Assessment of last cycle: Struggled to find any kind of consistency. Last two weeks of the cycle were spent on yardwork, fixing up house, purging massive amounts of old and rotting crap I inherited from my dad (six pickup loads to the dump--5000 pounds!), all of which counted as a different kind of workout, so I blew off my regular routine completely. It was enough to tire me and make me sore, and it also made my knees a bit sore or cranky at times. Reminded me of how well I normally manage my knees.
Plan for this cycle: Try to get back to a simple EOD routine alternating between lifting on one day, and cycling or doing conditioning work on the other. Alternatively, try an ED split between aerobic in the morning and lifting/conditioning in the afternoon. Whatever works. I'm prioritizing losing weight and fitness over strength gains.
The lifting will be simply progressively loading the six main bilateral, compound-joint lifts: the five barbell lifts (Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Deadlift, Row) plus Pulldown/Chinups. I might start super light in order to rebuild my work capacity, but also to better focus on the aerobic/conditioning, which will mostly be riding my bike when it's nice out, and when it's not, trying to do conditioning or indoor aerobic work on the Airdyne and Concept II Rower, or some sled work.
I've also simplified my Excel Sheet loading scheme somewhat. I'm still following my Iron Ratio, but I think I will do Squats at five reps too, and then I've put the Deadlifts back on a simple 5:4 ratio to the squats, but will continue to do them in three-rep sets.
Hoping Abide makes a comeback . . .
Taking a vacation for the first two weeks of this cycle, so won't start logging until the third week.
---------------Week 1: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.06.16
Monday, 19.06.17
Tuesday, 19.06.18
Wednesday, 19.06.19
Thursday, 19.06.20
Friday, 19.06.21
Saturday, 19.06.22
---------------Week 2: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.06.23
Monday, 19.06.24
Tuesday, 19.06.25
Wednesday, 19.06.26
Thursday, 19.06.27
Friday, 19.06.28
Saturday, 19.06.29
---------------Week 3: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.06.30
Monday, 19.07.01
Tuesday, 19.07.02
Wednesday, 19.07.03
Thursday, 19.07.04
Friday, 19.07.05
Saturday, 19.07.06
---------------Week 4: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.07.07
Monday, 19.07.08
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 95
Aerobic
2 mi walk commute
Just priming things a bit after a long time off.
Tuesday, 19.07.09
Wednesday, 19.07.10
Thursday, 19.07.11
Friday, 19.07.12
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
My older brother came over, we talked during most of my allotted workout time, so only got the squats in. Felt good though.
Saturday, 19.07.13
Lifting
BP: 3 x 3 @ 135
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
More priming . . .
---------------Week 5: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.07.14
Monday, 19.07.15
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
SDL: 3 x 3 @ 185
Felt a little something in my left pec attachment to the shoulder, so I didn't do the Bench Press.
Tuesday, 19.07.16
Aerobic
2 mi Bike Commute.
Had the good intention on going for an end-of-the-day bike ride, but it stormed.
Wednesday, 19.07.17
Lifting
DL: 3 x 3 @ 225
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
Thursday, 19.07.18
Aerobic
10 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Bike Commute.
Felt good to be back in the saddle, listening to music from my latest jam group.
Friday, 19.07.19
Saturday, 19.07.20
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 195
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
---------------Week 6: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.07.21
Monday, 19.07.22
Tuesday, 19.07.23
Lifting
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
SQ: 3 @ 195
Felt a little something in my right knee on my last squat warmup set and first workset, so I shut it down.
Wednesday, 19.07.24
Lifting
DL: 3 x 3 @ 225
RW: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 120
Wow, lifted two days in a row. Could this be a trend?
Thursday, 19.07.25
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 196
Friday, 19.07.26
Lifting
SDL: 3 x 3 @ 195
Saturday, 19.07.27
---------------Week 7: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.07.28
Monday, 19.07.29
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 197
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
Looks like I may be using 195 as my base load for microloading. It will probably start to feel too light soon, but having everything easy will hopefully re-ignite my motivation. Plus, I'm working on reducing the time between sets, to make working out more of a Delta Force operation, so working up from easier sets could put me in good stead in the long term.
Tuesday, 19.07.30
Lifting
SDL: 3 x 3 @ 225
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140
Wednesday, 19.07.31
Thursday, 19.08.01
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 200
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140
Friday, 19.08.02
Saturday, 19.08.03
---------------Week 8: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.08.04
Monday, 19.08.05
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 205
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140
Tuesday, 19.08.06
Wednesday, 19.08.07
Lifting
DL: 3 x 3 @ 235
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140
Thursday, 19.08.08
Aerobic
3 mi. Bike Ride, 1 mi. Bike Commute
Lifting
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140
OP: 5 @ 95
SQ: 3 @ 205
Felt a little nauseous, so just got in one workset each for the Overhead Press and Squat.
Friday, 19.08.09
Saturday, 19.08.10
Lifting
DL: 3 x 3 @ 235
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140
Plan for this cycle: Try to get back to a simple EOD routine alternating between lifting on one day, and cycling or doing conditioning work on the other. Alternatively, try an ED split between aerobic in the morning and lifting/conditioning in the afternoon. Whatever works. I'm prioritizing losing weight and fitness over strength gains.
The lifting will be simply progressively loading the six main bilateral, compound-joint lifts: the five barbell lifts (Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Deadlift, Row) plus Pulldown/Chinups. I might start super light in order to rebuild my work capacity, but also to better focus on the aerobic/conditioning, which will mostly be riding my bike when it's nice out, and when it's not, trying to do conditioning or indoor aerobic work on the Airdyne and Concept II Rower, or some sled work.
I've also simplified my Excel Sheet loading scheme somewhat. I'm still following my Iron Ratio, but I think I will do Squats at five reps too, and then I've put the Deadlifts back on a simple 5:4 ratio to the squats, but will continue to do them in three-rep sets.
Hoping Abide makes a comeback . . .
Taking a vacation for the first two weeks of this cycle, so won't start logging until the third week.
---------------Week 1: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.06.16
Monday, 19.06.17
Tuesday, 19.06.18
Wednesday, 19.06.19
Thursday, 19.06.20
Friday, 19.06.21
Saturday, 19.06.22
---------------Week 2: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.06.23
Monday, 19.06.24
Tuesday, 19.06.25
Wednesday, 19.06.26
Thursday, 19.06.27
Friday, 19.06.28
Saturday, 19.06.29
---------------Week 3: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.06.30
Monday, 19.07.01
Tuesday, 19.07.02
Wednesday, 19.07.03
Thursday, 19.07.04
Friday, 19.07.05
Saturday, 19.07.06
---------------Week 4: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.07.07
Monday, 19.07.08
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 95
Aerobic
2 mi walk commute
Just priming things a bit after a long time off.
Tuesday, 19.07.09
Wednesday, 19.07.10
Thursday, 19.07.11
Friday, 19.07.12
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
My older brother came over, we talked during most of my allotted workout time, so only got the squats in. Felt good though.
Saturday, 19.07.13
Lifting
BP: 3 x 3 @ 135
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
More priming . . .
---------------Week 5: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.07.14
Monday, 19.07.15
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
SDL: 3 x 3 @ 185
Felt a little something in my left pec attachment to the shoulder, so I didn't do the Bench Press.
Tuesday, 19.07.16
Aerobic
2 mi Bike Commute.
Had the good intention on going for an end-of-the-day bike ride, but it stormed.
Wednesday, 19.07.17
Lifting
DL: 3 x 3 @ 225
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
Thursday, 19.07.18
Aerobic
10 mi Bike Ride, 1 mi Bike Commute.
Felt good to be back in the saddle, listening to music from my latest jam group.
Friday, 19.07.19
Saturday, 19.07.20
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 195
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
---------------Week 6: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.07.21
Monday, 19.07.22
Tuesday, 19.07.23
Lifting
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
SQ: 3 @ 195
Felt a little something in my right knee on my last squat warmup set and first workset, so I shut it down.
Wednesday, 19.07.24
Lifting
DL: 3 x 3 @ 225
RW: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 120
Wow, lifted two days in a row. Could this be a trend?
Thursday, 19.07.25
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 196
Friday, 19.07.26
Lifting
SDL: 3 x 3 @ 195
Saturday, 19.07.27
---------------Week 7: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.07.28
Monday, 19.07.29
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 197
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
Looks like I may be using 195 as my base load for microloading. It will probably start to feel too light soon, but having everything easy will hopefully re-ignite my motivation. Plus, I'm working on reducing the time between sets, to make working out more of a Delta Force operation, so working up from easier sets could put me in good stead in the long term.
Tuesday, 19.07.30
Lifting
SDL: 3 x 3 @ 225
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140
Wednesday, 19.07.31
Thursday, 19.08.01
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 200
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140
Friday, 19.08.02
Saturday, 19.08.03
---------------Week 8: Cycle IV---------------
Sunday, 19.08.04
Monday, 19.08.05
Lifting
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 205
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140
Tuesday, 19.08.06
Wednesday, 19.08.07
Lifting
DL: 3 x 3 @ 235
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140
Thursday, 19.08.08
Aerobic
3 mi. Bike Ride, 1 mi. Bike Commute
Lifting
BP: 3 x 5 @ 140
OP: 5 @ 95
SQ: 3 @ 205
Felt a little nauseous, so just got in one workset each for the Overhead Press and Squat.
Friday, 19.08.09
Saturday, 19.08.10
Lifting
DL: 3 x 3 @ 235
Rw: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 140
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