[Sunday, August 23, 2015, 185 lbs]
Bench Press, touch and go
45 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2
245 x 1
250 x 1
255 x 1
One-Arm DB Row, semi-supinated 120 x 6 x 4
Bench Press, touch and go 235 x 2 x 6
One-Arm DB Row, semi-supinated 125 x 5 x 2

Some days I just don't feel like it's a session unless I squat. Today was one of those days.

But I really need to allow another day of rest after squatting and deadlifting so heavy Friday. So in order to quench my desire to squat I upped the volume on benches and rows. And, boy, are my arms tired.

Volume made sense after 250 and 255 felt too hard for doubles. I was at the LA Fitness on Colonial because that location has heavier dumbbells (for rows)...but their bars, benches, and squat racks suck. The benches are all too close to the floor (great for lifters with short lower legs though, like women and tiny men). And I kept brushing the top of my right shoulder against the rack as I pressed because the uprights were angled a little steeply. I probably lost 5 lbs of press strength to the shittiness of the bench preventing me from setting up properly.

I made up for the lack of intensity by dropping back to 235 to get a bunch of doubles there. Last time I used 235 was August 6 when I got three doubles and some singles (last double was after a single): 235 x 2,2,1,2,1. I got twice as many doubles this time even though I was fairly spent by the time I got around to doing the doubles today. The last time I was at this LAF location a month ago I barely eked out 230 for a double and then got 240 for a single. So it was nice to come back and get so much volume with the average of those two weights.

Now that I think about it I should have used 240...just to say I got all those doubles with my former single...

Rows were the stars today, however. Grip on the left hand was tricky at times. But lots more volume with 120 and 125 than ever before. I really need to invest in a dumbbell bar that I can load up with tens. My hope was to be able to do these with bodyweight one day. I can say pretty confidently that while squat strength is what is driving my deadlift progress, it is the heavy/high-rep "Kroc"-style DB rows that make sure my deadlift never fails because my grip or upper back muscles give out as I push with the squat muscles.

My eagerness to squat today is a good sign that I'm on the road to recovery. I hope to get 360 for a double tomorrow and then maybe front squat 275 for a double or two.