Makes sense, I definitely agree with you about sub max work and buying into 531. This may be an uneducated and unpopular opinion, but I think hitting something closer to a 1rm every once and a while is kind of beneficial. It has been to me anyway.
IDK maybe I dig myself into a deeper recovery hole by doing it, but it makes me feel mentally at ease knowing I hit X weight for 1 or 2 reps, so hitting X-30lb for 5 is mine. I feel like it’s helped me with my squat, but not so much bench or ohp.
How did you like that realization phase? What did you get rep wise for your top sets? Skipping the deload?
I can’t wait for more intensity, this low percentage work is already driving me crazy, feels like it’s doing nothing but making me good at squeezing out more reps, which is a) probably not true and b) not a bad thing even if it is. I went 15/16/13/13 (S/B/D/O), which I was pretty happy with for the most part.
I went 21/14/15/13. I really thought I would get more on bench and deadlift… so it goes. I don’t know how you felt, but I’m surprised by how much heavier it will already be in the next couple weeks. That’s even after I adjusted the formula a bit.
I debated taking a 4-5 day mini deload, but I also figure that with the holidays I should take advantage of the slower work days to keep going. Plus I don’t feel run down. You skipped the deload, right?
Yea, it is definitely more responsive to success than a lot of other templates. Even your relatively disappointing lifts are going to lead to increased intensity, which I’m excited about. The jumps for my realization phase are 20/20/25/15 which is definitely going to put a dent into my rep totals, will be interesting to see how much though.
I’m more pushing it back a bit than skipping it, I’m not going to be able to lift right when the next realization phase is supposed to kick off, so I’m going to take a 3-5 day deload then and then probably a full one after wave 3. So it will be 5 weeks on, deload, 4 weeks on, deload, 3 weeks on, short deload, PR attempts. Makes it 15 weeks instead of 16. I’m not feeling particularly rundown/fatigued either but am starting to get a bit dinged up.
@heretolog Yep, I wonder if it might be better for me to handle higher intensities for several weeks rather than once every 3 weeks à la 5/3/1. The 5s and 3s waves look scary if all goes okay during 8s. Your deload schedule sounds fine. Are you going to try Chad’s peaking phase after the 3s? It seems like you might be interested in that.
@Voxel Think the upper back tightness wasn’t there now that I think back on that set.
I actually just glanced at a preview of the book but neglected to buy the whole thing, so I’m not even sure what that looks like. I need to charge my E-reader and get the full copy. I’m not sure I want to do a whole peaking phase though, as I just tested my maxes like 5 weeks ago. That sentiment is likely to change 11 weeks from now though.
Not involved in this conversation but it does look like your bracing/tightness is lacking a bit on the press.
@bonoboschimp Thanks. True that lockout looks like the sticking point, but I usually find off the floor most difficult.
@heretolog I could be wrong, but I don’t even think that the peaking phase is in the book. I’ve only read it being mentioned online. You might be able to find it elsewhere.
@dagill2 My lower back doesn’t hurt at all. It’s only 50 pounds after all! Part of it is probably sloppiness, but I’ll experiment with grip width next time. Honestly not surprising because my grips and stances are narrow on all the other lifts
Mine too, however your elbows seem really wide even by my standards.
The lower back comment was more about your deadlift. Everytime you reset (especially when you straightened your legs), your lower back rounds further and further. It may be no issue, particularly if you feel no pain with it, but I thought I’d test the waters there.
@Voxel for a strict press: Absolutely! Although in @Bagsy’s case I’d say the problem isn’t so much that the elbows aren’t turned in but the grip ist too narrow.
You want your elbows stacked underneath your wrists (grip width needs to allow for that as well as an inwards rotation of the elbows in conjunction with/ because of squeezing yout lats). Your scapular should be retracted and depressed. When you press your elbows rotate outwards and your scapular goes wherever it needs to.
I don’t know mate, I really don’t see that. The lockout gets sloppy with fatigue (hip hinge is lacking) but in terms of back position I don’t see much of an issue (on my small phone screen, haha).
So don’t keep the scapula retracted and depressed, just do that in the bottom? Press 101 probably but I’d rather ask and appear a fool than continue doing something wrong
