531 1d Squat for Max - Nov 30

Squat. Dreading this day all week, knowing it was going to be really uncomfortable, and a foray into the unknown. Came away energized, however, knowing that I can both do more and do deeper. I also relearned that this is what my body responds to - moving heavy weight. Mechanically, I'm built for it. Mentally, I always was. I've lost some focus over these lax years. I think with a little work, I should see some new gains and numbers if I challenge myself.

Didn't break parallel at 345, but it didn't feel heavy either.

10x45/10x135/5x225/3x275/1x295/1x315/1x325/1 (ugly one)x345
17 mins.

3x5 @ 225
5 mins.

PM
Death by KB swings
2 pood: 17.11 rounds.
18 mins.

7.5 - 1 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 41 minutes total, PE: 7.

531 1d Press for Max - Nov 29

Press for Max
5x95/3x115/1x135/1x175/0x185/0x180
8 mins.
Was working off of a 160 max number this round of 531, so 175 is an improvement. 185 just felt like the weight of the world on my shoulder ... girdle.

Bench
10x185/10x205/7x255
7 mins.

Antagonists
4 rounds, no timer
Underbar horz pulls x10
DB recline press x10 @ 65
... one more set of pulls.
10 mins.

7.5 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 26 minutes total, PE: 7. 224/13.

531 1d Dead for Max + Cardio - Nov 28

AM
Dead for Max
5x135/3x225/1x275/0x315/1x295/1x315/0x325
23 mins.

So, during December's 531, we're working off of a 315 max instead of a 290.

3 rounds x 12, no timer.
Extensions @ 195/210/225
Hamstring curl @ 125//110
Seated calf @ 75
7 mins.

PM
Rower x 3K - 12.45
Treadmill @ 3.3 mph inclined from 2 - 12 and back down on the minute - 24
37 mins.

Beat 13 minutes on the rower for 3K tonight without really trying. Things are looking up.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 24 hours. 67 minutes total, PE: 7.

531 1d Press - Nov 27

531 Press
Rx @ 58/72/86
Actual: x10  @ 65/75/85
5 mins.

BBB antagonists
5x10 Press @ 95 (60%=96)
5x max reps neutral grip pulls (8-6, pretty much)
13 mins.

2x rotator cuff pulls x10 @ 10
3 mins.

7.5 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 22 minutes total, PE: 7.

531 1d Squat Day - Nov 26

Buy in
3x12
Hamstring Curl @ 125/Extensions @ 195/210/225
6 mins.

531 deload
Rx @ 103/128/154
Actual: x10 - 105/120/145
11 mins.
--
BBB deload stuff
4x10 @ 145 (50% = 142)
Seated Calf @ 60 x12
Donkey raises x10 @ 210
7 mins.

Felt like shite afterwards.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 72 hours. 25 minutes total, PE: 9.

AR - Nov 25

Today it was ice skating, with only one really hard fall onto the hard ice.

Otherwise, it's been par for the course for this long Thanksgiving weekend with too little bad sleep and tootoo much bad food.

531 1c Bench - Nov 23

Buy in
Death by (wide grip) chins
7.9 rounds, yes, you read it right.
8 mins.

Rotator cuff stuff - 2x
4 mins

531 Bench
Rx: 5/3/1 @ 219/249/278
Actual: 10x 135/5x 225/3x 250/5x 275
--
BBB push - 5 rounds
Underbar horz pulls x10
Bar dips - max reps (10-6)
Bench x10 @ 225/195/185///

Last 531, the heavy stuff was harder, and the BBB work at 60% was very doable. This time around, the heavy stuff is laughably easy, and the BBB sets aren't repping out. No speculation or explanation, just an observation.

7 hours - 2300/0600. 24 hours. 47 minutes total, PE: 8.

Turkey Bowl - Nov 22

Call this an S run day. Ran routes late in the game just to get in some work.

7 hours - 2300/0600. 24 hours. 90 minutes total, PE: 7.

531 1c Deadlift - Nov 21

Buy in
Power Cleans in .30 on 1.15
8x 95/6x115/6x 135/6x145
5 mins.

531 Dead
Rx: 5/3/1 @ 196/222/248
Actual: 10x 175/5x 195/3x 225/4x 255
...too easy.
9 mins.

BBB stuff
5x10 @ 175 (60%=174)
Seated Calf x12 @ 70
Donkey raises @ 210
... no seated calf for the last two sets. Welcome to DoucheXchange, where dickweeds pop on their headphones and sit on exercise machines to the chagrin of overly polite lifters.
11 mins.

7 hours - 2300/0600. 24 hours. 26 minutes total, PE: 8.

531 1c Press Day + S Bike - Nov 20

Buy in
Death by (wide grip chins)
9.7 rounds
12 mins.

531 Press
Rx: 5/3/1 @ 108/122/137
Actual: 5x 110/3x 125/5x 135
6 mins.
 ... the single felt easy, so I added weight to the 60%, but then had to back off in round 4:

BBB
5x10 @ 100 (60%=96) 10/10/8/7 @ 95/10
Max reps neutral grip pulls (6's-7's)
12 mins.

Rotator Cuff work - 2 rounds
3 mins.

PM
3x Garces loops repeats
9.3 mi.
37 mins.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 24 hours. 35 + 37 minutes total, PE: 9.

531 1c Squat Day - Nov 19

Buy in
3x10-7 FtB
4 mins.

531 Squat
5/3/1 Rx @ 192/218/244
Actual:  10x bar/5x 195/3x 215/3x 245
9 mins.

BBB - loose timer
5x10 Squat @ 170 (60%=171)
x12 Seated calf @ 55#
x12-10 A-frame @ 5
13 mins.

Easy on the A-frame as my right achilles tendon was talking to me all weekend.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 48 hours. 27 minutes total, PE: 9.

The Last Word on Performance/Perception.

The bulk/cut approach holds that you can either add muscle or lose bodyfat, and that all training should be concerned with one or the other. This assumes that aesthetics is the criterion by which progress is measured, that pictures therefore tell the story, and that picture magazines can be the arbiters of success. This type of thinking completely ignores the performance aspects of training, and performance is much more easily and rapidly influenced. Rapid, quantifiable progress keeps motivation high, much higher than waiting for a six-pack that may or may not show up.
- Mark Rippetoe

Bonus day - Nov 17

4 rounds, in .30 on 1.15
KB swings x12+ @ 2 pood
Pull ups - 8's
Press @ 120 - 8's
15 mins.

9.5 - 3 hours - 2230/0800. 24 hours. 15 minutes total, PE: 7.

Cl - Nov 16

4 Rounds, x10-12
Ab Wheel rollouts
Hamstring Curl @ 125
Extensions @ 190/210/225/240
11 mins.

4 Rounds, x10-12
Goblet Squat @ 35/40/45/50
Donkey Calf x12 @ 210
Seated Calf @ 80///55
11 mins.

6.5 hours - 2330/0600. 24 hours. 23 minutes total, PE: 7.

531 1b Bench - Nov 15

Buy in
Death by Pullups - by 2's
6 rounds; to 11
7 mins.

531 Bench
Rx: 3x3 @ 205/235/263
Actual 3x 205/235/x6 265
Probably should have warmed up better, but the pull ups were enough, I guess. I hope.
5 mins.

BBB stuff, in .30 on 1.15
5x10 DB recline presses @ 65's
Underbar horz pulls
13 mins.

Cash out
3x rotator cuff work
7 mins.

7.5 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 33 minutes total, PE: 8.

531 1b Deadlift + Row/Hill - Nov 14

AM
Buy in
3x12
Extensions @ 195/210/225
Hamstring curl @ 110/125//
4 mins.

531 Deadlift
3x3 Rx'ed @ 183/209/235
Actual: x10 @175/x3 185/x3 215/x4 235
10 mins.

BBB work
4x 10 @ 175 (174 is 60% - and the 5th set was 531 warmup - will do this on Dead days from here on out) 
Seated calf x10-12 @ 70
A-frame x12 @ 5.25
11 mins.

Serious doubts about being able to continue 531 as Rx'ed. Not the weight, which seems too light to take seriously, but the press/press work. I'm unable to reach into the wallet pocket. This is from yesterday's work. I will not jack my rotator cuff again.
Either I'll tweak the BBB work or just remove the Bench pressing altogether.

PM
Row 3k - 14 mins
Treadmill incline walk 2.0 degrees to 10.0 and back down @ 3.3mph - 20 min
Row 3k - 13 mins - (12.54)
There's a big difference between 14 mins and 13 mins on that row. Put forth an effort to break 13 and felt a little woozy afterward.

7.5 - 1 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 26 + 47 minutes total, PE: 7.

531 1b Press - Nov 13

Buy in
3x7 FtB
3 mins.

531 Press 3x3
100 x3/135 x3/x4
Rx @ 101/115/130
8 mins.
Rx just felt way too light - however, feel like I'm sowing some impingement in the left shoulder.

BBB - antagonistic
5x10 press @ 95 (60%)
5x max reps pull ups (8's)
13 mins.

7.5 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 25 minutes total, PE: 7.

531 1b Squat Day - Nov 12

Buy in
4-way planking on Tabata timer
8 mins.

531 Squat
3x3 @ (bar x8/145 x10) 180 x3/205 x3/235 x5
Rx @ 180/205/231
15 mins - spent a lot of time looking around the White lane BodyX for plates.

BBB
4x10 @ 145
(Counted one during the 3x3 warm up)
8  ins.

3 rounds
A-frame @ 4 x14
Seated calves @ 45 x12
6 mins.

Last up
Gentle Yoga session.

7.5 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 38 minutes total, PE: 7.

Bonus Day PP + Hinge - Nov 11

4 rounds, in .30 on 1.15
Max rep pulls, 10's
Max rep ring dips, 10's
KB swings, 2 pood, 12's

8.5 hours - 2230/0700. 24 hours. 16 minutes total, PE: 6.

S Run + Pulls - Nov 10

AM
5 x 100/10 air squat/100 in 1.00 on 2.05
10 mins.

PM
4x max reps (6's) neutral grip pulls

7ish hours - 2230/0630. 24 hours. No timer today, PE: 8.

Squat Cleans Cl - Nov 9

Buy in
3x10 Ab Wheel Rollouts

Antagonists 3x12
Hamstring curl @ 125
Extensions @ 195/210/225

Main Set
Squat Clean 6x115/7x115/8x125/7x125/7x115

7 hours - 2230/0530. 24 hours. No timer today, PE: 8.

531 Bench 1a - Nov 8

Buy in
3x9ish in .30 on 1.14
FtB
4 mins.

531 Bench
3x5 @ 175/205/235 x10
Rx @ 178/206/233
7 mins.

BBB
5x10 @ 165 (50% is 155)
Alternate with
Underbar Horz pulls x10
11 mins.

I think I'm going to try to work at 55% for BBB. But I got the bright idea to just raise the max until the 10 rep sets move up into the 55% current range. Wouldn't hurt to move more weight during the what-are-supposed-to-be-heavier efforts anyway.

New settings:
Squat: 285
Press: 160
Dead: 290
Bench: 325
I hope to max in 3 weeks and reset all these numbers. Damn that squat max anyway.

7.5 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 22 minutes total, PE: 6.

531 Deads 1a + Pulls - Nov 7

AM
Buy in
3x12
Hamstring curl/Extensions @ 180/195/210
Loose timer, 4 mins.

531 Deads
3x5 @ 165/195/215 x6
Rx @ 167/192/218
7 mins.

BBB
5x10 @ 155 (50% is 142)
Alternate with
Seated calf @ 60 x12
Donkey raises x10 @ 210
12 mins.

I think I'm going to try to work at 55% for BBB. The alternative is to work at 50%, but re-max and reset at a higher 90% benchmark. Ten rep sets just come naturally to me, maybe.

PM
4x max reps deadhang mixed grip pulls on the gravitron (6's) in .30 on 1.15
4x max reps with 25# assist (10's+)
10 mins.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 24 hours. 35 minutes total, PE: 8.

531 Press 1a - Nov 6

Buy in
3x7 FtB in .30 on 1.15
4 mins.

531 Press
3x5 @ 95/105/125 x6
Rx @ 91/105/119
4 mins.

BBB Press in .30 on 1.15
5x10-11 @ 75 (50% @ 77)
Alternate with max rep pull ups (6-4's)
13 mins.

8 hours, bad sleep - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 22 minutes, PE: 6.

531 Squat 1a - Nov 5

531 Squat
x10 bar/3x5 @ 155/185/205
Rx:158/182/207
8 mins
and
BBB
5x10 @ 135 (50%)
9 mins.

RDL
3x10 @ 135
5 mins.

8 hours - 2130/0530 (time change). 24 hours. 23 minutes, PE: 7.

S run - Nov 4

4 min warm up/down jogs to the bike path, where...
6 tenth mi sprints/walks in .34-37 on 2:30-2:45
160 meters in half a minute? Doesn't sound very fast. Worried about the achilles tendons, but all was well, as I strided the first halfs.

9 hours - 2300/0700 (time change). 24 hours. 24 minutes, PE: 7.

Bonus Day - Nov 3

4 rounds in .30 on 1.15
2 pood KB swings x10
max rep strict chins, semi narrow grip (x4's, mostly)
10 mins.

Tabata Bag work
7 mins.

Assistance:
...narrow grip curls 4x10... part of this experiment with chins.
4 mins

8 +2 hours - 2330/0730. 24 hours. 22 minutes, PE: 7.

Squat DE day - Nov 2

Buy in
4 rounds, loose timer
Hamstring curl x12-10 @ 125
Extensions x12 @ 180/195/210/225
6 mins.

Main set - 3x10 each
Overhead Squat @ 65/85/95
Front Squat @ 135///
Back Squat @ 185///
20 mins.

8.5 hours - 2130/0600. 24 hours. 27 minutes, PE: 9.

Spin.

It's a tragedy, and sad, and nothing to poke fun at, but someone has to call bullshit. Today, the media's dancing to the tune of Staten Island's plight and the slow response from aid workers there. The sideshow is how a mother had her two sons ripped from her loving arms by the hurricane, never to be seen again:

NEW YORK (AP) — The mother grabbed her two boys and fled their home as it filled with water, hoping to outrun Superstorm Sandy.

But Glenda Moore and her SUV were no match for the epic storm. Moore's Ford Explorer stalled in the rising tide, and the rushing waters snatched 2-year-old Brandon and 4-year-old Connor from her arms as they tried to escape.

Um, what's sad here is that this lady took her boys out of a flood-filled but relatively safe house, into a flood-filled, wind-swept, rushing-rapid-torn street. There's no nobility or prudence in running from a hurricane - that the whole world squawked about for 3 days prior to its arrival - after the water has risen high enough to swamp your car.
Can we at least rephrase the beginning of this piece to unravel a bit of the spin?

NEW YORK (AP) — Although she was warned to evacuate, the absolute dipshit grabbed her two doomed boys and fled their home as it filled with water...

That's better.

Press day - Nov 1

AM
Bench, no timer
135 x10/205 x10/225 x8/x8/x6/x6/ 205 x6
Narrow to wider by fingers
9 mins

4 rounds Press triplet, loose timer in .30 on 1.15
Bar dip x6/7/8/5
Cable pulls @195 x10
Press x8-9-8 @ 135/125/115/115
15 mins

PM
row 3k - 13 mins
Stairmaster @ level 7 - 20 mins, HR 140
row 3k - just under 14 mins
50 mins total.

7.5 hours - 2230/0600. 24 hours. 25 + 50 minutes, PE: 7.