14-September Block 5 Cycle 4, Day 4
Front Squats 185 x 8, 8, 6+2, 6+2
Ham. Curls 60 x 15, 4 sets
Hack Squat 90 x 12, 4 sets
1-leg standing ham curl 45 x 10, 4 sets
notes:
front squat failure continues to be torso/back. Last time I did them I tweaked my back so I warmed up extra long this time and concentrated on keeping my core full of air and braced. No back issues.
Hack squat was a different machine. last time I did 180lbs but this time I could barely get 3 reps at that weight. Dropped to 90lbs and that was plenty for that movement. 1-leg ham curls were a PR. Keep all weight the same next time.
Forgot to mention that yesterday I saw a guy benching over 4 plates per side. No spotter. I was quite impressed - sadly that is more than I can squat. He was not a body builder but did not look like the stereotypical strongman. Looked like a special forces operator. so cool.
18-September Block 5 Cycle 4, Day 5
Fun Day
Deadlift:
135 x 5
135 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 3
295 x 2
335 x 2
335 x 1
355 x 1
365 x 0
365 x 1
Snatch
65 x 1, 4 sets
95 x 1, 4 sets
115 x 1, 4 sets
135 x 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1
Notes:
After a few days off due to intense all day/evening work meetings I got back to the gym. Decided to have fun and do movements that are not in my current Hypertrophy regime. Deads felt great - hit almost my 1RM after not doing them for months. Could have probably pulled just a bit more but did not want to overdue this one. Plus I ripped a sizable calous/chunk from my hand.
Snatch was fine. Been awhile. I love that this gym has a platform.
19-September Block 5 Cycle 4, Day 6
Incline BP 105 x 12, 12, 12, 10+4
Barbell Row 155 x 10, 10, 10, 10
BTN Press 65 x 10, 10, 10, 7+3.5
Chins BW x 7, 7, 7, 5+3
Notes: Keep all weight the same for next time.
21-September Block 5 Cycle 5, Day 1
Squat 225 x 10, 10, 10, 10 (Pr)
SLDL 205 x 12, 12, 12, 12
Leg Ext 50 x 10, 10, 10, 12
Ham Curls 60 x 12, 12, 12, 12
Notes:
PR on squat reps. After doing the 41 rep 225 a week ago I decided it was time to up the ante on squat day. Barely finished the last couple of reps but I got it. Keep all other weight as is.
22-September Block 5 Cycle 5, Day 2
DB Row 55 x 12, 12, 15, 15
CGBP 95 x 12, 12, 12, 12
Pull ups BW x 7, 7, 6+1, 5+2
Dips BW x 8, 8, 4+1+1+1+1, 5+1+1+1
OHP 60 x 10, 10, 10, 8+2
DB BP 25 x 12, 12, 12
Notes:
Making some incremental progress. DB rows will go up to 15 reps. Finished all reps finally on CGBP but will keep at the same weight to be sure. Pull ups and dips continue mostly flat. Did play around with legs forward on some reps for dip. Increased reps on OHP one. Added another set of DB BP… will increase that to 4 sets next time.
25-September Block 5 Cycle 5, Day 3
Front Squat: 185 x 8, 8, 5+3, 4+2+2
Ham Curls 60 x 15, 70 x 10, 10, 10
Hack Squat 90 x 12, 12, 12, 12
Isolated Leg Curl - 45 x 10, 10, 10, 12
Notes:
what can I say - front squats continue to be challenging. Got the work in but had to pause. Increased weight on curls and reps on iso leg curl.
We just started escrow on a home in Denver. Once we close (hopefully) I will have a garage bay dedicated to my home gym again. Hopefully by Thanksgiving I will be back in business.
Need to start thinking about what to do for my next block. Did two blocks of hypertrophy as I was moving and it was easier to maintain. Plus I had access to machines. My plan for the year calls for strength next. Think I will do that. Need to come up with the programming for that.
26-September Block 5 Cycle 5, Day 4
Incline BP 105 x 12, 12, 12, 9 + 4
Barbell Row 155 x 12, 12, 12, 12
BTN Press 65 x 10, 10, 10, 8 + 3
Chin-ups BW x 7, 7, 7, 5 + 2 + 1 +1 then 3 negatives
notes: Inching up on incline, BTN and chins. Barbell rows was a rep pr. Will leave all as is.
28-September Block 5 Cycle 5, Day 5
Squat 225 x 10, 10, 10, 10
SLDL 205 x 12, 12, 12, 12
Leg extension 50 x 12, 12, 12, 12
Ham Curls 60 x 12, 12, 12, 12
notes: Squats are a cardio work-out… or I just need to get my body doing some actual cardio. For my next cycle I will move to a strength emphasis… so I may have a bit more time to spend on cardio.
Move up SLDL to 225 x 10 next time.
29-September Day off
30-September Begin new Block: Strength Utilizing 5/3/1
I have always been reluctant to do 531 as it seems this is what everyone does. And it seemed boring. Anyway, I want a strength based routine that will progress me but keep me in check from going too heavy too fast. Hopefully dozens of people can’t be wrong.
Program: 4x per week. Variation similar to Triumvirate.
Loading: All time max, current max (est), 90% TM for program
Press 135 / 125 / 115
Deadlift 395 / 375 / 340
Bench Press 225 / 215 / 195
Squat 325 / 305 / 275
Current Accessory work:
Press Day: Dips, Chins
DL Day: Leg Curl, Front Squat
Bench Press Day: DB Row, push ups, leg raises
Squat Day: SLDL, Lunges
30-September Block 6, Cycle 1, Day 1
Press 75 x 5, 90 x 5, 100 x 7
Chins BW x 6, 6, 6, 6, 8
Dips BW x 6, 6, 6, 6, 8
Conditioning:
Prowler push + 250lb (estimate 325 with prowler) x 100’
Round 1: 35 seconds push / 60 seconds rest
Round 2: 31 seconds push / 60 seconds rest
Round 3: 41 seconds push / 80 seconds rest
Round 4: 42 seconds push / 80 seconds rest
Round 5: 1 min 5 seconds push / 90 seconds rest
Round 6: 1 min 14 seconds push… then I died.
Notes:
Press has always been my weakest movement. Don’t know if 7 was good or not. Could have started an 8th rep but probably would not have finished it. Accessory felt right, will keep with 6 reps x 4 sets and then amrap (without failure) on the last.
Prowler push is really cool. Need to buy one for home when I get one (in escrow!). Around round 4 it just felt like someone started pushing back on the other side of the prowler. Maybe the blades heat up and stick to concrete? Or it is just that hard.
3-Oct Block 6, Cycle 1, Day 2
Dead lift 225 x 5, 255 x 5, 290 x 14
hamstring curls 50 x 15, 5 sets
Front Squats 135 x 8, 5 sets all paused
notes:
DL felt good; 14 seemed like a decent number. Felt quite dizzy after that bout.
Hamstring curls started slow and paused and degraded just a bit (not too bad of form). Choke squats continue to work me. Kept the weight lighter but was sure to fully pause every rep.
5-October Block 6, Cycle 1, Day 3
Bench Press 130 x 5, 150 x 5, 170 x 5
DB Row 65 x 10, 10, 10, 12, 12
Super set:
Push-ups x 10, 10, 10, 12, 12
Leg Raise x 2.5, 2, 1, 1, 1,
notes: Without a rack with safety pins I did not feel comfortable pushing higher reps on the bench press. Might have gotten one more rep. Next time I will get a spotter.
6-October Block 6, Cycle 1, Day 4
Squats 180 x 5, 210 x 5, 235 x 11
SLDL 205 x 12, 5 sets
Lunge BW x 30, 5 sets
notes:
Having done 223 for 20 reps before I felt like I should have been able to do more on squats. That said, I made sure every rep was full depth and stopped when form was getting more difficult to maintain.
Never have done lunging before. Time to get my single leg on. Kept it BW for now. Felt like after the first round I would be very sore tomorrow. A few hours later I actually feel fine.
7-October Rest
8-October Conditioning
10:30 on Rower. 2500m
4 sets of 100’ x 350lb Prowler push with 30 seconds rest
2 minutes rest
4 sets of 100’ x 350lb Prower push with 30 seconds rest
9-Oct press Block 6, Cycle 2, Day 1
Press
3 x 85
3 x 95
7 x 105
super set:
Dips BW x 6, 6, 6, 8, 8
Chins BW x 6, 6, 6, 8, 8
10-Oct rest
11-Oct DL Block 6, Cycle 2, Day 2
Dead lift
240 x 3
275 x 3
310 x 11
Front Squat
185 x 5, 5 sets
Ham Curls
50 x 15, 5 sets
Notes: Went with a heavier setup/less reps on Front Squats
12-Oct BP Block 6, Cycle 2, Day 3
Bench Press
140 x 3
160 x 3
180 x 8 w/help see below
DB Row 65 x 12, 5 sets
DB Bench Press 35 x 12, 40 x 12, 45 x 12, 45 x 12, 45 x 12
Toe-to-bars: 4, 3, 2, 2, 1
Notes:
Asked for a spot on last set of Bench. Asked for no lift off and only to grab if I asked. Was assured that spotter has done this a lot. Then he held the bar the entire time and I am sure helped on at least the last rep. Will be happy to get by rack setup again. Two weeks away from close of house sale. Then minor remodel and hopefully in home by Thanksgiving.
13-Oct Rest
14-Oct Block 6, Cycle 2, Day 4
Squat
195 x 3
220 x 3
250 x 8
SLDL 205 x 12, 5 sets
Lunges 45lb x 32, 32, 32,
then 45 x 16 + BW x 16
then BW x 16 + 45 x 16
notes: Squatting volume is so low compared to the past few blocks. So far I never feel beat up and still think I am making progress. The 8 reps on the AMRAP set started getting slow but form was still good. Might have gotten another rep but not with good form.
First time with weight doing lunges. Last week was first time doing lunges. Thought I would be really sore then but was not. Feel the same today so we will see.
15-Oct Rest
16-Oct Block 6, Cycle 3, Day 1
Press
90 x 5
100 x 3
110 x 4
Super Set:
Dips BW x 6, 6, 7, 7, 6+1
Chins BW x 6, 6, 7, 7, 6+1
notes:
Almost his 7 reps on last set of dips/chins. The +1 to get to 7 was after only 10 seconds rest or so. Will keep this pattern until I can do 5 sets of 7. Then will keep upping over time.
Not sure how I feel about this routine (531). Many days are short ones in the gym. I have not felt beat up at all. The only time I am sore is from the accessory work, such as lunges a few days ago. Makes me wonder if 531 gets you stronger through the accessory work as much as the main lifts. That and not letting you over do it. I will definitely give it through the end of this year before forming any judgement.
18-Oct Block 6, Cycle 3, Day 2
Deadlift
255 x 5
290 x 3
325 x 12
Front Squat 185 x 5, 6, 6, 6, 6
Leg Curl 60 x 12, 12, 12, 12, 12
Leg Extension 50 x 12, 12, 12, 12, 15
notes: dropped rest to 1 minute on leg extensions