Alpha's Work II

Hi Alpha, very very nice log and a great motivation to read your posts. I have one question about your 5/3/1 training. On your 5 days / 3 days you did your prescribed sets, and than u done some extra sets. Is this helping your strength or why are u doing it that way? Thanks

Don’t forget to squeeze yourself like I do man. haha.

Alpha,
I PMed you about a week ago with some programming questions, first, thank you for answering the questions I had.

Secondly, new question. Was gonna PM you again, but I figured there may be others with the same or similar questions, so figured I’d let everyone benefit haha

I haven’t started either one of the programming ideas I talked about because I’m in the middle of a 5/3/1 cycle and want to at least finish this one. I like 5/3/1. I like the layout, I like going all out with the heavy weights, etc. At the same time, I really like the TBT super setting too. I know you’ve experimented with 5/3/1 in the past. I was wondering, did you follow 5/3/1 to the letter or did you modify it to fit a full body/super setting template, and if so, how did it look?

Tomask: thanks for the kind words brother! well, i choose not to go all out on my final working sets because between my job and insomnia i don’t really get the opportunity to recover like most people do, so i just get the number of reps I am supposed to. Also i do the extra sets kind of like what he describes for the BBB but only i keep my reps a little lower because i, personally, have never found that i get much out of doing that high of volume or staying in that rep range…but again that is just for me. i HOPE it is helping with my strength, but at this point I really couldn’t tell you. i just experimenting that’s all! hope that helps brother.


Deltaone: You bet i won’t you squeezin son of a gun!


Benos: well man, this is tough. i tried doing a bastardized version of a full body giant setting 5/3/1 but then honestly, it didn’t look anything like 5/3/1…and in complete honesty it didn’t work much like ti either! Right now I am trying something similar, but with more of an upper/lower split…but again, i’d have to say that my results have been very lack luster…

Now, again, i have NEVER actually done 5/3/1 the prescribed way, so i can’t praise it or bash it…But what i will say is…If you are going to do 5/3/1 i would do exactly that…pick one of the programs outlined in the book and stick to it just like Wendler says. I am an idiot. i screw with things…it is what i do for better or for worse…i am always experimenting with what works best for me, not the majority of the population. Then again, i have done enough to know what works of me and what doesn’t…

Not to be a downer man, but I’d have to say finish up the 5/3/1 exactly as prescribed, then move on to something else once your done…making a hybrid of it, just doesn’t seem to be as effective as the original.

Then again, try whatever you can and see if it works for you bro! only you can really know that! Good luck man!

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ā€œFirst say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.ā€

-Epictetus

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18September2010: Training

Insert: As fast as possible

21 Dead hang pull-ups
21 95lb Barbell Squat Presses

15 Dead hang pull-ups
15 95lb Barbell Squat Presses

9 Dead hang Pull-ups
9 85lb Barbell Squat Presses


Strength: Tweeked my shoulder a little bit, so i didn’t completely stick to my prescribed weights…

1a. Barbell Bent Over row: 245x8, 265x8, 265x8, 275x8, 275x8
1b. Barbell flat Bench: 315x5, 355x5, 335x5, 365x4, 335x6
1c. Body weight Abs: 5 sets of 10 reps

2a. Dead hang Pull-ups: 10, 10, 10, 10
2b. Weighted Dips: 100x8, 135x8, 135x8, 115x8
2c. Bodyweight Abs: 4 sets of 10 reps


Extract: None, i have a plane to catch!


Notes:

i tweeked my shoulder doing something this weekend, not really sure what,but then the insert started bothering it, and benching really didn’t feel great. It did not hurt as much feel like something was going to pop and stay broken for a while so i chose not to go too heavy and push it…there is always next week for that!

it was my first time doing weighted dips in a while and they felt ok. the numbers will start shooting back up on both of these exercises once i can stay consistent with them and stop hurting myself doing dumb things…

anyway i need to roll out of here! I hope all is well and thanks for supporting our sponsors over at http://www.5100block.com/ !

those weighted dips are ridic!
safe travels

nlmain: thanks chicka! i am just trying to get back into these so i can hopefully beat my current PR of 300+Bodyweightx3…Here is a vid of me doing 280+Bodyweightx5 (6Plates and a 10)…i did the 300x3 right after but, believe it or not, my camera died during the vid…

Thanks again for stopping in!

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ā€œYour time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.ā€

-Steve Jobs

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19September2010: GPP

Well, when i couldn’t sleep this morning, I had all intents to head to the gym and get my deadlift workout done so that i did not need to think about it for the rest of the day.

then i realized it is Sunday. And on Sundays, my gym is only open from 0800-1700, and it just so happens that i will be at work during those hours…lame. Thus, today became a GPP day.

So i ran 1.5 miles to my ā€œlong hill spring hillā€

Did 5 Sprints

Then ran the 1.5 miles back.

Overall it felt great to get out in the cold Fall morning air, and i still got something done…

i hope all of you enjoy another awesome fall day outside somewhere doing something cooler than working!

Enjoy this season while it lasts!

Oh and if you are interested here is another book review i just wrote up for 5100block.com.

thanks for the support everyone!

I have to start keeping my food down here again…it helps me stay on track…

Meal 1: Turkey Meatballs, parm cheese, tomato sauce, 1 Flameout, 2 BCAA’s, 1 Multi

Meal 2: 1 scoop Metabolic Drive, 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey, 2 fish oil, 1 BCAA

Meal 3: Grilled Chicken, peppers, onions, beans, cheese, salsa.

Meal 4: 1 scoop Metabolic Drive, 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey, 2 fish oil, 1 BCAA

Meal 5: Roast, beans, corn, tomatos, 1 flame out, 2 BCAA’s

Meal 6: 1 scoop Metabolic Drive, 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey, 2 fish oil, 1 BCAA

Those dips are incredibly impressive to say the least! Lol, heaviest I’ve ever seen, deep, and smooth. Good stuff man.

How are your DB rows? Do you do them ā€œKrocā€ style with some momentum or are they pretty strict?

Do you cook the meatballs with the tomato sauce in a slow-cooker? Make them from scratch?

ashylarryku: Hey thanks for the kind words man! i actually do all of my exercises with pretty strict form, DB rows included…but to be honest, although i do them, i am not a huge fan of the DB rows…When i go heavy i don’t feel anything in my back, and when i go light enough to get long holds i don’t feel as if I have done anything. Anyway, thanks for asking brother!


Power GnP: Nah I actually make them from scratch most of the time from lean ground turkey, rainbows, puppy smiles,awesomeness and spices. And my girl makes homemade tomato sauce from the tomatoes i grow in my garden. So most of the time it is pretty healthy, and I am obsessed with them for breakfast for some reason…
thanks for asking man, no go injure yourself
so you slow down your dead lifting progression…

20September2010: Fuel

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Meal 1: 1 scoop Metabolic Drive, 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey, 1 Flameout, 2 BCAAs

Meal 2: 1 scoop Metabolic Drive, 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey, 2 fish oil, 1 BCAA

Meal 3: Grilled Chicken, peppers, onions, beans, cheese, salsa.

Meal 4: 1 scoop Metabolic Drive, 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey, 2 fish oil, 1 BCAA

Meal 5: 1 scoop Metabolic Drive, 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey, 1 Flameout, 2 BCAAs

Damn! thats some impressive dips. Damn damn damn. how do you live with yourself, knowing that i’m gonna have a sleepless week with awake dips-nightmares! but seriously, nice dips man!

you have a garden too?!

A man of many talents.

Halfbreed: Thanks a lot brother! I’m trying!


MIM: That’s right! AND i can breakdance…but not really

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ā€œHis mother had often said, ā€œWhen you choose an action, you choose the consequences of that action.ā€ She had emphasized the corollary of this axiom even more vehemently: when you desired a consequence you had damned well better take the action that would create it.ā€

-Lois McMaster Bujold

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22September2010: Training

just like it looks…

I’m working out at my field office, which doesn’t have a whole lot…and I forgot my shoes…anyway here it is:

Barefoot run 800 meters as fast as possible

1a. Weighted pull-ups: 115x3, 125x3, 135x3, 155x3. 165x3, 155x3, 155x3, 145x3, 145x3
1b. Standing Barbell Military press: (all sets power cleaned from the floor: 170x3, 195x3, 225x2.5, 205x3, 215x3, 215x3, 205x3, 205x3
1c. weighted abs: 8 sets of 8 reps

Barefoot run 400 meters

2a. Ring Pull-ups: Bodyweightx 10, 10, 10
2b. Dips: Bodyweightx 20, 20, 20
2c. Hanging leg raises: 3 sets of 15 reps

Barefoot run 400 meters

3a. Bodyweight pull-ups: 12, 12, 12
3b. Bodyweight Dips: 20, 20, 20
3c. hanging leg raises: 3 sets of 15 reps

Barefoot run 400 Meters


Notes:

-This doesn’t look like very much but this was a pretty tough workout. i actually really liked the barefoot running, but it definitely made the balls of my feet feel like they were on fire!

The workout was fun though, i think i might try to do a little more workouts like this.

Hope all is well out there!

Your lifts are definitely something to aspire to man! Love all the videos on the youtube channel and here along with the quotes! Awesome work!

pbclax: thanks man! i really appreciate the kind words brother!

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Well, i got all pumped up for my dead lift day. headed into the gym, ran a mile and a half as my insert, then started working my way up for my deads.

135x5
225x5
315x3
405x3

no problems on my warm-ups, everything felt great.

started my working sets for 640 5/3/1 ā€œ3’sā€ day…

440x3, no problems, did my DB swings and obliques between.

Loaded 500 on the bar.

i pulled it off the floor and actually thought in my head, ā€œWow, this feels incredibly light today!ā€ i cleared my knees, humped the bar for the lockout and something in my left lower lumbar area ā€œmovedā€.

i dropped the bar and was confused. i knew i was hurt but didn’t know how bad. i bent over and it hurt, but not terribly…I packed up and headed out of the gym.

After sitting in my truck for the 10 minutes home it definitely tightened but…which makes me believe it is muscular. I am praying it is muscular and I didn’t just slip or herniate a disk…

anyway, i am trying to do some LAX ball work , but can’t seem to find anything seized , have taken some muscle relaxers in hope it will loosen up…anyway, this gives me the chance to start programming what i am doing next. i am thinking 10x3 moving toward maxing out again, ā€œhe said while crippled on his couchā€ā€¦but we will see.

Anyway, I’m going to try and hit bench day tomorrow, but we will see what happens with my back today as the day progresses…

i should be better by tomorrow, or at least next year. But these things happen and strangely, I’m not so much frustrated and i am happy with how quickly and easily 500 went up. I felt as if a 650 dead was possible with how it felt.

i know I have the strength, just need to keep working the form and stay healthy.

thanks for reading everyone! and make sure you are still hitting up http://www.5100block.com/ and share some love!

take it easy

Hi,

I have a question for ya. I dunno if you’ve mentioned this before somewhere and I missed it? but anyway…

Now I know you prob rarely get sick, but I was wondering if you do and have to take time off, what do you do when you return to the gym. Say you’ve had a virus for 5 days, do you just start back with your next planned workout session or do you ramp up the intensity over a few days to get back to normal??

The reason I ask?..haha yes I’m sick! Have had hot & cold sweats, raging sore throat and a banging head for the last few days. I have learnt from experience that it’s not a good idea to train through these kind of bugs as it just makes the illness last longer and the workouts are usually sub par anyway.

When I restart, I would usually do the planned days but reduce the vol. So if I was meant to do 5 sets I’ll start with 3 sets and leave the gym feeling like I have a bit left in the tank for the first week. So having this extra non-training time on my hands, made me wonder how other folks do things?

Hope your back is ok.

I looked into Les Brown after mulling over the ā€˜die empty’ quote you post from time to time.I’m really glad I did ,thank you for that man.I hope your back feels better soon dude.

man, I hope your back s’ok.

Anything is possible, but you gotta stay in one piece!

take care of that back - it’s a precious thing.