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I don't get why you hit a PR of 395x3 and you're going to scale back 20 lbs and plan to get back to the PR you just hit in EIGHT weeks? 

You hit a PR, and plan to get back to it 8 weeks later?

What's the rationale for this?

8 weeks is long... I forgot that I squat 2x a week. I wanted to hit 375 twice before moving up 5lbs, and repeat. So actually it should take me 4 weeks by the time I get back to 395x3.

Long story short: I can lift 385x3 right now without getting hyped up. I'm scaling back to 375x3 and working back up from there because my CNS feels a little beat right now. Hope to get to 395x3 in 4 weeks without having to get hyped up.

Long rationale:

From years of training and logging my training, I have found that whenever I make crazy fast gains (for example I just went from 365x3 to 395x3 in under 3 weeks after stalling for months) and continue them, I tend to burn out inexplicably and drop in strength by a considerable amount. In addition, it usually then takes me a few months spinning my wheels to break through that plateau, and then a little more time to get back to my PRs. Because of this being repeated over and over in my training career, I have learned that it's better for me to think very long term with my goals and adjust my training accordingly. I would have better net progress that way.

Additionally, 3RM's are pretty intensive. I've been able to get to a 395x3 squat by adrenalizing myself before my 3RM's lately. I like to NOT adrenalize myself before 3RM's and still be able to put maximum effort into it and be able to lift it. There's actually a difference. The difference is I will burn out farrr slower than otherwise and be able to continue to make gains. CURRENTLY without emotional arousal before my 3RM, I can manage 385x3. 375 is only 10lbs away from there. In 4 weeks I want to be at 395x3 without having to hype myself up before the lift.

My goal was to get to a 385x3 squat by June 1st and a bodyweight of 190lbs. I'm changing that, and hope to get to a 405x3 squat by June 1st at a bodyweight of 195lbs or less. It looks like I'll clearly get there, but you never know. So many times it's happened to me that I've set what looks like an easy goal, but stuff just comes up and I miss it If I get to 405x3 super early, then I'll probably put strength on a lower priority and start working on plyometrics, that's all.

That being said, I'll still be making PR's -- just not in the top sets for a few weeks.

Ha, I know; I'm keeping it as a remnant of the past.

I remember WAY back I used to go to And1 forums for jumping higher... air alert 2 was all the rage back then. I think that's where I started with this. There was another site after that... Terminal Vertical.

Week 94

Monday - 01/11/16
194.0lbs

-= Workout Log =-
De-load

SVJs
3 x 1

ATG Squat
135 x 8                                >> 2min rest.
185 x 5                                >> Today at work I had a feeling I could squat 395x3. I just felt good.
225 x 3                                >> Warm ups were feeling light. 315 hasn't felt this light on my back in years.
275 x 1                                >> 355 wasn't a struggle at all. That's it, decided to aim for 395x3.
315 x 1                                >> I was adrenalized; shaking under the weight and a little fearful.
355 x 1                                >> Almost failed my last rep.
395 x 3 PR                           >> This isn't sustainable. I'm scaling back to 375x3 and increasing 5lbs/2wks
315 x 6                                >> Time to focus more on the back up sets.

Bench Press
45 x 15                               >> 2min rest.
95 x 8
135 x 5
195 x 2
235 x 4
185 x 12 PR

Romanian Deadlift
225 x 3
275 x 1                                >> Didn't expect to get this.
315 x 1
365 x 8 PR

Incline DB Bench Press
75's x 10

Standing Calf Raise Machine
390 x 15 PR

Training hasn't went this well for me in the longest time. Hopefully I don't get injured or sick soon.
This was a de-load but I went pretty hard on the squat and RDL. These mini rotating de-loads every week feel amazing. It doesn't throw me off my rhythm and I feel like they keep me from burning out. And if it's ever not enough, I can throw in two de-load sessions in a week.

Week 93

Friday - 01/08/16
196.0lbs

-= Workout Log =-

Cable Rows
180 x 3                         >> 60sec rests.
200 x 2
220 x 1
200 x 10 PR
200 x 6 PR
200 x 5 PR
180 x 9 PR
180 x 7 PR

Lateral Raises
35's x 3                             >> 60sec rests.
40's x 2
45's x 1
35's x 12
35's x 12
35's x 8 PR
30's x 8 PR
30's x 6 PR

Pull ups
BW x 10                       >> 60sec rests.
BW x 10
BW x 5 PR
BW x 4 PR
BW x 4 PR

Ab Pulldowns
95 x 5                       >> 60sec rests.
130 x 15 PR
130 x 10 PR
130 x 10 PR

Rear Delt W Flyes
25's x 15                        >> 45sec rests.
25's x 11 PR
25's x 6 PR

Week 93

Thursday - 01/08/16
194.0lbs

-= Workout Log =-

SVJs
3 x 1

ATG Squat
135 x 8                                >> 2min rests.
185 x 5                                >> Changed the warm up scheme a little. Not as good but I'll keep it anyway.
225 x 3                                >> I tried getting adrenalized for the triple but couldn't really. It was tough as hell.
275 x 1                                >> I had to scream mid-lift a little to get it.
315 x 1                                >> But hey looks like I can get it even at a lighter bw and no adrenaline!
355 x 1
385 x 3
315 x 8 PR
315 x 5 PR
315 x 3 PR

Bench Press
45 x 15                               >> 2min rests.
95 x 8                                 >> This is a 4 rep PR. I don't think it tops 230x6 but a PR nonetheless.
135 x 5                               >> When I can get the top sets for 6 reps, I'll jump up 10lbs.
185 x 3                               >> I like the idea. It makes my top sets vary in reps more.
235 x 4 PR                 >> Sometimes they'll be up to 6 reps. Sometimes only 3 reps.
225 x 2 PR
185 x 10 PR
185 x 10 PR
185 x 5 PR

Romanian Deadlift
225 x 3                                >> 2min rests.
275 x 1                                >> Randomly jumped up a shitload on these. Pushed myself and got it!
355 x 8 PR
355 x 5 PR
355 x 3 PR

Incline DB Bench Press
75's x 10 PR                            >> 60sec rest.
75's x 5 PR                              >> Just realized these are PR's. At some point I moved up from 70's but kept writing 70's in my log.

Standing Calf Raise Machine
315 x 5                               >> 60sec rests because I had to work in with someone.
375 x 15                    >> Did extra reps to make up for it.
375 x 18 PR
375 x 12 PR
 345 x 5 PR
  315 x 3 PR

PR'd in every lift. I can't remember the last time this happened. Well I care more about the top set in the squats but I still PR'd after that

What I've been doing lately is focusing on giving maximum effort on every lift. Lots of times I catch myself not doing that. On my bench presses for example, even though they are back up sets and I was getting a pump, I still gave 100% CNS effort. It also felt like I should have stopped at 8 reps, but I remember reading in Supertraining (or was it the Zatsiorsky book?) that your fast twitch fibers won't necessarily be fatigued until you go up just before or reach failure. Stopped two reps short won't cut it.

This also made me realize I can do more reps than I thought. I was going to stop at 5 for the RDL's but managed 8!

Opened a Roth IRA. I'm 23 years old, now's the time. Put 3k into VTSMX for now. This is for long term (40+ years) gains, so index funds are the way to go. Maybe in the near future I'll open up a brokerage account to play with. I'm allowed to contribute 5.5k a year to my Roth IRA and the returns are tax-free if I take them out after I'm 59.5 years old. Contributions until then I can also pull out tax free.

Week 93

Tuesday - 01/06/16

-= Workout Log =-

Pull ups
BW x 5                             >> 60sec rests.
+25lbs x 10
+25lbs x 7
+25lbs x 4
+25lbs x 3
+25lbs x 3

Lateral Raises
35's x 3                             >> 60sec rests.
40's x 2                             >> Finally matched my all-time PR in these, nice.
45's x 1
35's x 12
35's x 12
35's x 6
30's x 8
30's x 6

Cable Rows
180 x 3                         >> 60sec rests.
220 x 1                         >> Got tired of being at the same weight so I moved up.
200 x 8 PR
200 x 5 PR
200 x 3 PR
180 x 8 PR
180 x 5 PR

Ab Pulldowns
95 x 5                         >> 60sec rests.
130 x 12
130 x 10 PR
130 x 10 PR

Rear Delt W Flyes
25's x 15  PR                         >> 45sec rests.
25's x 10 PR
25's x 6 PR

Week 92

Thursday - 12/31/15

-= Workout Log =-
De-load

SVJs
3 x 1                                >> Tried a 12" depth jump after SVJ's and it was miserable lol. I have no movement skills atm.

ATG Squat
135 x 8                                >> 2min rests.
185 x 5                                >> Holy crap I nearly failed the 375x3. Might go back to 365x3 next week and work on back ups.
225 x 3
285 x 1
335 x 1
375 x 3
315 x 3

Bench Press
45 x 15                               >> 2min rest.
95 x 8
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 5
185 x 10

Romanian Deadlift
275 x 1
340 x 6 PR

Incline DB Bench Press
75's x 10

Standing Calf Raise Machine
360 x 15

Feels good to de-load. Needed it on the squats too.