Friday’s workout. Flew in to Dallas and then used a old High School friend’s xfit gym to lift at:
Squat: (230 x 5) x 3
Press: (110 x 3, 110 x 2, 110 x 2)
Body-weight Rows: (8 reps @10#) x 3
Press is done for good, I think. Will have to figure out what to do next.
Don’t drop the press, just change your set/rep scheme. I improved my press quite a bit using 5/3/1, with the boring but big assistance template. You basically do 3 ramping sets with increasing weight and low reps. The first 2 sets are not to failure, the 3rd is. Then, you drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10. Or you can pyramid down. Regardless, this template will be a huge change in volume for you, and should stimulate super-gainz.
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
Don’t drop the press, just change your set/rep scheme. I improved my press quite a bit using 5/3/1, with the boring but big assistance template. You basically do 3 ramping sets with increasing weight and low reps. The first 2 sets are not to failure, the 3rd is. Then, you drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10. Or you can pyramid down. Regardless, this template will be a huge change in volume for you, and should stimulate super-gainz.[/quote]
Volume= good.
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
Don’t drop the press, just change your set/rep scheme. I improved my press quite a bit using 5/3/1, with the boring but big assistance template. You basically do 3 ramping sets with increasing weight and low reps. The first 2 sets are not to failure, the 3rd is. Then, you drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10. Or you can pyramid down. Regardless, this template will be a huge change in volume for you, and should stimulate super-gainz.[/quote]
Roger that. Yeah I meant I think I’m done with SS with the press, not the exercise itself. Will figure out 5/3/1 and do that for the press, may have it for every other exercise as well.
Monday’s Workout. Was glad I could get it in with my return flight to NC
Squat (235 x 5) x 3
Bench (160 x 5) x 3
Pull ups (6 @ 15#) x 4
Squat is starting to get hard, my first set was shit, second was better, and the third was the easiest. I think my technique was just off and got better as the workout continued. Also, I’m not sure if I hit depth on a couple of the last reps, strain from the effort made me go to cruise control and I think I just barely hit parallel instead of hitting depth where I bounce out of the hole. Did an extra set of pull ups because I felt good, hit them with no real problem.
Weighed myself today and I?m at 186, so that?s about 6 pounds gained in about two months. Not the fastest growth but I?ll take it. Just got the hydro protein in the mail today so once I add that to the mix we?ll see if this helps out.
Thinking I might be taking too long between sets. With the squat I’m now taking 5-6 min rest between worksets. I figure that’s ok, but it’s making the workout take a lot longer than I’d like.
Started the 531 for the press, was kind of fun. Calculations were based on the idea I had 105 as my 1RM. Had my first stall with the squat. Twice I tried 240, and both times with I tried to lower myself with the bar it just felt… wrong, like I wasn’t doing it right. So I backed it down to 225 and did work sets there:
squat (225 x 5) x3
Press (70 x 5) (80 x 5) and (90 x 8)
Deadlift (235 x 5)
Was going for ten reps on the last set of the press, but it just wasn’t happening. Like I press, and then it’s like I hit a ceiling, can’t figure out how to push through it. Sux cause it’s such light weight, but whatever gotta start somewhere.
Afterwards had two scoops of hydro protein powder, followed by some sauerkraut, three hamburgers, a sausage, and 1/4 of a pie.
vid of press?
I’ll see if I can get some one to take it of me pressing next week.
TGIF:
Squat: (190 x 5) x 3
Bench: (160 x 5) x 3
(Bodyweight rows x 10) x 3
Actually tried some accessory work, to increase volume. followed the bench work sets with 5 sets of 10 reps @ 65#. Was not really challenging, but it’s good to start too light, yada yada yada. Also tried to get in three sets of ten reps of pull ups. Only got 9 and 7 on the second and third set, was tired.
Tried weighting the bodyweight rows at 15#, but the weights kept sliding down my chest and having 15# on your thighs really doesn’t add that much difficulty in a mechanical sense. So I upped the reps and left it as body weight.
[quote]CacheMnyMustang wrote:
TGIF:
Squat: (190 x 5) x 3
Bench: (160 x 5) x 3
(Bodyweight rows x 10) x 3
Actually tried some accessory work, to increase volume. followed the bench work sets with 5 sets of 10 reps @ 65#. Was not really challenging, but it’s good to start too light, yada yada yada. Also tried to get in three sets of ten reps of pull ups. Only got 9 and 7 on the second and third set, was tired.
Tried weighting the bodyweight rows at 15#, but the weights kept sliding down my chest and having 15# on your thighs really doesn’t add that much difficulty in a mechanical sense. So I upped the reps and left it as body weight.[/quote]
Out of curiosity, why bodyweight rows? Why not BB rows?
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
Out of curiosity, why bodyweight rows? Why not BB rows?[/quote]
Uh, because I’m unfamiliar with BB rows? Lol never thought of BB rows, will google the exercise and start doing them instead from now on.
[quote]CacheMnyMustang wrote:
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
Out of curiosity, why bodyweight rows? Why not BB rows?[/quote]
Uh, because I’m unfamiliar with BB rows? Lol never thought of BB rows, will google the exercise and start doing them instead from now on.[/quote]
Dude, that’s one of your moneymakers! Also look for a vid of Pendlay rows. It’s a more advanced row that you never see people doing. Mainly because it’s hard as hell and you need strict form, but, it will make you strong as hell. Strong.
Cool log, will follow 
Solid squat btw, as flipcollar said a 225 squat to proper depth is better than its get credit for here in interwebz land where everyone has supposedly a 300+ squat. ( I cant squat for shit btw )
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
[quote]CacheMnyMustang wrote:
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
Out of curiosity, why bodyweight rows? Why not BB rows?[/quote]
Uh, because I’m unfamiliar with BB rows? Lol never thought of BB rows, will google the exercise and start doing them instead from now on.[/quote]
Dude, that’s one of your moneymakers! Also look for a vid of Pendlay rows. It’s a more advanced row that you never see people doing. Mainly because it’s hard as hell and you need strict form, but, it will make you strong as hell. Strong.[/quote]
I will try some BB rows on Monday, although honestly I’m a little worried about my lower back, it’s been giving me fits sometimes. If it proves to be too tough on the back I’ll switch to DB rows. Once I get the hang of BB rows I’ll try my hand and Pendlay rows. I’m thinking since it’s accessory work I should do like a warm up and then try to do 15 reps at whatever weight. That sound like a good plan?
[quote]florelius wrote:
Cool log, will follow
Solid squat btw, as flipcollar said a 225 squat to proper depth is better than its get credit for here in interwebz land where everyone has supposedly a 300+ squat. ( I cant squat for shit btw )
[/quote]
Thanks man, appreciate it. …It has been a loong journey for me to get where I’m at with the squat, and to be honest I’m still not quite done fixing my hip so that I can squat without pain, but I’m very proud of where I’m at right now.
Also, weighed myself today and I’m at 189.4, about 8-9# gain. At my first weigh in at 190+ I’ll take another photo to compare, although honestly I think a lot of the weight gained is in my legs, too bad I didn’t take a photo of them in the beginning 
Having a bit of a tough time mixing in the 531 with the press with the starting strength. I like having rigid structure with my workouts, don’t like free-styling. Also, I’m throwing in some accessory work now to try to increase volume. Not exactly sure how to do it so I’m going by intuition, and that can bite me in the ass so I’m just making sure I don’t go crazy with it:
Squat (195 x 5 ) x 3
Pull ups (10 w/ 10#) x 3
Accessory work:
dips (bwt x 10) x 5
BB rows (95# 16 reps)
I actually didn’t hit 10 reps with the last set of pull-ups, only got 7. Honestly I’m happy with that, given I’ve gained about 10#s, it’s like I’m doing pull ups with 20#s. Dips were surprisingly easy, and I pride myself on my full rom, go from my shoulders touching my hands to full lockout. Hope to do at least 100 a week with bodyweight, once I go to weighted I’ll aim for 50 a week.
Warmed up on the BB row with the bar and then 65#, then tried to go all out and do 20-40 reps of 95#. Well holy Lumbar support batman! I had to bail at 16 reps, was just too taxing on the back. I’m going to try this again later, but I might go for 75 or 85#s. start too light you know?
[quote]CacheMnyMustang wrote:
Having a bit of a tough time mixing in the 531 with the press with the starting strength. I like having rigid structure with my workouts, don’t like free-styling. Also, I’m throwing in some accessory work now to try to increase volume. Not exactly sure how to do it so I’m going by intuition, and that can bite me in the ass so I’m just making sure I don’t go crazy with it:
Squat (195 x 5 ) x 3
Pull ups (10 w/ 10#) x 3
Accessory work:
dips (bwt x 10) x 5
BB rows (95# 16 reps)
I actually didn’t hit 10 reps with the last set of pull-ups, only got 7. Honestly I’m happy with that, given I’ve gained about 10#s, it’s like I’m doing pull ups with 20#s. Dips were surprisingly easy, and I pride myself on my full rom, go from my shoulders touching my hands to full lockout. Hope to do at least 100 a week with bodyweight, once I go to weighted I’ll aim for 50 a week.
Warmed up on the BB row with the bar and then 65#, then tried to go all out and do 20-40 reps of 95#. Well holy Lumbar support batman! I had to bail at 16 reps, was just too taxing on the back. I’m going to try this again later, but I might go for 75 or 85#s. start too light you know?[/quote]
Rows are not accessory work, it’s a compound movement. Major compound movement. It’s lat, bi, low back, traps, rear delts, ham, glute, abs…the list goes on and on. Feel free to browse my log and see a pretty standard back w/out. That all out for a set thing is Kroc Rows, usually with a DB. If you get your body parallel to the floor the stress will be off your lower back, oddly enough.
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
Rows are not accessory work, it’s a compound movement. Major compound movement. It’s lat, bi, low back, traps, rear delts, ham, glute, abs…the list goes on and on. Feel free to browse my log and see a pretty standard back w/out. That all out for a set thing is Kroc Rows, usually with a DB. If you get your body parallel to the floor the stress will be off your lower back, oddly enough.[/quote]
Ok, so are accessory exercises usually isolation exercises? Wendler’s 531 lists pull ups, dips, BB rows, and other exercises as accessory work, so I’m a little confused on the term. Whatever the case, I am moving on and will try Kroc rows instead next week.
Deadlift Day!!
SS Squat:
(200 x 5) x 3
531 press:
75# x 3
85# x 3
95# x 10!!!
SS Deadlift
245# x 5
Am excited about the press, guess I figured out how to start getting multiple reps with the exercise, am happy and will go for like 12 next time. Deadlift is starting to get tough, but don’t feel like it’s near stalling anytime soon. Squats felt pretty good, feel like my technique with this type of weight is getting a lot better.