As some of you may know, I am a 40 year old single dad with a background in heavy lifting. I chained a couple years together over the past 15 years but recently found 5/3/1 and getting after it for the last 7 weeks running triumvirate. This is my first week of BBB.
Prior to 5/3/1, for about 8 months, was running a full body algo driven plan that was missing the compound movements I have always been fond of. I never really lost focus on the lower body work, however.
6’4
245 lb
20% body fat
40.5 yrs
Test: 1069 total
Free: 4%
estradiol is low
Supplement stack:
Re-Lyte hydrate
Tongkat: 1,000 mg in the morning
Fadogia: 1200 mg, 3 week cycles
Carlson’s fish oil: 15ml morning. Get 2,000mg DHA , EHA and omega 3 this way
AG1 - 2 scoops
65mg iron
Sunflower lecithin: 3g morning, 3g evening
5,000 iu vitamin d w/k2 morning
10g boron evenings, 2 week cycle
25 mg zinc chelated , evening
300mg Magnesium, evening
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Press Day 5/5/5+
90% 1RM: 160
95, 110, 120x12
Press:
5x10 @ 80lb
Chin Up (Assisted & alternating)
10 @ 120lb x 4 sets
6 @ 120lb
Conditioning - Treadmill work
15 second sprint @ 9mph / 90 second rest @ 1 mph / 10 sets
Macros:
Pre workout - 30g cyclic dextrin / 5 g leucine / 2g electrolytes / 5g citrulline
Intra workout - same as above
Post workout - 120 g dextrose / 60 g isolate / 5g creatine mono
Macros all inclusive: 320 g carbs / 270 g protein
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Deadlift 1RM @ 90%: 370 - felt great, ripping them
5/5/5+
215
250
285 x 12
Deadlift
5x 10 @ 185
Front Squat
135 x 10
145 x 10
155 x 10
160 x 10
165 x 10
Macros:
Pre workout - 30g cyclic dextrin / 5 g leucine / 2g electrolytes / 5g citrulline
Intra workout - same as above
Post workout - 120 g dextrose / 60 g isolate / 5g creatine mono
All in: 330g carbs, 300g protein
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Bench 5/5/5+
140
160
185x13
Bench
5x10x155
Kroc Row (per arm) - felt great on these, was ripping them up
5x10x100lb
Conditioning
Stairmaster
10 min @ 6mph average
This kicked my ass, tank was out of gas, moving ahead will do longer at lower if needed
Macros:
Pre workout - 30g cyclic dextrin / 5 g leucine / 2g electrolytes / 5g citrulline
Intra workout - same as above
Post workout - 120 g dextrose / 60 g isolate / 5g creatine mono
So today I found out…
The app 5/3/1 Strength from the App Store that I plug my numbers into was already discounting the max @ 90% - and because I did not realize for 7 weeks, my numbers were thereby reduced by 20% not 10%. I believe this would actually be considered a good thing per the literature, but if anyone wants to jump in on this, please do. I was trying to figure out why some of my strength actually was dropping and I get it now
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@Juicewrld Could have been worse. As you probably know…”start light and progress“
I was curious why you were hitting >10 reps on the AMAP set. Now I understand.
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Yes but then in some other ways I feel stronger and I definitely look bigger. Doing the compounds on lower weight on a more regular basis was probably good conditioning for when I get back to my numbers, and now that I moved to BBB I am hitting those much more often and should start moving forward rather quickly.
Squats 5/5/5+
235
270
305x10
Squats x10
185
205
225
245
265
Kroc Row (per arm)
5x10x100lb
Conditioning
Incline treadmill: 16% @2mph x 20 min
2 Likes
Press: 3/3/3+
100
115
130x11
Press x10
75,85,95,105,115 (had to dig for the last rep)
Kroc Rows (per arm): 80 lb
20,15,15
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Deadlift: 3/3/3+
250
290
325x7
Deadlift x 5x10
225
Incline bench x10
135
140
145
150x 8
145 x 9
2 Likes
Bench press 3/3/3
165
185
10x210 (had one, maybe two in the tank)
Bench x10
165
170
175
180
7x185
Kroc Row x50
40 lbs
I was absolutely cranking today on everything, especially the bench.
3 Likes
Squat 3/3/3
250
290
325x10
Squat x10
225
245
260
275
290
Kroc Row 5x10x100lb
The Krocs are helping a ton with my grip. What’s great about them, imo, is that you can cheat with the grip, let the dumbbell rest on the hand and finish out the set until you build the strength up. It’s been maybe 4-5 weeks but the grip issue is totally resolved, meanwhile I am cranking these now when it wasn’t that way at first, and it feels awesome. Maybe it’s me but when you rip a bunch of these, I feel like Zeus. Very quickly becoming my favorite exercise in the gym.
Other notes:
Maybe I shouldn’t have done this, but before the strength got away from me, I brought my 90%’s up to where they were before I got on the program. In other words, like I said a few days ago, I was unnecessarily low. I shouldn’t do 16 reps of 290 on week one on squat, so I course corrected. Feels awesome, again, physically, mentally, cranking on the higher numbers, especially bench.
I dialed in my fcking macros and I added fiber. I got MyFitnessPal and I think I shaved off 1,000 unnecessary calories. That’s insane in my opinion. Not only did I drop the protein and carbs down to about 240/265 respectively but I have been keeping the fat around 150g ballpark to keep the fat inline with what was discussed in my diet thread. H/t the the folks in there that helped. Still feeling bloated periodically but getting better. I’m also trying to inverse pyramid the calories over the day, in other words eat the most in the morning after training, lighten up as the day goes on.
Big moment that life got away without realizing it: walking not nearly as much. I work in NYC and the commute is a lot of steps. I’ve been doing a lot of WFH the last few months and went back in today. I’ll get a few miles easy and I’m gonna add 3 more daily bc I am not gonna drive to the train, will walk instead unless it’s really urgent.
2 Likes
Conditioning last night and this morning - crying uncle
I need to get this dialed in - i got a lot bigger and stronger, quick but the miscalculation of the macros really got me bloated, overweight and bad in the face. Did two things yesterday and today to turn this around.
1: after work yesterday, walked 1.75 miles each direction to grab sushi. Had a bowl of rice and a roll but the rest, kept it as protein focused as much as possible - 18 sashimi, plus negimaki and a poke / avocado, and salad with ginger dressing. With all the steps, didn’t think much about macros. After breakfast I was 150 p / 185 c / 85 fat and I did not consume calories for about 11 hours. I was getting pretty lightheaded, which is out of character for me and demonstrated (likely) just how far my insulin has gotten away from me. The food was a great recharge and the walk was even better.
2: did the 1.5 mile walk down to grab my coffee, fasted. had some oatmilk in it but going to limit the intake the rest of the day until around 3pm or later if possible, which would give me 20 hours aside from that oatmilk.
already feeling much better.
being on week 2 of 3 on the 5/3/1 program I am going to blend my intake where i focus most on the upper body day of and after, and on squat and deadlift days i am going to be less concerned for now, since those are my strongest areas, and i am going to attempt to lean out for the rest of the month as best i can, and see what i can pull off. if i can get and stay lean for the summer, will get back after it harder, and better dialed in, in the fall.
i am going to continue 5/3/1 through the summer, in summary, with a tighter macro approach, fasting, and increased cardio and see how it works out.
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Tried to make it 20 hours but made it about 17.5. Going to shoot for 200 p / 120 carbs / 100 fat. Just had the following lunch:
6 eggs
Tablespoon of avocado oil
One bag of cilantro rice
16 Amylou chicken pineapple meatballs
100/120/64
Looks like it’ll be lean meat and salad this evening , which is fine
Final meal: 2 slices kids pizza, salad light dressing, 50g 93% ground turkey
Press in morning
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5/3/1 Press
100
120
135x7
Getting about at the plateau area here. This was / continues to be my most difficult movement, but has gotten substantially more explosive. The power I have now is night and day.
Press 5x10
100
105
110 - pushed the last one out, so put my dick away and dropped 5 lbs for rep maximization
105
105x9
Kroc Row 5x15x85lb
I dropped on the these by 15 for extra reps. Would like to get 100lbsx100 reps total, am now doing 5x10x100lbs full grip so I want to get up to higher reps on these and dropped as a result. See next time if we can get this at 90.
Macros thus far
176/252/92
Going to try and do carb free the rest of the day, get the P to 240 or so with a piece of salmon and salad if possible, going to dinner later.
2 Likes
Deadlift 5/3/1
270,305,340x3 (PR)
Had no idea but after checking records, this is the most weight I have ever pulled on deads. Check that out. Nice to see this working.
Deadlift 5x10
225,225,250,275,275
Incline Bench: 5x10
145,150,155,160,165x8
I think I left one or two in the tank here but I don’t use a spotter. Maybe I should. This is a serious improvement from last week.
notes: started off without a lot of energy. Caught me by surprise but probably shouldn’t have. The diet yesterday was probably short, I didn’t count the afternoon but did eat a massive amount of tacos the kids didn’t want. Checking my morning macros I likely came up short on carbs. With that said, the numbers moved up and something picked up on my assistance deadlifts and carried into my incline.
Conditioning; 3 mile walk, 15 minute pace.
Macros:
235/260/110
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Thank you!
I think I left one in the tank there, but I caught a second wind on the assistance. I did better assistance this week than I did last. I started higher, and ultimately got more volume as a result.
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Bench 5/3/1
175,200,220x10 (PR)
Bench 5x10
135,145,155,175,175
Kroc Rows 5x15x90lb (each arm)
Conditioning: 1.5 mile walk, twice (to and from lunch)
Notes: slow to start and did not think I was going to get more than a couple at 220, so no idea where those came from but I ended up cranking out a great set. Left one in the tank. Krocs are progressing nicely. Happier to grab 75@90lbs than 50@100lbs. All the movements are helping all the other movements. Everything is explosive, everything feels symmetrical in the midst of movements. Left the place feeling like a god
Macros:
Accident which may have ended up having a positive consequence. I usually take 30g cyclic pre and 30 intra, but I was half awake and put the two scoops in the pre and skipped as such held back on the intra. Maybe that’s part of the new secret sauce. Otherwise, same shyt different day on the shakes.
240/261/175
2 Likes
Squat 5/3/1
270,305,340x9
Squat x10
245,255,265,285,295
Kroc Rows
15x95
15x95
10x95
10x95
So this is 3rd BBB /5th 5-3-1 without a deload. The thinking after reading was, 1, didn’t need a deload until two cycles and then on first BBB cycle realized we were way under where we should be. Looking at these numbers I am still not sold yet on needing one. His book states that nobody technically needs a deload. Will give myself a couple days to cool off here and assess. It was only on this weeks Deads did my eyebrows really perk up but think it was more a nutrition issue from Sunday.
The only movement really hitting a peak here is the Press and I have to say I am surprised the Bench is doing what it is. Throwing those inclines in on Dead’s I think really helped with the extra 5 sets, and that’s only two weeks. When I say I was ripping Bench I mean it. But as far as Press, relatively speaking I am rocking there too. Wild, considering Bench and Press each was not a good movement for me coming in and in short order putting up the best numbers I have there in years. King Kong vibes.
About to go grab a massive tuna sub and treat myself. Nice to see macros dialing in (save for this sammy) and still moving forward
Pre WO: 60g cyclic / 6g Citrulline / 2,000mg sodium (2scoops Redmond) / 5g Leucine
Intra WO: H2O
Post WO: 120g Dextrose / 60g isolate / 5g creatine mono
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Conditioning update
Instead of grabbing that sandwich I went on a 3.5 mile hike, fast paced - then grabbed the sandwich and two gatorades
Macros
270/400/175
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