Things are picking up and everything is right on schedule.  Still need to practice my squat form a bit more in wraps -- in hindsight, wish I had put the wraps on about two weeks earlier.  But grip is coming back and my bench feels dialed in.

Monday: Squat & Bench Assistance
Squat with Krait wraps
635x1
685x1
720x2
675x3x1

Decline bench press
225x8
335x6

Reverse hyperextension
20x3x10

Bit of a challenging day today.  I felt very strong, but was having some trouble hitting squat depth for the second week in a row.  Thanks to Tammy Hudson of Kinetix Body Science, I knew that it’s wasn’t a mobility issue, but couldn’t identify the technique changes I needed to make during the workout.  So I just did the best I could!  A double at 720 is a PR, and the weight moved well, so not a total loss.  Took some backoff singles to try to get some more data points for what might be affecting depth.

Tuesday: Bench/DL Assistance
Close grip bench press
335x1
380x1
225x20

Deficit sumo deadlift
405x5x5

Just a light session to get back in the groove after Monday’s disappointment.  Not much else to say about it!

Thursday: Squat, Bench, & DL
Bench press
315x5
335x5
365x5

Squat with wraps
675x4

Deadlift
725x4

A video posted by Ben Pollack (@phdeadlift) on

Plan for today was 365x5 and 725x5 on bench and deadlift, but given Monday’s issues, I decided that it was more valuable to get in some more squat practice first.  Focused on keeping a good brace in the hole and breaking at the knees rather than hips to begin the movement, and felt a lot more confident, so that was great.  Happy with the day, and it set me up to have a good deload before making the final push towards the meet!

Friday: Shoulders, Triceps & Back
Machine lateral raise
Front barbell raise superset bent-over dumbbell raise
Behind-the-neck press

Pulley pushdown
Skullcrusher

Lat pulldown
Hammer Strength single-arm pulldown
Machine pullover

All about the pump today -- and for the next two workouts.  I needed the break!

So now I'll deload and then make the final push to the meet. Going on a little weekend trip to with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary, so it's good timing and I'll come back fresh. Hoping to take a couple singles at 350 kilos on squat and 200 kilos on bench before the meet, but that'll be in about two weeks. For now it's just staying patient and letting the program do its work!