Block 4: Fighter + "Green"
Week 5: Experimental recovery week
Body weight: 199 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; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight
Day 1: BB-Row, 1x10x105; BW-pullups, 1x3x196; Lat-pulldown, 1x6x120; BB-Upright Row, 1x12x45; SBike 9.33 mil 31:00; AHR 120
Day 2: BP 1x6x155; OHP 1x5x95; BW-dips, 1x6x196; BB-Behind Neck OHP, 1x8x65; Incline BP, 1x6x50-DBs
Day 3: SQ 1x10x165; DL 1x12x225; 40 crunches
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: BB-Behind Neck OHP, 1x10x75; BB-Upright Row, 1x6x65; HIC: SBike 10.0 mil, 33:13; 6 x 30-second intervals w/ 3-4 mins between (intervals at 25mph); AHR 128
Day 7: Rest
Mileage for the week: SBike, 19.3
You gained three pounds in one week?! Yes. I was 196 at the beginning of this week and 199 at the end, so your complex calculation is correct. There are three things going on with that. One: some of it is beer and chocolate (see previous entry about Easter Week); i.e., body fat. Don't get me wrong--I didn't pork out this week--but I did allow myself some things I normally don't. Fine. Two: some of it is water weight due to the hypertrophy training. I almost never do hypertrophy training; it's just not a goal of mine. I've noticed that when I go ahead and do it, I gain a lot of weight quickly. So, some of it is water weight. Three: some of it is new muscle. I did an anti-accommodation routine the first three days of this week, and I noticed some quick gains by the end of the week (and some soreness, too, which I'm not used to). So, all told, it's some combination of fat, water, and muscle--probably in that order.
What in tarnation are those first three days about? I got some splainin' to do. I've been wanting to try a 3-day split for a while, just to see what it's like--you know, something like Pull / Push / Legs. However, doing that during a recovery week would mean having to reduce other factors like volume. Additionally, intensity would have to be reduced, too, to obtain an actual recovery effect. So, if you look carefully at days 1-3, you'll see a 3-day split in pull / push / legs configuration, with low volume (one work set) and deload weights (65% 1RM). For each work set, I repped out until I got close to fatigue and then shut it down. There was no straining at all, for such would have defeated the purpose.
Hmm...intriguing. Did it work? We will see for sure this week. But I did learn a few things, so it's a success in my book in any case. First, I really like doing OHP behind the neck. I've always avoided it because I have a pin in one of my shoulders, so I thought I wouldn't be able to do the movement very well. Turns out, however, I like it better than standard OHP. I'm contemplating switching, and only one thing is holding me back: I like the head-to-toe or core benefits of standing while doing OHP. A lot of folks who do behind the neck OHP do it seated, just for the safety issue. However, there must be a way to work it out. If you have experience in this area, please chime in.
Second, I have missed upright rows. I'd forgotten that it's a complex movement, i.e., involving a number of synergists. True, you can't do a lot of weight while maintaining proper form, but then again that's the point: work those medial delts without overwhelming them. I'll have to remember to throw in a set every now and then. Maybe I'll throw them into an SE circuit, too.
You haven't run in a while, FortyPlusRunner. I know it. The weather in my area hasn't been helping. We actually had snow on Easter. And all the recent doctor's appointments haven't helped. No further news on the medical issues, by the way; hopefully I'll know something later this week.
What's the plan for the rest of the block? I'm contemplating switching to a low-volume version of Fighter or Operator for the second half of this block. I may run it as 80/85/90%, with only one work set per lift--increasing the intensity but decreasing the volume. We'll see how things "feel." If it turns out doing 80% instead of 75% the first week is too much, I can always repeat the 80% week and not have lost anything.
FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 4: Fighter + "Green"
Week 6: 80% (no training max on OHP or DL; Squats are ad lib)
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; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight; KB: kettlebell; BNOHP: Behind the Neck Overhead Press
Day 1: SQ 1x5x175, OHP 1x6x105, DL 1x5x275, BNOHP, 1x5x95
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: SQ 1x5x155, OHP 1x5x105, DL 1x5x275
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: SQ 1x5x165, OHP 1x5x105, BNOHP, 1x5x85, DL 1x5x275
Day 6: 2x15 KB-swing (50-lb KB), 3x12 BW-push-ups
Day 7: BP 1x8x155; SBike 16.0 mil, 51:40; AHR 127
Mileage for the week: SBike, 16
Deep Thought of the Week: 100% training max is the same as no training max.
So, you went for the low-volume, high-intensity approach! How did it go? Great. OHP and DL were challenging enough at straight 80% (no training max). I may have been able to squeeze out one or two more reps at any given time, but not much more. (I did on the first day of OHP, as you can see.) That said, I wouldn't advocate this kind of approach year-round. It's fatiguing, especially for someone my age. There's something to be said for working at 70% 1RM with a 90% training max for three to five sets simply to build the base needed to take on heavier work. Going to a low-volume, high-intensity approach like this after going through a base is, I suppose, classical "peaking." I'm not too practiced in those kinds of "waves" or progressions, though, so I won't pontificate as if I were.
Hey, you just used the subjunctive. Wow, to think that my less-than-tactful interlocutor is knowledgeable on grammar!
OHP notes? Finally I sensed some new strength in my OHP. All three work sets went very well this week and progressively better as the week went on. Specifically, the transition from "bar at nose" to "bar over head" was much easier; I sensed some musculature kicking in that I hadn't sensed in the past. That was satisfying.
DL notes? None, really. The week went fine. I did have a little bit of a head rush after completing each set. I'm not accustomed to five reps at a straight 80%, so they were a little taxing that way. But there was no straining--just a bit of "whew!" in the recovery.
What's with the so-called "ad libitum" squats? Well, I wasn't that pretentious about it; I wrote ad lib. above. That simply means I did a set of "grease the groove" squats based on what I sensed would be appropriate that day. The 175 at the beginning of the week turned out to be a little much, so I backed it off for day 2, and increased it back a little bit on day 3. Those values, by the way, are 60-67% of 1RM.
You did a single set of Bench on day 7? Yup. Grease the groove, baby.
Not much conditioning going on this week, eh? No, it was a rough week for that for many reasons. I hope to return to it this coming week. At least I got a longer SBike session in at the end of the week.
Week 6: 80% (no training max on OHP or DL; Squats are ad lib)
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; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight; KB: kettlebell; BNOHP: Behind the Neck Overhead Press
Day 1: SQ 1x5x175, OHP 1x6x105, DL 1x5x275, BNOHP, 1x5x95
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: SQ 1x5x155, OHP 1x5x105, DL 1x5x275
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: SQ 1x5x165, OHP 1x5x105, BNOHP, 1x5x85, DL 1x5x275
Day 6: 2x15 KB-swing (50-lb KB), 3x12 BW-push-ups
Day 7: BP 1x8x155; SBike 16.0 mil, 51:40; AHR 127
Mileage for the week: SBike, 16
Deep Thought of the Week: 100% training max is the same as no training max.
So, you went for the low-volume, high-intensity approach! How did it go? Great. OHP and DL were challenging enough at straight 80% (no training max). I may have been able to squeeze out one or two more reps at any given time, but not much more. (I did on the first day of OHP, as you can see.) That said, I wouldn't advocate this kind of approach year-round. It's fatiguing, especially for someone my age. There's something to be said for working at 70% 1RM with a 90% training max for three to five sets simply to build the base needed to take on heavier work. Going to a low-volume, high-intensity approach like this after going through a base is, I suppose, classical "peaking." I'm not too practiced in those kinds of "waves" or progressions, though, so I won't pontificate as if I were.
Hey, you just used the subjunctive. Wow, to think that my less-than-tactful interlocutor is knowledgeable on grammar!
OHP notes? Finally I sensed some new strength in my OHP. All three work sets went very well this week and progressively better as the week went on. Specifically, the transition from "bar at nose" to "bar over head" was much easier; I sensed some musculature kicking in that I hadn't sensed in the past. That was satisfying.
DL notes? None, really. The week went fine. I did have a little bit of a head rush after completing each set. I'm not accustomed to five reps at a straight 80%, so they were a little taxing that way. But there was no straining--just a bit of "whew!" in the recovery.
What's with the so-called "ad libitum" squats? Well, I wasn't that pretentious about it; I wrote ad lib. above. That simply means I did a set of "grease the groove" squats based on what I sensed would be appropriate that day. The 175 at the beginning of the week turned out to be a little much, so I backed it off for day 2, and increased it back a little bit on day 3. Those values, by the way, are 60-67% of 1RM.
You did a single set of Bench on day 7? Yup. Grease the groove, baby.
Not much conditioning going on this week, eh? No, it was a rough week for that for many reasons. I hope to return to it this coming week. At least I got a longer SBike session in at the end of the week.
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 4: Fighter + "Green"
Week 7: 85% (no training max on OHP or DL; Squats are ad lib)
Body weight: 199 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; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight; KB: kettlebell; BNOHP: Behind the Neck Overhead Press; BBUR: Barbell Upright Row
Day 1: SQ 1x5x185, OHP 1x5x115, BNOHP 1x5x95, DL 1x5x295
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: SQ 1x5x165, OHP 1x4x115, BNOHP 1x6x85, DL 1x4x295
Day 4: KB-swing, 3x15 (50-lb KB); BW-push-ups, 3x15
Day 5: SQ 1x5x185, OHP 3x3x115, DL 1x4x295
Day 6: Run 4.1 mil 34:43; AHR 163, HR1 149
Day 7: BBUR 1x5x75; SBike 18.4 mil 60:00; AHR 130
Mileage for the week: Run, 4.1; SBike, 18.4
Hmm...not your best week, bro. Why do I even give you space on this log? Y U No raise me up?
You keep using that word "Fighter." I do not think it means what you think it means. I know, I know--I've really been doing more of an Operator thing the past couple weeks. Part of that is because with all the medical brouhaha going on, getting in my conditioning has been difficult. Therefore, I've defaulted back to Operator. Flexibility is one of the hallmarks of TB, isn't it?
At least talk me through it. Day one went very well. I sensed some strength in my OHP that I hadn't before, and the five reps at 115 were snappy. That's probably the best single set of OHP I've had since I started doing OHP; it was that satisfying. However, it went downhill from there the rest of the week for a couple reasons. First, I got a nasal/intestinal bug, and unfortunately it caused some of that hallmark "sick fatigue" that you can't just power through. It's minor, thankfully, and mostly gone at this point. Second, I suspect I extended myself just a little too far on day one; I probably should have kept both the OHP and the DL to three or four reps. So, that's what I did the rest of the week. However, when it came to day five, I couldn't hit rep #4 on OHP without straining, so I shut it down and simply went for volume. As it turns out, that's a PR for me in terms of 3x3 at OHP--by exactly one rep. Hey, take it when you can get it.
What's with that day four stuff? A quick yet intense workout--for me, at least. Think of it as a way-toned-down GC session. It's a do-able option for me when I just can't squeeze in a conditioning session. This week, unfortunately, it precipitated...
RETURN of the Attack of the Killer DOMS!! Yes, sorry to say, but after the third set of OHP on day five, the ligaments and tendons of my left elbow started freaking out. You know, those muscle spasms that let you know you really hit it hard and are kinda cool but at the same time you're a little worried because maybe you strained something but then you remember that the last time something spasmed it calmed down the next day so you just weirdly enjoy them? Yeah, that. I figure it happened as a result of the KB-swings the day before, as I had increased to 3 sets from last week's 2 sets, and on top of that I've increased to 85% this week, so...double increase = risk of DOMS. It cleared up the next day.
HEY!! YOU WENT FOR A RUN!!! I do sometimes wonder if the reason I keep you around at all, alter ego mio, is for your smashingly precious innocence of heart. In any case, yes, the weather improved around here a little, so I went for an actual run outdoors on day six. I was so excited to be running outdoors again that it turned into a progression run: 8:50, 8:30, 8:20, 8:07. That's pretty slow compared to the end of last year, but what can I expect when I haven't run in a while? Anyway, I learned something important: my heart rate during the last mile was in the 177-182 range, which is the highest I've recorded it at since I got the HR monitor. I'd say my perceived effort was about 95%; there was an extra gear there, but it was the extra gear you don't use unless you're in a race situation. I look forward to testing my actual Max HR sometime soon.
Plan for next week? I'll go 90% the whole week. As for how many max strength days, I'll have to see how the first one goes. I may take an extra rest day depending on how I recover, which would mean Fighter. That's what I did for the first half of this block, and it worked out well.
Week 7: 85% (no training max on OHP or DL; Squats are ad lib)
Body weight: 199 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; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight; KB: kettlebell; BNOHP: Behind the Neck Overhead Press; BBUR: Barbell Upright Row
Day 1: SQ 1x5x185, OHP 1x5x115, BNOHP 1x5x95, DL 1x5x295
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: SQ 1x5x165, OHP 1x4x115, BNOHP 1x6x85, DL 1x4x295
Day 4: KB-swing, 3x15 (50-lb KB); BW-push-ups, 3x15
Day 5: SQ 1x5x185, OHP 3x3x115, DL 1x4x295
Day 6: Run 4.1 mil 34:43; AHR 163, HR1 149
Day 7: BBUR 1x5x75; SBike 18.4 mil 60:00; AHR 130
Mileage for the week: Run, 4.1; SBike, 18.4
Hmm...not your best week, bro. Why do I even give you space on this log? Y U No raise me up?
You keep using that word "Fighter." I do not think it means what you think it means. I know, I know--I've really been doing more of an Operator thing the past couple weeks. Part of that is because with all the medical brouhaha going on, getting in my conditioning has been difficult. Therefore, I've defaulted back to Operator. Flexibility is one of the hallmarks of TB, isn't it?
At least talk me through it. Day one went very well. I sensed some strength in my OHP that I hadn't before, and the five reps at 115 were snappy. That's probably the best single set of OHP I've had since I started doing OHP; it was that satisfying. However, it went downhill from there the rest of the week for a couple reasons. First, I got a nasal/intestinal bug, and unfortunately it caused some of that hallmark "sick fatigue" that you can't just power through. It's minor, thankfully, and mostly gone at this point. Second, I suspect I extended myself just a little too far on day one; I probably should have kept both the OHP and the DL to three or four reps. So, that's what I did the rest of the week. However, when it came to day five, I couldn't hit rep #4 on OHP without straining, so I shut it down and simply went for volume. As it turns out, that's a PR for me in terms of 3x3 at OHP--by exactly one rep. Hey, take it when you can get it.
What's with that day four stuff? A quick yet intense workout--for me, at least. Think of it as a way-toned-down GC session. It's a do-able option for me when I just can't squeeze in a conditioning session. This week, unfortunately, it precipitated...
RETURN of the Attack of the Killer DOMS!! Yes, sorry to say, but after the third set of OHP on day five, the ligaments and tendons of my left elbow started freaking out. You know, those muscle spasms that let you know you really hit it hard and are kinda cool but at the same time you're a little worried because maybe you strained something but then you remember that the last time something spasmed it calmed down the next day so you just weirdly enjoy them? Yeah, that. I figure it happened as a result of the KB-swings the day before, as I had increased to 3 sets from last week's 2 sets, and on top of that I've increased to 85% this week, so...double increase = risk of DOMS. It cleared up the next day.
HEY!! YOU WENT FOR A RUN!!! I do sometimes wonder if the reason I keep you around at all, alter ego mio, is for your smashingly precious innocence of heart. In any case, yes, the weather improved around here a little, so I went for an actual run outdoors on day six. I was so excited to be running outdoors again that it turned into a progression run: 8:50, 8:30, 8:20, 8:07. That's pretty slow compared to the end of last year, but what can I expect when I haven't run in a while? Anyway, I learned something important: my heart rate during the last mile was in the 177-182 range, which is the highest I've recorded it at since I got the HR monitor. I'd say my perceived effort was about 95%; there was an extra gear there, but it was the extra gear you don't use unless you're in a race situation. I look forward to testing my actual Max HR sometime soon.
Plan for next week? I'll go 90% the whole week. As for how many max strength days, I'll have to see how the first one goes. I may take an extra rest day depending on how I recover, which would mean Fighter. That's what I did for the first half of this block, and it worked out well.
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 4: Fighter + "Green"
Week 8: 90% (no training max on OHP or DL; Squats are ad lib)
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; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight; KB: kettlebell; BNOHP: Behind the Neck Overhead Press; BBUR: Barbell Upright Row
Day 1: SQ 1x4x205, OHP 1x3x120, BNOHP 1x6x95, DL 1x3x310
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: SQ 1x3x215, OHP 1x3x120, BNOHP 1x9x85, DL 1x3x310
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: SQ 1x5x185, OHP 1x3x125, BNOHP 1x8x85, DL 1x3x315
Day 6: Run 5.25 mil 46:44; AHR 163
Day 7: BP 1x5x165, BBUR 1x8x70, BW dead-hang pull-ups 3/2/2, Medial delt DB raise 1x6x20s; SBike 11.0 mil 36:28; AHR 118
Mileage for the week: Run, 5.25; SBike, 11.0
Man, your running is really out of shape. Tell me about it. There are some mitigating factors, though. First, it's 90% week, which I've never attempted in an Operator pattern without a training max. This is new territory for me, and my body paid for it in terms of fatigue. Also, I made the dumb mistake of having a very strong cup of Irish tea that morning, which experience has shown has a more thermogenic effect on me than coffee and is a more potent diuretic to boot. So, yeah--that day 6 run was essentially a HIC. But look at the AHR for the day 7 SBike: it's significantly lower than last week's SBike session, even though the speed was about the same. It just takes time to get back into specific-exercise shape, especially at my age. I'm okay with that.
Did you at least get a Max HR reading out of it? Why yes, I did. The last mile of the day 6 run saw my HR in the 170s and 180s, hitting 185 at one point. After cooling down for a few minutes from the 5.25 miles (and letting my HR drop into the 110s), I jogged up a nearby hill as steadily as I could. During that minute or so, my HR went back up into the 170s and 180s, this time hitting 186. As I sensed last week, there's still another gear in there, but it's that special gear you don't engage except on those radical "I'm okay with death now if this is the moment" occasions. I don't think I've topped out enough to hit my Max HR, but these numbers seem reliable for now.
And what is that day 7 mess? Is that a USB dongle goblin? No--though that would be dangeresquingly cool if it were. As has been my tradition this block, I've thrown in on day 7 single sets of exercises I don't normally do but that will "round out" or (I can't believe I'm about to use this verb) "accessorize" the main lifts. One has to be careful of over-training in this regard, of course.
Looks like your DL is progressing, though. That it is. Back in mid-November, I pulled 3x315 after a week off of heavy lifting for my then-PR of 334. My training weights at that time were in the 200-265 range. Not gonna lie: doing 3x310 or 3x315 three times this week was not easy. I could sense the heaviness every rep, every time, and as the week wore on the fatigue settled in like an unwelcome and over-sized house guest who just. wouldn't. leave. But--and this was crucial--there was no straining, not even on day 5. Had there been, I would have shut it down, like I did with the BNOHP on day 5 (one fewer rep) and the SQ on day 3 (also one fewer rep, but at a heavier weight). So, in other words, I'm expecting some super-compensation here. I must also not forget that I increased my DL 1RM by 10 lbs mid-block, so caution is even more necessary. If I decide to test, I'll work up to 95% (325) and rep out.
Looks like OHP went well, too? I'm wary of saying yes to that. By the time I hit day 5, I was maxed out--you know, that sensation when you've hit your 1x3 but you're really sure that even if you waited the full five minutes and tried for a second set, it would be a disaster, and then you think, heck, why not, so you wait the five minutes, and then you try it, and it's even amazingly more hardcore worse than you catastrophically expected, and you can barely get a single rep up on that second set? Yeah. That's what happened on day 5. BUT...that was after similar lifts on days 1 and 3. So...like I've already said once in this particular post, I'm counting on the super-compensation effect. Of course, for that even to begin to work, one must recover properly, which means...
Recovery week in da hizzouse! Wow. Just wow. Or should I say wizzow? In any case, yes: recovery week, and after that base-building, so, with next week we also have the exciting prospect of --> SEASON FINALE TESTING <--. That's right, just one episode left before the big reveal! Will the Operator-styled 90% week with no training max have paid off? Will the OHP test reveal absolutely no progress whatsoever? Will the now-infamous ad lib squats even make an appearance? All this and more...after a word from our sponsors.
Week 8: 90% (no training max on OHP or DL; Squats are ad lib)
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; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight; KB: kettlebell; BNOHP: Behind the Neck Overhead Press; BBUR: Barbell Upright Row
Day 1: SQ 1x4x205, OHP 1x3x120, BNOHP 1x6x95, DL 1x3x310
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: SQ 1x3x215, OHP 1x3x120, BNOHP 1x9x85, DL 1x3x310
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: SQ 1x5x185, OHP 1x3x125, BNOHP 1x8x85, DL 1x3x315
Day 6: Run 5.25 mil 46:44; AHR 163
Day 7: BP 1x5x165, BBUR 1x8x70, BW dead-hang pull-ups 3/2/2, Medial delt DB raise 1x6x20s; SBike 11.0 mil 36:28; AHR 118
Mileage for the week: Run, 5.25; SBike, 11.0
Man, your running is really out of shape. Tell me about it. There are some mitigating factors, though. First, it's 90% week, which I've never attempted in an Operator pattern without a training max. This is new territory for me, and my body paid for it in terms of fatigue. Also, I made the dumb mistake of having a very strong cup of Irish tea that morning, which experience has shown has a more thermogenic effect on me than coffee and is a more potent diuretic to boot. So, yeah--that day 6 run was essentially a HIC. But look at the AHR for the day 7 SBike: it's significantly lower than last week's SBike session, even though the speed was about the same. It just takes time to get back into specific-exercise shape, especially at my age. I'm okay with that.
Did you at least get a Max HR reading out of it? Why yes, I did. The last mile of the day 6 run saw my HR in the 170s and 180s, hitting 185 at one point. After cooling down for a few minutes from the 5.25 miles (and letting my HR drop into the 110s), I jogged up a nearby hill as steadily as I could. During that minute or so, my HR went back up into the 170s and 180s, this time hitting 186. As I sensed last week, there's still another gear in there, but it's that special gear you don't engage except on those radical "I'm okay with death now if this is the moment" occasions. I don't think I've topped out enough to hit my Max HR, but these numbers seem reliable for now.
And what is that day 7 mess? Is that a USB dongle goblin? No--though that would be dangeresquingly cool if it were. As has been my tradition this block, I've thrown in on day 7 single sets of exercises I don't normally do but that will "round out" or (I can't believe I'm about to use this verb) "accessorize" the main lifts. One has to be careful of over-training in this regard, of course.
Looks like your DL is progressing, though. That it is. Back in mid-November, I pulled 3x315 after a week off of heavy lifting for my then-PR of 334. My training weights at that time were in the 200-265 range. Not gonna lie: doing 3x310 or 3x315 three times this week was not easy. I could sense the heaviness every rep, every time, and as the week wore on the fatigue settled in like an unwelcome and over-sized house guest who just. wouldn't. leave. But--and this was crucial--there was no straining, not even on day 5. Had there been, I would have shut it down, like I did with the BNOHP on day 5 (one fewer rep) and the SQ on day 3 (also one fewer rep, but at a heavier weight). So, in other words, I'm expecting some super-compensation here. I must also not forget that I increased my DL 1RM by 10 lbs mid-block, so caution is even more necessary. If I decide to test, I'll work up to 95% (325) and rep out.
Looks like OHP went well, too? I'm wary of saying yes to that. By the time I hit day 5, I was maxed out--you know, that sensation when you've hit your 1x3 but you're really sure that even if you waited the full five minutes and tried for a second set, it would be a disaster, and then you think, heck, why not, so you wait the five minutes, and then you try it, and it's even amazingly more hardcore worse than you catastrophically expected, and you can barely get a single rep up on that second set? Yeah. That's what happened on day 5. BUT...that was after similar lifts on days 1 and 3. So...like I've already said once in this particular post, I'm counting on the super-compensation effect. Of course, for that even to begin to work, one must recover properly, which means...
Recovery week in da hizzouse! Wow. Just wow. Or should I say wizzow? In any case, yes: recovery week, and after that base-building, so, with next week we also have the exciting prospect of --> SEASON FINALE TESTING <--. That's right, just one episode left before the big reveal! Will the Operator-styled 90% week with no training max have paid off? Will the OHP test reveal absolutely no progress whatsoever? Will the now-infamous ad lib squats even make an appearance? All this and more...after a word from our sponsors.
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 4: Fighter + "Green"
Week 9: Recovery / 95% "season finale" testing (no training max on OHP or DL; Squats are ad lib)
Body weight: 200 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
SBike: stationary bike; AHR: average heart rate; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight
Day 1: REST
Day 2: Hmm, it's recovery week; I should probably REST
Day 3: Hey look, honey, it's a stop where we can REST
Day 4: Whoa, flashing lights, must be an arREST
Day 5: Probably best if I'm going to test to stick to my quest to REST
Day 6: OHP 1x4x125 (=136 1RM --> kinda sorta mini-PR I guess <--), DL 1x5x325 (=366 1RM --> PR by 22 lbs <--), SQ 1x5x225, BP 1x4x185
Day 7: SBike 10.8 mil, 35:00; AHR 129
Mileage for the week: SBike, 10.8
Only one PR? Surely you jest. Have I told you you're a pest? (Theodor Geisel is not impressed.)
Pretty much a week off, eh? Take off, hoser. Seriously, yes: I had to go on antibiotics yet again for my chronic sinusitis, which may explain some of last week's McTigue. I wanted testing to go well, and it was a busy week at work, to boot (a lot of paperwork to do--much more than usual).
I guess you made some progress on OHP. A tiny bit, yes. I've never hit four solid reps at 125. That set went particularly well, but the fifth rep wasn't going anywhere (trust me, I tried). Progress in OHP is fairly slow, anyway; even moving from 132 to 136 for my 1RM actually increases half of my training weights by 5 lbs. So, I won't be merely repeating the same weights next time.
More importantly, I learned something crucial during the set: on the third and fourth reps, I sensed some tightness and overcompensation from my upper back--not the traps, but just below the posterior delts. Knowing this, I will throw some pull-ups or bent-over rows (Pendlay style) into the mix next time. That area seems to be the current weak link.
Well, DL is clearly the star of the show. An odd way of putting it, but okay, yes. I'm very pleased with that progress, which reminds me...
--> And now, ladies and gentlemen, the hotly anticipated SEASON FINALE POST-MORTEM!!! <--
"Hotly anticipated"? Really, dude? Hey, blame the MC, not me. Anyway, now that I'm done with max strength training for the season, let's look back and make some hasty generalizations and jump to some conclusions.
Week 9: Recovery / 95% "season finale" testing (no training max on OHP or DL; Squats are ad lib)
Body weight: 200 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
SBike: stationary bike; AHR: average heart rate; BB: barbell; DB: dumbbell; BW: body weight
Day 1: REST
Day 2: Hmm, it's recovery week; I should probably REST
Day 3: Hey look, honey, it's a stop where we can REST
Day 4: Whoa, flashing lights, must be an arREST
Day 5: Probably best if I'm going to test to stick to my quest to REST
Day 6: OHP 1x4x125 (=136 1RM --> kinda sorta mini-PR I guess <--), DL 1x5x325 (=366 1RM --> PR by 22 lbs <--), SQ 1x5x225, BP 1x4x185
Day 7: SBike 10.8 mil, 35:00; AHR 129
Mileage for the week: SBike, 10.8
Only one PR? Surely you jest. Have I told you you're a pest? (Theodor Geisel is not impressed.)
Pretty much a week off, eh? Take off, hoser. Seriously, yes: I had to go on antibiotics yet again for my chronic sinusitis, which may explain some of last week's McTigue. I wanted testing to go well, and it was a busy week at work, to boot (a lot of paperwork to do--much more than usual).
I guess you made some progress on OHP. A tiny bit, yes. I've never hit four solid reps at 125. That set went particularly well, but the fifth rep wasn't going anywhere (trust me, I tried). Progress in OHP is fairly slow, anyway; even moving from 132 to 136 for my 1RM actually increases half of my training weights by 5 lbs. So, I won't be merely repeating the same weights next time.
More importantly, I learned something crucial during the set: on the third and fourth reps, I sensed some tightness and overcompensation from my upper back--not the traps, but just below the posterior delts. Knowing this, I will throw some pull-ups or bent-over rows (Pendlay style) into the mix next time. That area seems to be the current weak link.
Well, DL is clearly the star of the show. An odd way of putting it, but okay, yes. I'm very pleased with that progress, which reminds me...
--> And now, ladies and gentlemen, the hotly anticipated SEASON FINALE POST-MORTEM!!! <--
"Hotly anticipated"? Really, dude? Hey, blame the MC, not me. Anyway, now that I'm done with max strength training for the season, let's look back and make some hasty generalizations and jump to some conclusions.
- Deadlift: As my ever-charming interlocutor has already commented, DL was the highlight. I started the season--August, 2017--with a 1RM of 310. I ended at 366 in early May (yup, that's right now). So, that's 56 lbs in nine months, or about six pounds per month. As an intermediate lifter, I'm quite happy with that, especially since my body weight is roughly the same as when I started the season. My first goal at the beginning of the next max strength training season will be to hit 2x body weight for DL. (I'm currently 34 lbs away from that goal.)
- Everything else: Whether it's OHP, squat, BP, or what have you, all the major lifts stayed more or less the same for the season. I'm fine with that, for the most part, as they're not crucial lifts to me. Too many squats interfere with my running, whereas DL enhances it. The same goes for BP--less so for OHP. Still, the DL will crash and burn or plateau at some point if my other lifts stay merely static. So, I'll continue to work on them.
- High volume vs low volume: I switched to a low volume routine this past block, and it worked very well for DL. It didn't seem to have much effect either way on the other lifts. I'd like to learn more about it, but as of now I'm leaning towards the low volume approach, as recovery is a high priority for me, especially if I don't find a long-term solution for my chronic sinusitis.
- Aerobic fitness / conditioning: I had some very enjoyable and even halfway respectable runs in the Fall. However, as sickness set in and this interminable winter dragged on, I took some time off of running, and my aerobic state deteriorated. I'm contemplating doing base-building twice a year. Doing that on a treadmill (which would be my only option in these parts--I also deal with asthma) would be mind-numbingly dreadful, but we'll see.
- Body fat / composition: I'm roughly the same body weight as when I started this season, but I'm sure that my overall body fat has decreased. My pants are looser at the waist, for instance (and these are pants I've had for a while; they hadn't merely stretched out). Maybe I should get one of those fancy body fat scales.
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 5: Base Building
Week 1 (Running max: 80%)
Body weight: 200 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping
Day 1: Run 3.5 mil, mostly flat, 30:57; AHR 162
Day 2: SE 3x20; AHR 103
Day 3: Run 3.5 mil, mostly flat, 30:38; AHR 159
Day 4: SE 2x20
Day 5: Run 3.5 mil, hilly, 31:24; AHR 160, HR1 121
Day 6: Run 6.5 mil, moderately flat, 60:25; AHR 157
Day 7: Rest / light yardwork
Mileage for the week: 17
Hate to tell ya bro, but, ur doin it wrong. Yeah, I had to make some modifications right from the start. Because of my schedule, the weather, and a couple new medications I’m trying (one for asthma, the other for allergies), I had to switch the order around this week. Still, I made sure to do one of the most important things in base building: getting those two running days in a row.
That’s one of the big secrets of the Hansons’ running plans. Their famous marathon training plan has you running no longer than 16 miles on a single day, which seems crazy when you’re preparing for a 26.2-mile race. However, you run another 5 to 6 miles the day immediately after that 16-miler. And then you do a fast interval session the day immediately after that. Talk about stacking…! In any case, running two days in a row is crucial to TB base building, as I see it. So, as long as I had that, I was satisfied to adapt other things as necessary for my somewhat weird week.
Your running AHRs look a little high, man. They do. But consider this: I use the Karvonen formula for HR zones, and that currently puts me at 158 for 80%. Yes, I’m toeing the line, and I noticed that on day one, so I did try to rein it in a little for the following days.
On the other hand, your day two SE AHR is really low. Yup--felt that. I'm accustomed to 3x30 or 3x40 when I throw in SE days every now and then, so 3x20 isn't going to have too much effect unless I pile on the weight. If I do that, though, I'm setting myself up for failure down the line when 3x50 comes along. As I've heard others say, the first week of base building is really a "transition week" to ease you into the rigors of it. The SE really starts to hit the fan when 3x40 comes in a couple weeks. That's why I dropped right into base building after the heavy testing at the end of last week: I was betting that the first week wouldn't be an obstacle.
How does this year's base building compare to last year's? I'm glad you asked! We're actually going to do that week to week here: compare last year's with this year's, to see how things are coming along. So...
What's your favorite GU flavor? That's...a really weird question. Have you been tracking my purchases again? The EPIC Googlezon rears its ugly head... Well, I guess I'll give you an answer. It's not Tutti Frutti. Surprise, surprise.
Week 1 (Running max: 80%)
Body weight: 200 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping
Day 1: Run 3.5 mil, mostly flat, 30:57; AHR 162
Day 2: SE 3x20; AHR 103
Day 3: Run 3.5 mil, mostly flat, 30:38; AHR 159
Day 4: SE 2x20
Day 5: Run 3.5 mil, hilly, 31:24; AHR 160, HR1 121
Day 6: Run 6.5 mil, moderately flat, 60:25; AHR 157
Day 7: Rest / light yardwork
Mileage for the week: 17
Hate to tell ya bro, but, ur doin it wrong. Yeah, I had to make some modifications right from the start. Because of my schedule, the weather, and a couple new medications I’m trying (one for asthma, the other for allergies), I had to switch the order around this week. Still, I made sure to do one of the most important things in base building: getting those two running days in a row.
That’s one of the big secrets of the Hansons’ running plans. Their famous marathon training plan has you running no longer than 16 miles on a single day, which seems crazy when you’re preparing for a 26.2-mile race. However, you run another 5 to 6 miles the day immediately after that 16-miler. And then you do a fast interval session the day immediately after that. Talk about stacking…! In any case, running two days in a row is crucial to TB base building, as I see it. So, as long as I had that, I was satisfied to adapt other things as necessary for my somewhat weird week.
Your running AHRs look a little high, man. They do. But consider this: I use the Karvonen formula for HR zones, and that currently puts me at 158 for 80%. Yes, I’m toeing the line, and I noticed that on day one, so I did try to rein it in a little for the following days.
On the other hand, your day two SE AHR is really low. Yup--felt that. I'm accustomed to 3x30 or 3x40 when I throw in SE days every now and then, so 3x20 isn't going to have too much effect unless I pile on the weight. If I do that, though, I'm setting myself up for failure down the line when 3x50 comes along. As I've heard others say, the first week of base building is really a "transition week" to ease you into the rigors of it. The SE really starts to hit the fan when 3x40 comes in a couple weeks. That's why I dropped right into base building after the heavy testing at the end of last week: I was betting that the first week wouldn't be an obstacle.
How does this year's base building compare to last year's? I'm glad you asked! We're actually going to do that week to week here: compare last year's with this year's, to see how things are coming along. So...
- 2017 Week 1: Mileage, 13.1. Average pace, 10:10.
- 2018 Week 1: Mileage, 17.0. Average pace, 9:01.
What's your favorite GU flavor? That's...a really weird question. Have you been tracking my purchases again? The EPIC Googlezon rears its ugly head... Well, I guess I'll give you an answer. It's not Tutti Frutti. Surprise, surprise.
Last edited by FortyPlusRunner on Sun May 20, 2018 10:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 5: Base Building
Week 2 (Running max: 80%)
Body weight: 200 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; DB: dumbbell; BB: barbell
All runs are on mostly flat terrain unless otherwise noted
Day 1: SE 3x30; AHR 110
Day 2: Run 4.52 mil, 40:17; AHR 157
Day 3: Run 4.5 mil, moderately hilly, 40:23; AHR 157
Day 4: SE 2x30
Day 5: Run 8.0 mil, 72:32; AHR 160
Day 6: Run 3.51 mil, 31:11; AHR 151 HR1 122
Day 7: Rest
Mileage for the week: 20.5
Whoa, pardner, what's that long run doin there the day after SE? I'm one of these guys who watch weather reports, and on day four, I saw this ahead: day five, pristine; day six, nightmare. So, yeah, I switched up the runs: if I have a choice in the matter, I'm going to do my longer run on the day with the better weather. During the day five run I sensed some tightness because it was the day after SE, but it went fine. I was more concerned about the day six run; the last thing I wanted was to exacerbate any potential DOMS. I did sense a twang of sorts in one of my calves during the day six run, but I simply iced it when I got home. No big deal.
Why did you take an HR1 reading for the day six run? That's the day I was most concerned about in terms of recovery. Going for an easy, short run the day after a longer run can be a disaster if your body isn't ready for it.
Compared to last year's base building? I got your numbers right here:
You're, uh, kinda boring this week, 40P. Sorry. I go completely off caffeine during base building, and the withdrawal effects are manifold. At least I'm past the "there are hundreds of daggers of ice perforating my brain" stage.
Week 2 (Running max: 80%)
Body weight: 200 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; DB: dumbbell; BB: barbell
All runs are on mostly flat terrain unless otherwise noted
Day 1: SE 3x30; AHR 110
Day 2: Run 4.52 mil, 40:17; AHR 157
Day 3: Run 4.5 mil, moderately hilly, 40:23; AHR 157
Day 4: SE 2x30
Day 5: Run 8.0 mil, 72:32; AHR 160
Day 6: Run 3.51 mil, 31:11; AHR 151 HR1 122
Day 7: Rest
Mileage for the week: 20.5
Whoa, pardner, what's that long run doin there the day after SE? I'm one of these guys who watch weather reports, and on day four, I saw this ahead: day five, pristine; day six, nightmare. So, yeah, I switched up the runs: if I have a choice in the matter, I'm going to do my longer run on the day with the better weather. During the day five run I sensed some tightness because it was the day after SE, but it went fine. I was more concerned about the day six run; the last thing I wanted was to exacerbate any potential DOMS. I did sense a twang of sorts in one of my calves during the day six run, but I simply iced it when I got home. No big deal.
Why did you take an HR1 reading for the day six run? That's the day I was most concerned about in terms of recovery. Going for an easy, short run the day after a longer run can be a disaster if your body isn't ready for it.
Compared to last year's base building? I got your numbers right here:
- 2017 Week 2: Mileage, 16.1. Average pace, 9:56.
- 2018 Week 2: Mileage, 20.5. Average pace, 8:58.
- Kettlebell swing, 35-pound
- Bench press, DB-25s
- Single arm row, DB-30s
- Squat, 45-BB
- Farmer's walk, DB-50s
- Arms behind crunches
You're, uh, kinda boring this week, 40P. Sorry. I go completely off caffeine during base building, and the withdrawal effects are manifold. At least I'm past the "there are hundreds of daggers of ice perforating my brain" stage.
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 5: Base Building
Week 3 (Running max: 80%)
Body weight: 198 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; DB: dumbbell; BB: barbell
All runs are on mostly flat terrain unless otherwise noted
Day 1: SE 3x40
Day 2: Run 5.76 mil 51:32 AHR 157
Day 3: Run 5.76 mil 50:55 AHR 156 HR1 129
Day 4: SE 2x40
Day 5: Run 4.1 mil Moderately Hilly 36:46 AHR 156
Day 6: Run 8.58 mil 80:05 AHR 158
Day 7: Rest / light yard work
Mileage for the week: 24.2.
Hmm, looks like you crashed and burned on day six, dude. The correct phrase, my rather inarticulate and vulgate fellow, is "hit the wall." But yes, I did indeed hit the wall during the day six run. There are several reasons for that, which I will now of course enumerate in order of importance.
First, I tried a new pre-run hydration drink that day, and I rather unexpectedly had an inconvenient allergic reaction to it during the run. I got more confirmation of this reaction later in the day, the details of which I'll gladly spare you. So, that had a negative impact, but at least I can avoid that pre-run drink in the future.
Second, I sensed some moderate pain in the extensor muscles of my right foot, which I hadn't sensed on the day five run, which meant it was revenge of the attack of the killer DOMS!! I took things a little easier than I otherwise might have, given that pain. (I thoroughly iced it after the run, btw. Also, see note below on modifying my SE routine as a result of this pain.)
Third, I committed the really dumb error of violating one of the cardinal rules of training: don't increase too many things at once. I actually violated this rule in two ways: I increased the easy 3.5-mile run I do on recovery days to 4 miles, and I did it on a moderately hilly course, which increases the difficulty and the overall stress factor. Stupid. I really just need to stop and think sometimes.
Fourth, there were a couple days I didn't eat very well. My inane choices, my logical consequences. Amazing how often we human beings need these kinds of reminders, isn't it?
To what exactly are you referring, good sir, regarding your SE circuit? That might be the politest sentence you've ever spoken, you dialogian you. Two points on that front:
First, the very specific pain in the extensor muscles of the foot points to an overuse (or, dare I say it, an over-extension) of that area. As I reconsider my SE circuit, I notice I've got a lot of focus on the ankles: the KB swings, the squats, and especially the Farmer's walk hit that area hard. So, I'm going to drop the Farmer's walk from the SE circuit for now. I've got more than enough focus on the legs as is.
Second, I'm going to follow what I do in Max Strength cycles when I hit the wall: Ima gonna deload. I'll do the SE 1x50 that's planned for day one of week four, but I'll do it deloaded, dropping about 40% of the weight. So, instead of a 35-lb KB for the swings, for instance, I'll use a 20-pounder. We'll see how that works. I should be able to return to the normal weights for day four's SE.
Comparison to last year's? Here ya go:
Hey, I haxored your private log, and I was wondering, why do you list some of your SE reps as like 31, or 41? Sigh. First of all, "haxored" is intransitive. You've made it a transitive. Does. Not. Compute. But I guess I'll answer your intrusive question anyway. That's just my way of keeping track of whether I rest-paused during a particular set in the circuit. So, assume this is a line in my personal training log:
SE 3x40, BP 25-DBs: 40, 41, 41.
That means I used 25-pound dumbbells to do BP and got 40 reps the first time with no rest pause, and 41 for the second and third sets with rest pauses. What that also obviously means is that if I rest-pause, I "charge" myself with doing an extra rep at the end. But just one. To make up for the rest-pause. And to help me keep track.
Week 3 (Running max: 80%)
Body weight: 198 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; DB: dumbbell; BB: barbell
All runs are on mostly flat terrain unless otherwise noted
Day 1: SE 3x40
Day 2: Run 5.76 mil 51:32 AHR 157
Day 3: Run 5.76 mil 50:55 AHR 156 HR1 129
Day 4: SE 2x40
Day 5: Run 4.1 mil Moderately Hilly 36:46 AHR 156
Day 6: Run 8.58 mil 80:05 AHR 158
Day 7: Rest / light yard work
Mileage for the week: 24.2.
Hmm, looks like you crashed and burned on day six, dude. The correct phrase, my rather inarticulate and vulgate fellow, is "hit the wall." But yes, I did indeed hit the wall during the day six run. There are several reasons for that, which I will now of course enumerate in order of importance.
First, I tried a new pre-run hydration drink that day, and I rather unexpectedly had an inconvenient allergic reaction to it during the run. I got more confirmation of this reaction later in the day, the details of which I'll gladly spare you. So, that had a negative impact, but at least I can avoid that pre-run drink in the future.
Second, I sensed some moderate pain in the extensor muscles of my right foot, which I hadn't sensed on the day five run, which meant it was revenge of the attack of the killer DOMS!! I took things a little easier than I otherwise might have, given that pain. (I thoroughly iced it after the run, btw. Also, see note below on modifying my SE routine as a result of this pain.)
Third, I committed the really dumb error of violating one of the cardinal rules of training: don't increase too many things at once. I actually violated this rule in two ways: I increased the easy 3.5-mile run I do on recovery days to 4 miles, and I did it on a moderately hilly course, which increases the difficulty and the overall stress factor. Stupid. I really just need to stop and think sometimes.
Fourth, there were a couple days I didn't eat very well. My inane choices, my logical consequences. Amazing how often we human beings need these kinds of reminders, isn't it?
To what exactly are you referring, good sir, regarding your SE circuit? That might be the politest sentence you've ever spoken, you dialogian you. Two points on that front:
First, the very specific pain in the extensor muscles of the foot points to an overuse (or, dare I say it, an over-extension) of that area. As I reconsider my SE circuit, I notice I've got a lot of focus on the ankles: the KB swings, the squats, and especially the Farmer's walk hit that area hard. So, I'm going to drop the Farmer's walk from the SE circuit for now. I've got more than enough focus on the legs as is.
Second, I'm going to follow what I do in Max Strength cycles when I hit the wall: Ima gonna deload. I'll do the SE 1x50 that's planned for day one of week four, but I'll do it deloaded, dropping about 40% of the weight. So, instead of a 35-lb KB for the swings, for instance, I'll use a 20-pounder. We'll see how that works. I should be able to return to the normal weights for day four's SE.
Comparison to last year's? Here ya go:
- 2017 Week 3: Mileage: 12.1. Average pace: 9:45.
- 2018 Week 3: Mileage: 24.2. Average pace: 9:03.
Hey, I haxored your private log, and I was wondering, why do you list some of your SE reps as like 31, or 41? Sigh. First of all, "haxored" is intransitive. You've made it a transitive. Does. Not. Compute. But I guess I'll answer your intrusive question anyway. That's just my way of keeping track of whether I rest-paused during a particular set in the circuit. So, assume this is a line in my personal training log:
SE 3x40, BP 25-DBs: 40, 41, 41.
That means I used 25-pound dumbbells to do BP and got 40 reps the first time with no rest pause, and 41 for the second and third sets with rest pauses. What that also obviously means is that if I rest-pause, I "charge" myself with doing an extra rep at the end. But just one. To make up for the rest-pause. And to help me keep track.
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 5: Base Building
Week 4 (Running max: 80%)
Body weight: 197 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; DB: dumbbell; BB: barbell
All runs are on mostly flat terrain unless otherwise noted
Day 1: SE 1x50 (deloaded; see note below)
Day 2: Run 6.75 mil 60:29 AHR 160
Day 3: Run 7.01 mil 62:59 AHR 152
Day 4: SE 1x50 (somewhat deloaded; see note below)
Day 5: Run 9.76 mil 91:36 AHR 155
Day 6: Rest / light yard work
Day 7: Run 3.61 mil, Moderately Hilly, 30:32 AHR 151; then 0.4 cool-down for 4.01 mil total
Mileage for the week: 27.5
Let's start with last year's comparison, shall we? Surely! Yes, let's:
The day seven run was one of the best of base building so far, but I'm not going to get too excited about it yet. I had a recovery day beforehand, after all, and the weather that morning was pristine. Still, a significantly lower AHR, on a moderately hilly course, with a faster pace than I'm used to? I can't ignore that, either. Hopefully it bodes well for the coming week.
How did the deloaded SE sessions go? Very well. Deloading was the right choice: I was able to get back in the groove, and I was rejuvenated afterwards. What I did from day one's session to day four's session was to increase back towards my original, pre-deloaded weights on any set that I didn't have to rest-pause for on day one. Otherwise, if I had to rest-pause a set on day one, I kept that deloaded weight for the day four session. That turned out to be the right decision, too, as even that somewhat deloaded day four session was beginning to wear me out a bit.
What's fairly obvious now is that my beginning SE circuit was too ambitious. I made it through the 3x40 and 2x40 sessions, but I got that minor foot injury after the 2x40 that cleared up once I dropped the Farmer's walk and deloaded the whole circuit for the 1x50. So, going into tomorrow's 3x50--the toughest SE of the whole base building block--I'm going to play it safe. I'll use the deloaded weights from day one's SE session this week, and if it turns out any of those are just too ridiculously easy for all three circuits, I can increase the weight a little for the final SE 2x50 session.
Any hopes or dreams for the coming week? Well, aren't you the romantic this week. Looking back at 2017's log, I can see that the most significant improvement in pace came in week five: my average pace dropped by about thirty seconds per mile. That's a huge increase for one week, but given where I started in that base building cycle, even that improvement got me only to barely sub-9 pace. I basically started this year's base building at that level, so I'm not expecting a similar improvement. Then again, I'm able to handle more mileage this time around, so that increased base may pay future dividends.
Week 4 (Running max: 80%)
Body weight: 197 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping; DB: dumbbell; BB: barbell
All runs are on mostly flat terrain unless otherwise noted
Day 1: SE 1x50 (deloaded; see note below)
Day 2: Run 6.75 mil 60:29 AHR 160
Day 3: Run 7.01 mil 62:59 AHR 152
Day 4: SE 1x50 (somewhat deloaded; see note below)
Day 5: Run 9.76 mil 91:36 AHR 155
Day 6: Rest / light yard work
Day 7: Run 3.61 mil, Moderately Hilly, 30:32 AHR 151; then 0.4 cool-down for 4.01 mil total
Mileage for the week: 27.5
Let's start with last year's comparison, shall we? Surely! Yes, let's:
- 2017 Week 4: Mileage: 22.5. Average pace: 9:26.
- 2018 Week 4: Mileage: 27.1. Average pace: 9:03. Total mileage including untimed warmups, etc.: 27.5.
The day seven run was one of the best of base building so far, but I'm not going to get too excited about it yet. I had a recovery day beforehand, after all, and the weather that morning was pristine. Still, a significantly lower AHR, on a moderately hilly course, with a faster pace than I'm used to? I can't ignore that, either. Hopefully it bodes well for the coming week.
How did the deloaded SE sessions go? Very well. Deloading was the right choice: I was able to get back in the groove, and I was rejuvenated afterwards. What I did from day one's session to day four's session was to increase back towards my original, pre-deloaded weights on any set that I didn't have to rest-pause for on day one. Otherwise, if I had to rest-pause a set on day one, I kept that deloaded weight for the day four session. That turned out to be the right decision, too, as even that somewhat deloaded day four session was beginning to wear me out a bit.
What's fairly obvious now is that my beginning SE circuit was too ambitious. I made it through the 3x40 and 2x40 sessions, but I got that minor foot injury after the 2x40 that cleared up once I dropped the Farmer's walk and deloaded the whole circuit for the 1x50. So, going into tomorrow's 3x50--the toughest SE of the whole base building block--I'm going to play it safe. I'll use the deloaded weights from day one's SE session this week, and if it turns out any of those are just too ridiculously easy for all three circuits, I can increase the weight a little for the final SE 2x50 session.
Any hopes or dreams for the coming week? Well, aren't you the romantic this week. Looking back at 2017's log, I can see that the most significant improvement in pace came in week five: my average pace dropped by about thirty seconds per mile. That's a huge increase for one week, but given where I started in that base building cycle, even that improvement got me only to barely sub-9 pace. I basically started this year's base building at that level, so I'm not expecting a similar improvement. Then again, I'm able to handle more mileage this time around, so that increased base may pay future dividends.
-
FortyPlusRunner
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:19 am
Re: FortyP's 9 sets of Deadlift per week log
Block 5: Base Building
Week 5 (Training maxes: 85% lower body, 90% upper body)
Body weight: 196 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping
All runs are on mostly flat terrain unless otherwise noted
Day 1: SE 3x50
Day 2: Run 7.11 mil 60:53 AHR 157 HR1 118
Day 3: Run 7.01 mil 61:17 AHR 157 HR1 108
Day 4: SE 2x50
Day 5: Run 4.21 mil Moderately Hilly 37:42 AHR 150 --> half with a stray dog <--
Day 6: Run 8.12 mil; 7.01 mil in 65:09 AHR 152, then 1.1 mil cool-down
Day 7: OHP 1x5x95, DL 1x3x235, BP 1x5x155, SQ 1x5x165; Run TM 3.0 mil 27:04 AHR 146 HR1 107
Mileage for the week: 29.4
And now...the final comparison! For the week by week version, yes:
First, I tried yet another different pre-run meal, reasonably thinking it would be wonderful, and I had a nasty allergic reaction to it. Bad stuff at the time, but I am finally close to figuring out exactly what the specific allergens are. The run was painful, but at least I'll never make that pre-run meal mistake again.
Second, I must have thrown all my hard-won lessons out the window because I actually increased the weights I was using from day one's SE to day four's. Dumb, dumber, dumbestest. That's exactly what I've been telling myself not to do these past few weeks. You can probably guess what happened: perfectly fine day five run, but day six? Revenge of the Return of the Attack of the Killer DOMS!! Probably the most painful run of the whole base building block so far. The ice bath felt wonderful afterwards, though.
You're kidding about the stray dog, right? Not at all. It was a really cool experience, actually. This medium-sized husky mutt just came out of nowhere and started running with me. It was absolutely friendly, so I had no worries about it. In typical dog fashion, it had just run through an open car wash, so it was soaking wet and smelled like car wash soap (what's really amazing is that there was a car wash open for business at 7AM, but I'm guessing it was one of those automated ones). As I found out later, the dog likely went in there because it was bleeding from one of its ears. Anyway, I thought it would run with me for a minute and then break off, like most disinterested animals do. But it kept running with me--and a mile and a half later, I'm thinking to myself, I can't bring this guy home (we have enough animals). I paused my run, checked local maps online, and found an animal shelter a couple blocks over. We ran over there, but of course it was closed at that time of morning. But there was a mechanic's shop next door, and it was open, and one of the guys there showed me a holding pen the animal shelter has in back for situations like this. The dog happily went in, and that was that. Pretty neat.
Two different training maxes? Your head asplode! It's not that hard, man. Look: I'm doing a lot of running right now, and I plan to keep it that way for at least another five weeks, so it only makes sense to go easy on the lower body. Honestly, judging how things went on day seven, I can say that the intensity was pretty similar for both upper body and lower body. In other words, by using different training maxes for upper and lower body, I'm equalizing the intensity without sacrificing it for one or the other.
Why'd you do a Max Strength session on day seven anyway? I was raring to go. That, and I was still a bit disappointed by the day six train wreck (the allergic reaction didn't work its way out of my system until hours afterwards...enough said).
Wait...another five weeks of base building? Indeed. Several guys on this board do a ten-week version of base building, and that's considered the minimum for a recreational runner who wants to improve. My plan is to work up to five or six days a week of running, and to incorporate two Max Strength sessions somewhere in there, too. I'll obviously have to "double up" on some days, like I did on day seven this week.
That can quickly become overload and exhaustion if I don't take a rest day every now and then, so I'll have to be honest with myself about that and take them as necessary. To that end, too, I'm going to configure my Max Strength sessions as low-volume (one work set per lift; three or four lifts max), low-frequency (twice per week), and medium-intensity (75/80/85%, with training maxes as appropriate).
This plan may be too ambitious. I'll have to back off if I see signs of overtraining. That's one reason I take the HR1 reading after some runs, which, if too high, is a reliable indicator of overtraining. "First thing in the morning" heart rate, too, is a good indicator of overtraining, if you keep track of it and see a spike.
What did your deloaded SE circuit end up looking like? I'm going to list my 3x50 circuit here, which went very well, though that's not saying much, considering how light the weights are. As I mentioned above, I did increase some of the weights for the 2x50 later in the week, but that (inevitably) led to DOMS, which nearly killed my day six run. Thinking of increasing your weights in the middle of a five-week SE plan? Just. Say. No.
On the positive side, this SE circuit was a milestone for me: I'd never swung a kettlebell of any weight for 3x50 before. In the list below, a star at the end means I performed all three circuits with no rest-pauses (embarrassing because I couldn't pull off crunches without rest-pausing--time for planks, I guess.)
Week 5 (Training maxes: 85% lower body, 90% upper body)
Body weight: 196 lbs
Notation is sets x reps x weight in lbs
AHR: average heart rate; HR1: heart rate 1:00 after stopping
All runs are on mostly flat terrain unless otherwise noted
Day 1: SE 3x50
Day 2: Run 7.11 mil 60:53 AHR 157 HR1 118
Day 3: Run 7.01 mil 61:17 AHR 157 HR1 108
Day 4: SE 2x50
Day 5: Run 4.21 mil Moderately Hilly 37:42 AHR 150 --> half with a stray dog <--
Day 6: Run 8.12 mil; 7.01 mil in 65:09 AHR 152, then 1.1 mil cool-down
Day 7: OHP 1x5x95, DL 1x3x235, BP 1x5x155, SQ 1x5x165; Run TM 3.0 mil 27:04 AHR 146 HR1 107
Mileage for the week: 29.4
And now...the final comparison! For the week by week version, yes:
- 2017 Week 5: Mileage: 22.4. Average pace: 8:56.
- 2018 Week 5: Mileage: 28.3. Average pace: 8:53. Total mileage including untimed warmups, etc.: 29.4.
- 2017 Weeks 1-5: 86.3 miles. Average pace: 9:33.
- 2018 Weeks 1-5: 118.3 miles. Average pace: 9:00.
First, I tried yet another different pre-run meal, reasonably thinking it would be wonderful, and I had a nasty allergic reaction to it. Bad stuff at the time, but I am finally close to figuring out exactly what the specific allergens are. The run was painful, but at least I'll never make that pre-run meal mistake again.
Second, I must have thrown all my hard-won lessons out the window because I actually increased the weights I was using from day one's SE to day four's. Dumb, dumber, dumbestest. That's exactly what I've been telling myself not to do these past few weeks. You can probably guess what happened: perfectly fine day five run, but day six? Revenge of the Return of the Attack of the Killer DOMS!! Probably the most painful run of the whole base building block so far. The ice bath felt wonderful afterwards, though.
You're kidding about the stray dog, right? Not at all. It was a really cool experience, actually. This medium-sized husky mutt just came out of nowhere and started running with me. It was absolutely friendly, so I had no worries about it. In typical dog fashion, it had just run through an open car wash, so it was soaking wet and smelled like car wash soap (what's really amazing is that there was a car wash open for business at 7AM, but I'm guessing it was one of those automated ones). As I found out later, the dog likely went in there because it was bleeding from one of its ears. Anyway, I thought it would run with me for a minute and then break off, like most disinterested animals do. But it kept running with me--and a mile and a half later, I'm thinking to myself, I can't bring this guy home (we have enough animals). I paused my run, checked local maps online, and found an animal shelter a couple blocks over. We ran over there, but of course it was closed at that time of morning. But there was a mechanic's shop next door, and it was open, and one of the guys there showed me a holding pen the animal shelter has in back for situations like this. The dog happily went in, and that was that. Pretty neat.
Two different training maxes? Your head asplode! It's not that hard, man. Look: I'm doing a lot of running right now, and I plan to keep it that way for at least another five weeks, so it only makes sense to go easy on the lower body. Honestly, judging how things went on day seven, I can say that the intensity was pretty similar for both upper body and lower body. In other words, by using different training maxes for upper and lower body, I'm equalizing the intensity without sacrificing it for one or the other.
Why'd you do a Max Strength session on day seven anyway? I was raring to go. That, and I was still a bit disappointed by the day six train wreck (the allergic reaction didn't work its way out of my system until hours afterwards...enough said).
Wait...another five weeks of base building? Indeed. Several guys on this board do a ten-week version of base building, and that's considered the minimum for a recreational runner who wants to improve. My plan is to work up to five or six days a week of running, and to incorporate two Max Strength sessions somewhere in there, too. I'll obviously have to "double up" on some days, like I did on day seven this week.
That can quickly become overload and exhaustion if I don't take a rest day every now and then, so I'll have to be honest with myself about that and take them as necessary. To that end, too, I'm going to configure my Max Strength sessions as low-volume (one work set per lift; three or four lifts max), low-frequency (twice per week), and medium-intensity (75/80/85%, with training maxes as appropriate).
This plan may be too ambitious. I'll have to back off if I see signs of overtraining. That's one reason I take the HR1 reading after some runs, which, if too high, is a reliable indicator of overtraining. "First thing in the morning" heart rate, too, is a good indicator of overtraining, if you keep track of it and see a spike.
What did your deloaded SE circuit end up looking like? I'm going to list my 3x50 circuit here, which went very well, though that's not saying much, considering how light the weights are. As I mentioned above, I did increase some of the weights for the 2x50 later in the week, but that (inevitably) led to DOMS, which nearly killed my day six run. Thinking of increasing your weights in the middle of a five-week SE plan? Just. Say. No.
On the positive side, this SE circuit was a milestone for me: I'd never swung a kettlebell of any weight for 3x50 before. In the list below, a star at the end means I performed all three circuits with no rest-pauses (embarrassing because I couldn't pull off crunches without rest-pausing--time for planks, I guess.)
- Kettlebell swing, 20-pound*
- BP, 15-pound DBs
- Single-arm rows, 20-pound DB*
- Squats, 30-pound barbell*
- Hammer curls, 10-pound DBs*
- Arms-behind crunches