4/9/21 Friday April 9, 2021 (Texas method volume - BB Squat, DL, OHP, Bench)

 Warm up

7:45am- Training session -  TM intensity - BB Squat, DL, OHP, Bench

BB Squat:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5

265 x 3
315 x 1

365 x 1

385 x 1

405 x 1

work sets
425 x 5 x 1 set (this was going great until the last rep at which point I felt the twinge again in my left IT band / quad through the hip)

Feeling shit and feeling it in the left SI now too. 

BB DL:

warm up
45 bar x 5
155 x 5
265 x 3

315 x 1

375 x 1 

work set

425 x 2 (2nd rep was not great, bar was drifting on the left shin)

375 x 1 x 3 sets (wanted to get the feeling back of keeping the bar on the shins)

BB OHP:

warm up

45 bar x 5

95 x 5

155 x 3

175 x 1

work sets

207.5 x 3 x 1 set

207.5 x 2 fail on 3

BB Bench:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5
205 x 3

255 x 1

285 x 1

work sets

315 x 1

320 x 1

325 x fail (this would have been a PR by 2.5 lbs)

rolling
hanging from the bar

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

9:15am - Complete

Notes - Writing this on Monday 4/12. Such a disappointing day.  The last rep on the squat got me - again.  Keep experiencing an injury in that hip, 3rd or 4th issue in the last couple of months.  Obviously the body is simply not taking the loading once things get up over 400lbs.  I'm going to have to tear this down, rest it a little bit, and then try and start over.  I've contacted a Starting Strength coach and I am going to get professional help going forward.  I've taken this as far as I probably could realistically do it on my own, something to be proud of, and now it's time to step it up and get professional coaching. 

4/7/21 Wednesday April 7, 2021 (Texas method light - BB Squat, Bench, Prowler)

   Warm up

7:45am- Training session -  TM light - BB Squat, Bench, Chins, Prowler

BB Squat:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5

205 x 3 

265 x 2

315 x 1

work sets 

315 x 5 x 2 sets (ok, things getting a little better, not thrilled with depth though)

BB Bench:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5
205 x 3

255 x 1

work sets

272.5 x 5 x 3 sets

272.5 x 4 x 1 set

272.5 x 3 x 1 set

272.5 x 2 fail on 3

nearly 25 reps - this was ok.  First 3, and you could say the 4th set were good, then it was a real grind.

Chins

x 10 (chins were pretty strong today)

x 8

x 6

Prowler

3 45s each side x 2 rounds

9:15am - Complete

Notes -  Some improvements.  Squatting was ok, and later in the day I got some bodywork and acupunture done on my legs which should help things.  It was a pretty good day benching.  I've been sick the last two days with a bad stomach bug, so for me to get this much work done was pretty good as I haven't eaten much and haven't kept anything down.  

4/5/21 Monday April 5, 2021 (Texas method volume - BB Squat, OHP, DL)

 Warm up

7:45am- Training session -  TM volume - BB Squat, OHP, DL

BB Squat:
45 bar x 5 x 2 sets 

155 x 5

265 x 3
315 x 1

355 x 1

work sets 
380 x 5 x 5 sets (not recovered from Friday 5x5 at 375)

BB OHP:

warm up

45 bar x 5

95 x 5

155 x 3

175 x 1

work sets

187.5 x 5 x 1 set

187.5 x 4 x 1 set

187.5 x 3 x 1 sets

187.5 x 2 x 2 sets 

Break

187.5 x 3 x 3 sets

25 reps -  shitting, I rushed all of the first sets with not enough rest and I paid for it

BB DL (all hooked, no belt):

warm up
155 x 5
265 x 3

work sets

315 x 5 x 1 set (pulled fast)

9:15am - Complete

Notes - Was feeling great all weekend, 2nd set of 5 on the squats my left SI started acting up again, unfortunately.  It's just been a real problem.  I probably did too much volume on Friday, 3 sets of 5 would have been enough, and I just wasn't fully recovered today.  Super frustrating.  It affected the rest of the workout.  This is a real nagging bummer of a thing. 

4/2/21 Friday April 2, 2021 (Texas method volume - BB Squat, Bench, DL, Prowler)

 Warm up

7:45am- Training session -  TM intensity - BB Squat, DL, Bench, Prowler 

BB Squat:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5

265 x 3
315 x 1

365 x 1

work sets
375 x 5 x 5 sets (this wasn't fantastic, but a step in the right direction given where I have been)

BB DL:

warm up
45 bar x 5
155 x 5
265 x 3

315 x 1

375 x 1 

work set

425 x fail, x fail - didn't have it here at all.  Body was holding back.

395 x 2

395 x 3 (better - getting a little confidence back)

BB Bench:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5
205 x 3

255 x 1

work sets

270 x 5 x 4 sets

270 x 4 x fail on 5

(I think this may have been a PR, I almost got all 5 sets, and it is definitely an improvement from my last bench session)

Prowler

2 45s x 1 set

4 45s x 2 sets

rolling
hanging from the bar

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

9:15am - Complete

Notes - I'll take it. Step in the right direction.  At least I could squat.  Disappointed a bit that it was challenging at 375, but I am working through these left hip and quad / IT issues.  Deadlifts were concerning, my body was really holding back at 425 and didn't want to push through whatever is going on with my leg.  I dropped it down to 395, and got 5 reps between a double and triple.  Felt a little bit better about that, but things are not going great here.  I was able to have  a good day on the bench and I think got a PR for reps at 270, nearly getting all 5 sets of 5.  Small silver lining. 

3/31/21 Wednesday March 31, 2021 (Texas method light - OHP, Chins, Prowler)

  Warm up

7:45am- Training session -  TM light - BB Squat, OHP, Chins, Prowler

BB Squat:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5 

265 x 3

still feels like shit on the left hip / IT band

no work sets

BB OHP:

warm up

45 bar x 5

95 x 5

155 x 3

175 x 1

work sets

185 x 5 x 3 sets

185 x 4 x 1 set

185 x 3 x 2 sets

25 reps - Just doing the work here. 

Chins

x 10 (chins were pretty strong today)

x 8

x 6

Prowler

3 45s each side x 2 rounds

rolling
hanging from the bar

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

9:15am - Complete

Notes -  Have had to take time off after the issue on my work set heavy squat last Friday.  I didn't lift on Monday, and had my bodyworker try and work on my legs, adductors, SI joint.  Definitely helped, but still having issues.  I was feeling better today and knew that the leg stuff probably wouldn't impact upper body work, and it didn't.  Light squats felt like shit and I just abandoned the idea. This is a tough one and is a real set back as I can't squat easily, and pushing hard into the floor on the deadlift is also troublesome as my body is subconsciously holding back. 

3/24/21 Wednesday March 24, 2021 (Texas method light - BB Squat, OHP, Chins, Prowler)

 Warm up

7:45am- Training session -  TM light - BB Squat, OHP, Chins, Prowler

BB Squat:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5

265 x 3

315 x 1

work sets
335 x 5 x 2 sets (happy with this, about 80% of Monday's 5x5 at 405)

BB OHP:

warm up

45 bar x 5

95 x 5

155 x 3

175 x 1

work sets

187.5 x 5 x 3 sets (PR)

187.5 x 4 x 1 set

187.5 x 3 fail on 4

187.5 x 2 fail on 3

187.5 x 1

25 reps -  Dropped this down from 200 lbs last Monday for 5x5 as I wanted to get back to doing more sets of 5, but frankly I screwed up here and should have been doing 180 not 187.5.  Frustrating.

Chins

x 10 (chins were pretty strong today)

x 8

x 6

Prowler

3 45s each side x 2 rounds

rolling
hanging from the bar

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

9:15am - Complete

Notes -  Decent today, but I overshot on the weight to backoff for OHP.  Probably should have been at 180lbs which I think certainly would have resulted in my being to get all sets of 5.  I had the same issue on the backoff for the bench.  I suspect there is so much accumulated fatigue here that I may need another slight reset on the overhead work on volume days so I can get back on track. I do want to start this with something that I can get for the full 5x5.

3/22/21 Monday March 22, 2021 (Texas method volume - BB Squat, Bench, DL)

 Warm up

7:45am- Training session -  TM volume - BB Squat, Bench, DL

BB Squat:
45 bar x 5 x 2 sets 

155 x 5

265 x 3
315 x 1

375 x 1

work sets 
405 x 5 x 5 sets (up from 5x5 at 400 last Monday - these were solid sets though my left SI and piriformis were unhappy)

BB Bench:
45 bar x 5
155 x 5
205 x 3

255 x 1

work sets (last Wednesday bench 5x5 was 290 - I'm resetting to create a larger spread between intensity day, and to try and get more 5s) 
270 x 5 x 3 sets

270 x 4 x 1 set 

270 x 2 x fail on 3

270 x 2 x fail on 3

25 reps (this sucked, did not go how I wanted it to)

BB DL (all hooked, no belt):

warm up
155 x 5
265 x 3

315 x 1

work sets

340 x 5 x 1 set (pulled very fast)

9:15am - Complete

Notes - A shit day. My left piriformis and SI were acting up on squats, a little out of the blue.  I had by acupuncturist release the piriformis later in the day, which was good.  Things just jammed up.  The bench sucked.  The squats really took it out of me, and I was rushing to get the bench sets done and not taking enough rests in between sets.  It was frustrating all around, and this after taking a step back to try and get more 5s.  I'm so irritated with this I will probably repeat this weight next week for bench and see if I can do a whole lot better.  The DL set of 5 with 340 felt good, so that's ok.