Assessment of last cycle. The walking stayed pretty consistent, although I pied out on some of the coldest days. The lifting also became pretty consistent, but the conditioning was still pretty sporadic. I also started stretching more in between sets. I'll try to continue to do that. I've also found that the late afternoon time slot sometimes works just as well as the late morning time slot, although only the latter is really guaranteed. Goals for this cycle. Maintain the consistency of the walking and lifting, and try to improve that of the conditioning. For the lifting I will hopefully graduate to the second or third training block, but I will spend some more time on the first one until the Squat and Overhead Press feel a bit easier, and I can improve my bar speed a bit. I will continue with my simplified ramping system: So I'll get in at least four worksets per lift, six if I ramp down two more sets. I may also do the Target set twice sometimes. It's a matter of finding the right balance between intensity and volume. The ramping gives me volume, but I wonder if I'm getting enough intensity with only one Target set? Towards the end of last cycle, I combined the upper body lifts into a single session. I think I will continue to do that for this cycle, for a standard Upper/Lower split. However, if time is tight on the upper body days, I will minimally try to get in the Overhead Press, my weakest lift. The prioritization is: OP > PD > BP > RW. For the lower body sessions, it's SQ > DL. ---------------Week 1: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.02.26 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 75/135/165/175/185/195 RDL: 2 @ 135/185; DL: 2 @ 225/235/245/255 Glycolytic: Pull Concept II Rower: 3 mins, 690 total meters, 2:15 per 500 meters. Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. Monday, 22.02.27 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 115/125/135/145 OP: 3 @ 45/65/75/85/95/85/75 Tuesday, 22.02.28 Wednesday, 22.03.01 NOON Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 75/135/165/175/185/195 Thursday, 22.03.02 LATE AFTERNOON Aerobic 1.8 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 171ft. Friday, 22.03.03 LATE MORNING Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 115/125/135/145/135/125 OP: 3 @ 45/75/85/95/85/75 BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/125/135/145/135/125 RW: 3 @ 135/145/145 Tried to push the bar speed a bit. Felt good. Saturday, 22.03.04 LATE MORNING Anaerobic: Lower Body RDL: 3 @ 135/185; DL: 2 @ 225/235/245/255 ---------------Week 2: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.03.05 Knees have been feeling strangely cranky despite, or perhaps because of, not walking much this last week. Monday, 22.03.06 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 115/125/135/145/135/125 OP: 3 @ 45/65/75/85/95/85/75 BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/125/135/145 RW: 3 @ 135/145 Kept pretty strict time, and the bar speed is decent. Could be about time to increase, maybe next week. Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. Tuesday, 22.03.07 LATE MORNING Aerobic 1.6 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 150ft. The last, steepest and longest hill was closed for tree trimming, so I took a lesser hill to finish up. LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Lower Body RDL: 2 @ 135/185; DL: 2 @ 225/235/245/255 SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/165/175/185/195 Glycolytic: Pull Concept II Rower: 3 mins, 662 total meters, 2:20 per 500 meters. Everything felt pretty easy. It's starting to come. Wednesday, 22.03.08 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Upper Body OP: 3 @ 45/65/75/85/95 Got in a quick session while helping my daughter make dinner. Thursday, 22.03.09 LATE AFTERNOON Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. I was going to do my squats and the rower afterwards, but the walk made my knees a little cranky. I've learned in the past that the squats have to come first, but then decided I'd rather walk first today. Oh well. Friday, 22.03.10 Saturday, 22.03.11 ---------------Week 3: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.03.12 Knees have been a little cranky, so I'm giving them a break. Monday, 22.03.13 MID-MORNING Persistence 1.1 mi walk with dog through woods and mid-century neighborhood. 75ft. Tuesday, 22.03.14 MID-MORNING Persistence 0.9 mi "Two Hills" walk with dog. 80ft. I did the first two hills of my "Five Hills" walk. I'm thinking of doing this twice a day instead of a single four- or five-hills walk. My knees have been a little cranky lately, and I like the idea of a shorter walk. Maybe early in the morning and then again just before dinner, with the ST and conditioning done before lunch. Wednesday, 22.03.15 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Upper Body OP: 3 @ 45/70/80/90/95/90/80 Instead of subtracting by n pounds from the Target load, I subtracted by percentage--95%, 85%, 75% of the Target load--then rounded to the nearest five-pound increment. So the perceived ramping differentials or increases in intensity will remain constant among the different lifts and also within the lift as I begin to increase the loads. Also, the Ramp load right before and after the Target load will now be closer to it, but the initial and middle ramps' loads will become progressively farther as the loads increase. So there will be somewhat more intensity around the Target load, but perhaps less fatigue overall. This will effectively give me three worksets, while the other ramps will become more like warmup sets. There is a chance I could do the last ramp set, the sixth set, which is 85% of the Target load, for reps from time to time, for any lift except the Deadlift. Thursday, 22.03.16 MORNING Persistence 1 mi walk with dog through woods and mid-century neighborhood. 75ft. The stairs leading down to the path in the woods, which follows an old trolley line, are full of snow, so I had to lower myself sliding down while holding onto the railing. My knees have still been a little cranky since last week, so at the end of the path, instead of coming up to street level, where there is no sidewalk next to the busy road I have to follow for some 300 feet before getting on the mid-century neighborhood's sidewalk, I simply doubled back, to stay on the softer snowy surface of the path. But I came out of the woods before I got to the section where I'd have to climb up the slippery steps. A road cuts through the the little strip of woods at about the midway mark of my walk. I think once the snow is gone I'll simply double back all the way to the stairs, staying in the woods for most of the walk, although I kind of have it ingrained that I should do a loop when walking/running. I think the dirt-packed path, when it reappears, will also be easier on my knees than the concrete sidewalk of the neighborhood. And there's less chance of running into other dogs, so I can keep ours unleashed. She loves romping around the wooded area. NOON Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 45/95/145/165/185 RDL: 2 @ 135/ Felt a little instability in my back, shut it down, but probably would've been OK. Glycolytic: Pull Concept II Rower: 10 mins, 1770 total meters, 2:52 per 500 meters. Friday, 22.03.17 NOON Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 110/125/140/145/140/125 RW: 3 @ 135/140/145 OP: 3 @ 45/70/80/90/95/90/85 Yah, felt good to have the ramps closer to the Target weight. I think it counts as three worksets. LATE AFTERNOON Persistence 0.9 mi "Two Hills" walk with dog. 80ft. Saturday, 22.03.18 ---------------Week 4: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.03.19 Monday, 22.03.20 NOON Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/145/165/185 Got interrupted. LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Lower Body RDL: 2 @ 135/185; DL: 2 @ 225/245/255 Persistence 0.9 mi "Two Hills" walk with dog. 80ft. 36F 29WC. First day barefoot since last fall. Still lots of snow, ice, and moisture but enough dry spots to get through it. All the small sidewalk pebbles for melting snow were at least as annoying. Tuesday, 22.03.21 LATE MORNING Anaerobic: Upper Body RW: 3 @ 135/145/145 PD: 3 @ 115/125/140/145/140/130 OP: 3 @ 45/75/90/95/90/85 Experimenting with a tweak in which the first ramp is one of the 25- or 45-pound plate increments, but the Ramps before and after the Target set remain close to its load. This will effectively eliminate one ramp in many cases, making the first ramp the last warmup set. But it places the second ramp a little less than halfway between last warmup set and the first ramp set close to the Target, the third ramp. When the loads increase, it'll become more logical I think, but it should make getting through the sets a little faster, still with decent volume at or close to workset loads. With fewer sets overall, I may have more motivation to ramp down more often after doing the Target set. So I'm shifting a little of the fatigue from before the Target set to afterwards. EARLY AFTERNOON Persistence 0.9 mi "Two Hills" walk with dog. 80ft. 37F 31WC. Wednesday, 22.03.22 MORNING Persistence 1 mi walk with dog through woods. 75ft. Thursday, 22.03.23 LATE MORNING Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. Friday, 22.03.24 LATE MORNING Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/145/165/185/195 RDL: 2 @ 135/185 Felt some instability in the back on the last RDL warmup set, so I shut it down. I've been getting full depth on the squats for the last few weeks, feels good. Saturday, 22.03.25 NOON Aerobic 2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft. 40F. My knees are feeling better so I decided to try the the two-mile route. Nice day for barefooting, just a few remaining patches of ice/snow on the walks. ---------------Week 5: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.03.26 MORNING Persistence 0.9 mi "Two Hills" walk with dog. 80ft. 31F. LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 100/130/145/145/145 OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/95/85 Seems like some of my former energy has returned, so I thought I'd try Straight Sets Across. Now that the lethargy has pretty much dissipated, I don't know if I need so many Ramp sets after the final warmup set. So actually, I'll just consider them all warmup sets until I get to the Target weight and get reacquainted with developing a feel for how many and at what weight to do them. Pretty standard approach. I reduced weight on the last Overhead Press set because I felt some upper back stress on the second set. But I think I'll do the second half of this cycle with straight sets, and forgo the ramping. Monday, 22.03.27 NOON Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. 36F Tuesday, 22.03.28 LATE AFTERNOON Glycolytic: Pull Concept II Rower: 10 mins, 1700 total meters, 2:58 per 500 meters. Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/155/175/185 While stretching my hammies this morning with each leg raised about waist high, my right quads kind of seized on me when that leg was raised. So I put off the workout till later, and warmed up with the rower before lifting. Squats felt fine, but I took it easy because of the earlier quad thing. Aerobic 1 mi Two Hills walk with dog to store. 85ft. 34F, 26WC. Wednesday, 22.03.29 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 100/145/145/145 OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/95/95 BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/135/145/145/145 Hmmn, just two ramps (underlined) and then three sets across feels more productive. Something like this, with the option of doing down-ramps: Where it makes sense, the first ramp will be one of the 25- or 45-plate increments--45/95/135/185/225/275/315--to keep things simple. Thursday, 22.03.30 NOON Aerobic 1.8 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 175ft. 32F, 28WC Friday, 22.03.31 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Full Body PD: 3 @ 105/125 OP: 3 @ 45/65 SQ: 3 @ 95 BP: 3 @ 45/95 RDL: 3 @ 135 RW: 3 @ 135 I feel pretty tired today, not really up for even moderate intensity. So I decided to do all six lifts at light weight. Now I'm considering going back to a simpler Aerobic/Anaerobic split, with the conditioning done on the Aerobic Day. I think I might be more consistent this way, as skipping a day of lifting won't screw up the weekly schedule as much, and I'm almost always up for at least a walk on any day, at any time of the day. This might also help keep my knees from getting cranky again. On the lifting days, I'll just walk around the block or up and down our street's hill a half block from our house, for the dog's sake. On the walking days, I'll try to get in the full 2-mile version of the Hills walk. Then I'll do the rowing or sledding or both afterwards. That should take about an hour, about as much time as the six lifts will take once I get to decent resistances. It's just hard to motivate for lifting every day. So, I've kind of come full circle, similar to the Running/Lifting split that used to work so well for me, and with the lifting done as straight sets across. I should look back on old threads and see how many warmup sets I was doing, but I've liked the simplified ramping of this week, so I might keep that. Saturday, 22.04.01 LATE AFTERNOON Aerobic 2 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 200ft. We got 8.5 inches of snow overnight, but there were only three unshoveled sidewalks on my walk. ---------------Week 6: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.04.02 Monday, 22.04.03 Trip with the kids to Duluth to stay with a friend. Tuesday, 22.04.04 Wednesday, 22.04.05 A short hike to frozen falls. Thursday, 22.04.06 A hike out to Wisconsin Point Friday, 22.04.07 Back home. LATE AFTERNOON Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. Saturday, 22.04.08 MID-AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 105/125/145/145/145 RW: 3 @ 135 OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/95/95 LATE AFTERNOON Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. ---------------Week 7: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.04.09 EARLY AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/135/135 Glycolytic: Pull Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1008 total meters, 2:30 per 500 meters. Monday, 22.04.10 NOON Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 105/125/145/150/150/150 OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/100/100 BP: 3 @ 45/95/135/150/150/150 Finally got to the next training block.Three sets straight across is feeling good. I guess I don't need to ramp as much now that my shoulders are feeling good and I have better energy levels. EARLY EVENING Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. Nice weather, so I tried an after-dinner time-slot. Feels good. Lots of dog-walkers at that hour. Tuesday, 22.04.11 AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Lower Body DL: 3 @ 185/225/245 SQ: 3 @ 45/95/135/185/200/200 Everything felt pretty solid, but held off a bit since it's been a while. Glycolytic: Pull Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1038 total meters, 2:27 per 500 meters. Wednesday, 22.04.12 NOON Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 115/135/145/155/155/155 OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/100 LATE AFTERNOON Aerobic 1.8 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 170ft. 86F! Thursday, 22.04.13 Friday, 22.04.14 Saturday, 22.04.15 ---------------Week 8: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.04.16 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 95/135/155/175/175 Glycolytic: Pull Concept II Rower: 10 mins, 1830 total meters, 2:45 per 500 meters. Monday, 22.04.17 MORNING Anaerobic: Upper Body PD: 3 @ 115/135/155/155/155 OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/100/95 EARLY EVENING Aerobic 1 mi walk with dog & daughter to park and back. 43ft. Tuesday, 22.04.18 NOON Anaerobic: Lower Body SQ: 3 @ 95/135/155/175/185 RDL: 3 @ 135/185; DL: 2 @ 225/245, 1 @ 265 Glycolytic: Pull Concept II Rower: 5 mins, 1053 total meters, 2:25 per 500 meters. Wednesday, 22.04.19 LATE AFTERNOON Anaerobic: Upper Body RW: 3 @ 135/145/155/155/ PD: 3 @ 115/135/145/155/155 OP: 3 @ 45/65/85/95/100/100/100 BP: 3 @ 45/95/115/135/145/155/155 Thursday, 22.04.20 LATE AFTERNOON Aerobic 1.8 mi Five Hills walk with dog. 160ft Friday, 22.04.21 Saturday, 22.04.22 AFTERNOON Aerobic 1.65 mi Four Hills walk with dog. 185ft. 36F, 26WC!
Goals for the Cycle: Get stronger and lose weight of course. I went for a short run and the next day there was again pretty acute soreness in both ankles again. It's time with summer coming to really get the weight down. So that will be my focus. I think I will force myself to start counting calories and weigh everyday, also no eating past 6pm. Let's see if I can drop 5 pounds by the end of the cycle. I might also up my protein again, it seems to keep me full. ---------------Week 1: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.02.26 Monday, 22.02.27 Tuesday, 22.02.28 WU Squats/PU Rolluts - 3x10 DL - 4@135, 225, 245, Work Sets - 5x4@265 PC - 3@135, Work Sets - 5x3@145 PP - Work Sets - 5x3@145 Wednesday, 22.03.01 WU Fsquats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 Fsquats - 2@175, 195, 215, Work Sets - 5x2@230 Press - 10@45, 3@135, Work Sets - 5x3@145 Thursday, 22.03.02 Friday, 22.03.03 Saturday, 22.03.04 WU Squats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 Squats - 2@185, 205, 225, 245 Work sets - 5x1@270 PRows - 4@135, 155, 175, Work Sets - 5x4@180 Bench - 10@135, 3@185, Work Sets - 5x3@230 Calf Raises - 3x5@450 ---------------Week 2: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.03.05 Monday, 22.03.06 Tuesday, 22.03.07 WU Squats/PU Planks - 3@40sec DL - 5@135, 3@225, 245, 265, 285, Work sets - 5x3@300 PC - 3@95, 2@115, 135, 155, Work sets - 5x2@175 PP - 5@95, 95, Work sets - 5x2@175 Wednesday, 22.03.08 WU Fsquats/PU Roll outs - 3x10 Fsquats - 5@135, 155, 175, Work sets - 5x4@185 Pull ups - 6, 7 Press - 5@135, 2@145, 155, Work sets - 5x2@160 Thursday, 22.03.09 Friday, 22.03.10 Saturday, 22.03.11 ---------------Week 3: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.03.12 WU Bench Bench - 2x10@135, 5@185, 2@205, Work sets - 5x2@250 Squats - 5@135, 4@155, 175, 195, Work sets - 5x4@205 Roll outs - 3x10 Pull downs - 10@145, 8@160, 4@190, 3x4@205 Monday, 22.03.13 Tuesday, 22.03.14 WU - Squats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 DL - 8@135, 5@225, 2@275, 295, 315, Work sets - 5x2@335 P Rows - 5@135, 185, Work sets - 5x3@205 GHD SU - 3x10 Wednesday, 22.03.15 Thursday, 22.03.16 WU - Fsquats/PU Roll outs - 3x10 Fsquats - 5@135, 155, 3@175, Work Sets - 5x3@205 Press - 8@95, 4@115, Work Sets - 5x4@135 Friday, 22.03.17 Saturday, 22.03.18 ---------------Week 4: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.03.19 Monday, 22.03.20 Tuesday, 22.03.21 WU - Squats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 PC - 1@135, Worksets - 5x4@145 PP - Worksets - 5x4@145 Just an easy workout for the week. Wednesday, 22.03.22 Thursday, 22.03.23 Friday, 22.03.24 Saturday, 22.03.25 ---------------Week 5: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.03.26 WU Squats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 Squats - 3@185, 205, 225, Work Sets - 5x3@240 Pull downs - 10@145, 5x5@190 Bench - 10@135, Work Sets - 4x4@205, 10@205 finisher Calf Raises - 5@315, 5x5@450 Well took the down week last week, it coincided with spring break. Was nice to get the new week off to a good start and the 1st week of the new cycle going. I have made another change to the week, it's now 4 days a week. I also sense a possible fail on the presses. I may drop the 5x2 day to 5x1 for that 170 set. Monday, 22.03.27 Tuesday, 22.03.28 WU SLDL/PU Planks - 3W40sec DL - 4@225, 245, Worksets - 5x4@265 Prows - 5@135, 2@225, Worksets - 5x2@235 Rotationals - 2x10@80 Wednesday, 22.03.29 Thursday, 22.03.30 WU Fsquats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 Fsquats - 2@175, 195, 225, Worksets - 5x1@235 Press - 8@95, 5@115, 3@135 Worksets - 5x3@150 Friday, 22.03.31 Saturday, 22.04.01 WU Fsquats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 PC - 3@135, 155, Worksets - 5x3@165 PP - 3@135, 155, Worksets - 5x3@165 ---------------Week 6: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.04.02 WU Bench Bench - 10@135, 135, 3@185, 205, 225, Worksets - 5x3@235 PRows - 10@135, Worksets - 5x4@185 Monday, 22.04.03 Tuesday, 22.04.04 Wednesday, 22.04.05 WU Squats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 Squats - 3@185, 2@225, 245, 265, Worksets - 5x1@270 DL - 5@135, 3@225, 245, 265, 285 Worksets - 5x3@300 Thursday, 22.04.06 Friday, 22.04.07 WU Fsquats/PU Roll outs - 3x10 PC - 5x2@185 PP - 5x2@185 Pull downs - 10@145, 5@160, 3x5@190 Inc Bench - 5@135, 3x3@185 Saturday, 22.04.08 ---------------Week 7: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.04.09 WU Fsquats/PU Roll outs - 3x10 Fsquats - 5@135, 4@155, Worksets - 5x4@185 Press - 10@45, 8@95, 5@135, Worksets - 5x1@165 Monday, 22.04.10 WU Squats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 Squats - Worksets 5x4@225 Bench - 10@135, 2@225, 2@245, Worksets - 5x2@260 Calf raises - 5@350, 450, 450, 450 Rotationals - 10@ 90, 70, 70, 70, 70 Tuesday, 22.04.11 WU Squats/PU Planks - 3@40sec DL 3@225, 245, 265, 295, 315 Worksets - 5x2@335 Prows - 5@135, 185, 205, Worksets - 5x3@210 GHD SU - 3x10 Wednesday, 22.04.12 Thursday, 22.04.13 Friday, 22.04.14 WU Fsquats/PU Rollouts - 3x10 Fsquat - 3@175, 195, Worksets - 5x2@210 Press - Worksets 5x4@135 Power clean - worksets 5x4@155 PP - Worksets - 5x4@155 Saturday, 22.04.15 ---------------Week 8: Cycle II--------------- Sunday, 22.04.16 Monday, 22.04.17 Tuesday, 22.04.18 WU Sqauts/PU Planks - 3@40sec Squats - 3@185, 205, 225, Worksets - 5x3@245 Pull downs - 3x10@160 Bench - 10@135, 5x4@225 Calf raises - 3x5@450 Wednesday, 22.04.19 Thursday, 22.04.20 Friday, 22.04.21 WU Fsquats/PU Planks - 3@40sec Fsquats - 10@135, 4@185, 2@205, 2@225 Work Sets - 5x1@245 DL - Worksets - 5x4@275 Press - 3x135, Worksets - 5x3@155 Saturday, 22.04.22
POC = Power Clean? PP = Push Press? I've been meaning to ask you, what do you see as the benefits of the Push Press compared to the strict press? I kind of like the idea of a more dynamic movement with more weight.
Yes correct, I changed it to PC from POC. Honestly the only benefit for the push press is it helps me get heavier weight overhead, my sticking point is at my forehead this way I can get that area a bit more work. It also helps with speed. I would definitely still do both and if I had to choose I would go with the press.
Hmnn, I wonder if doing 5-10 pounds more than my Target set as a Push Press would help advance my Overhead Press.
I am hoping it will do that too. I need to run it a cycle. Funny how deep squats can really feel good, I think for mobility purposes deep squats are fundamental. I also read this to figure out how to get my squat strength up. There are some good points made here. I do think I have weak glutes though and need to figure them out. https://www.strongerbyscience.com/help-squat-catch-deadlift/
Whoa, when it rains it pours.That's an impressively detailed program! That was a very good article thanks. I'm not sure if I buy his argument, but it seems plausible. I will try to remember some of the points and maybe even try warming up with planks. I kind of assumed that Deadlifts could go heavier because we use more of our back with it, but I also knew that elite lifters' Squats were closer to their Deadlifts, than us non-elite lifters'. Could be the back muscles that give the Deadlift an earlier advantage aren't more activated once the Squat gets heavy enough to employ those same muscles more and more for bracing. I may also try the paused breathing, but it's unlikely, as it flies in the face of me trying to keep everything as simple as possible. Today I may have even tossed the ramping . . .
