RE Upper Body

Today was the day I had been dreading for weeks - - - yeah, I planned this way in advance.  After the 5 sets of 6 week kicked me around, I knew the 6 sets of 4 week would be rough.  But on today's menu was 6 sets of 4 with 305 pounds with the conventional deadlift, just two days after my last leg workout.  Even without that, I knew I was gonna hate life.

OK,  I have read in places like T-Nation that recommends not doing deads for reps.  that form starts to slip.  That it is too demanding a lift to rep out.  But if experience has taught me anything, it is that this very method not only speeds up my metabolism but it also helps me keep a lot of my mass.  And while the shrug works for me, the deads work better and I can't let let it go to seed while I focus on my squat.  And since I will never make Navy weight standards quickly enough (before and after my surgery and nearly 3 weeks of liquids and dropping almost 20 pounds, I still missed Navy weight standards by 9 pounds in 2009), I have to serve two masters and build and lean as much as I can.  And repping deads is effective for that.  I just cycle my weeks, is all.

Lastly, it builds a little armor.  All that volume builds SPP I can use later when I train heavy.  So, I channeled my inner Finn, Bolton, and Benni and begrudgingly got to work.

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets

Nautilus Nitro Bench Press: 75x5, 100x5, 125x5, 145x4x6

Conventional Deadlift: 155x5, 205x5, 255x3, (added straps, double overhand grip)305x4x6.  Did it, was wiped out halfway in and had to focus a lot more to keep form.  My lower back held up but my upper back was thrashed.  And I was soaked.

Nautilus Nitro Compound Row:  175x4x6.  I could barely pull back enough, my upper back was gone.

T-Bar Rows:  140x4x6.  Surprise, had a tad bit left.  Just had to get pissed and pull faster.