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Bench: 180, 205 x 5; 230 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 Without a doubt, bench press is my most challenging lift to properly progress. I think after this cycle, I'm going to step back the loads and step up the intensity. It's time. Constant Tension Isolateral Incline DB Press: 110 x 10; 130 x 8 2 Up 1...

This week is going to be broken up a bit more than normal with the Thanksgiving holiday machination I have. I'm also doing a "strength" competition at my gym on 12/1 that is going to alter plans for the latter half of the week. Deadlift: 220, 265, 295 x 5; 265 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 The last two reps...

OHP: 100, 115, 120 x 5; 100 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 | SA DB Row: 60 x 8; 70 x 6; 80 x 10; 90 x 20 I supersetted the rows among the 10 x 5 sets, pairing sets 1, 2, 4, 5, 6. The 20 set was broken up by arm, spanning sets 5 and 6. The rest of that cadence was fairly typical until set 9...

Sounds like the weather has been tricky to say the least!

Fair point, @Jester. I don't disagree. Squats: 225, 260 x 3; 295 x 8; 225 x 20 I decided to switch up the pattern a bit to Wendler's 3/5/1 layout. Week one is 3 x 3+ with a PR set and Jokers, week two is 3 x 5 and week three is 5/3/1+ with a PR set and Jokers. Every squat day is finished...

Hey @Jester - the use of slow eccentrics has been a pretty effective tool I've used in the past. Especially in a controlled movement (like the PD), I think the injury risk is pretty low. Today: Bench Press: 165, 190 x 5; 215 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 I liked the approach; this was the first time I...

The Experiment Begins Deadlift: 215, 250, 280 x 5; 250 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 Belt and shin sleeves for all sets, DOH grip too. Felt good! BB Rollout: 10, 8 | WG Pulldown: 150 x 6, 5 | Pushups: 25, 20 I paused for a two-count for all of the rollout reps. The PD reps were slightly paused at full...

That's just it, @Jester - it worked well for squats but not the other lifts. OHP is the only other lift that I might argue benefitted, but only by a small margin. Bench and Deadlift seemed to stall a bit compared to other methodologies. So - what worked for squats would continue, but things...

Here's what I'm thinking for the core lifts... Let me know if you see problems with recovery time or approach. @Jester, @Totentanz, @_Simon_, @mickc1965 Deadlift: 5's PRO (3 x 5 in my loading cadence) + 5x5 SSL (Second Set Last) Bench: 5x5/3/1 (5, 5, 5x5) -> week 3, push a Joker or 2 if the...

Actually - I think I may have just figured it out. I will lay out my thought once I have it on paper. The answer is a combination template. This allows me to set up the protocols for each lift in separate programmatic buckets. I will get my layout set and post it for all to review.

Which of the approaches do you think is best, Jester? I'm genuinely stuck.

Bench Press: 190, 215 x 5; 240 x 5, 5, 5; 265 x 2 Well, some lessons were learned here. That third set at 240 was a "PR" set, going all out for reps. In this case, 5 was it; I was very fatigued. The 265 double had an overzealous spotter, who surrounded the bar with his hands as I lifted and...

I'm sorry to hear about that, Jester! I wonder if that's your pec minor being pesky. That ridiculous stabilizer has been responsible for more upper arm/shoulder havoc than I care to think about. There are some decent vids on YouTube that show how to stretch it out and then manage it. Might...

I think you'll find the stretch in your deltoids and rhomboids/traps will feel pretty good, Jester. I've had a very testy past with my shoulders - my right in particular. BB rollouts have yet to be a cause for strife. Good luck!

I think it may be a worthy goal, Jester.

Got started a day late. Squats: 235, 270 x 5; 300 x 5, 5, 8; 335 x 3; 355 x 1 Knee sleeves and belt for all sets. I think the 355 set might have been a PR. The 335 triple was for sure a PR for reps. OHP: 115 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 | BB Rollout: 10, 6, 4, 3 The pauses increased as the rollout sets...

Deadlift: 225, 260 x 5; 295 x 5, 5, 6; 315 x 3; 335 x 2 Shin sleeves and my belt were used for all sets. Straps were added for the second set at 295, and for the rest of the set. As was the case last week, I was more fatigued than normal for these sets. 260 felt heavy, which is really sure...

OHP: 105, 120 x 5; 135 x 5, 5, 7; 150 x 2, 1 I will freely admit that I had a bit of a mental "thing" with this. For some reason, the 135 threshold has been an issue for me. I can't properly explain why this is, but it is. I was happy with the 7-rep set, and the double at 150 was pretty nice...

Hey @Jester - in my mind, they are a bit more intense. I don't load the bar, so it is maybe an inch or so off the ground, rolling on the collars. That small gap really taxes my core, more so than the ab wheel. I did a small test between the two and was able to do considerably more volume...

Hey @Jester - It's essentially a collection of work sets done after a ME (or quasi-ME) set. You push the loads in a fatigued state. The rules seem to vary, but the one I've seen most consistently is that you add weight in 10-15% increments until you can't hit the target reps used for the rest...