531 Day 29

1.  Incline
185x5; 225x3; 255x5 (PR) . . . 225x9 . . . 135x10

2.  BB Row
135x10; 135x10; 135x10; 135x10

Notes
5 lb PR at 255 (formerly 250x5), and 1 rep PR at 225 (formerly 225x8). Wanted to go for a one rep max tonight, but the TV guy called and said he was 10 minutes away as I was warming up. So I just had Amanda spot me and I banged out some rep PR's.  Surprised I'm still hitting decent weights at this point. *shrug* Finished the above sets in 15 minutes then ran my ass home to welcome my new Panasonic 65 inch plasma.

531 Day 28

Cycle 3 Week 3

531

1. BTN Press

135x5; 150x3; 165x1 . . . 190x1 (PR); 200x0 . . . 135x12 (PR)

2a. Bent Row (45 deg)

135x8; 135x8; 135x8

2b.  Hypers

10; 10; 10

Notes

Finally hit a new 1 rep on BTN press. Only 5 pounds, but its a PR.  135x12 is a 4 rep jump over my prior PR.  I was so close to 200, I just ran out of juice.  I have it in me, and I'm hitting that shit before I move on from this exercise.

Strength can be a weird  thing.  I've been sick, my triceps were sore as fuck today, and I completely annihilated my biceps walking halfway across the city with 2 pumpkins.  I wasn't even going to lift tonight, but its been so sporadic I basically forced myself so I didn't lose anything. In short, my strength should've sucked.  But it didn't.  So who fucking knows.

I've pretty much given up on trying to time shit or account for all the variables.   Sometimes sleep matters, sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes diet matters, sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes stress is a strength killer, and sometimes its a motivator.  The list goes on and on.  I enjoy structure and I think its great to have a plan. At the same time, building in a little flexibility seems to be working well for me.

531 Day 27

Cycle 3 Week 3

531

1.  Incline
185x5; 205x3; 225x1 . . .  245x2; 245x2; 260x1; 275x1 . . . 225x5; 185x8; 185x8

2a.  Inverted Row
10; 10; 10

2b. Windmill
70x3; 70x3; 70x3

3.  3 Month Position Pullover
44x8; 44x8; 44x8

Notes
Blah night.  Bar didn't feel great warming up, but I decided to work up and see how it went.  275 is my 1 rep max.  I have a new PR in me for sure, its just hitting it on the right night.  This session was on Wednesday.

Extra workout Day 22

1a.  RDL
135x10; 135x10; 135x10

1b. Pushup
10; 10; 10

2a. Hip Thrusts
10; 10; 10

2b.  Chins
5; 5; 5

3a.  Facepulls w/ Band
15; 15; 15

3b.  DB Curls
35x8; 35x8; 35x8

Notes
Quick apartment session at 9pm.  Got home at 845, rushed downstairs, did a token session, then came back up and ate at 915.  These sessions are more for health than anything else at this point haha.  I basically use weight to stretch and get my joints moving on different planes.  Still feels good, and keeps me moving well.

531 Day 26

Cycle 3 Week 2

1.  BTN Press
135x3; 155x3; 165x3. . . 135x3; 135x3

2. Pendlay
165x3; 185x3; 210x3 . . . 225x2; 235x5 (PR) . . . 135x5; 135x5

3a.  Pushups?

3b. Hip Thrusts
135x8; 135x8; 135x8

Some other stuff

Notes
This was on Saturday. Lifting sessions are pretty haphazard right now. I was just going to run straight sets, but I said fuck it, and hit a decent pendlay PR.  Previous PR was 225x5.  Honestly don't remember what else I did, although I do remember the hip thrusts, which are starting to feel great.  I've found my foot angle and placement make a big difference in the glute contraction.  Pushing the knees out seems to work well.

Extra Day 21

Warmup: Pushup x 10 , 10; Chin x5, x5

1a.  Close grip bench

135x10; 135x10; 135x10

1b.  Facepulls w/ band

12; 12; 12

2a. Single Leg Quad Extension

10x8; 10x8; 10x8

2b.  Scaption

2.5x10; 2.5x10; 2.5x10

2c. Curl

40x8; 40x8; 40x8

Notes

Quick little pump in the apartment before dinner.  I'm dropping 531 to 2x during the week, and then on the weekend I'll do a bigger muscle building/conditioning/carry session.  This may be my last cycle with it for a while.  I'm loving the progress, but I have other fish to fry.

Also, front delts were insanely sore from incline.... Like insanely sore.  Pushups legit hurt.

531 Day 25

Cycle 3 Week 2

1. Incline

165x3; 185x3; 210x12(PR) . . . 225x2; 250x5 (PR) . . . 135x10; 135x10

2a.  Strict BB Row

135x8; 135x8; 135x8; 135x8

2b.  Hip Thrusts

BWx10; 70x8; 70x8; BWx10

3a.  KB Windmill

70x3; 70x3

3b. Facepulls

60x15; 60x15

Notes

Demolished incline tonight. Wasn't even feeling great warming up, but the reps just kept cranking out. Previous high rep PR was 205x11, so up in weight and a rep. Previous PR at 250 was a double. I feel really good about 250x5.  After a fatiguing set too.  By far the best incline pressing I've ever done.