Weighing a little over 185 lbs when I wake up these days. But I have always said I look much better (i.e. attractive to the majority of people who are attracted to men's bodies) when I'm in the 180-185 range than I do when I'm 190-200 range.

My actual muscle size seems to max out when I'm a lean 185. As I go higher, my gains tend more toward water retention and body fat. Sure I can bench and squat more at higher weights because of improved leverage (better pulling efficiency of muscles whose angles of insertion improves with mass) and stability...but I am just as good on movements that don't involve the stretch-reflex such as the deadlift of the first rep of a standing press.

I am aiming to Olympic squat with belt and wraps a set of five with 405 or more in the next four weeks (actually aiming for 415-420). This would put my no-no-no Olympic squat at 405 or more for a single: about 40 lbs below my best ever no-no-no at 195, but I'd be thrilled to be no-no-no high bar squatting 405 at 185.

Left knee was screwed last night as fluid accumulated. Feeling better today.

Olympic Back Squat [light/loose wraps at 45, belt at 345, heavy/medium tight wraps at 365]
45 x 6 x 4
135 x 6
225 x 4
275 x 2
315 x 1
345 x 1
355 x 1
365 x 5 [RPE 9]

45-Degree Leg Press, Squat Shoes/Depth 425 x 16
Seated Leg Extension w/ lever 45 x 20 x 3

Olympic Squat with belt and wraps 365 x 5

-Notes-
I decided this would be a good week to wave volume down, so I only did one set of the two heavy movements. I wanted to do at least some paused squats, but my body was just done with having weight on my traps.

Today was a huge weight increase for the squat because I used belt and wraps. Also I kept the wraps on the entire time because my left knee is still a little effused from the no no no squats last week. I moved up to the True Black wraps for the work sets because wanted to get the extra help to rep 365. I need to get used to heavier weights and protect my knees this cycle. And I want to get over 405 for a classic gear set of five in four more weeks.

Combo Press and Pull

Standing Barbell Press [suicide grip, just inside rings]
45 x 10 x 2
100 x 5
115 x 3
125 x 2
135 x 1
140 x 1
145 x 1
150 x 5
135 x 6

Glute-Ham Raise [pin hole #2] x 5
Weighted Chin Up @~190
+00 x 3, 5
+45 x 2
+70 x 1
+80 x 5

Close Grip Bench Press [suicide grip, inch inside rings]
45 x 20
135 x 6
165 x 6 x 2

Lingenfelser Row with 120-lb DB x 15 right, 15 left

-Notes-
Standing Press close to strongest ever, maybe 10 or 15 lbs away; supine pressing still weak, but right shoulder was 98% okay today and I was able to add weight. But then my right shoulder got hurt from bracing for the DB rows at the very end of the session. Chin up was also about the best I've ever done. Going to progress cautiously with five lbs per session so I hit 90 lbs for five and then 100 lbs for five in two and four weeks respectively.

GHR revealed that there is still a problem with the right hamstrings. That is why I only did one set of five and decided to leave out heavy pulls from the floor.


Standing Barbell Press 150 x 5


Weighted Chin Up @190 + 80 x 5


Lingenfelser Row with 120-lb DB x 15

Squat and Assistance

Olympic Back Squat [no belt or wraps]
45 x 12 x 2
135 x 6 x 2
205 x 4
255 x 3
275 x 2
295 x 1
305 x 1
315 x 4 x 2
45-Degree Leg Press [squat shoes/stance/depth] 405 x 15 x 2
Seated Leg Extension [lever loaded with 45 lbs] 45 x 20 x 2

-Notes-
I missed Wednesday squats so I squatted on Friday. Will try to get back on schedule next week. I have two seasonal positions with UPS that will have me working five hours in the warehouse and five to ten hours as a driver helper, Monday through Friday, starting this coming Monday. I'd like to fill up the weekend with press and assistance on Saturday and pull and assistance on Sunday with squat and assistance on Wednesday. I was going to wait out today and just start squatting on the coming Wednesday (since I missed this Wednesday due to UPS interview and orientation), but I felt like my squat would have dropped to below 315 if I waited another few days to get under the bar.

I worked very hard on controlling the descent in the squat and keeping the right quad in the movement instead of letting the left take over. I'm including leg extensions to hit the rectus femoris (which isn't well stimulated in the squat or leg press (since the RF crosses the hip and extends at the hip joint as it contracts at the knee joint). I'm also going for more volume in the squat instead of just doing singles there. I also lowered the weight slightly and went for more reps per set with the leg press.

Oh, and I ended up training fasted at 3-5 pm because I just have no appetite today all day. I've only had a cup of coffee this morning and a few cups of water during the session and haven't eaten solid food since last night (about 18 hours now). I weighed 190 this morning and weighed 188 after my evening shower.

We leave for Europe right after Christmas so I have a little over five weeks to train before taking a forced two-week break. I'm attempting to keep up the volume and fight the weight loss that has been afflicting me.

My squat goal for Wed 27/12/17 is 365 x 6 x 2 @ 188 (double bodyweight for reps); I will deadlift heavy the week before that so I have something from which to recover.

No More Meets

Didn't go to the meet. Turns out I really hate crowds. I prefer recording my lifts for my social media for myself and my close family to enjoy.

Tomorrow I restart the usual We-Sa-Su schedule. Volume is the goal.

Pre-Meet Press Day

Standing Barbell Press [suicide grip, pinkies touching rings]
45 x 10 x 4
75 x 10
100 x 5
115 x 3
125 x 2
130 x 2
135 x 2
140 x 2
145 x 3 + miss
[145 x 5 x 2 10/25/2017]

Close Grip Bench Press [suicide grip, inch inside rings] 135 x 8 x 4

-Notes-

Right shoulder still hurting a bit and not feeling good on competition grip bench press. Lots of warming up let me press overhead, but I failed to get four reps with the top weight; though the doubles on the ramp up helped add volume near top weight.

Pre-Meet Squat and Assistance Day

Olympic Squat [belt at 375, no wraps]
45 x 12 x 3
135 x 6 x 2
225 x 3 x 2
275 x 2 x 2
315 x 1 x 2
345 x 1
375 x 1

45-Degree Leg Press, Squat Style 445 x 12 x 2
Hip Belt Squat Machine with Squat Shoes 135 x 9

-Notes-

Tried Chalk It Up's new hip belt machine. Surprisingly tough. It does make sense, though; the glutes and hams are removed from helping out so it's all quad strength. It is to the leg extension what the GHR is to the leg curl; the lower leg stays fixed while the knee flexes or extends to move the bidy.

Two plates per side were really hard and I had to lower it back to just one plate per side (pps), which I note as "135", in order to get reps. After all the squats and leg presses, this nearly made me throw up.

This was a light pre-meet squat session. A lot more warm ups and ramp ups. And I didn't push it. Didn't bother with wraps today. And I am not planning to squat more than 400 even with belt and wraps at the meet.

I weighed ~193 into the night. I will easily make the 198 class on Saturday at weigh-in.

Back/Pull Day

Weighted Chin Up @ 191
+00 x 3 x 2
+45 x 2
+60 x 1
+70 x 6

Glute-Hamstring Raise @ 191
Pin #3 x 5
Pin #2 x 3 x 4

Stiff-Legged Continuous Pull 
315 x 5
355 x 3
375 x 1
385 x 6

Lingenfelser Row 120-lb DB x 12 right, 12 left
Standing Alternating Hammer Curl 45-lb DB x 6 x 2

-Notes-

Strength dropping on squats and shoulder too unstable to press, but pulls doing okay. New rep max with 70-lb chins. Also much more weight on the continuous stiff-legged pull. I think 12 is a new rep max for 120-lb DB row, too. I was hoping to get a couple top sets with these movements, but it was not too be.

Standing Barbell Press
45 x 10 x 3
100 x 5

Olympic Back Squat [no belt or wraps]
45 x 9 x 3
135 x 6
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 2
345 x 1
365 x 1, miss

Olympic Back Squat [no belt or wraps]
45 x 10 x 2
135 x 6
225 x 3
315 x 2
355 x 1
385 x 1 [RPE 9]

45-Degree Leg Press, squat style 445 x 10 x 2
Hamstring Raise on GHR [hole 3] @ 190 x 5 x 2

Down a few pounds and squat is suffering.