Pump sets/ Muscle rounds and the logbook

[Imperial1281]

I’ve decided to use Fortitude training for this offseason, up until now I’ve been doing P/P/L focusing on progressive overload with 3 variations and logbooking everything.

I’m on week 5 of Basic Tier 2, and as brutal as I’m finding it I feel the changes to my physique and muscle mass are already evident.

My question relates to the logbooking aspect of things. I know that the loading sets are really what need to be logbooked and progressed over time. I really want to embrace the ‘on the fly’ aspect of pump sets and M/Rs, bit having logbooking everything for years I’m finding it hard to to do this!


In my mind, if I don’t logbook the pump sets, having such a crappy memory I feel like I won’t know whether I’m using a suitable weight for these. So the obvious thing is to logbook these pump sets so I know where I’m at the next time I come to them....but then I feel like that takes away from the ‘intuitive’ or ‘on the fly’ aspect.


Would be interesting to hear how everyonde goes about logging or not logging their pump sets and Muscle Rounds? (Yes, OCD is getting he better of me here!)

[Altamir]

I log everything. But only for reference for pump sets. Typical I have 3 or 4 “go to” MRs that I know work best for me. So I hit the gym and tend to have a general idea of what I want to do, and then just refer back to my MR pool to see about what I will be aiming for as the training session develops, based on few and what is open. Pump sets are typically the same but again only for reference. Focus there is purely on “feel”

I will add that with some experience you get a vey good feel for what a MR rep should feel like and can intuitively select the weight for a given lift. Much in the same way you generally have a feel for what a 10 rep set should feel like. Also for pump sets I have always found that many times I wished I had not gone so heavy, but almost never wished I had gone lighter. So take that into consideration. For myself pump sets really seem to shine when it have to push past a mental barrier instead of physically one.

Hope this helps

[Scott Stevenson]

Imperial,

Check the e-book once more: I do suggest that you log MR's in a "Pool" at the back of your log book. (You can also log them the day of training, too and just fish back to find previous performance.)

So, logging MR's for progressive overload is important - over the very long haul - but you can (and should if it feels right) mix them up. When the day comes to go back to an exercise you've done previous for an MR (You have the "ah, time for that exercise" sense), you can then, given your mind set, be even more motivated b/c you have a challenge awaiting you when you find your previous performance for that exercise. (Noting order of exercise is important, too, e..g, with 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. to note when it was done on that day.) So now you get the value of autoregulating exercise selection AND the opportunity to beat the log book.

Pump sets can be noted, too, perhaps with weight and technique (e..g, 200lb, 5's into the Hole), just to get an idea of what weight you used and if you missed the mark or it was a good set. (I'll just note it was too heavy, brutal, or maybe to try another technique "Used rev. 21's next time" if I have an insight I don't want to forget.)

The the log book is a diary in addition to being an accountant's ledger where you record loads and reps.

It's a tool for helping you auto regulate, actually, where you put down the information worth remembering in that respect.

(I am having clients use a Perceived Recovery Scale a good bit now, too, and that could be included with each day's log as well.)

   

-Scott

[stve75]

[quote='Imperial1281' pid='17967' dateline='1526325386']
I’ve decided to use Fortitude training for this offseason, up until now I’ve been doing P/P/L focusing on progressive overload with 3 variations and logbooking everything.

I’m on week 5 of Basic Tier 2, and as brutal as I’m finding it I feel the changes to my physique and muscle mass are already evident.

My question relates to the logbooking aspect of things. I know that the loading sets are really what need to be logbooked and progressed over time. I really want to embrace the ‘on the fly’ aspect of pump sets and M/Rs, bit having logbooking everything for years I’m finding it hard to to do this!


In my mind, if I don’t logbook the pump sets, having such a crappy memory I feel like I won’t know whether I’m using a suitable weight for these. So the obvious thing is to logbook these pump sets so I know where I’m at the next time I come to them....but then I feel like that takes away from the ‘intuitive’ or ‘on the fly’ aspect.


Would be interesting to hear how everyonde goes about logging or not logging their pump sets and Muscle Rounds? (Yes, OCD is getting he better of me here!)


I was going make a similar post as I am used to logging everything. I have previously written out a whole meso in my training log and adjusted it week by week in terms of intensity and RIR through yo deload. The intuitive nature of this system intrigues me but I'm not sure how it will affect my workouts ( initially at least). I mean this in terms of I knew what work had to be done before - I opened my log and it was there in black and white. No matter how tired I felt I would work through the session and give myself a mental high five knowing it was mission accomplished. I am hoping after a blast or two the process will just happen but like yourself (with OCD) i Wondering how others found the transition

[StevanHelms]

I'm new to FT and have been dealing with some of the same issues mentioned. I am only on week 3 but decided yesterday to put together a "pool" for loading, pump, and MRs. I still keep my log but after each workout I update any thing I have done previously on the "pool" list (at this stage i am not duplicating much) I keep it on my phone via email so I have a quick reference if I need to change something on the fly. Takes a few mins to do but for me it's nice to have everything in one place.

[Scott Stevenson]

I'm new to FT and have been dealing with some of the same issues mentioned. I am only on week 3 but decided yesterday to put together a "pool" for loading, pump, and MRs. I still keep my log but after each workout I update any thing I have done previously on the "pool" list (at this stage i am not duplicating much) I keep it on my phone via email so I have a quick reference if I need to change something on the fly. Takes a few mins to do but for me it's nice to have everything in one place.

Tracking your Loading sets in a pool, as well as the main section of a log book, may be a bit excessive, you could do that.

-S

[gregzee123]

Tracking your Loading sets in a pool, as well as the main section of a log book, may be a bit excessive, you could do that.

-S

Hey Scott!

One quick question I've wondered for MR (and I attempted to find here but can't) is, should there be separate pools selection for MRs used on upper body MR day vs. MRs used on lower body MR day?

[Scott Stevenson]

Hey Scott!

One quick question I've wondered for MR (and I attempted to find here but can't) is, should there be separate pools selection for MRs used on upper body MR day vs. MRs used on lower body MR day?

You'd have a "pool" of MR's for each muscle group. the point is to organize them in your log book so you can select from the pool and beat your previous PR for that given exercise for an MR.

-S

[gregzee123]

You'd have a "pool" of MR's for each muscle group. the point is to organize them in your log book so you can select from the pool and beat your previous PR for that given exercise for an MR.

-S

Understood. Would you suggest splitting them based on an 'upper body mr pool' vs a l'lower body mr pool'? The only reason I ask is because if you do an exercise for lowerbody on an upper body day, you may not be hitting it with the same intensity (due to exercise order) than if it was done on a lower body MR day?

[Scott Stevenson]

Understood. Would you suggest splitting them based on an 'upper body mr pool' vs a l'lower body mr pool'? The only reason I ask is because if you do an exercise for lowerbody on an upper body day, you may not be hitting it with the same intensity (due to exercise order) than if it was done on a lower body MR day?

You can organize them however you like. I'd simply put a note next to each record indicating anything of that nature that might have impacted performance. (You seem to be micromanaging just a bit, though - As long as the general progression is upward, it's all good.)

-S