FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log

[FortyPlusRunner]

Block 3: Fighter Bangkok + Green
Week 2, 80% (with 90% training max)
Body weight: 202 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
TM: Treadmill; HR1, heart rate 1:00 after stopping

Day 1: 4x5x95 OHP, 3x3x245 DL
Day 2: Run TM 4.52 mil, 40:00; HR1, 120
Day 3: SE 2x30; Jog TM 2.5 mil 23:25; HR1, 111
Day 4: Run TM 5.0 mil 43:02; HR1, 134
Day 5: 4x5x95 OHP, 3x3x245 DL; Jog TM 2.12 mil, 20:00; HR1, 110
Day 6: Run 6.68 mil 55:02; HR1, 138
Day 7: Rest

Mileage for the week: 21

Fixed the rhomboid problem! Well, J-Madd fixed it, really. I told him what was going on, and he suggested a small change in my DL setup. It made all the difference. Basically, I wasn't sitting back far enough during setup. Once I implemented the change, I hardly sensed my rhomboids anymore--but I did sense increased weight on my hips, which is where it's supposed to be, anyway! Thanks again, J-Madd.

OHP notes: It continues to go well. I'm sensing just a bit of soreness in my right anterior delt. It probably has something to do with the adjustments that shoulder's making to compensate for the pin I have in my left shoulder (old injury--long story). Otherwise, the sets are going very well.

Running notes: I was beginning to sense some of that "treadmill soreness" that comes from repeated TM use. There's really nothing I can do about that given my situation, but I was very glad to be able to get outdoors on day 6 for a run. I pushed the pace that day, and my HR1 showed it afterwards. I sensed throughout that run the telling "it's time to take a rest day" fatigue, so that's what I did on day 7.

[FortyPlusRunner]

Block 3: Fighter + Green
Week 3, 90% (with 90% training max)
Body weight: 201 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
TM: Treadmill; SBike: Stationary bike; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; AHR: average heart rate

Day 1: 4x3x105 OHP, 3x2x275 DL; SBike 5.88 mil, 20:00, AHR 121
Day 2: Run TM 5.0 mil, 42:13; HR1, 127
Day 3: Run TM 4.05 mil, 35:00; HR1, 116
Day 4: 4x3x105 OHP, 3x2x275 DL; then 10 body weight dips
Day 5: Run 3.71 mil, 32:38
Day 6: Run TM 6.0 mil, 50:27; HR1, 130
Day 7: Run TM 4.0 mil, 33:57; HR1, 124

Mileage for the week: 22.7

Whoa, Nellie! I really enjoyed getting to run outdoors on day 5, but it was a total slog. Simple reason, really: prevailing winds were 25-30 mph, with 45 mph gusts (!!). It doesn't really matter which way you run on a day like that; you get battered around in any case. I chose as perpendicular a course as I could, which involved some hills, and was simply content to get through the day's work.

Just say no: I was pleased and invigorated after the sets of DL on day 4, so after I'd cooled down a bit I threw in a set of body weight dips. BAD IDEA. My old upper back injury flared up a little later and didn't abate for the next couple days. If I want to throw in dips every now and then, they're going to have to be on a non-DL day.

What happened to your SE this week? I dropped it. I just can't get enough aerobic running in when I dedicate a day to SE. I'll probably drop SE for the rest of the block, too. If I want to do some SE, I'll wait until a base-building block.

OHP notes: None, really. Everything went fine--so well, in fact, that I'm contemplating increasing the training max to 95% for the second half of the block. We'll see how my recovery goes.

DL notes: Three sets of 90% DL the day before a longer run is a recipe for fatigue! So, I rethought that this week and gave myself a day between the second 90% max strength session and my longer run. That worked out better.

Running notes: I began to sense increased strength in my legs during the day 7 run. I'd planned that day to be a recovery run of sorts, but I continued to run smoothly even as I pushed the pace. The final pace of the day 7 run ended up being very close to the pace of the day 6 run, and the HR1 after the day 7 run indicates an okay recovery. It seems like all the pieces--running, DL, spacing of workouts--are coming together.

An optional 85% Fighter week? I'm also contemplating running the second half of this block as 75/80/85/90, which means inserting an additional week (an 85% week between 80 and 90). It's not that the jump from 80 to 90 is too much; the lifting itself went fine this week. It's the recovery. At my age, I recover a little more slowly after the 90% workouts. Indeed, the OP I/A sequence addresses this very issue. I've spoken with J-Madd about a Fighter/OP I/A hybrid, and I know some other guys have tried this kind of thing, so I'll see if it helps my recovery. Additionally, if I do decide to increase my training max from 90 to 95 for the rest of the block, I'm going to want that extra 85 week in there to smooth the transition.

[FortyPlusRunner]

Block 3: Fighter + Green
Week 4, 75% (with 95% training max)
Body weight: 201 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
TM: Treadmill; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping

Day 1: 4x3x95 OHP, 3x3x235 DL
Day 2: Run TM 5.0 mil 42:18; HR1, 125
Day 3: Sick / Rest
Day 4: Sick / Rest
Day 5: 4x3x95 OHP, 3x3x235 DL
Day 6: Sick / Rest
Day 7: Sick / Rest

Mileage for the week: 5

No way out: Just when I thought I'd dodged this awful flu season...wham. I woke up day 3 like a truck had hit me, and I knew the week would basically be a wash. I normally get a few sinus infections a year, but this was something different--not quite the flu, but something virus-based. It probably wasn't as bad as I initially thought it was, as I was able to do my barbell work on day 5. But conditioning was out of the question. Hopefully I'll be able to get back to it next week.

Did you increase your training max? Yes--yes I did. I discussed the possibility in my last log entry, and based on those reasons I decided to go for it. So far so good.

[FortyPlusRunner]

Block 3: Fighter + Green
Week 5, 80% (with 95% training max)
Body weight: 201 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
TM: Treadmill; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping

Day 1: 4x5x100 OHP, 3x3x255 DL
Day 2: Sick / Rest
Day 3: Sick / Rest
Day 4: 4x5x100 OHP, 3x3x255 DL
Day 5: Run TM 4.0 mil, 33:47; HR1, 129
Day 6: Run TM 6.2 mil, 51:25; HR1, 138
Day 7: Run TM 4.0 mil, 35:32; HR1, 122

Mileage for the week: 14

So over it: I probably could have done conditioning on day 3, but it was a very busy few days at work, and I tend to jump back into exercise a little earlier than I usually should, anyway, so a final rest day was in order.

OHP notes: None, really. It's going fine. The fifth rep of the fourth set on day 4 took a little longer than it probably should have, but that's one of the hardest reps of the entire block, so I'm not too concerned.

DL notes: Funny, the first set on day 4 was powerful. I don't normally experience much "snappiness" in my DLs, but I did then, and it was fantastic. "Is this how's it supposed to be all the time?" I wondered out loud, to the annoyed looks of those around me. Once I finish this block, I'm going to have to see if the weather starts cooperating so I can get outdoors for my running. If I can, I may reduce DL sets to one work set per session (two work sets per week). Now that the weights are getting heavier, the fatigue is multiplying. Otherwise, DL is just peachy.

Running notes: The day 6 run went very well. I was somewhat surprised at how high the HR1 was when I finished; again, my perceived effort (easy side of medium) didn't match with the number. Then again, I hadn't run in ten days, so that probably had something to do with it. In any case, I backed off the pace on day 7 to avoid overtraining, and the HR1 dropped accordingly.

Still thinking of throwing in an optional 85% week? Definitely--especially since I increased my training max mid-block. It'll be good preparation for the 90% week. In fact, I'm contemplating throwing in a 95% week after that... We shall see.

You've, uh, only lost 3 pounds since you porked up over Christmas. What are you doing, punching my numbers into Excel and calculating all my gains and losses? Time to get a life, Mr. TB-forum critic. Yeesh.

[FortyPlusRunner]

Block 3: Fighter + Green
Week 6, optional 85% week (with 95% training max)
Body weight: 200 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
TM: Treadmill; SBike: stationary bike; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; AHR: average heart rate

Day 1: 5x3x105 OHP, 3x2x275 DL; SBike 4.53 mil, 16:00; AHR 116
Day 2: 3x3x185 BP, 3x3x205 SQ
Day 3: Fasting / Rest
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: 5x3x105 OHP, 3x2x275 DL
Day 6: Run TM 4.0 mil, 33:02; HR1, 127
Day 7: Run TM 5.0 mil, 40:29; HR1, 138

Mileage for the week: 9

Learn from my idiocy: So, I woke up for day 2's workout, which was supposed to be a 4- or 5-mile run, realizing I'd overslept. That should've been an overtraining red flag for me, but in my inane silliness I thought, hmm, why not squeeze in another max strength day? I have time for that, I thought in my brain-blistering ignorance.

So, pretending I was in the middle of a Zulu block, I simply did on that pressed-for-time day 2 what I'd do if it were a Zulu day: 85% (with 95% training max) BP and SQ. The BPs were a bit rough, but the SQs were solid, and I sensed that everything had gone all right. Day 3 was going to be a fasting day for me no matter what, and I was careful to get enough protein (mostly protein-enriched milk) even though I followed a "only one full meal" style of fasting that day.

Still, I woke up day 4 with almost no will to do anything at all, such was the McTigue that hit me (McTigue = Mack Truck of Fatigue). It makes perfect sense in hindsight, but MAN, I will never do that again. So, if you're playing at home, here are your two take-away lessons: #1, If you know an obligatory day of fasting is coming, don't throw in a max strength day the day before unless you're totally accustomed to it. #2, If you're going to throw a Zulu day into a Fighter schedule, Just Say No. But, if you somehow must do it, keep the weights to a really, really, really low percentage--just enough to grease the groove (even as low as 65%, which is close to 70% with a 90% training max). Honestly, I should've just done a quick SE workout, which generally counts as an E day anyway. Ah well...next time.

But I am Le Tired... I've noticed a trend the past few weeks as my DL weights have been increasing: three sets of DL per session are causing some serious fatigue. As some of you have commented in the past, I can probably continue to increase my DL with fewer sets. And honestly, the extra fatigue is probably getting in the way more than the extra sets are helping. Only one way to find out... I will probably cut back to two sets per session next week--a good idea anyway with 90% week.

OHP notes: None, really. The block is going well. I'm glad I threw in this optional 85% week, as the lifting went fine, and I can't imagine jumping from 80% to 90% while having increased my training max mid-block. I went for the full five sets both days, and honestly I probably could have done a couple more sets both days, but enough is enough. (I'm sensing an OP I/A switch in my future...)

DL notes: Other than the insufferable fatigue that has come from the multiple sets (see Le Tired above), the DLs are going great. I'm somewhat confident I have a new 1RM on the way. My data for this conclusion: a couple months ago I pulled only a single rep at 275 within the training block before testing a week later for my 1RM of 334. This past week I pulled 3x2x275 twice. That would seem to indicate progress...

Running notes: It's about time for a base-building block; I can just sense it in the way I'm running--too much time in the la-di-da land of max strength. Depending on the weather, I may run one more max strength block before going into base-building. We'll see. In the meantime, the run on day 7 was the strongest I've had in a while. Yeah, I was pushing the pace, and the HR1 reflects that, but I felt wonderful afterwards, not trashed, and that's usually a good indicator. Onwards...

[FortyPlusRunner]

Block 3: Fighter + Green
Week 7, 90% (with 95% training max)
Body weight: 199 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
TM: Treadmill; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; AHR: average heart rate

Day 1: 4x3x115 OHP, 2x2x295 DL
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Run TM 5.0 mil, 41:14; HR1, 132
Day 4 AM: 1 hour fairly continuous ice breaking & ice shoveling
Day 4 PM: Run TM 3.5 mil, 30:46; AHR 148, HR1, 119
Day 5: 3x3x115 OHP, 1x2x305 DL
Day 6: Run TM 5.0 mil, 41:32; AHR 154, HR1, 128
Day 7: Jog 6.27 mil, 1:06:40; AHR 142, HR1, <115

Mileage for the week: 19.8

Did you 95% your DL set on day 5? Wow, you just used "95%" as a verb--pretty cool, dude. Anyway, yes. The two sets of 90% (295) on day 1 went very smoothly, so I decided to try a single set at 95% (305) on day 5. It went great. Yeah, I sensed the heaviness, but it was smooth--no straining. I could've done a couple more work sets, but that would have caused a lot more fatigue than I wanted, so I was content to leave it at a single set. I'll be increasing the weight next block.

What's with the really slow jog on day 7? That was exactly the point: a slow recovery jog, the goal of which was nothing more than "time on my feet" and recovery. That said, you may notice my AHR is pretty high for a recovery jog. There are a few reasons for that. First, I had a lot of caffeine that morning--much more than I usually have--and I've found over the years that an unexpectedly high intake of caffeine before a run results in an elevated heart rate. My perceived effort was little to nothing; it was a jog; I was hardly breathing. Second, it was just above freezing with the wind chill, so I was probably working harder to stay warm. Third, I took a course perpendicular to the wind to try and avoid it, and that meant a number of hills, which of course I took slowly, but which still elevated my heart rate. In any case, it was a very good jog in that it accomplished its purpose: time on my feet (road work), and recovery from the stamina run the day before.

Hey, you're finally including AHR with your runs. What, was there some kind of edge-of-your-seat office pool on when I'd do that? Anyway, yes, I finally got a heart rate monitor (Polar H10, supposedly one of the most accurate on the commercial market right now), so I'll be including those numbers. I have a very strong suspicion that my Max Heart Rate is in the 190s, not in the 170s as the standard formulas predict. I'll be testing it forthwith (in a way that avoids tachycardia).

You should also test your... ...heart rate reserve, yes. I'll be doing that, as it may explain some things.

OHP notes: Honestly, OHP was a little rough this week. I completed all the sets and all the reps, but many of the reps were slow--not at all snappy. I could not have done a fifth set on day 1. If I do OHP again next block, I'll be repeating with these same weights. Given that 85% week went so well, and 90% week was fairly rough, and that I seem to be thriving on volume, perhaps I should be switching to OP I/A.

[FortyPlusRunner]

~~SPECIAL BLOCK 3 POSTMORTEM BONUS POST!!~~

How can you read this? There's no pictures! So, I did something potentially idiotic in the middle of this block: I increased my training max, right after week 3 (first 90% week). I went from a 90% training max to 95%. Given the intermediate weights I'm working with, that's probably not that big of a deal, but at my age recovery has to be accounted for in a big way, so it was a risk. How did it work out? Read on, intrepid Beast-slayer...

The deadlift, the deadlift, what, what, the deadlift. Yes, DL definitely benefited from the training max increase. I pulled a double at 305 cleanly and could've done a couple more sets but didn't in order to avoid the McTigue. So, next block I will probably do DL with no training max. That should provide sufficient stimulus and a means to test within the block if I like.

How about the DL fatigue? Got a solution yet? I'm glad you asked. Yes: the plan is to do 3 sets per session in 75% week; 2 sets per session in 80% week; 1-2 sets in an optional 85% week, if I do it; and 1 set per session in the 90% week. That should keep the fatigue down but the volume up.

OHP, hell from the very start? No--just the opposite, really. Everything went fine until the final week (second 90% week), and then the lifts were merely difficult, not snappy. I'll simply redo these weights in the next block.

How about that optional 85% week you threw in? Loved it. No need for it the first half of the block, but it filled a gap after I'd increased my training max mid-block. I recommend it if you're doing Fighter and you're thinking after 80% week, "you know, I think I might like a more gradual transition to 90% week." And if you do that and it's not enough of a challenge, well, just switch to 90% for your second workout of the week and go from there. To quote KB, "too easy."

What's next? The current plan is to do another Fighter + Green block with OHP and DL, with no training max on the DL and 95% training max on the OHP.

Don't cross the streams! Look, running a training max on one lift and no training max on another lift is not that big of a deal. Excel spreadsheets handle these kinds of things fairly easily. Chillax.

[FortyPlusRunner]

Block 3: Fighter + Green
Sorta-kinda Recovery week
Body weight: 199 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
TM: Treadmill; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; AHR: average heart rate

Day 1: SE 2x30 (x9 exercises)
Day 2: Jog 5.72 mil, 1:01:13; AHR 141
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: SE 2x30 (x6 exercises)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: Run TM, 5.0 mil, 39:56; AHR 159, HR1, 137
Day 7: Jog 6.19 mil, 1:00:58; AHR 146, HR1, 114

Mileage for the week: 17

You're not really following the Green protocol all that well, are you? I know, I know, but hear me out. Three SEs per week (which is slated for Green protocol during weeks 7-9) takes too much time away from recreational running. That's the same reason I dropped the "Bangkok" (SE session) from the Fighter portion of things. Two days of SE per week is enough for me. In season, I'll run six days per week; off-season, five per week (though sometimes I'll drop to four, which is not optimal; and in a recovery week like this, I may even drop lower than that). Maybe I should put "Green" in quotation marks in the first line of my posts, to avoid any confusion.

So...you're not doing weeks 8 and 9 of Green? No. I'm going back to a Fighter cycle to finish off the DL development I've been working on for a few months. [We'll see if I can add 10 pounds to my OHP max, too, but that's a secondary goal.] Once I've finished that, I'll move into base-building, as it will be that time of year for this recreational runner.

Why's your AHR so high on the really slow day 2 jog? The usual suspects: I had some caffeine beforehand (I'm not habituated yet--not a regular enough drinker for that to happen); there were some hills on the route; and there were 22-35 mph winds that I couldn't avoid at least half the time.

The same deal on day 7? Pretty much: caffeine, hills, and, well, the winds were a little better: 21-32 mph (again, there was no way to avoid them entirely).

Yes, Feeder: I'm in cement. If you've never experienced the complete and utter joy of running headfirst into a steady 30+ mph headwind, I heartily encourage you to do so. As one of my running friends says, "It builds character." The sensation is, I imagine, what it might be like to run through liquid cement. Bicyclists are accustomed to this, of course, but some runners aren't. You never know when something like this might happen in a race, so it's good to have some experience with it. (A half-marathon I once ran had its final 5K straight into an 18 mph headwind--exactly when you're most tired. That was intense.)

Why the difference in number of exercises per SE session? It's a way of scaling things. I experienced more fatigue than I thought I would from the day 1 SE, so I cut back the number of exercises on day 4. Also, I like to experiment with different SE exercises way ahead of base-building; I like to see where I'm at, take stock, etc. When base-building comes, I've tried out a few things and have a good idea what's going to work for those base-building SE sessions. Of course, you can change on the fly, too, but this was a good week for me to try out some SE. I'm glad I did, too, as a couple of the things I tried on either day would just not be sustainable long-term. That knowledge will be helpful when base-building time comes.

[J-Madd]

Don't cross the streams!

I laughed aloud the I read this one. I love your log 40+Runner!

[J-Madd]

Yes, Feeder: I'm in cement. If you've never experienced the complete and utter joy of running headfirst into a steady 30+ mph headwind, I heartily encourage you to do so. As one of my running friends says, "It builds character." The sensation is, I imagine, what it might be like to run through liquid cement. Bicyclists are accustomed to this, of course, but some runners aren't. You never know when something like this might happen in a race, so it's good to have some experience with it. (A half-marathon I once ran had its final 5K straight into an 18 mph headwind--exactly when you're most tired. That was intense.)

I think I caught that same headwind when I took my bike out yesterday. For a split second, I thought I was going to get blown off a railroad overpass.