And you might find out you just need it just for the first few weeks and towards the end you can do the sets without it!
What’s your plan after this program btw ? repeat it if you’re happy with the results ?
I do not plan to repeat it. I’m a tennis player during the warmer months, so I’m trying to find a 2 day/week program that isn’t very tiring. The previous years I tried to chase 2 birds. It’s hard, and I’m not very happy. I think if I just stop trying hard, and just accept a slight decrease on my lifts, and focus on tennis, I’d be happier.
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I see, focusing on your sport is a good idea.
Just look up 531 for athletes where Jim has a simple two day plan. Or Dan John Twice a Week! There are many good options!
Wednesday 1/3/18
Video of the day
Jumps/Throws
4x5 Rotational Medicine Ball Throws w/ a 12lb medicine ball
Lifting
Swiss Bar Bench Press
120x5
135x5
155x5
120x5x10
Goblet Squat
100 DB x 4x13, 1x10
DB SLDL + Shrug
80 per hand x 4x13, 1x10
Band Pull aparts
Red mini band 5x20
Finished in 45 minutes
Comments
Oh boy, where do I start? This was fucking hard, and I semi cheated as far as the time goes. I had a phone call some time during my workout which I paused the time, and paused the timer again later in the workout because I had to stretch my extremely tight triceps from the 5x10.
Had I not paused the timer, I would not have made it through this workout. I would have definitely hit failure on the 5x10 byt the 4th set. Normally I do not have problems with volume, but I guess with the swiss bar, the grip is very close. If you haven’t watched my videos, you can take a look how close it is.
I’m guessing my triceps just fatigue really fast, or I had an off day. I’m going to continue to try to do FSL next week, but if that doesn’t workout, I’m going to have to pick a set weight for my 5x10s.
As far as assistance goes at the end, I just hit a brick wall. At one point, my upper back got to weak, I could not hold the DB on the goblet squat, and dropped it at the bottom. I reset, and just did it for 10.
Trained bjj right after lifting, and it was fucking terrible. Close calls to cramping all over, hamstring, quads, feet! Coming into bjj, I noticed my right forearm felt slightly strained too.
@cdmac24 Not quite the upclose view you probably want, but here’s something 
@ 6:13. I like the second girl more haha
2 Likes
Friday 1/5/18
Jumps/Throws
2x5 Overhead Medicine Ball Throws w/ a 15 lb medicine ball
Lifting
Trap Bar DL
230x5
265x5
300x5
230x5x5
Dips
5x13 with 20lb chain
Chin Ups
Purple band assisted 5x10
Band Pull aparts
Red mini band 2x20
Finished in 45 minutes
Comments
This phase is hard. Really, this phase is fucking hard. I’ve never been so out of breath lifting through out a session. I wanted to puke by the end of it.
If this is your first time reading my log, do not do this program if you do not have good cardio/athletic background. I thought I was fairly good. I have a huge sports background. I’ve lifted fairly decent volumes in the weightroom. The only way for someone who does not have this background to complete it, is to really take it easy on the assistance.
And that is what I feel like I have to do. These past three sessions, I’m fucking heaving by 27-30 minutes; I want to give up by the 35 min mark, but obviously I’m not going to do that. My idea is that it’s because I’m going above 10 reps on the assistance movements. So I think going forward, I’m going to take it “easy” on the assistance. In reality, I don’t think I’m actually taking it easy, because I’ve pushed myself the whole time, and found my supposed limit. I should not be struggling with the time, and I’d still be hitting the minimum 5x10.
But fuck. I am not looking forward to next week, but at the same time, I am, because I want to prove to myself that I can do it.
I’m considering in doing the DB incline rows instead of the chin ups, since I’m still having difficulty with completing 5x10. It’ll definitely be easier. I’m just not sure the weight I should be doing because I’ve never done that movement. Alternatively, I could just use a thicker band. Thoughts?
1 Like
I’d say keep up with the chins because you probably have improved a lot on these already! You could alternate, once DB rows, once chins.
I think the recommendation to start light is particularly important for this program lolol
Maybe just lower your TM, you’ll be ok! Jim has written many times athletes shouldn’t kill themselves in the weightroom and even on Krypteia his kids don’t leave completely shot.
1 Like
Sunday 1/7/18
Jumps/Throws
4x5 Box Jumps
Lifting
Squat
185x5
210x5
235x5
185x5x10 paused
Dips
5x10 20lb chain
Chin Ups
Green band assisted 5x10
Band Pull aparts
Red mini band 5x20
Finished in 41 minutes
Comments
Decided to lower the reps for the dips, and use a thicker band for the chin ups. Everything felt great, and I did not feel winded once. Even bullshitting quite a bit with a friend I brought to the gym, I finished in 41 minutes,
It also turns out that the supplemental 5x10 felt way easier than last week, despite being a heavier weight. I guess it was just difficult last week because I was coming off a deload, and was so slightly detrained. Didn’t even need to use a belt. Thanks @hypem74. We’ll see about next week though.
Tomorrow I plan to up the weight on the goblet squats and DB SLDL, and lower the reps to 10.
2 Likes
Monday 1/8/18
Went to my BJJ class again today, and brought the same bud I brought to the gym yesterday. Had a lot of a fun, and I’m getting the hang of certain moves. I rolled w my friend, granted he was new. But since I knew the techniques, I really didn’t expend a whole lot of energy trying to escape half guard when we rolled.
2 Likes
Tuesday 1/9/18
Video of the day
Jumps/Throws
4x5 Rotational Medicine Ball Throws w/ a 12lb medicine ball
Lifting
Swiss Bar Bench Press
130x5
165x5
165x5
130x 3x10, 6 + 4 rest pause, 5 + 4 + 1 rest pause (wide grip)
Goblet Squat
105 DB x 4x10, 5 (failed last set; couldn’t keep DB up)
DB SLDL + Shrug
85 per hand x 5x10
Band Pull aparts
Red mini band 5x20
Finished in 45 minutes
Comments
Sooooo this is still hard. I’m probably fucking something up somewhere, and I’ve done this before to myself. When Jim says to push yourself during the assistance, it should not be so much that you need to mentally prepare yourself before each set. That’s how I feel right now. I have to get myself amped up before every set of goblet squats. But I will say BJJ got my abs and upperback pretty sore today. That probably had some effect on today, but regardless, the workout should not be pushed this hard imo.
Right now, the 5x10s are hard. I’m hitting failure, and I most definitely can’t do FSL with bench. Especially because holding up this damn DB for goblet squats really affects your shoulders. You can see me really struggling at the end of my (4th) set at the end of the video.
I have two changes going forward. My 5x10 will not be FSL percentage; instead I will keep it at a constant 65% through all weeks; I might even have to drop it next cycle, since my TM will be increasing, but we’ll see how this goes.
Secondly, I’m going to try to use the massive KB, which is between 105-110lbs. If it’s 105lbs, I’m assuming it will be easier to hold than the 105lb DB. If it’s 110lbs, I might try using two 55lbs KBs. Part of me doesn’t want to do this, because if my upperback is my weakness, holding this weight, then I should work on my weakness. But if assistance is too difficult, I’m pushing myself too much. Thoughts on switching to KBs @hypem74 ?
Be careful when you use the two KBs not to twist too much your body around when you put them into place. Put them on a box and then pick them up.
I don’t know how I would do with just one big KB I can imagine it to be harder to hold onto than a DB. Good luck !
Wednesday 1/10/18
Did my last class of BJJ today (was a groupon). Nothing unusual. Abs and back are always a little sore after.
1 Like
Thursday 1/11/18
Video of the Day
Jumps/Throws
4x5 Overhead Medicine Ball Throws w/ a 15 lb medicine ball
Lifting
Trap Bar DL
245x5
280x5
315x5 (belted)
245x5x10
Dips
5x10 with 20lb chain
Chin Ups
Green band assisted 5x10
Band Pull aparts
Red mini band 5x20
Finished in 44 minutes
Comments
Continued with sticking to 10 rep sets on the assistance, and it’s feeling good. Workout was challenging, but again, I was able to take my time near the end to not feel completely gassed.
2 Likes
Sunday 1/14/18
Video of the Day
Jumps/Throws
4x5 Box Jumps
Lifting
Squat
200x5
225x5 (belted)
250x5 (belted)
200x5x10 (belted)
Dips
5x10 20lb chain
Chin Ups
Green band assisted 5x10
Band Pull aparts
Red mini band 5x20
Finished in 45 minutes
Comments
Tough. I definitely needed to belt up for the 5x10. I did the first set without, and it was challenging. I didn’t feel 100% that day, but it would have been challenging regardly. Pushed hard until the very end. I’m glad though, because the third week is really the only week with challenging weights for the main lift.
1 Like
Monday 1/15/18
Since I referred a friend to the gym during this challenge we’re having, I get 3 months of classes free. Huge saving. I originally just cared for the classes because I wanted to learn cleans, but I found out they changing up their classes to accommodate the new years resolutioners.
Anyway, even though I just squatted yesterday, the goal of this workout was to work up to a heavy triple. Since I squatted yesterday, I kept it concerdative at 275 lbs. Considering when I was testing for this program, I hit a hard 275x5. This felt very easy, and I could have hit it for at least 6.
Afterwards was a metcon.
6 rounds
205x4 Sumo Deadlift
35x8 Goblet step ups/side
16 sit ups.
Sit ups killed me and I started cramping after the 3rd set. I only just finished my fifth round before the time cap (10 min). Didn’t finish.
2 Likes
Tuesday 1/16/18
Jumps/Throws
No throws, gym was packed
Lifting
Swiss Bar Bench Press
135x5
155x5
175x5
120x5x10
Goblet Squat
2 50 KBs x 5x10
DB SLDL
80 per hand x 5x10 w/ straps
Band Pull aparts
Red mini band 5x20
*Finished in 40 minutes
Comments
So squatting a heavy triple definitely fatigued my back today, but the workout still went well. The gym is super packed at this time out of work, so I’m going to have to start changing the time I go to the gym.
For the goblet squats, I tried to use the 105lb KB. That… did not go well. Definitely too difficult to hold up, so I switched to 2 50lb KBs. With the way it’s positioned, it is so much easier than using with a 100lb DB that I managed to finish in 40 min feeling that I didn’t do much work. With that being side, the movement is still good. Definitely have to position the KBs properly or it’s very uncomfortable.
5x10 went well, and I’m going to stick with this weight for one more week before I go up another 5lbs. I’m pretty happy with this, because two weeks ago, I couldn’t complete the 5x10 at this weight.
2 Likes
Thursday 1/18/18
Video of the Day
Jumps/Throws
4x5 Overhead Throw with 12 lb medicine ball
Lifting
Trap Bar DL
265x5
300x5
335x5
265x5x10
Dips
5x10 with 20lb chain
Chin Ups
Purple band assisted 5x10
Band Pull aparts
5x20
Finished in 45 minutes
Comments
Challenging workout, but not as bad as some of the others. 5x10 with the belt isn’t terrible. Couldn’t find my normal band for the pull ups, and went back to my old band. Nothing new, still hit failure on the last set, but I still finished it.
Something I’m noticing is that I just have a rounded upperback, You could check it out in my video while I’m doing light weight, in either the 300x5 or the 265x10. Neither sets are hard, but I always look rounded. When I hit my 1rm months ago, this just makes it look worse, but I really don’t think it’s all that bad.
Also, I notice a few new people have been following this log and subscribing to my channel. Much appreciated guys!!
1 Like
Friday 1/19/18
Today was fun. Since I referred my friend to my gym, I got three free months of classes. I decided to do Strongman Friday. It was my first time hitting these movements.
First we worked up to a 2RM with the viper press. I worked up to 160 lbs. Even though this was my first time, I actually did expect to hit a higher number.
Then we did yoke carry for 50 ft. That was pretty challenging, but definitely liked it more than viper press. I worked up to either 550 or 600 lbs. I can’t recall. Whatever it was, I did end up dropping it once (still finished the run) because it was so hard to stabilize, but all the runs before it felt really clean and quick. Didn’t really drop the yoke at anytime, nor did I have as much trouble stabilizing like the rest of the guys.
Ended with with a prowler circuit. I have never wanted to saw off my legs more than after that.
I’m updating this a day late, and I’ve been trying to eat a lot more the past week. I’m not sure how, but I somehow gained about 10lbs within 2 weeks or so. I haven’t been weighing myself as frequently because I’ve always been 211 since the start of the program, Some people would like trhis, but I’m not liking that I gained so much weight in a short period or time (but I guess this shows some gain in muscle and strength?.. which I’ve always had trouble with), because I’ve been trying to lose body fat. Opinions?
I forgot to mention this, but sometime back in the beginning of January, my gym was taking body fat measurements. I was 20.5% bf, so within the next month, I’ll be checking it again.
1 Like
Ive never done trap bar DL so I can’t really help you there. If you start with a certain angle and it stays the sane throughout it’s ok. If there is a significant change then that’s when there is an issue. I think about locking out my lats and protecing my arm pits. But maybe on the trap bar the position is a bit different.
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I used to feel soreness in my lats all the time when i did straight bar. With trap bar, i feel nothing in my lats. My guess is because with a straight bar, the weight is in front of you. With a trap bar, you’re already centered. There’s no weight pulling you forward for you to pull in with your lats.
1 Like
Sunday 1/21/18
Video of the Day
Jumps/Throws
4x5 Box Jumps
Lifting
Squat
180x5
205x5
230x5
180x5x10
Dips
5x11 20lb chain
Chin Ups
Green band assisted 5x11
Band Pull aparts
Red mini band 5x20
Finished in 43 minutes
Comments
Day was pretty easy, considering I didn’t feel so great going into it. Perhaps it was the weight gain. Really not much to say. Increased the reps again on the assistance. Still deciding if I want to keep it at 11 rep sets this week or go up.
3 Likes