Day 34 - Testing 1-Rep Maxes

I decided to see where my 1-rep maxes were after a few months of training while losing weight. I knew I would be weaker, but I was still a little disappointed in the results:

Squat: 365 pounds
Press: 165 pounds
Deadlift: 375 pounds
Bench Press: 265 pounds

The weight leaned a little to the left on the squat. Since I don't have a good power rack, I didn't want to push it and further and risk getting stuck under the bar without a spotter. My previous max was 430 pounds using a high-bar technique.

The press felt really heavy at a weight much lighter than what I used to push up. My previous best was 185 pounds.

The deadlift moved fairly quickly, but I was lightheaded and saw stars afterwards. For those reasons, I stopped at 375 pounds. My previous best was in the low 400s.

With the bench press, 275 pounds just wouldn't budge! My previous best was 290 pounds.

While I am happy that I've lost weight and that I've moving better on the basketball court, I wish it hadn't been at the expense of so much strength. Here are the goals I've set and listed in a previous blog: 

• Squat 450 pounds
• Deadlift 450 pounds
• Press 185 pounds
• Bench Press 305 pounds

I still want to reach these goals. For this reason, I'm going to adjust my training starting Monday. 

Day 33

Pause Squat: 255 pounds 3x5, RPE 8

Bench Press:  215 pounds 3x5, RPE 9

Barbell Row: 195 pounds 3x5, RPE 8

Legs felt pretty good. Arms felt more like jelly.

Day 32 - Down a belt hole and deadlifting better

Workout B

• Pause squat: 250 3x5, RPE 6
• Press: 140 punds 3x5, RPE 9.5
• Deadlift: 325 pounds 1x5, RPE 7

Well, I was trying to perform 3-second tempo squats with a pause at the bottom, but my descent was more around 2 seconds. I'll try to slow it down in the future. 

The press was hard, but it didn't look too hard on the video. The video definitely helps me see that the weight moved fairly easily should give me some confidence the next time I press. 

The deadlift is moving pretty easily right now. I just need to embrace the grind and expect every rep to feel difficult even if they move quickly. 

My waist has also shrunk down to what it was 7-8 years ago! I no longer need the larger belt!

Day 10

I completed a B workout today:

• Squat 235 pounds 3x5
• Press 105 pounds 3x5
• Deadlift 245 pounds x5 reps

My legs felt like gelatin while squatting. I played basketball this morning and my legs definitely felt the effects of my Monday squat session. When it came time to train, I spent longer warming up because my legs, especially my knees, were so tight. The second set of 5 reps was hard, but the first and third sets moved quickly. The press and deadlift moved well today. My hands are still feeling great since I changed how I grip the bar.

I haven’t been able to lift with my son because of our schedules, but he’s still making good progress. He may have an early stall, though, because he hasn’t been eating a whole lot.