Training updates and random

So after 2 weeks of experimenting with Bulgarian training, stuff is getting pretty boring and my hips/back/arms are killing me. Went to visit Chee Chong and got my body sorted out yesterday. Training honestly has been all over the place with me hitting a daily Max for both squat and bench and then deadlift (which dropped quite a bit). 

So anyway, I really want to resume the Bulgarian style of training but honestly it's just not appealing to me. Personally, I don't really lift well with a calm mindset. It's just not me. No offence to the calm lifters, I think being able to lift calmly is great but I really really like the loud music and the "Destroy everything" mentality. So next step is to fix my iPhone's Bluetooth. Shit is not able to connect to my wireless headset. So for now no music and minimum psych still. Also no legit spotters so no motivation to max out. 

Moving forward, I guess I will go back on Russian Squat Routine (not using real Max) and this time add in more back accessories and mobility work. Gonna foam roll my quads regularly and do my butterfly stretches. Also benching close grip with pause to get my triceps up again and with tons of rear delts work. Deadlift will be lowered to fix my form and prevent CNS from burning out. Shoutout to Josiah for volunteering to help clean up my form. Also currently meal prepping and leaning out, already tighten my belt by a notch. Lost some squat leverages but we will see as the weeks goes by and with higher frequency. 

Bye

Week 1 of Bulgarian Training

Highest Daily Max of low bar: 190kg
Highest Daily Max of high bar: 182.5kg

Daily Min of low bar: 170kg
Daily Min of low high: 160kg

Highest Close grip bench: 142.5kg (PR)

Daily Min of Close grip bench: 140kg

After one week of Bulgarian I realized that understanding the concept of not pysching up for a lift vs actual execution of the lift is very different. On the day where I hit my highest daily max of 190kg low bar I felt very good and hit a back down set of 180kg for a triple, perhaps I was already psyched up to hit the sets. The following day I only managed to hit a 160kg high bar and a wobbly low bar of 170kg and a 200kg deadlift. Very frustrating indeed but I know there is much work to put in after taking time off.

Added in back accessories for all days except deadlift day. Back is not where I want to be so starting #projectbiggerback #projectstrongerback with more hypertrophy based.

> Rows
> Lats pulldown
> Chinups
> Cable rows



 

Daily Min/Max

The most important part with Bulgarian training is not pushing your daily max but instead to figure out the daily min. What is your daily min? That is the number you can hit comfortably on any day at any time with no psych up. 

Today I failed a 180kg high bar squat despite feeling confident of hitting it. Quite disappointed with that so I guess 180kg is not going to be my daily min. I guess it will be around the range of 170kg-175kg. Gonna work with that and see where it goes. 

Also adding more back accessories to bring up my lagging back.

Russian Squat Routine and Feedback (Moving on)

Started with a max squat of 190kg in comp, progressed onto 202.5kg. Only modification I made to the program was trying to hit doubles up to the next session's top set weight instead e.g. Next session is supposed to be 170 * 4 * 4, program called for 155 * 2 * 6 but I will add weight every set until I hit 170 * 2. 

Good program to run while focusing on squats alone. Can add in Smolov jr for bench. 

After the Russian Program, I decided to work to a heavy top set daily and apply wave loading to the top set. My best training numbers in gym:

180kg * 8 @ RPE 8.5

185kg * 6 @ RPE 9.5

190kg * 5 @ RPE 9

200kg * 3 @ RPE 9.5

Pretty happy with these numbers for now but yet to hit 220kg for now due to some funky wrist issue. Could be due to me squatting lots of low bar. Will sort it out soon. Also had a minor pec tear so gonna close grip bench only.

Current approach to training will be Bulgarian. Always wanted to try it out and doing it with high bar squat and CGBP.

Just hit 182.5kg HBS and 140kg CGBP. We will see how it goes after 6 weeks.

Mon: Squat/Bench

Wed: Squat/Bench

Fri: Squat/Deadlift