This cycle was supposed to be a recovery cycle.
At least on paper.
The idea was simple: reduce risk, rebuild structure, avoid chasing numbers, and give the body enough space to absorb the previous training. Less ego. More control. More technique. Less noise.
But the body had its own opinion.
The cycle was not exactly easy. Running was still present. The strength work was controlled, but not soft. And by the end of the block, several lifts moved better than expected.
That is probably the most interesting part: this did not feel like a maximal strength block, but it still produced clear strength signals.
Squats: the accidental lesson
The squat was supposed to be a tempo squat.
In practice, it became a normal squat.
I finished the cycle with 70 kg for 3 sets of 6 reps, strong and stable. Not heroic. Not ugly. Just solid.
The more interesting part happened one week earlier.
In week five, I had an endurance test scheduled the next day, so I deliberately reduced the leg work. Squats were done with only 50 kg, and leg press was also lighter.
Then, one week later, the legs came back with much more power.
That may be the lesson here.
Maybe my legs do not need constant linear pressure. Maybe they respond better to a wave: one stronger session, one lighter session, then another stronger session. Not endless progression, but stimulus followed by absorption.
The body is not a spreadsheet. Annoying, but true.
Leg press, hip thrusts, and hamstrings
The lower body work went very well overall.
On the leg press, I basically closed the machine and still had a large reserve. I was doing sets of around 8 reps, but it felt like I could probably do 16-20 if needed.
Bulgarian split squats also improved. By the final B session, I was doing 18 kg for 6 reps per leg, stable and controlled.
Hip thrusts were almost suspiciously easy. 100 kg felt light, and then 110 kg also felt light. Since I am not doing deadlifts right now, I also used the setup as a way to handle heavier weight again - carrying and positioning the bar with around 100 kg. That alone felt easy, which is a good sign.
Leg curls also reached new highs on the machine.
The general pattern is clear: posterior chain, hamstrings, glutes, and single-leg stability all moved forward.
Pressing: much better than expected
Incline bench press surprised me the most.
The plan was more conservative, but I finished with 75 kg for 5 reps across 3 sets. That was around 10 kg more than planned.
Since this was done on an incline, it suggests that flat bench strength is probably in a good place too. Historically, my flat bench has been noticeably stronger than incline bench, so this was a very positive signal.
Dips were also excellent.
I did 3 sets of 8 reps, with a clean pause at the bottom. No bouncing, no fake range of motion, no circus. Just controlled reps.
That matters because paused dips are much more honest than sloppy dips. If the bottom position is controlled, the triceps and chest are actually doing real work.
Triceps strength also improved, although the final triceps extensions were hard. That probably makes sense. By the end of the cycle, triceps had already taken a lot of work from incline pressing, dips, dumbbell pressing, and pushdowns.
Dumbbell pressing: strong, but close to the limit
The final dumbbell press was heavy.
I used 28 kg dumbbells for 6 reps on a nearly vertical bench. That made it closer to a high incline / shoulder press than a standard incline press.
The actual pressing was possible, but setting the dumbbells up was difficult. My right arm had trouble getting the dumbbell into position.
That is a useful warning.
The strength is there, but the setup becomes part of the lift when dumbbells get heavy. Sometimes the most dangerous part is not the press itself, but getting into position like an idiot with two heavy objects and too much confidence.
Still, the result was strong.
Pull-ups and chin-ups: the weak point of the cycle
Vertical pulling did not feel great.
Pull-ups ended around 3 sets of 6, and chin-ups were around sets of 7. That is not terrible, but relative to my own history, it felt poor.
My lifetime chin-up record is 22 reps. Right now, I doubt I could repeat anything close to that. Maybe 15 reps in the first set if fresh.
The obvious conclusion: pull-ups and chin-ups were probably too much twice per week in this cycle, especially with rows, curls, pressing, running, and general accumulated fatigue.
This does not mean my back suddenly got weak. It means the system had no freshness for vertical pulling.
That is still useful information. Not every lift can be the priority at the same time.
Rows and arms
Chest-supported rows went well. I finished with 26 kg dumbbells for 8 reps, lying on an incline bench.
That variation is good for me because it removes unnecessary lower-back load. With squats, Bulgarian split squats, hip thrusts, running, and core work already present, there is no need to turn every row into a spinal negotiation.
Biceps curls also moved nicely. I finished with 20 kg for 6 reps, and there was still some reserve.
Triceps work improved too, but by the final session it was clearly more fatigued than biceps.
Core: the quiet breakthrough
Core work may have been the most important part of this cycle.
I reached:
- 2-minute plank
- 20 kg wall sit for around 90 seconds
- 35-second hollow body hold
- heavier Pallof presses
- 1-minute side planks
- stronger kneeling ab wheel work
The ab wheel finally gave me the kind of core stimulus I had been missing. It is hard, direct, and honest.
The visual effect is also noticeable. The abdominal wall looks tighter, but more importantly, it feels stronger.
This matters beyond appearance. A stronger core supports squats, Bulgarian split squats, hip thrusts, running posture, and general spinal control.
For my back, that is not accessory work. That is infrastructure.
The real result of the cycle
The cycle was supposed to be lighter.
Instead, it became a diagnostic block.
It showed that:
- my legs are stronger than I expected,
- my pressing is in a good place,
- dips improved clearly,
- posterior chain work is moving well,
- core strength improved significantly,
- vertical pulling needs more careful management,
- and fatigue was present, even if performance was still rising.
That last part matters.
This was not a relaxed block. It was controlled, but still demanding. Running was lighter, but it was not gone. Strength training still produced real effort. And by the final week, several lifts were near the edge.
So the conclusion is simple:
This cycle worked.
Not because it was easy. It was not.
It worked because it gave me stronger legs, better pressing, better core, and clearer information about what my body tolerates well and what starts to break down first.
That is a useful cycle.
Not dramatic. Not perfect. But productive.
And sometimes that is exactly what training maturity looks like.