Starting "The Bridge" Program! | Week 1 Day 1 Baseline Scouting & Injury Management

May 17, 2026

1. Straight Bar Squats

Warm-ups: Empty Bar x 5, 95 lbs x 5, 135 lbs x 5, 155 lbs x 5 (@ RPE 6)

Working Sets: 165 lbs x 5 (Controlled engine output in mid-Zone 4)

Top Set: 185 lbs x 5 (@ RPE 7.5, touching the bottom of Zone 5)

The Strategy: Used a standard straight bar today and the shoulders felt great. To keep things loose and drop the axial compression, I utilized a 5–10 second neutral-grip dead hang between sets. It completely eliminated tightness before getting back under the bar.

2. Narrow Grip Feet-Up Bench Press

Warm-ups: Empty Bar x 15, 95 lbs x 5, 115 lbs x 4

Working Sets: 135 lbs x 4 (@ RPE 7.5) & 135 lbs x 4 (@ RPE 7.5)

The Strategy: Tucked my grip "two fingers in" from my usual setup and kept my feet up on the bench. Deleting leg drive forces the upper back and triceps to completely own the stabilization, protecting my shoulder joint while keeping the movement rock-solid and stable.

3. Block Pulls (Mid-Shin Lockout Builder)

Warm-up: 135 lbs x 7

Working Sets: 185 lbs x 7, 205 lbs x 7 (HR steady at 134 BPM)

Top Set: 225 lbs x 7 (Heart rate pushed to 154 BPM)

The Strategy: A phenomenal progressive volume ramp to overload the posterior chain and build upper back positioning without overtaxing the lower back right out of the gate.

Post-Workout Recovery & Accessories:
Wrapped up the session with 2 quick rounds of a post-bench shoulder flush (light standing banded 90/90 forward rotations), light banded face pulls for an upper back reset, and a final, deep neutral-grip dead hang to elongate the spine.
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Welcome to Barbell Gardener in Southern Alberta, Canada! This channel is dedicated to helping you cultivate strength both in the gym and in the garden. I provide practical tips, share my workouts, and gardening advice for anyone looking to build a "semi balanced" and "somewhat healthy" lifestyle. Join me as we grow stronger together! No gimmicks. No sales.
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Program; Barbell Medicine The Bridge powerlifting program. One of my personal favorites. Three day per week RPE based and variety of lifts.

Coached by "Coach Forge" my Gemini LLM (AI) companion and cheerleader/conservative coach keeping me from spinning my wheels off the vehicle.

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Protein intake resources for older weightlifters;
https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2024/01/23/protein-needs-for-adults-50/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4Tvm3FK0jI&list=PLt8Ld6PU9hfS8OtiUzogzutajC1A_tedx
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A few of my favourite YouTube weightlifting resources:
calgarybarbell
barbellmedicine
jeffnippard
strongerbyscience
rpstrength
Pana
Menno Henselmans
Coach'm up podcast
yes, I am a nerd

Some of my favourite gardening resources:
Next Level Gardening
MiGardener
Alberta Urban Garden
any agricultural University sources

Some of my favourite health resources:
Nutrition made simple
Barbell Medicine
Dr John Campbell
Alan Watts
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Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or a medical professional. Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. I will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this video including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness, death, and alien abductions.
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Видео Starting "The Bridge" Program! | Week 1 Day 1 Baseline Scouting & Injury Management канала Barbell Gardener