Tuesday, Feb 22/2011 - Month Four, Deload, Bench Press and Front Squat
Sometimes it’s a challenge to keep on going… but I like challenges
Warmup - stationary bike, foam rolling and stretching
Pullups/Chins 5 x 5
Bench Press
135 x 12
185 x 8
195 x 8
Front Squat
135 x 12
185 x 8
235 x 5
235 x 5
It is right to combine two deload exercises in one workout? Don’t care… I felt like making it happen so it happened.
Assistance Work
DB Flat Press 5 x 10, 85 lbs
DB Speed Curl and Press, 5 x 5 for each arm with 70 lbs
Sometime you just gotta shake the routine… This is a good example of how to do it. Just some instinct lifting and loud old school metal on the MP3 player. Seemed to work pretty well. Back to 5/3/1 tomorrow
Wednesday, Feb 23/2011 - Month Five, Day 1, Deadlift
Last month didn’t finish as well as it started… so, I’ll give it another go!
Warmup - stationary bike, foam rolling and stretching
Deadlift
135 x 12
225 x 8
315 x 5
355 x 5
405 x 5
Assistance Work
GHRs 4 x 12, 35 across chest
Dips 3 x 8, hurt due to yesterday’s Bench training
BB Shrugs 3 x 8, worked up to 6 pps
Leg Raises, 5 x 12
Good start, good feeling… now just gotta keep the momentum rolling!
Friday, Feb 25/2011 - Month Five, Day 2, Bench
Warmup - stationary bike, foam rolling and stretching (added some of the “Yoga for Big Bastards” moves. Looks kinda dumb, but it works!)
Bench
135 x 12
195 x 5
225 x 5
255 x 5 - struggled for that last rep!
205 x 10
Assistance Work
Cleans 5 x 10
DB Rows 4 x 12
Flat DB Press 4 x 12
Tricep Pressdowns 5 x 15
Nice journeyman style. Good performance on all movements. Gotta get up early on Saturday to move a few tonnes of equipment around the jobsite. Rigging, manual lifting, Come-alongs… should a good GPP type test!
Monday, Feb 28/2011 - Month Five, Day 3, Squat
Warmup - stationary bike, foam rolling and stretching
Squat
MT bar x 12 - everthing felt tight and out of balance
135 x 10
205 x 8
255 x 5
295 x 5
335 x 5 - bad form, only got one rep to full depth, cut the rest by more than an inch!
225 x 8
Assistance Work
GHRs 5 x 12, half with 25 lb plate
Pull ups 1 x 5
Hanging Leg Raise 1 x 5
Well… that just sucked. I managed to tear myself up pretty bad on this workout. Woke up the next day with stiff and grabby upper back. Tight and sore in the right knee and right shoulder. Just plain old pain in the left lower back. I cut my depth on my heaviest squats… wasn’t ready/prepared for it, and now I’m paying for it!
Thursday, Mar 3/2011 - Month Five, Day 4, Press
Managed to really bugger myself up on my last Squat day. Cutting depth on reps and at least one rep performed with an unfortunate twist… Result? Tweaked knee, pulled glute, inflammed upper back, torque’d shoulder… and far too much whinning! Enuff! Back to work…
Warmup - stationary bike, foam rolling and stretching.
OHP
MT bar x 12
95 x 8
135 x 5
165 x 5
185 x 5
135 x 5
Assistance Work
BB Rows 5 x 12
Dips 5 x 10
Tricep Pressdowns 3 x 15
Much better feeling all around! Taking the weekend off, headed for the mountains and the snow!
Tuesday, Mar 8/2011 - Month Five, Day 5, Deadlift
Another fine weekend in the mountains! Lots of fresh snow… only landed on my head enough times to ensure I was pushing the envelope! Back to training…
Warmup - stationary bike, foam rolling and stretching.
Deadlifts
135 x 12
225 x 8
295 x 5
335 x 3
385 x 3
425 x 3
225 x 8
Assistance Work
GHRs 5 x 15
Front Squats 5 x 10
Leg Raises 3 x 15
Ab Wheel 3 x 10
Good workout! Must be all the fresh air I enjoyed on the weekend. Maybe I should look for an outside gym?
Thursday, Mar 10/2011 - Month Five, Day 6, Bench
Spent the last two days in training session. Too much sitting, flourescent lights, droning instruction and all of it indoors… No matter, time to press!
Warmup - stationary bike, foam rolling and stretching.
Bench Press
135 x 12
185 x 8
215 x 3 - seemed heavy for some reason?
245 x 3
270 x 3.5 - stalled in the hole on rep 3, needed a little lift from my spotter. So I added a forth… got all of it!
225 x 6
Assistance Work
BB Rows 5 x 12
Incline DB Press 5 x 10
DB Tricep Press 3 x 15
Fair workout. Seemed to run outta gas near the end. Still, managed to get my target numbers… happy enough with that.
Monday, Mar 14/2011 - Month Five, Day 7, Squat
Warmup - stationary bike, foam rolling and stretching.
Squat
135 x 12
225 x 8
275 x 3
315 x 3
355 x .5 - crash
225 x 5 - bad form, cut depth
Assistance Work
Lotsa stretching! My top set was to be 355 for 3 reps but I was neither physically nor metally prepared for this! My spotter caught me and all was well… These things have to be expected if you wanna train hard
Well… I guess it is possible to work a program for too long! This workout left me tight and sore for three days. And when I look back at my recent progress, it’s pretty hit and miss… Might have to rethink this a bit.
Training Log, 5/3/1 - Recap
Former RAW (belt only) PBs:
Squat - 405 lbs
Bench - 305 lbs
Deadlift - 440 lbs
Current PBs:
Squat - 335 x 3 lbs
Bench - 280 lbs
Deadlift - 440 lbs
Five straight months of 5/3/1… has kicked my ass! With a little Ski Patrol thrown in for spice. I have tenderness in my knees and shoulders. My hamstrings and low back have become so tight that if I drop something, I have to really consider whether it’s really important… bending/crouching down to retrieve it is just that bad!
My performance has been steadily decreasing over the last couple of weeks. And I’m just plan burnt out… Exactly as expected! It appears that slaving away under any program for that long can and will be detrimental. No surprise here, but it does produce results.
Is 5/3/1 the real deal? Hells, yes! But, can it be sustained indefinitely? Nope, not in my case. I’m no stranger to hard training, I like it. My diet… could be better, couldn’t everyone’s? Rest and recoup? Okay, this is and may always be my downfall. My responsibilities and demands outside of the gym and work are many and varied… and I can’t sit still. I rarely sleep an entire night. And that’s a good thing. But in my opinion, 5/3/1 requires a very focused and dedicated approach. Sonmething that’s just not sustainable in the long run.
So, I’m taking a break. In fact, I haven’t been back to the gym since Monday! Gonna engage in about a month of active rehab and general conditioning beginning next week. Then I will begin to prep for the Provincials in June. The goal is still the goal…
Until then, I’m off to the mountains for another weekend on skis… thanks for reading!