Ben's strength log

[Ben Byram]

3RM's... no back-off sets today because this should have been done on Saturday and I'm mindful of recovery before Tuesday's 'heavy' session.


Power clean
85x3 @10
Equal to my best 3RM.
Technique points I'm working on:
- Setting the back with as much arch as possible.
- Squeezing the bar off the floor and accelerating throughout the lift.
- Hitting FULL extension. I struggle with this.
- Pulling myself under the bar aggressively at full-extension.

Incline bench press
72.5x3 @10
Have been fiddling with grip-width. Opted for 2nd finger on first olympic ring. This is half-way between my relatively narrow press grip and my standard bench grip. My logic being it should carry over effectively to both. Feels strongest too.

Front squat
100x3 @10
102.5x3* @10
New 3RM!

Face-pull
30x12 @8
30x12 @8.5
30x12 @8

[Ben Byram]

Squat
132.5x2 @10
100x7 @8.5

Bench press
100x2 @11
70x8 @8.5
Spotter touched the bar on the 2nd rep, but probably wasn't going to make it. *%^&@@ bench!!!! Not convinced the incline press on my medium day is the best choice, I suspect the narrow-grip bench would be better. However, I will stick with it for a couple of 4-week cycles to see.

Deadlift
190x2 @10
New 2RM. Had a little spare. Tried to pull 170x1 with a double overhand grip in the warm-up, but put it down before it slipped out of my hand. Power seems to dip just below the knee, then pick up again mid-thigh.

[Ben Byram]

3 hours walking in the Lake District.

[Ben Byram]

Power clean
90kg, 3 misses.
All the explosiveness of a wet sponge. Almost racked the last one for what it's worth. Wearing Nike Frees on a rubber floor probably doesn't help transfer power to the floor, but is no excuse. Annoying.

Incline bench press
75x2 @10
55x12 @9.5

Front squat
107.5x2 @10
110x2 @10
90x5 @9
PB!
Got a bit overzealous with the back-off set, 80kg would have been better.

Face-pull
35x7 @9
35x7 @9
35x7 @9
Done these for 6 weeks, so going to bin them. My shoulders feel better, but not fixed. However, don't these are the answer. Started some scap pull-ups in the warm-up today and found a big difference in mobility between my left and right scapula.

[Ben Byram]

Deload. Worked up to fairly light set of 5 in the following, plus did a few very light snatches experimenting with grip width. Not sure what is recommended. Normally my hands go right to the collars for OHS and SN, but I went in by some of the little rings. Felt better on my wrist and shoulders now my shoulders are flexible enough to handle the narrower grip.

Decided I can't be bothered with recording everything on deload week, just giving it all a break. Plus the weights are tiny.

Overhead squat
Cable row
Press
Barbell curl - going to start doing these next block purely for my creaky elbows. Honest.
X-trainer 15' ~140HR.

[Ben Byram]

Squat
105x4 @9
105x4 @ 9
107.5x4 @10

Bench press
80x4 @9
80x4 @9.5
80x4 @10

Deadlift
150x4 @9.5
147.5x4 @9.5
147.5x4 @10

Pretty poor workout, but felt very tired following a stressful week.

[Ben Byram]

Overhead squat
40x4 @8.5
40x4 @8
42.5x4 @8
45x4 @9
45x4 @10
Started snatching into the overhead position to practice them. Narrowed the grip recently and feels stronger.

Barbell row (Pendlay style from the floor)
80x4 @11
75x4 @9
75x4 @9.5
75x4 @10
Decided to swap cable row for these because I think they fit better into my programme and I prefer to work with a barbell.

Press
60x4 @9
60x4 @9
60x4 @9.5
60x4 @10

One-arm swing
20x15x2
Added for recovery and make my back feel better, not pushing them whatsover.

X-trainer
15' @120-140HR

[Ben Byram]

Power clean
72.5x4 @9
72.5x4 @9
72.5x4 @8.5
72.5x4 @9
72.5x4 @9
72.5x5 @9.5
72.5x4 @9.5
Focused on squeezing the weight off the floor then accelerating through my heels. Stopped after 7 sets because my knee was getting painful.

Incline bench press
65x4 @9
65x4 @9
65x4 @9
65x4 @9
65x4 @9
65x4 @9
65x4 @9.5
65x4 @10

Front squat
87.5x4 @9
87.5x4 @9.5
87.5x4 @9
87.5x4 @10
Got tired by this stage, took too long a rest before the 4th set.

Barbell curls
32x10x3 (2’ rest between sets)
Added because my elbow joints a giving me jip, and this helps.

Got a good amount of volume in today, so happy.

[Ben Byram]

Waving the volume week by week. This week doubles at 8-9RPE (start with 2-3 reps spare and stop when only 1 spare).

Squat
115x2 @8
115x2 @8
115x2 @8
115x2 @8.5
115x2 @8
115x2 @8
115x2 @ 8
115x2 @ 8
115x2 @8.5
115x2 @8
117.5x2 @9
Technique felt better and better the more practice I got with doubles.

Bench press
82.5x2 @8.5
82.5x2 @8
82.5x2 @8.5
80x2 @8
80x2 @8
80x2 @8
80x2 @8
80x2 @8
80x2@8
80x2 @8.5
82.5x2 @9
A narrow foot position feels stronger.

RDL
140x2@8
140x2 @8
140x2 @8.5
140x2 @9
RPE's a bit skewed by grip, these were more based on how the rest of my body felt. Hands felt weak though.

Today took forever, but I can see the benefit in lots of low rep sets in terms of easy volume at a decent %1RM for me.

[Ben Byram]

Overhead squat
45x2 @8
45x2 @7.5
47.5x2 @8
50x2 @8
50x2 @8.5
50x2 @8.5
50x2 @9

Barbell row from the floor
75x2 @8
75x2 @8
75x2 @7.5
77.5x2 @8
77.5x2 @8.5
77.5x2 @8.5
77.5x2 @9

Press
62.5x2 @8
62.5x2 @8
62.5x2 @8
62.5x2 @8
62.5x2 @8
62.5x5 @9

KB swing
20x16x2

CV 10' @120-140HR, 5' X-trainer and 5' bike as my knee was bothering me and the bike seems to help.