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PlanStrong/BuiltStrong My Program: PlanStrong On-The-Fly

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Friday of Prep Cycle #2, Week 1: need 15 reps today

21.14 x 3, 24 x 1, 28 x 1 (5)

28 kg single was interesting - it went like this:

clean left - didn't feel good so didn't try the press, but put the bell down, waited a few seconds and
clean right, press right, and waited a bit. The press was slow but it went
cleaned left but again, it didn't feel good, so walked away for a few minutes
came back, clean left and press left. Again, the press was slow but I fought it out and got it.

Conclusion: I am fortunate to be able to self-diagnose and self-teach enough to have fixed my crappy clean on my left side. I must clean better with the lighter weights if I want to keep making progress with the heavier ones.

21.14 x 4, 24 x 1 (10)

Had planned another 21 then 24 but it felt good to do 24 back to back and then finish with a backoff set

24 x 2, 21.14 kg x 3 (15), avg 22.36 kg, HARI 79.9%

Working on my clean w/ 24 and 21 kg, did a really slow, controlled negative after the double @ 24 kg, not terribly comfortable on left side but that's life with arthritis in my shoulder.
 
Steve Freides said:
I invite you to come along with me as I "think out loud" on a pressing and deadlift program for myself. Let's call it semi-planned. I am 61 years young, bw of 150 lbs. (compete at 147-148 lbs.), severe back injury in 1997, competitive raw deadlifter.

Here are the relevant details:

1. I have pressed a 32 kg with each hand in the past but it's been a ~5 years. My current 1RM is ~27 kg. I can press 24 kg for a few reps, e.g., a double comfortably, 3-4 reps is an effort but it will go. 20 kg is an 8-10 RM, maybe more.

2. My press training has been sporadic for a few years, e.g., 20 kg by two sets in the 6-8 range twice a week, just because it makes my back work better. Once in a while, 1-3 reps w/ 24 kg.

3. I pulled 360 lbs. 18 months ago, pulled 330 lbs. 3 months ago. We'll say 345 1RM.

From the top down:

Press

Preparatory Phase: Plan 70, 300 reps in 4 weeks.

Weekly Volume Distribution: 15-22-28-35, which is 45, 66, 84, 105 reps. This is Variant #4.

Days per week: as often as my schedule allows. If 4 days, then probably 15/22/28/35 in some order. Makes for easy math: 15/22/28/35 on both the days-of-the-week and weeks-of-the-month level.

Intensity distribution: I don't own a 22 kg. I own an 18 kg but would have to do sets of 8 or more so let's not. Therefore:

10% @ 24 kg (89%)
90% at 20 kg (74%)

HARI will be 76%. If more @24 kg feels good as we go, we'll add that to up the HARI.

So far:

Week 1: 45 reps, 5 of which should be @ 24 kg

Tuesday:
20 kg x 2, 4. Session/Weekly total: 6 (this is the 15% day of the week), 6

Wednesday: All MP supersetted with 20 kg pullup x 2
20 kg x 4
24 kg x 1
20 kg x 6
24 kg x 2. Session/Weekly total: 13 (this is the 28% day of the week), 19

Still need a 10- and a 16-rep day this week, hoping for Thu and Fri but, if one of those doesn't work out for reasons of recovery and/or schedule, then Saturday. Need 2 more reps @ 24 kg but if it feels good, will do more.


Deadlift

NL: 150 in 4 weeks, everything conventional and double overhand and very light touch-and-go as long as those things are possible.

NB: I go up to only 85-88% 1RM in training my deadlift, otherwise I leave my best lifts on my basement floor instead of saving them for the meet. My HARI will be on the low side.

Weekly Volume Distribution: 22, 28, 35, 15, which is 33, 42, 53, 22 reps

Week 1: 42/58 over 2 days

Wednesday: 14 reps @ 245 (71%) 5's and 265 (77%) 3's as:
245 x 5, 265 x 2, 245 x 5, 265 x 2. Avg is 250 lbs. (72%)

Planned Friday: 19 reps @ 255 (74%) 4's and 275 (80%) 2's as:
255 x 5, 275 x 3, 255 x 5, 275 x 2, 255 x 4. Avg will be 260 lbs. (75%), weekly avg will be 256 lbs. (74%)

-S-
Click to expand...
Steve,

What intensity variant did you choose for the 24kg (89%)?
 
@Hector G,

Steve Freides said:
Intensity Variant will be 3b again: 22-28-35-15.
Click to expand...

That's what I used both in first prep cycle and the second. My 1RM went up from 27 kg, estimated, to 28 kg, actual, so I decided to do a second Prep cycle since I am benefitting from the volume and wanted to increase it again before a taper/Comp cycle.

-S-
 
To be clear, I did not choose a second intensity variant but rather used the same one for the top two zones and then subtracted for the bottom zone.

-S-
 
@Hector G, I realize I haven't really been paying attention to the intensity variant. I will revisit and adjust accordingly. What I've been doing is following the volume variant and just changing intensity to make the HARI come out more or less right.

-S-
 
For week #1 of Prep Cycle #2, I did only 19 reps at 24 kg, have 88 reps at this weight left to go. I will therefore revamp the cycle and do an Intensity variant of 18 (what I did), 23, 27, 32%, which will mean 19, 25, 29, 34 reps, in a variant that starts with the lowest number so 4-2b as 18-27-23-32. This is less than perfect but it will do.

Therefore, Prep Cycle #2, Week #2 can remain almost as planned before:

*** Begin, Old ***
Week #2
35% of 325 is 114 lifts for the week

28% of 10 lifts @ 28 kg is 3 lifts @ 28 kg
28% of 107 lifts @ 24 kg is 30 lifts @ 24 kg

114 for the week minus 33 is 81 lifts @ 21.14 kg

NB: 114 could be divided into 5 days as 10-15-20-25-30% 11, 17, 23, 29 , 34 lifts. To keep it at 30 max, we can add 1 lift to each of the other 4 days and get 12, 18, 24, 30, and 30, then put 30 and 30 and 24 on Mon/Wed/Fri and 12 and 18 on Tue/Thu
*** End, Old ***

*** New
Week #2
35% of 325 is 114 lifts for the week - we keep this because it's the volume variant

27% of 10 lifts @ 28 kg is 3 lifts @ 28 kg - different but the same result
27% of 107 lifts @ 24 kg is 29 lifts @ 24 kg - was 30

114 for the week minus 32 is 82 lifts @ 21.14 kg.

Mon = 34 lifts, Tue = 11, Wed = 29, Thu = 17, Fri = 23

If we do all 24 kg on Tue and Thu, that gives us only 2 lifts @ 24 on other days - don't like that.

Monday:
21.14 kg Σ 20 (character is Alt+228)
24 kg Σ 14

Performed as

21.14 kg x 2, 24 kg x 2
21.14 kg x 3, 24 kg x 3
21.14 kg x 5, 24 kg x 2 (17)

Repeat but slightly changed

21.14 kg x 2, 24 kg x 3
21.14 kg x 3, 24 kg x 2
21.14 kg x 5, 24 kg x 2 (34), 22.32 kg, about 79.7% HARI

I probably should not be doing doubles w/ 21.14 kg since it's specified rep range is 3-6.

DL: 275
x 1 single hack DL
x 5 singles conventional double overhand
 
Week 2, Day 2

Mon = 34 lifts, Tue = 11, Wed = 29, Thu = 17, Fri = 23

Σ 11 presses

Remembering that my rep range for 21.14 kg is 3-6, and for 24 kg is 2-4

21.14 kg x 4
24 kg x 3, 4 (11), 22.96 kg avg, HARI 82%

Had thought about trying a 28 kg single today but after swings and after feeling the first set of presses, decided against it. Tomorrow is a possibility, though.

PU: bw + 16 kg x 1 rep, trying slightly narrower grip width, also trying to 'retract' neck after bar touch, also slow negative. PU have been, I think, giving me a sore neck and a headache so we'll try exactly one rep and see how tomorrow feels.

Notes:

I have done 1 lift @ 28 kg this week, need 2 more.
I have done 21 lifts @ 24 kg so far this week, need only 8 more across the next 3 days.
24 lifts @ 21.14 kg, need 57 more for 81 total.

69 remaining lifts as 57 @ 21.14 kg +

DL: 275 lbs., double overhand grip
Hack x 1
Conventional x 5 singles, experimenting with standing very close to the bar - so far, so good.
 
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Wed
Σ 29 presses

Earlier, 40 swings, break 15 more swings

21.14 x 3
24 x 1

28 kg:
Left = Fail
Right = 1 rep
Left = Fail, Fail (better, longer), Fail (higher, better, longer), and finally got 1 rep

5 reps down, 24 reps to go,
need 8 more reps at 24 kg, could easily do those over Thursday and Friday.
need 82 - 24 = 58 lifts @ 21.14 kg, there will do all remaining 24 lifts for today at this weight as

21.14 x 3, 4, 3, 5, 3, 6 (24)

That will leave two more pressing days = 17 reps Thu, 23 reps Fri, between them both will need 28 x 1,
24 x 8, and 21.14 x 34 - math is off by 3 reps, will track down later.

Mon = 34 lifts, Tue = 11, Wed = 29, Thu = 17, Fri = 23, total is 114

28 kg x 3
24 kg x 29
21.14 kg x 82

Over Mon/Tue/Wed, have done
28 kg x (0, 0, 1) = 1, 2 remaining
24 kg x (14, 7, 1) = 22, 7 remaining
21.14 kg x (20, 4, 27) = 51, 31 remaining

No DL today, did two days in a row Mon/Tue for the first time in a long time, will go Thu/Fri or maybe Thu/Fri/Sat.
 
Today, Thursday, Prep Cycle #2, Week #2, Day 4 of 5

Press Σ 17
no 28 kg today - maybe only once a week is enough for now, was tough yesterday. We only need 3 for the month, anyway.

24 kg Σ 4, 21.14 kg Σ 13

that leaves Σ 23 for tomorrow: 24 kg Σ 3, 21.14 kg Σ 20

which seems good to me:

Today, Thursday, Prep Cycle #2, Week #2, Day 4 of 5
21.14 kg x 5, 3 (8)
24 kg x 4 (12)
21.14 kg x 5 (17), avg 21.8 kg, HARI 77.9%

Plan for Tomorrow, Friday
21.14 kg x 3, 4, 5 (12)
24 kg x 3 (15)
21.14 kg x 5 (20), avg 21.5, HARI 76.8%

DL: 275, 1 Hack, 5 singles conventional.
This is Day #4 of the DDD Plan. Did Sat/Mon/Tue, today is Thu, if I do Fri/Sat, then next Monday will be 80% or 295.
1RM from all these is 366 lbs., which is more than my recent max, but the numbers are close enough, IMHO.

Daily Dose Deadlift Plan
 
Walk

about 80 swings

Press Σ 23

21.14 kg x 3, 5 (8)
24 kg x 3 (11)
21.14 kg x 3, 6, 3 (23), avg 21.5, HARI 76.8%

Press Prep Cycle #2, Week #2 is in the books.

DL: same, hack x 1, conventional x 5 singles @ 275 lbs.
 
OK, did swings and DL on Saturday, no lifting Sunday or Monday, and it's Tuesday
Prep Cycle #2, Week #3

**** Copy from earlier post ****
Week #3
22% of 325 lifts is 72 lifts for the week

35% of 10 lifts @ 28 kg is 4 lifts @ 28 kg
35% of 107 lifts @ 24 kg is 37 lifts @ 24 kg

72 lifts for the week minus 41 is 31 lifts @ 21.14 kg

NB: 18, 24, and 30 lifts over 3 days or 11, 16, 20, 25 over 4 days.
**** Copy from earlier post ****

24 kg x 3 - first time starting a lifting session with a triple @ 24 kg = good
28 kg x 1 - freakin' awesome, first time I got a rep on my left side on the first try for this pressing go-round

I think we'll go for 4 lifting days this week, and I'm going to go for 11 total today

24 kg x 4 (8)
21.14 kg x 3 (11), avg 23.58 kg, HARI 84.2%

NB: This week is a high intensity, so actually more presses with 24 kg than with 21.14. Don't know if I'll hit 28 kg every day - we'll see how it feels tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Remaining for the week:
28 kg x 3
24 kg x 30
21.14 kg x 28

DL: Daily Dose, Day #7, no warmup, 295 lbs. x 5 singles double overhand conventional, ~2-min rests between
 
Prep Cycle #2, Week #3, Day #2

Tue = 11, Wed = 25, Thu = 16 (planned), Fri = 20 (planned) = broken up as 15-35-22-28% of 72 lifts for the week

Σ 13 @ 24 kg
Σ 12 @ 21.14 kg

No 28 kg today - tired from DL 295 yesterday

Format today is press 24, rest 1:00, press 21.14, rest longer, start next set

24 x 2, 21.14 x 3 (5)
24 x 3, 21.14 x 3 (11)
24 x 3, 21.14 x 3 (17)
24 x 3, 21.14 x 3 (23)

24 x 2 (25) avg 22.63 kg, HARI 80.8%

Planned for Thu/Fri

Thu:
24 x 3
28 x 1


Fri - bump total up to 22 if we don't do more than 2 reps @ 28 for the week.
 
Thursday, Day #3, Week #3, Prep Press Cycle #2

Swing: 36kg x 2h x 10, 10

No 28 kg - not feeling 100% today

Σ 16 presses today

24 kg x 4, 3 (7)
21.14 kg x 6 (13)
24 kg x 3 (16)

DL: 275 x 5 singles OTM
 
Friday, Week 3 of Prep Cycle 2, Day 4

Press: Σ 20 but need to add 1 rep because we only did 28 x 2 singles this week

24 kg x 2 (2)
28 kg x 1, 1 (4) - nice to get 2 in the same day, and 3 in the same week, both PR's of late

24 x 2, 24 x 3, 24 x 4 (13)
21.14 x 3, 21.14 x 5 (21)

DL: 275 x 5 - this is Day #9, and day 14 will be the next time we go heavier than 275. 275 is getting very easy. My thought process is first push and then pull, reinforce by what I saw Ed Coan teach but it's been what has always been strongest, anyway - nice to have it in three words.
 
Saturday, had planned some swings but was tired and took a nap instead.

Sunday, did some swings - not a usual exercise day for me.

Today, Monday, walked a bit, floor stretching a bit

* Copied from earlier post *
Week #4
28% of 325 lifts is 91 lifts for the week

15% of 10 lifts @ 28 kg is 1 lifts @ 28 kg
15% of 107 lifts @ 24 kg is 16 lifts @ 24 kg

91 lifts for the week minus 18 is 73 lifts @ 21.14 kg

NB: 14, 20, 25, 32, redistribute as 16, 20, 25, 30 for 4 days or 9, 14, 18, 23 , 27 for 5 days, redistribute as 10, 14, 18, 23, 26
* Copied from earlier post *

Since I got 1 _fewer_ 28 kg rep last week, might be nice to get 1 _more_ 28 kg rep this week:

A lot of lifts with the lighter weight this week, about 80% of the week's volume.

I like pressing every day, and Tuesday I won't have much time, so we'll try:

Mon = 26
Tue = 10
Wed = 23
Thu = 14
Fri = 18

We'll experiment and do all reps today w/ 21.14 kg weight as 3, 5, 3, 6, 3, 6 = 26 reps

Did: 6, 3, 5, 3, 6, 3 = 26

DL: Daily Dose Deadlift, Day #10,
Did 1 contralateral 24 kg 1-leg DL each way as a warmup
275 x 5 singles - Gawd, these are getting easy!

It looks like Friday will be day #14 and therefore time for another heavier day, calls for 85% which would be 311.6 . I think I need to stay on the heavy side of these and go for 315.
 
Tuesday - 10 presses

24 kg x 2
28 kg x 1 - slow but up it went
21.14 kg x 3, 4 (10)

Left for the week:

28 kg x 1 (am upping this to 2 from 1 for the week)
24 kg Σ 14
21.14 Σ (am lowering this from 40 remaining to 39 to compensate for 28 kg change above)

91 total for the week, minus 36 already done leave 55, which is 1 + 14 + 39, so we're good

DL: 275 x 5 singles, Day #11 of DDD, rest periods shorter, form better, weight easier
 
Wednesday - Σ 23 presses, need ~2:1 ratio of 21.14 to 24 kg

24 kg x 2
28 kg x 1 - yes! (3)
24 x 3 (6)
21.14 x 5 (11)

24 x 3 (14)
21.14 x 4, 5 (23) avg 22.43 kg,

none left at 28 kg (but might do, anyway...)
14 - 8 = 6 left @ 24 kg
39 - 14 = 23 left @ 21.14 kg, HARI 80.1

55 - 23 today = 32 left for Thu + Fri - math confused, will have to sort out later

DL: DDD Day #12, 275 lb. x 5 singles, nice, controlled negatives, focus on being slow from knees to ground, 1:00 rest between
 
Thursday of Prep Cycle #2, Week #4, Day #4

Σ 14 today, and Σ 18 tomorrow, Friday

Today:
24 kg x 4
21.14 kg x 4, 6 (14)

And tomorrow, Friday will be 24 kg x 2, 21.14 kg Σ 16 (maybe as 5, 6, 5) - might consider doing another 28 kg to start and then 4, 5, 6 reps with the lighter weight. I feel like I need to keep pressing the 28 kg regularly - it's is instructive.

DL: same old thing, 275 x 5 singles - this time, stayed at bar, probably :30-:45 between reps.
 
Friday, Prep Cycle #2, Week #4, Day #5 - will be time for a Competition Cycle after this:

Σ 18 today

21.14 x 5, 6
24 x 2
21.14 x 5

Much as I want to continue to up the volume, I have done two Prep cycles and will now do a Comp cycle

DL: Daily Dose Deadlift, Day #14:

275 x 1
295 x 1
315 x 4 singles, all double overhand - grip was really good for the first 2, not so great for the rest, especially left.

Decided to stop here. I could have done another, double overhand or gone to alternate grip, but I realized I've done 6 lifts at 75% or greater as opposed to my usual 5, so I'm going to start including more regular warm lifts and/or just doing 6 or 7 singles.

I think I need at least a couple of warmup lifts every day, not to warm up but to keep the volume of lifts recommended by the program, which say 2-4 warmup lifts. I've done a couple of warmups sometimes, will do 7-9 total lifts every time going forward.
 
Comp Cycle - beginning notes

Prep Cycle #2 was 325 lifts. We'll try for 30% less and go for 230 lifts for the period.

Will keep coming back to edit this entry as time allows and I plan out the next 4 weeks.

We will try volume variant 1-3 because I characterize last month's volume as "moderate."

Volume Variant is 35-22-28-15

Next order of business is to calc/recalc the HARI for last cycle so that we can increase it for this cycle.

Will aim for HARI of 82%

Some seat-of-the-pants math - if you drop the volume by 1/3, but you're trying to increase the percentage of 91-100% lifts, just keep the actual number of them the same

35% of 230 lifts is Week 1 = 81 lifts, corrected to 80
22% of 230 lifts is Week 2 = 51 lifts
28% of 230 lifts is Week 3 = 64 lifts
15% of 230 lifts is Week 4 = 35 lifts, total is 231, we'll adjust Week #1 down to 80

Intensity Variant 3-1b: 28-22-35-15

28 kg Σ 10
24 kg Σ 92
21.14 kg Σ 128, avg 22.58 kg, no good, need 23 kg avg for HARI of 82%

28 kg Σ 12
24 kg Σ 100
21.14 kg Σ 118, avg 22.74, HARI 81.2% - this will do

Week #1:
28 kg Σ 6
24 kg Σ 28
21.14 kg Σ 46, total = 80

Week #2:
28 kg Σ 2
24 kg Σ 22
21.14 kg Σ 27, total = 51

Week #3:
28 kg Σ 4
24 kg Σ 35
21.14 kg Σ 25, total = 64

Week #4:
28 kg Σ 0
24 kg Σ 15
21.14 kg Σ 20, total = 35
 
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