys benching with a belt many times at my gym.

I also see guys wrap up for leg presses and 225 quarter squats quite a bit, heh. I can see how it would limit one's depth, though, and I sure don't need that right now lol.

I think a belt would be interesting to try for a real heavy dead but I'd really lke to keep the gear to a minimum. I mean between the straps and the belt and the wraps it'd take me 15 minutes between sets

 

[Jim Ouini]

Week 2 Day 2

Everything feels pretty good. A little tight here and there but no aches or pains. Knees feel good.

Squat
Bar x 1 x 8
135 x 2 x 5
155 x 3
190 x 8 x 5

Friend of mine showed up and squatted with me. He went up to 290 below parallel for 3. He's a cool guy and doesn't ask any questions when I stick to my program. Anyway since there were 2 of us I moved along at a pretty good clip, didn't dilly dally around as I am wont to do.

Bench
Bar x 3 x 10 (W-S-N)
135 x 3 x 3 (W-S-N)
180 x 8 x 6 (N-S-W-N-S-W-N-W)

Did an 8th set to make up for Monday. Was going along pretty well until another guy I know showed up and benchd a few sets, so that strung it out a bit.

Dead
135 x 5 (RDL)
185 x 3
225 x 2
275 x 1
300 x 6 x 5

I like my new technique where I bend my knees and sit down a little more. But it's pretty hard on the hammies and after squatting I'm starting to get tired. By the 4th set I was absolutely knackered, I was really pouring sweat. So I kind of just hurried up the last 2 so I could get out of there.

Anyway, thinking about the weights I think I'm going to bump the squat and bench up a little next week from original projection. Maybe to Week 4's weights. We'll see.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Good job so far.

I'm a little worried about you adopting British slang though. I guess as long as you keep your dental hygene up it'll be OK

 

[Jim Ouini]

Good job so far.

I'm a little worried about you adopting British slang though. I guess as long as you keep your dental hygene up it'll be OK

ROFL