Back to Barbells

Squat were a struggle, my hamstrings were very tight. I could not loosen up. Don’t think I hit depth on the last one. Called it early and did some stretching and mobility.

One thing I do to help my hamstring flexibility is to spend a few minutes per day sitting in a 3rd world squat position. Start doing it for 15-30 seconds and work your way up, it makes a lot of difference for the hamstrings and hip mobility.

[quote]OTHSteve wrote:
One thing I do to help my hamstring flexibility is to spend a few minutes per day sitting in a 3rd world squat position. Start doing it for 15-30 seconds and work your way up, it makes a lot of difference for the hamstrings and hip mobility.[/quote]

I do try to hold this position. I’ll try working up to longer.

I am not sure if it was a flexibility/mobility issue because I don’t usually have that problem. It felt like my hamstrings were still just tight and fatigued from previous squat and deadlift work. I am going to try to work on recovery as a whole (eating, sleeping, stretching, etc.). I think my recovery has gotten off since the semester started.

Cycle 4: 5/3/1 Monolith
BW = 197.5

Press TM = 145
Deadlift TM = 315
Bench TM = 225
Squat TM = 275

Going to start “Building the Monolith”. I have dialed my TM back to 85%. I have my schedule set know for the fall semester. I should be able to do a 3 day full body routine with appropriate recovery.

Squat: 195 x 5, 225 x 5, 255 x 5 x 5

Press: 105 x 5, 115 x 5, 135 x 5, 105 x 12

Chin-ups: BW x 100

Face pulls: 42.5 x 50, 50 x 50

Dips: BW x 100

Deadlift: 225 x 5, 255 x 5, 285 x 5 x 3

Bench: 155 x 5, 185 x 5, 205 x 5 x 5

DB Rows: 75 x 10 x 3, 90 x 10 x 2

BB Curls: 45 x 50, 50 x 50

Front Squat: 135 x 5, 155 x 5, 185 x 5

Squat: 135 x 20

Press: 105 x 5 x 10

Chin-ups: (BW + 5) x 5, (BW + 10) x 5, (BW + 15) x 5, (BW + 20) x 5, (BW + 25) x 5

BB Shrugs: 135 x 100

Face pulls: 35 x 50, 42.5 x 25, 50 x 25

Did not have time to wait for a squat rack; so, I substituted front squats that I could clean into position then did my 20 rep squats.

Squat: 185 x 5, 205 x 5, 235 x 5 x 5

Press: 95 x 5, 105 x 5, 125 x 5, 95 x 11

Chin-ups: BW x 100

Face pulls: 50 x 100

Dips: BW x 100

Deadlift: 205 x 5, 235 x 5, 275 x 5 x 3

Bench: 145 x 5, 165 x 5, 195 x 5 x 5

DB Rows: 60 x 15 x 2, 75 x 15 x 2

BB Curls: 55 x 50, 45 x 50

Squat: 185 x 5, 205 x 5 , 235 x 5, 135 x 20

Press: 75 x 5 x 10

Chin-ups: (BW + 5) x 5, (BW + 10) x 5, (BW + 15) x 5, (BW + 20) x 5, (BW + 25) x 5

BB Shrugs: 135 x 50, 155 x 25, 185 x 25

Face pulls: 42.5 x 100

Squat: 205 x 5, 235 x 5, 265 x 5 x 5

Press: 105 x 5, 125 x 5, 135 x 5, 105 x 10

Chin-ups: BW x 100

Face pulls: 50 x 100

Dips: BW x 100

Deadlift: 235 x 5, 275 x 5, 305 x 5 x 3

Bench: 165 x 5, 195 x 5, 215 x 5 x 5

DB Rows: 60 x 20 x 3, 75 x 10 x 2

BB Curls: 45 x 20, 50 x 20, 55 x 20, 60 x 20, 65 x 20

Squat: 205 x 5, 235 x 5, 265 x 5, 155 x 20

Press: 105 x 5 x 10

Chin-ups: (BW 15) x 5, (BW 15) x 5, (BW 20) x 5, (BW 20) x 5, (BW 25) x 5

BB Shrugs: 135 x 25, 155 x 25, 105 x 50

Face pulls: 57.5 x 100

Cycle 5: 5/3/1 Monolith
BW = 200

Press TM = 145
Deadlift TM = 325
Bench TM = 235
Squat TM = 285

Squat: 205 x 5, 225 x 5, 255 x 5 x 5

Press: 105 x 5, 125 x 5, 145 x 5, 105 x 13

Chin-ups: BW x 100

Band pullaparts: 100

Dips: BW x 100

Bench: 165 x 5, 185 x 5, 215 x 5 x 5

Deadlift: 225 x 5, 265 x 5, 295 x 5 x 3

DB Rows: 70 x 10 x 5

Band Pullaparts: 100

Curls: 45 x 25, 55 x 25, 65 x 25, 75 x 25

Squat: 205 x 5, 225 x 5, 255 x 5, 165 x 20

Press: 85 x 5 x 12

Chin-ups: (BW 10) x 5, (BW 10) x 5, (BW 20) x 5, (BW 20) x 5, (BW 30) x 5

DB Shrugs: 60s x 100

Band Pullaparts: 100

Squat: 185 x 5, 215 x 5, 245 x 5 x5

Press: 105 x 5, 115 x 5, 135 x 8, 105 x 13

Chin-ups: BW x 100

Band Pullaparts: 100

Dips: BW x 100

Deadlift: 215 x 5, 245 x 5, 275 x 5 x 3

Bench: 155 x 5, 175 x 5, 205 x 5 x 5

DB Rows: 75 x 10 x 2, 75 x 15 x 2, 75 x 20

DB Curls: 25s x 50, 30s x 25, 35s x 25