I do.
But this specific thing (headache/neck/whatever) really came on at rep 26 of squatting the other day. A very acute onset/trigger. And then trying to do front squats the next day it felt like someone shot me in the back on the neck on rep 6. So I think it has a very specific cause. I believe it’s getting better, the headache was not severe during that bench set, and dissipated soon without ibuprofen, so if I continue to not do anything insane for a few days, I hope for the best.
Tentative “new program” to launch next week or the week after. Here’s the baseline so far:
Monday: Squat 5/3/1, Squat 5x10@50ish%
Wednesday: Press 5sPro; Bench 5/3/1; Bench 5x10@65ish%
Friday: Deadlift 5sPro; Squat 10x5@65%ish.
On top of that, lay out some weekly minimums for push/pull/core-or-single-leg accessory work.
Looking like 150-200 total reps including rows, cleans, pullups, pullaparts.
150-200 total reps including pushups or fun stuff like CGBP, pec flyes, push press.
BSS and leg raises and or situps, maybe 50 of each for 150 total?
Weekly minimums for conditioning work. Some number of miles walked or jogged or weighted walked; and or taxing iron-cardio stuff.
Thoughts are welcome from all. I appreciate all the advice that’s been dropped here regarding pursuing my 1-2-3-4 goals, and I have incorporated the gist of it here I believe - squat 2x/week, progress bench with 5/3/1, don’t totally neglect press or DL but relegate them to 5s Pro to save energy for priorities.
I’m reading Forever and may add to this program an “Anchor” cycle; I’m not sure at this point what that would look like. @boilerman you did Leader/anchor for months, any pointers?
I like front squat for a second squat session.
I have a few comments / questions. Just thought I would say, none of these are meant to criticize just more to understand your thoughts behind how you laid out your program. Remembering 2 things, 1. you should be able to explain how each of these contribute to your overall goals, 2. If you train with intensity everything works.
Questions
Monday
Other questions/comments
@simo74 thanks for feedback.
I was thinking so. Or making it optional. Or going for a joker. Unsure.
50% would be a baseline. Could go up depending on how I feel, but not trying to kill myself on it. More looking to accumulate meaningful volume.
Didn’t want to commit to FSL because 5x10@75% may be too much.
No reason. The 5s pro press shouldn’t take much out of me. I could do it the night before or later in the day. It’s just checking a box tbh.
And serves as the warmup for bench press I think.
Same answer. I know I can do 65% but 75 is high for 5x10. Can adjust as I go.
Maybe that should be 75% or 85%. Planned to adjust by feel. And planned to keep rest short. Its practice, greasing the groove. Could even go 10x2@95%? 5 seemed a good balance.
Running out of time to slot things
DL isn’t too much, 5s pro at slow TM
Dl and squats, press and bench go together for BBB all the time
You could cap the top set to 3 reps and work in a joker or two (still at 3 reps) if you feel good.
I understand this, as it is supplemental work you can adjust as you go.
This could work as long as TM is not too high.
Adjusting as you go will be fine. For me though I would want the supplemental work to be lower reps with more weight especially if I had my eye on a max bench in the near future.
Adding this volume to ‘grease the grove is a good idea’ I just thought that 10 sets was a lot of grease.
If I was going to do 531 and was focused mostly on squat and bench here is how I would think about it. Remember ‘you do you’ this is just me shooting the breeze.
Monday
Squat 5/3/1, Cap top set to 3-5 reps.
Squat 5 x 5 70-85%,
Volume bench 3-5 sets of 6 @ 75%, this should be focused on really good reps, getting tight under the bar, touching the chest like my shirt is made of glass, good speed of the press.
Then add Accessories - single leg work, pull ups (what ever you can fit in the time)
Wednesday:
Deadlift 5sPro,
Press 5sPro,
Accessories
This day is a little easier which allows for some extra recovery.
Friday:
Squat (grease) 3-5 sets x 6 70-75%, again this is practice so focus on set up, getting tight, good brace, treat every rep like it is heavy.
Bench 5/3/1 Cap top set to 3-5 reps; Bench 5 x 4 @ 70-85%
Then add Accessories - what ever you can fit in the time and what you are focusing on
Thanks, that’s very helpful. I have no reason to think my intuition about programming is sound, and plenty of reasons to trust yours, so I’ll start off with this or similar.
Just giving ideas really, I dont like to give specific advise or suggest a program for people as I am not a coach and am really just playing with all this just like most of us.
Man, I’ve never done front squats, but I imagined they would be the ones with less chance of injury. Pinched nerves suck and I still haven’t recovered from my last pinched nerve.
Yeah I don’t blame the FS for it; it was started the previous day on high-rep back squats. At this point I don’t know if it was a nerve, hemmorhage, disc, muscle… doesn’t matter I guess, I feel better now and I’ll know for sure next time I squat if I’m over it or not. I have been “taking it easy” (for me) this week just to be safe.
That’s probably a good idea. Just remember that taking a week, or even a couple weeks, off, or light, to heal will not negatively impact your progress. The danger is that inertia can set in, and 1 week can turn into 1 month can turn into 3 months… Just set a date to retest yourself and see if you’re ready to get back to the heavy stuff.
Also, don’t be afraid to talk to a doctor, don’t just self-diagnose. Some problems don’t just go away on their own.
This.
Sadly, I didn’t see anyone for too long, so what might have been a relatively quick layoff (from back squats, in my case), turned into a long 3-month layoff with PT rehab as well—and that was after 6 weeks of me just waiting for the problem to resolve itself.
@simo74 still reading Forever and came across Coffinworm. Using Coffinworm for squat and bench days one could structure the program very similarly to what you wrote; difference being that each week the squat and bench would be worked up to 1-3 reps at TM, in addition to 5x5@70 elsewhere in the week; then after 2 cycles (6 weeks) comes an “anchor” cycle which adds in a PR set at TM, and optional joker sets.
Have you run this? Any thoughts on the approach?
Still working my way through the book so I’ll probably keep bouncing around before I choose a course… but once I do I’m sticking with it for some time.
I stopped collecting 5/3/1 books a long time ago and I’m not up on all the different cool templates that are available in the later books. I still use 5/3/1 as the core of my training, but I do my own bastardized version. Mr. Wendler knows what he’s talking about, though, and you can’t go wrong following any of his templates, just remember to pick a template that’s in line with your goals. And yes, stick with one for at least a few cycles before you start messing around with changing things.
I haven’t any of the programs out of Jims later book, @OTHSteve is spot on though with his comments above. Jim knows his stuff so you cant go wrong with following one of his programs as long as the intensity it there.
@dagill2 is a wendler fan boy so he might be able to comment on that template.
I mean, I did all of Coffinworm only a couple months ago. I don’t think I’m worth listening to, but in general I do think Jim would say to just pick a program from Forever and follow as written because they could literally keep you busy – forever – and also ask why you felt inclined to add jokers. He hates jokers, and if you’re already feeling beat up, I don’t think they’re a good idea either.
If you want to do leaders and anchors, in almost all cases Jim’s programs don’t feature PR sets until the anchor.
You did, and set a BUNCH of PRs didn’t you?
I won’t be adding jokers, but using them in the anchor every 3rd cycle as written.
Did you do leader-anchor or just stay with the leader the whole time?
Edit: just realized the jokers are “optional”. So I suppose you could say I’m adding them. I will though, as long as I feel up to it. I think some practice at heavy weight will allow me to reach my stated goals faster.
A couple. On bench and deadlift
Did two leaders and an anchor, which Jim generally recommends in Forever iirc.
This is important, because some of the Forever programs do feature optional jokers in the anchor. It’s kinda funny because Jim seems to not like even loosely planning jokers, but I guess he needed to appease people in some way and show where they can fit into a program. I think he would still want you to give the PR sets everything.
Keep in mind that Coffinworm already errs on the heavier side. Though I think I set my TMs and the supplemental lifts a little heavier than recommended and can’t speak for any advanced lifter who has completed the program, I didn’t feel like jokers would have helped. YMMV
I’ve never run this one. @garagerocker13 and @bagsy have though
I think what you need to fix is your head position if you have a tendency to good morning your squats. Don’t look down. Keep your gaze neutral or look a tiny bit up; whichever is more convenient for you. Be aggressive with driving up against the bar with your upper body. I think Vincepac1500 has the best looking squat among the active loggers on this forum and his form is worth looking at. Here’s an example-
Regarding programming- What programs have you run so far? If you self-programmed, what ideas did you typically follow?