Books and Fitness: Final week of August

Monday

• Went to Gym. Did Chest
  • New bench max 231lbs
  • Started my homemade 5/3/1 this week for real
• Read some ‘The Rage of Dragons’ by Evan Winter
  • It’s good so far. Like the setting.

Tuesday

• Day off gym on new plan
• Read some ‘The Rage of Dragons’ by Evan Winter

Wednesday

• Read some ‘The Rage of Dragons’ by Evan Winter
• Squat day at gym
  • New max 235. This is down from prior, but I wanted to lower weights as I am trying a new setup.

Thursday

• Read some ‘The Rage of Dragons’ by Evan Winter
• Day off gym

Friday

• Bench Day again and sumo deadlift day.
  • Sumo max now at 298lbs
  • I’m switching to doing sumo deads because I feel like I have better form that way.
• Read some ‘The Rage of Dragons’ by Evan Winter

 

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Analysis

Here are my theoretical 1RMs from last week:

• Bench: 230lbs
• Squats: 249lbs
• Deads: 299lbs
• Overheads: 145lbs

Here are this weeks theoretical 1RMs:

• Bench: 231lbs
• Squats: 249lbs
• (Sumo) Deads: 298lbs
• Overheads: 145lbs (This is never going up again, and I’m fine with that)

 

Schedule recalibrated, and I’m now using a program I made for myself. It’s less intense than nSuns on both the macro and micro level (gyming fewer days a week, shorter workouts), and frankly that’s making me more excited to go to the gym. Part of my new plan has me remaining static on weights for OH presses, because I don’t want to risk my shoulder by constantly increasing the weight. Also, I’m switching to doing sumo deadlifts exclusively, because I feel like my form is better that way.

You may have noticed I haven’t been getting stronger for the last few months. I’m doing all this while on a fairly serious weight cut. Right now I’m losing between 1-2lbs a week (aka .5- 1kg a week). My lack of calories/protein is really taking the punch out of my workouts. At the beginning of August I weighed 215lbs (91.5kg), but now two months later I’m down to 202lbs (91.6kg). I’m presently aiming for 185-190lbs (84-86kg) or so as a goal, though honestly I’m pretty happy with where I am right now.

I didn’t do cardio this week, in part because I’m not feeling very energetic (again, thanks to my diet)

Here are my theoretical all-time max 1RM from last year:

• Bench Press: 260 lbs (118kg)
• Squat: 316lbs (143kg)
• Deadlift: 366lbs (165 kg)
• Overhead Press: 171lbs (78kg)

I have a while to go before I get back my lost gains.