skip to content

Search

Strength Block 1 Debrief: 6 of 8 Weeks

Plan: 8-week strength rebuild (Feb 1 – Mar 28). Cut short at Week 6 — upper body hit MRV, systemic overreach confirmed.

What happened: CNS readaptation outpaced the plan. Every lift ran 1–3 weeks ahead of schedule. Progressed too fast, accumulated fatigue faster than tissue could recover.

W6 peak numbers (LGW):

  • Bench: 75 kg 3×6 (last set RIR 0 — first time)
  • Leg Press: 145 kg 3×8
  • Squat: 60 kg 3×8
  • Hip Thrust: 80 kg 3×8 (still had margin)
  • Bulgarian: 2×16 kg 3×6/leg
  • DB OHP: 24 kg 3×8 (test 26 kg ×6)
  • DB Press: 30 kg ×8 (controlled, with pauses — potential for 34)
  • Seated Row: +1 full plate beyond previous max
  • Lat Pulldown: 80 kg ×5 (heavy)

Red flags at W6:

  • Chest/shoulder “tearing” sensation under load for 3 weeks — not DOMS, likely micro-strain or early tendinopathy. Pain only during exercise, not at rest.
  • HRV dropped from ~120 → 96.
  • Sleep deteriorated for 2–3 days before deload decision.
  • Upper body had zero reserve. Lower body still had 2–3 weeks of gas.

Body comp (bad): +1 cm thigh, 0 cm bicep. Classic AMPK-dominant partitioning — calories going to fat, not muscle. Started leucine + HBCD protocol around strength sessions to shift mTOR signaling.

Lessons:

  • Upper body MRV: ~6 weeks at this progression rate. Lower body: 7–8 weeks.
  • The “tearing” needs monitoring during deload — if not resolved in 7–10 days, see sports physio.
  • Deload = active (-20%, 2 sets, RIR 5). Never passive zero. Confirmed again empirically.