re: Pen and Paper Strength App

I'm doing DB strength for my "barbell break month"

I only own a pair of 10lb hex-head dumbbells, and 2x6lb load-able dumbbell handles. I don't intend to go shopping for anything additional so my equipment limitations will make this more interesting than anything. Long term I'll eventually invest in some adjustable dumbbells, but not now, once this 4 weeks is over I'm gonna teach myself the Olympic lifts and train that way for 12 weeks so I may have to purchase some new things for that period.

W1D1:
The only spots that concern me were the exercises where I was lifting way too light of a weight due to not having heavy enough dumbbells, so the 2nd SS of DB bench press & DB RDL's is the biggest one. I could probably do 100-120lb DB bench press fine, and DB RDL's were pretty good with 56lbs in each hand. I could load more weight on the handles for bench press, but then I'd have to strip it off that weight before doing RDL's but by doing so I'd totally lose the training effect of the superset. Next time I will do the RDLs with 45lb plates in each hand and I'll stand up on my stool so I can get full ROM. That will allow me to load up my DB handles heavier and do a more appropriate weight for that exercise.

Otherwise, it'd be great if I had a pair of 15s and 20s for things like skullcrushers, concentration or zottman curls, lateral raises, etc. For 25lbs I can just hold my 25lb plates as they have handle cutout holes on them. I guess I could hold 2x10lb plates together in 1 hand, it may work. This will be an exercise in creativity/ingenuity I'm sure. Farmer's carries would be ideal with about 100lb in each hand, but that's just not possible with what I got. Still, I felt like I got a good workout, just very different from what I'm used to doing (but that's the point)

ETA: The cheapest and probably smartest thing to do for me would probably be to go to one of the local gyms and pay for 1 month, I've done it in the past and it's only about $35, and use that as my gym for the next 4 weeks. That way I'd have access to all the different weights all in dumbbells that I'd need and I'd get to feel like I'm on vacation by working out somewhere different for a while. Maybe check out some babes, stuff like that.

about to wrap up oak tree and looking for another PPSA to run. Hyper trophy looks like a good one.

anyone run this one recently and have a review?

DB Strength W1D2:

This day flows like I like it to flow. Starts out with 3 consecutive supersets. First one is tougghhhh! Pullovers always leave me feeling like a nail has been driven into my back, right between my shoulder blades, I think I get this tiny little cramped up spot there in my rhomboid muscle?? I dunno why it does that, I'm gonna blame my form. I've never recorded myself doing pullovers and broke down my form so that's probably it, or it's just a new exercise for me and I never do them so much that my body gets used to them. Any scapular retraction during this workout after the pullovers kinda re-activates it so the rows are teeth-gritting to get through.

Second SS is a little easier, third one is a little easier than the second, and then yer done with supersets. I enjoy starting at the highest intensity and gradually decreasing with each phase towards the end. The Zottman's didn't punish my left tennis elbow too much, I felt some tenderness but not what I would call pain. I went really light (10lb) and slow and easy on the reps so as not to exacerbate it at all.

Pretty easy once I got past SS#1 with lunges and pullovers, but the equipment limitations are most obvious on a day like today. Unless I want to spend more time loading/unloading plates on my DB handles than I do actually lifting, I just have to set up for speed and efficiency. That puts me at weights that are either a tad too heavy, or way too light, it's hard to get to the sweet spot.

I have plans to use the pack for sure, it's covered in handles and it's made to do this kinda stuff with. I think it may be my go to for farmers carries. I never thought about bands, but that's a good idea. That may work perfect to add just a little more resistance to the things like curls that are just a tad too easy for me. Good idea.

Benchamin Franklin 2 - Day 14

I mentioned before that I'm running this as 3 lift days then 1 cardio day. Day 2 in this pattern so far has been on the lighter side in both volume and weight. It is sandwiched between day 1 (heavy squat, bench, and deadlift) and day 3 (high volume bench and bent rows). I wouldn't call this a rest day, nor would I complain about it being less intense than days 1 and 3.

Nice easy paced day. 4 sets of bench at a decent weight moved well. It was odd on the OHP, but set 2 felt better than sets 1 and 3 (all at same weight). I went up in weight on the tate presses and it felt awkward. It wasn't the weight that made it awkward, but rather the size of the DB. I'll have to focus more as the increased diameter is putting my elbows in a different position.

The absolute worst part of today's plan is the seated wrist curls. First 2 sets, perfect. Last 2 sets (just using a straight 40# bar) felt like torture on reps 11-25. Could barely move my forearms they had gotten so tight.

Benchamin Franklin 2 - Day 15

Solid day. The bench/bent row superset felt it would never end. Bench was nice and smooth the entire time. Rows started off a little rough. Once I locked in position more and got better bracing, they too felt better the deeper I went. I went heavier on the lat raises since the reps decreased. First 2 sets had much better form than the last 2. The Pullovers were another accessory that got better towards the end. Like the bent rows, I figured out better core bracing and it played a huge impact. Skullcrushers were skullcrushers. They were fine, but the 5x20 scheme felt like too much volume when you consider the cardio after it. 'As many sets of 10 CG pushups as possible in 2 min'; I was disappointed but only managed 3 sets. Arms were just dead trying to rush thru those after just completing the skullcrushers.

Now for a rest/cardio day tomorrow before attacking the heavy day Sunday.

Wrapped up week 5 of clean the house today.

I mistakingly put 225 on for my first set of cleans and got them easy and then realized I had the wrong bumper plates on. Needless to say I’m finally making progress

Benchamin Franklin 2 - Day 16

The big 3 today were tough. I've been in a pretty decent calorie deficit the last couple weeks and I think it's starting to catch up to me. I actually went to my knees and let the safety arms catch the bar on the last squat rep. Core broke down and I knew I lost it.

I hit all the reps on bench and deadlift, but they weren't easy either. I went with straps on the last 4 sets of deadlift. Penlay rows seemed good as did the cardio portion of the workout.

Benchamin Franklin 2 - Day 18

Today was the high volume day in the rotation and it did not disappoint. Hit everything as expected with generally decent form.

The first SS of bench and bent rows took right at 45 min (with 90s rests); 15 sets does NOT go quick. The bent rows (like last time) seemed to get better around set 3. For whatever reason I just don't get my bracing dialed in initially. Once I get set with my hips and back locked, they are much smoother. I increased weight on sets 6 and 11. Bench started great, but I was definitely starting to feel it at the end. The bar was for sure, not moving fast on last 2 sets of doubles at 85%.

The SS of rear lats and standing OHP were ok. Rear lats started to burn by the last set, but got them completed without stopping the rhythm. After all the bench presses, the OHP was HEAVY. I got them all done without decreasing weight. If form lacked anywhere, it was the last set of OHP. I know they could've been cleaner (at the same time, they could've definitely been worse).

Tate presses moved to a higher rep count this go around. I liked this better because I could move to a physically smaller DB to still get the same burn. The higher weight DBs are more bulky and I'm having trouble figuring out arm placement with their increased diameter.

thats a lot of us, many also get bored quick so the ppsa workouts are perfect being only around a month long.