Ben's strength log

[Ben Byram]

Weight 13st 5.6lbs. (Down 0.8lbs this week).

I decided to tweak the lower body volume to 20' and keep the upper at 22', otherwise there's neglible difference after rounding to the nearest weight increment without microloading and my upper body is recovering fine, my squat volume is a little low.

Pause deadlift (1s hold below the knee going up)
120x4 @8
120x4 @8
125x4 @8
130x4 @9
122.5x4 @8
122.5x4 @8.5
122.5x4 @8
Forgot my tracky bottoms (sweat pants) and managed to tear my shins up nicely as well as catch my knee lowering a couple of reps. My timing of knee and hip flexion seems out as a result of the deficit deads. Or I'm just shit...hehe.

The day after my right shoulder is in bits, feels like I've aggravated on old rotator cuff injury. Aches constantly and feels weak, I'm hoping some mobility work, ice, epsom salts and ibuprofen will set it right. Funny, as it felt fine last night.

Barbell step-ups (step 2/3 inches above the knee making it below parallel)
35x4 @8.5
32.5x4 @8
32.5x4 @8
35x4 @8
32.5x4 @8
32.5x4 @8.5
My right leg is less stable and weaker than my left, presumably from a lot of lay-ups playing basketball as a kid?

Good mornings (flat-back) (2' rest)
50x10 @7
60x7 @8
60x8 @9
Quite liked these and it feels like they hit my hams harder than RDL's as I'm forced to do them nice and slow and grip isn't a factor.

Half getup (1.5)
12x6 @8 (L)
12x6 @7.5 (R)
12x6 @8.5 (L)
12x6 @8 (R)
12x6 @8.5 (L)
12x6 @9.5 (L)
Tedious inputting this. My L/R disparity isn't as bad as last week, I guess some of it is a coordination. Abs are fairly week in flexion.

[Ben Byram]

Felt really good today, loving this programme still. Fasted, preceeding a massive Nandos....mmmm.......

Pause narrow-grip bench press (1s)
67.5x4 @8
67.5x4 @8
67.5x4 @8
70x4 @9
65x4 @8
65x4 @8
67.5x4 @9

Hammer row (underhand grip) (1s hold squeezing shoulder blades together)
50x4 @8
50x4 @8
50x4 @8
55x4 @9
52.5x4 @8
52.5x4 @8.5
52.5x4 @8.5
52.5x4 @9

Rack lockout (deadstop, 2s rest at the bottom) (2' rest)
60x8 @8
60x8 @8.5
60x8 @9
I do these in our squat rack. About 4/5" off my chest.

Dumbell curl
16x10 @8
16x8 @8.5
16x7 @9.5

[Ben Byram]

This week x5@9-10.
Lower: 7% fatigue stress + 25'.
Upper: 8% fatigue stress + 28'.

I'm going to introduce more RPE 10 work over the next couple of months, but still focus on volume.

Squat
100x5 @9
100x5 @9
100x5 @10
92.5x5 @8
92.5x5 @10
+ technique good, getting more upright than I used to.
- weak as piss
A little annoying that I used do 100x5x2 as a light recovery day when doing TM.

RDL
120x5 @9
120x5 @10
112.5x5 @9
112.5x5 @9
112.5x5 @9.5
Grip limiting factor.

Front squat (2')
70x6 @8
70x6 @8.5
70x6 @9

Partial ab roll-out (6 feet from wall)
BWx2 @9 (2' rest)
BWx2x5 @10 (Rest from 1.5-3’)
These are a good challenge. Will do these longer than the normal 2-4 weeks on supplementary work as I want to do a full ROM standing roll-out. These were much harder going a foot further out. I'm 6'1", so used my height as a measurment.

[Ben Byram]

13st 2lbs (184lbs) this morning. I've lost a stone in 8 weeks, that's 14lbs to most of you guys. Have lost 2" around my waist.

Not had time to analyse it proplerly, but I haven't lost much if any upper body strength I think, but my squat has got a bit weaker. I think the squat strength loss may be a result of doing unilateral work on the second session of the week rather than squatting, not sure squatting once a week is enough for me. I'm not planning to lose much more weight, so I'll run with the unilateral stuff a little longer and see what happens anyway.

I'm planning to do the exercises I think are most effective for me towards the end of the cycle, is this the conjugate method?....hmmmm.......

Bench press
80x5 @9
80x5 @9.5
80x5 @10
72.5x5 @9
72.5x5 @9.5
72.5x5 @9.5
72.5x5 @9.5
Improved my arch in the last few sets.

Pull-ups
(BW+5)x5 @8
(BW+7.5)x5 @9.5
(BW+6.25)x5 @9.5
(BW+6.25)x5 @9
(BW+7.5)x5 @10
(BW+2.5)x5 @10
(BWx5) @9.5
(BWx5) @10
Weight loss helping these.

Arnold press (2')
24x6 @8.5
24x6 @9
24x6 @10

Cable flies (2')
15x7 @8
15x7 @9
15x7 @10

[Ben Byram]

Felt less than chipper following a 4 day bender in Latvia for my stag do, only including 2 meals that weren't beer.

This week x3 @8-9, 3% fatigue, 18' lower.

Squat
102.5x3 @8
102.5x3 @8.5
102.5x3 @9
100x3 @9
Squat is going down. Hopefully I can rectify this when I kill the diet off shortly.

RDL
125x3 @8.5
120x3 @8
120x3 @8.5
122.5x3 @8
125x3 @9
Made a bit of a mess with the RPE's, felt stronger as I got going.

Front squat (2')
70x7 @9
70x7 @9
70x7 @9

Ab roller (1.5-2')
BWx2x6 @9-10
Knees: BWx7 @8.5
Brutal. 6" from the wall.