Good on ya Sven. Well deserve mate.
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Awesome! Please don’t be silent if there’s anything I can answer for you. I just appreciate having someone watching!
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Glad to see the check, although I knew!
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@boilerman, @tlgains, @simo74, @TrainForPain - Thanks, guys! I appreciate the support of this forum—it helps keep me going!
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5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c13w3d4
Wednesday - 08 June 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning & squat WMs, 0750-0905 (75 minutes)
Weighted vest walk - 30 kg - 16 minutes (to park)
Easy run - 9 laps, about 1750m - 9:55
Weighted vest walk - 30 kg - 15 minutes (from park)
Squat - 250 - 14 (rep PR), 12, 15 (rep PR)
Fasted.
Holy cow—my morning’s off to a decent start! Got a sub-10:00 run today without even trying, then followed it up with a few rep PRs on that squat. No, still not strong enough to hit 250x20, but 14, 12, 15 for 41 reps over 3 sets—I’ll take it!
For the record, I took 3 minutes between each of those squat sets, and though Monday’s 11 reps following a full 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL 1s week workout were absolutely painful, somehow these sets were harder. But I did it, and I’m pumped about that.
Calves, daily work, and extra conditioning in the form of clusters to follow later. Not sure why I chose clusters when writing up this workout yesterday. It’s either going to be the smartest or dumbest thing I could’ve chosen—there will be no middle ground with that!
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You’ve gotten strong, man
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5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c13w3d4
Wednesday - 08 June 2022
Workout: Calves, daily work, & extra conditioning, 1435-1530 (55 minutes)
Jump rope tabata - 4x40/10
3 rounds of:
a) 1-pump burpees - 17, 17, 17
b) KB swings - 28 kg - 17, 17, 17
c) Cluster - 65 - 10, 10, 10
d) Belted CR - 135 - 25, 20, 15
e) CS DB rows - 2x50 lbs - 10, 10, 20
Jump rope tabata - 4x40/10
That was in exercise in Just Don’t Quit. Clusters were, in fact, a good choice, and I suppose my concession to myself yesterday was deciding on 65 lbs rather than something heavier. I might have been able to get through it with 95 lbs or something, but I achieved what I wanted to achieve today, so we’ll call it good.
Oh, and I bumped up the weight on the chest-supported DB rows to 2x50 lbs today, which made the third set pretty difficult from about rep 12 or 13 to the end—could feel them in my biceps more than my back at that point, and I think I was cheating the ROM at the top. Guess that leaves some room to grow, though, so again, we’ll call it good.
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A bit late to the party but congratz Coach Sven
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@TrainForPain, @hustlinghat93 - Thank you both for your comments!
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5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c13w3d5
Thursday - 09 June 2022
Workout: Deadlift & deadlift WM, 1125-1305 (100 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 1145; End: 1247; Duration: 62 minutes
Deadlift - 170x5, 210x5, 245x5 | 285x5, 320x5, 360x5 | (285x5)x5
Chin-up - BW - 15, 15, 5
Dip - 60 - 15, 13, 7
Ab wheel - ramp (19) - 20, 15, 5
BPA - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
Push-up - 30
Deficit reverse lunge - L/R - 2x30 lbs - 15, 10
Deadlift - 280 - 12 (rep PR), 8
Assistance totals:
Push - 65 reps
Pull - 65 reps
Single-leg/core - 65 reps
Okay, Sven: You can push this hard. No, you don’t want to. You never want to. But right now, you CAN.
And so you MUST.
That was a super-tough workout! Main work in 19 minutes, supplemental in 24 minutes. Pulled without straps through 320, but had to reset my grip on rep 4 of that set, so did the rest, including today’s “Widowmaker,” using straps. The top set was once again absolutely full-body hard. Supplemental went alright, but my upper back remains the weak link. (I didn’t really expect that to change just yet, but it’s worth mentioning that I was aware of that fact by the end.)
Happy with the rep PR on the first part of today’s Widowmaker attempt—it tops 270x10 back in November, which was a 5+ PR set—but the follow-up set of 8 was absolutely terrible, as in hard, Hard, HARD.
All of the assistance felt really strong today, even if the ab wheel continues to kick my butt. Sipped a 1/3-serving of Surge throughout this workout, and probably would’ve made short work of more, if I had mixed it up in advance.
Press WMs and daily work later this afternoon. It’s the first full day of my kids’ summer break, so I’m already late as we figure out the new schedule, etc., but I’ll find a way to finish out what’s left before the day is over.
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5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c13w3d5
Thursday - 09 June 2022
Workout: Press WMs & daily work, 1625-1655 (30 minutes)
Press - 115 - 13 (rep PR), 14 (rep PR), 13
3 rounds of:
a) 1-pump burpees - 17, 17, 17
b) KB swings - 28 kg - 17, 17, 17
c) Pendlay rows - 120 lbs - 10, 10, 20
Just Don’t Quit, folks. Just Don’t Quit.
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What program or mix of programs are you running. I know is says 5’s pro with FSL but then I am also seeing an extra set of deadlift with 12 reps ??
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TLDR: They’re extra Widowmaker attempts to build mental and physical strength during the relatively low-volume 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL template I’m running as leaders in Cycles 13 and 14.
Good question, mate. This cycle, Cycle 13, I’ve been doing 3 extra Widowmaker sets for each lift, each week, using the TMs projected for the Cycle 15 anchor. (Or, rather, I am attempting Widowmakers, because the weights are heavy enough now I’m having trouble getting 20 unbroken reps. I’ve been rest-pausing or even breaking the 20 reps over multiple proper sets, as necessary.)
Anyway, one attempt follows the standard 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL workout for each lift, then I’m doing back-to-back attempts on that same lift 2 days later. The weights are 60%, 50%, and 70% of the anticipated anchor TMs (following the 3/5/1 execution pattern of the current cycle), with plans to bump that up in the next cycle.
This was the scheme I used for a few weeks back in Cycle 5 last fall, which was my run up to the 5/3/1 & Widowmakers template—I was not feeling prepared for the Widowmakers, so I worked in some extra practice before I was required to hit them during the anchor. This time around, it’s just to build a little more mental and physical strength and get in some extra volume—I never want to be too far away from hitting some decent percentage work for high reps. I also got pretty lean using this scheme last fall, so after the gaining I did with BBB and BBB Beefcake late last year and into the first part of this year, I figured it wouldn’t hurt my body composition to get in the extra work, haha!
I’m finding, however, I’m just not strong enough yet to hit these weights for 20 reps at the anticipated TMs (nevermind the FSL weights!), so next week, which starts Cycle 14, I’ll be modifying things a bit—I just haven’t figured out how, exactly.
Bottom line: I think my ego has been getting in the way. And not just with the Widowmakers, but generally. I find myself justifying really hard top sets by saying things like, “I’m just not an explosive lifter.” That may be true, but I shouldn’t be using it as an excuse to struggle with weights that should be moving more easily than they have been lately. So I want to really master these TMs before cycling up—I think I’ve been ignoring JW’s Progress Slowly rule.
At the end of the day, with the current TMs (or even those from a few cycles back), I’m still moving more weight now than I ever have before.
And THAT is progress, no matter how you look at it!
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5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c13w3d6
Friday - 10 June 2022
Workout: Bench & bench WM, 1205-1315 (70 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 1219; End: 1304; Duration: 45 minutes
Bench - 125x5, 150x5, 180x5 | 205x5, 230x5, 260x5 | (205x5)x5
Pull-up - BW - 14, 14, 7
Seated DB press - 2x40 lbs - 15, 13, 7
HLR - 20, 14, 6
BFP - red - 30
Band pushdown - red - 30
Good morning - 115 - 15, 10
Bench - 205 - 14 (rep PR), 6
Assistance totals:
Push - 65 reps
Pull - 65 reps
Single-leg/core - 65 reps
Couple of things lingering from yesterday. First, I ate a huge lunch: 2x the chicken, 2x the celery, some cottage cheese, and even a protein bar. Deadlifts will do that to you, I suppose.
Second, I was really happy to get all 40 reps over 3 sets on yesterday’s press “Widowmakers.” Those sets were cold—had the bar ready to go after my morning workout, so I literally just changed my shoes, stepped up to the bar, and started pressing. Put that together with back-to-back rep PRs, and man—good day! I was surprised at how light the first few reps of the last two sets felt, to the point I thought I’d get closer to 20 than I actually did. The fatigue caught up with me at about rep 7 or 8 on both of those, however, and I had to start fighting. Still really happy with those sets.
Finally, we left immediately after the afternoon workout and spent a few hours at the local amusement park. Honestly, it was about the last thing I wanted to do, but it kept me moving and we had a blast. Came home and had a later dinner: 1-1/3 lbs of taco meat with an entire 8 oz. block of cheddar (shredded), some granola, and cottage cheese. Not a bad way to start the summer!
And now, today… Weird schedule again, but it’s only going to get nuttier next week: Mrs. SvenG starts a new job, and it’s the first time since she started school as a kid that she’ll NOT be on an academic calendar. My son’s also having (out-patient) surgery, which will be followed by several days of recovery, and that means we’ll have a two-places-at-once kind of problem given my daughter’s practice schedule. And all of that on top of just figuring out how we roll now that it’s summer break… Chaos is the plan, eh Pwn?
Today’s work went well. Misgrooved the lift-off on that top set, ended up fighting for the first rep or two. Recovered well enough, but that was annoying: I’m SO tired of writing remarkable things about these top sets. Main work in 13 minutes, supplemental in 16, assistance superset throughout. Everything else felt strong, except the good mornings were killer because that patch of skin that keeps getting rubbed off by my barbell while squatting finally scabbed over, then got sunburned, and subsequently got rubbed off again today. Ugh!
Got the rep PR on today’s WM attempt, so I’m happy with that. I hit 14 and racked it immediately, because I just didn’t care enough to try 15. Don’t think I would’ve had it, but still happy with 14. Took less than 3 minutes between those sets, finished off the last 6 reps strong, and that was that.
Daily work and a sled push today. I’m breaking up the continuous push with some air squats at the top and lunges at the bottom, mostly to get some more blood into my lower body—it’s been sore all week. I thought about more swings, and I may call an audible, because my PC could use some additional movement before tomorrow’s deadlifts. We’ll just have to see how I’m feeling when I get there.
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5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c13w3d6
Friday - 10 June 2022
Workout: Daily work & hard conditioning, 1605-1705 (60 minutes)
3 rounds of:
a) 1-pump burpees - 17, 17, 17
b) KB swings - 28 kg - 17, 17, 17
c) Kroc rows - L/R - 65 lbs - 10, 10, 20
10 rounds of:
a) Sled push - 25 yds, 135 + sled = 222 lbs
b) 10 air squats
c) Sled push - 25 yds, 135 + sled = 222 lbs
d) 10 alternating lunges - L/R
Time: 28:09
Moving slowly, but I got it all in. The Kroc rows killed me again, HR was way up by the end. And I timed the hard conditioning just for kicks—I came in under 3:00 per round on average, but I could do better. Today it was really just about getting in the distance and keeping my lower body from getting stiff. That totals 500 yards, 100 air squats, and 100 lunges per leg, so mission accomplished.
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Just spent the last half hour catching up on your log, and boy, you can color me impressed! I see so many instances of extreme mental Fortitude and physical strength! Also, you are looking like one seriously Jacked individual! No exaggeration, you look insane. The new Barbell look sweet too!
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Thanks for taking the time to catch up, my friend! (That’s gotta be it’s own kind of exercise in mental fortitude, haha!) And thanks for the praise, too—I think the work is paying off.
Truth be told, though, I’m tired; it’s been a tough 1s week. I’m definitely looking forward to the next two weeks: I’ll get to climb out of the hole with 3s followed by 5s, so it’ll be like a mini-deload!
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You gents that have found your love in 5/3/1 and just crushing work are seriously impressive.
On the flip side, after reading some of the programming explanations, I’m no longer sure it’s the simplest strength program…
You really are looking jacked @SvenG.
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Hah! I hate 5/3/1. But it works.
(To be fair, I hate working out, so I’d probably hate most everything. And most everything probably works, as long as you give it the right level of effort.)
Also, lest anyone reading this log be misled: I’m labeling my current programming 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL, because that’s the core. But the extra stuff is my own invention—I’m really pushing my limits because life circumstances right now allow it.
JW didn’t write it that way, and I have no idea what he would say if he saw the mutilated workouts I’m calling 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL in this log!
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It’s clearly working for you, so he’d say “Keep on trucking”.
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