Strength Training for Singles 2014: Eight-Week Workout Cycle III

ok, fine:

* empower lee to release his inner RUBBER-BAND-LIKE half-marathoner and massive powerlifter

by the end of the year, we expect to see pictures of you overhead pressing your sweetie with both ankles and your sitter-downer firmly connected to the ground.

 

since we'll be resetting in a couple days, i thought i would blow the likely last workout on some assessment.

survey says:

press now has a 2RM of 90lbs (or really something like 88.8) which is up from 85 which is up from 80.
deadlift now has a max of 235lbs which is up from 225lbs which is up from 215lbs or something. (i think i have figured out that i favor a stance most like the "sumo style". i like my arms inside of my legs, but my legs in as far as possible while respecting that constraint.) at 235, the grip was beginning to fade, so i only did a single. but considering that only a month or so ago, the 225 grip felt really weak, progress has been made.

and i should break down and get a "real" bench sometime when i'm feeling wealthy and enriched in goods. the machine press is better than nothing, but i don't like the constrained path. in any case, i have previously been stronger on it; you know, when i was emphasizing "chest" a little bit.

i am going to skip testing pullups and squats for the moment. pullups, because i think my elbow-related-structures are finally up to strength so i want to just rest it until we restart on sunday. then i'll test in the next cycle. squats, because i like doing what is likely a high-bar, vertical back, moderate width, deep squat approach which doesn't lend itself to max effort at this point. but i do know i'm getting stronger with it because my warmup weight is now above the most i could do with the full depth before and my highest working sets are higher than they have ever been for this form.