TangoDown's HST Cluster Log

Get 10-12 reps. Work sets clustered save for bicep curls

Stats: 5'8", 170lb

Squat: 155lb x 5, 240lb x 4, x 2, x 2, x 1 (PR)

Incline BB Bench: 95lb x 5, 140lb x 5, x 5, 100lb x 15

Weighted Pullups: Belt + 40lb x 3, x 3, x 2, x 2

E-Z Bar Curls: Bar + 70lb x 7, x 4
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I might have been able to push out 5 reps on squat, but I was tentative because no power rack. My fears were realized when I failed rep 2 of the last cluster, and the YMCA employee who was spotting me failed at spotting me and I fell forward. Fortunately, the rack itself caught the bar so I didn't become a paraplegic.

Jesus ****, I'm joining another gym with a power rack.

Anyway, incline bench felt fine for the second time. Gonna push this up for the rest of the cycle and see where I can get.

Pullups, I got more reps down the line on the later clusters, but I'm going to continue sticking with this weight.

E-Z bar curls, I'm going to deload because I'm getting less reps than before.
 
Trying for 10-12 reps. Everything is clustered save for curls.

Stats: 5'8", 170lb

Deadlift: 135lb x 5, 225lb x 5, 315lb x 0, 225lb x 3

Bench: 115lb x 5, 175lb x 5, x 3, x 2 (PR), 125lb x 15

Pullups: Belt + 40lb x 3, x 2

E-Z Bar Curls: Bar + 60lb x 10
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I think it's about time to SD.

Coudn't get 315lb off the ground...whereas I got 3 reps last time. Maybe it was form...I need to not deadlift in the mirror. I found it easier to deadlift at my school gym without one. Though I am keeping my head neutral, I may be subconsciously adjusting myself based on what I see in the mirror before I lower my neck.

Bench PR'd. I think it was due to looking with a neutral neck so I could push my chest up on the eccentric motion of the lift. Failed rep 3 of last cluster.

Pullups were one rep less on the second cluster. Those need a deload.

So it seems like my pulling is fried.

Curls, I already deloaded.

Albeit, if this is the end of my cycle, I saw some nice strength gains.
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So, to anybody who reads this (if anybody does), or Alex, should I deloading my pulling and continue attempting to PR on my pushing movements (squat, bench, incline bench), or should I just SD everything?

I think I want to try pulling 315lb one more time. I MIGHT have tried doing it double-overhand by accident. So this cycle will last 2 more sessions unless I magically pull 315lb easier than when I got 3 reps with it. I also think I have one rep left in me for squats.
 
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I have a better alternative to SD:

-Skip one workout

Eat plenty across the 3 days or so (between this work out and the next one you do, skipping//pushing back one of them) and give it another two weeks
 
Roger that. I'll give it a go. Should I skip or push back? I'm guessing I should push back so I don't have more than a week between squats.
 
Deadlift, I decided to work up to 315 via increments because I figured I'd just deload. 275 felt insanely hard (maybe CNS is telling me it's time to SD) and then I felt some pain in my back so I forwent pulling 315lb.

I'm sick of conventional. Pulled 315 x 3 a couple of weeks ago but I never feel it in my posterior chain regardless of the fact that I'm setting up well (shins inch from bar, chest squeezed up, bar under scapula). I think it's because I'm simply, essentially horizontal to the ground when I start the pull. And I know I'm limber too so it's not hamstring or hip flexor inhibition. **** my levers.

So after I did incline bench, where I hit 145 x 5 with ease, I decided to pull sumo. 225 sumo felt like 185 conventional because my torso angle was considerably more vertical. 295lb felt almost like a 1RM but no **** it's going to feel that way after doing a bunch of conventional sets, having a fatigued CNS, and not really ever pulling sumo (correctly anyway). Also, no twing in my back. I had someone in the gym I struck up a conversation with film the 295 pull and besides the fact that I didn't keep my neck neutral, it looked absolutely flawless. I can upload the video if any of you guys want to critique (because "flawless" to me may not be flawless to you).

I'm going to stick with sumo from here on and hopefully build it up past conventional.

Anyway, decided to test body weight pullups. Got 15. Haven't been training them for reps, but last time I did 15, I was 30lb lighter. So I'm happy about that.

Curls, I decided to just do 8 reps with E-Z bar + 60lb. Just didn't feel up to pushing it today.

I may continue the cycle for one more session if I can work out at a gym that has a power rack. I wanna see if I can squat 240lb x 5 (got 4 last time, didn't push to 5). I also want to see if I can bench 180lb x 5.
 
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SD time...today's workout was dreadfully weak, save for pullups where I PR'd. Decided to just do a bunch of random stuff afterwards because, well, who cares - I'm SDing. Did some light cleans and some kettlebell stuff and did sumo deadlift again (which was utterly weak, which was to be expected considering it's SD time and I deadlifted and sumo deadlifted last session).

5'8", 170lb

This cycle's PRs:

Squat: 225lb x 4 to 240lb x 4

Bench: 170lb x 5 to 175lb x 5

BW Pullups: 13 to 15

Weighted Pullups: Belt + 30lb x 4 to Belt + 40lb x 4 (got that today)

Deadlift: 275lb x 5 to 305lb x 5 (though considering a switch to Sumo...I'd like to incorporate both but I can't think of how)

Incline DB Bench: 60lb DBs x 4 to 65lb DBs x 8 (dropping this lift in favor of BB)

Incline DB Bench: 135lb x 5 to ??? (stopped at 145lb, probably 150lb x 5 or more)

E-Z Bar Curl: Bar + 70lb x 6 to Bar + 70lb x 9
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See you in 9-10 days :cool:.
 
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Make sure you're eating in surplus during SD. Obviously that's surplus for a period of less general activity, but your gains are going to evaporate if you try and diet during SD.

Also, list out your PRs, strength gains and weight +/- and we'll go from there. List out as in, "+X lb/kgs over Y-days"
 
What gain did you make? How long was the cycle?

e.g. + 10kg increase in 5RM for squats, 90kg-->100kg, over 44 day period
 
Cycle was 44 days:

Only up 5lb in Body Weight (165lb ---> 170lb at 5'8"). Need to up the cals I guess. Already taking in 3500 on workout days and 3000 on rest days :mad:. I could probably benefit from more protein intake too.

15lb increase in 4RM for squats, 225lb ---> 240lb

30lb increase in 5RM for deads, 275lb ---> 305lb

5lb increase in 5RM for bench, 170lb ---> 175lb

10lb increase in 4RM for Weighted Pullups, Belt + 30lb ---> Belt + 40lb

10lb+ increase in 5RM for Incline BB Bench (added late to replace Incline DB Bench), 135lb --> 145lb (though 150lb-155lb may be my real max. Started with 135lb and worked up by 5lb each session. I'll treat 145lb as 5RM for the next cycle).

3 Rep increase in E-Z Bar Curl when lifting Bar + 70lb, 6 reps to 9 reps
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Due to back angle being more vertical on sumo DLs (as I'm almost horizontal to the floor with conventional), and the fact that I actually feel the work being done partially by the posterior chain with sumo, I'd like to incorporate them whilst still doing conventional DLs and sticking to the current programming. Any ideas?
 
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Weirdly enough, my scale at home says 173lb. Both the scale at my gym and at home are mechanical, though the one at home is one is a step-on one and the other is a big, adjustable one.

I know body weight fluctuates throughout the day and can also vary depending on the scale.
 
Starting new cycle tomorrow. If anybody wants to chime in on how I can add in Sumo Deadlift whilst still keeping Conventional in there to see which one I'm stronger with, whilst still keeping the same format relative to the last cycle, please feel free.

Reason being, my levers make it so I'm almost horizontal to the floor at the bottom of a conventional lift, and I rarely feel my posterior chain working. On the other hand, with sumo, I'm notably more upright, and though I pulled less when I tried it (which makes sense, considering it's a different movement pattern and I haven't really done it before), I feel a lot more posterior chain activation and my lower back feels safer in a more upright position.

So this cycle, I'd prefer to work sumo in and see where it is relative to my conventional pull by the end.
 
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TangoDown said:
Cycle was 44 days:

Only up 5lb in Body Weight (165lb ---> 170lb at 5'8"). Need to up the cals I guess. Already taking in 3500 on workout days and 3000 on rest days :mad:. I could probably benefit from more protein intake too.

15lb increase in 4RM for squats, 225lb ---> 240lb

30lb increase in 5RM for deads, 275lb ---> 305lb

5lb increase in 5RM for bench, 170lb ---> 175lb

10lb increase in 4RM for Weighted Pullups, Belt + 30lb ---> Belt + 40lb

10lb+ increase in 5RM for Incline BB Bench (added late to replace Incline DB Bench), 135lb --> 145lb (though 150lb-155lb may be my real max. Started with 135lb and worked up by 5lb each session. I'll treat 145lb as 5RM for the next cycle).

3 Rep increase in E-Z Bar Curl when lifting Bar + 70lb, 6 reps to 9 reps
___________________________________

Due to back angle being more vertical on sumo DLs (as I'm almost horizontal to the floor with conventional), and the fact that I actually feel the work being done partially by the posterior chain with sumo, I'd like to incorporate them whilst still doing conventional DLs and sticking to the current programming. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

You need to eat on 'rest' days, as much, if not more than work days. You build muscle after working out (the stimulus). The 24hr period after your workout is arguably the most important (not to say that you could starve/fast the next day etc).

Nice increases across the board there. Some protein in the 24hrs after your workouts IMO. A chicken breast, couple of tuna sandwiches, maybe do a roast beef and carve it up for 4 portions during the week. Something like that.
 
Let the games begin...

Get 10-12 reps. 3 minutes between clusters. All work sets clustered save for curls.

Stats: 5'8", 170lb

Sumo Deadlift: 135lb x 8, 225lb x 5, 255lb x 5, x 5

Incline BB Bench: 95lb x 5, 140lb x 5, x 5, 100lb x 15

Weighted Pullups: Belt + 25lb x 5, x 5

E-Z Bar Curl: Bar + 55lb x 10

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I confess, I switched stances mid-set with my warm up sets on DL to see what felt better. Sumo felt more natural as to my levers, and though I know at this point I can't pull as much due to pulling exclusively conventional the last cycle (pulled 315lb x 3), I hope to see some improvements. Work set was all sumo and got 5 reps both clusters so I'll progress to 265lb.

Incline Bench felt hard but I managed 10 reps in 2 clusters so I'll move on to 145lb. Highest I went was 145lb x 5 last cycle but I hit enough reps where I felt I could have progressed to 150lb. So I set 150lb as my 5 rep max this time around. Should I have tested? Sure. But when I had the chance, my CNS was fried so I probably wouldn't have been able to put out.

Pullups felt weak, hence the last rep was questionable. My 4RM was with 40lb so I'm chocking this up to the SD. You guys think I should stick with 25lb next session and see how that feels? I'm thinking I should do that, and I should feel notably stronger with it next time around.

E-Z bar curls felt a bit weak but I'll also chock that up to SD.

I can already feel the DOMS coming...
 
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Worked out on not a lot of sleep...

Squat was unbelievably weak. Hit 4 reps first cluster. 25lb less than my 4 rep max last cycle...what the ****? I really hope this is just from the SD but I don't remember being this weak coming back into a new cycle last time...my weight was the same coming into this cycle so I didn't lose any weight during SD.

Bench was slightly weaker, but I got all 5 reps, so I'm moving on. Pullups did get stronger than they were last session, so maybe it is just the SD....I'd like to hope so...
 
You are deconditioned, don't freak out. You will grow and get conditioned again. Everyone is weaker after deconditioning, that's part of it. You will get stronger again.
 
Get 10-12 reps. 3 minutes between clusters. All work sets clustered save for curls.

Stats: 5'8", 170lb

Sumo Deadlift: 135lb x 8, 225lb x 5, 265lb x 5, x 5

Incline BB Bench: 95lb x 5, 145lb x 4, x 3, x 3, 100lb x 15

Weighted Pullups: Belt + 30lb x 5, x 3, x 2

E-Z Bar Curl: Bar + 55lb x 10
_______________________________

Strength looks like it's building back up again as to my upper body stuff. Failed on first set of incline bench, rep 5. Hopefully I'll be back to 5 reps next time I use the weight. Sticking with 145lb until this occurs.

Sumo DL, first cluster was good to go, and 2nd cluster felt a lot harder. Still, 10 reps in 2 clusters so pushing to 275 and continuing to hope CNS adaptation to this new movement will continue to push me up. Still need to not be sloppy and make sure the belly is filled with air before each rep starts.

Pullups were hard but I managed 5 reps on the first cluster. Original 5RM should be Belt + 35lb. I'll move up to that next time and see how it goes.

Curls were fine. Moving on to Bar + 60lb next session.

Been feeling some pretty intense lateral leg pain on my right leg after I run or do squat/deadlift ever since the SD, which fades away to nothing about 30 minutes after exertion. It radiates around the insertion of the quad as well as the IT band, up my leg a bit. Gonna see if I can't loosen up the quads, abductors, and IT band and see if that mitigates the issue. If it doesn't, it might be some tendinitis, which is weird considering the fact that I just started the cycle and didn't sustain any acute injuries.

Could also be the petellar tendon acting up.
 
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