5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c4w3d1
Sunday - 17 October 2021
Workout: Hard + extra conditioning, 1410-1445 (35 minutes)
Sled push - 10x50 yds, 135 + sled = 222 lbs
Time: 8:50
4 rounds of:
a) 25 1-pump burpees
b) 25 KB swings - 24 kg
c) 30 BPAs - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
25-second rest between rounds
Got it in. After moving furniture up a flight of stairs at my in-laws for an hour or so. Not bad, considering. And on squat day, no less.
Lol glad I could help. Keep it up.
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c4w3d2
Monday - 18 October 2021
Workout: Easy conditioning + calves, 0450-0555 (65 minutes)
Weighted vest walk - 24 kg - 35 minutes
SL CR - L/R - 30x10, 35x8 | 40x6 + isohold: 23s
Jump rope tabata - 16x20/10 - 1 round
Fasted. Good start to the day. Pwn’s The Last Castle, burpees, and BPAs at some point later.
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c4w3d2
Monday - 18 October 2021
Workout: Extra conditioning, 1150-1240 (50 minutes)
Pwn’s The Last Castle - 10 rounds
a) Farmer’s walk - 25 yards - 2x77 lbs
b) 6 alternating DB snatches - 35 lbs
c) Farmer’s walk - 25 yards - 2x77 lbs
d) 10 KB swings - 24 kg
4 rounds of:
a) 25 1-pump burpees
b) 30 BPAs - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
25-second rest between rounds
Did Pwn’s The Last Castle again. Same variation as last week, but took the DB snatches up to 35 lbs. Think that’s about right in the short run. Finished all 10 rounds in 22:10, then daily burpees and BPAs. Feeling tired now—could just be the early start, but it’s time for more food in any case.
So the widowmaker squat sets in the 5/3/1 & Widowmakers anchor I’m planning are on my mind a lot these days, and I’m thinking of trying some dry-run sets at a light weight (say, 30-40% of TM) daily during the next leader—for practice.
Does that make any sense at all? Or is it a recipe for disaster?
Edit: @throwawayfitness - I’d really appreciate your thoughts, if you’re willing. I know you run multiple 20-reps sets frequently, but I don’t remember exactly when that started, and I have no idea how the weights you use in those sets relate your overall squat strength. (I just know they’re crazy-heavy from my perspective!)
If I were you I would squat one plate for a set of 20 at the end of each squat session.
@throwawayfitness - Thanks, man! I appreciate your input—seems a reasonable place to start.
Others are welcome to comment as well.
when is your next squat day?
Next Monday (or maybe Sunday, as I’m expecting Monday to be a weird schedule again).
If you’ve never done 20-rep sets, @SvenG, this is a pretty sound strategy. Just get used to having a bar on your back for an extended period of time. Maybe add a little weight the closer you get to the actual widowmaker cycle.
Also sensible. And kind of what I was thinking… Work up to something like 50% TM over the next 3-week leader, deload, and then into the anchor (which uses FSL weighs).
I’ve done widowmakers before, but it’s been a long time—and it was baby weights, something like 1 plate plus a little. But certainly the first time since the whole SI joint/sciatic nerve issue awhile back—and that’s part of why I’m feeling apprehensive, four weeks out.
Thanks, @kdjohn!
On this note.
I benched 20 reps with 135 at the end of a bench session today, on a whim, and felt neither fear, loathing, or dread. I could do it again right now.
But for squats, the very idea fills me with dread. I can do it (with that weight), but I’m scared of the suck! And I know I need to be doing it with MORE weight, more often, which is quite scary.
No point to this other than squats are soulsucking and the other lifts are not.
Genuine LOL—it’s funny 'cause it’s true.
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c4w3d3
Tuesday - 19 October 2021
Workout: Press, 0745-0850 (65 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0803; End: 0846; Duration: 43 minutes
Press - 60x5, 70x5, 85x5 | 95x5, 110x5, 120x5 | (95x5)x5
Pull-up - BW - 10, 10, 10, 10
Bulgarian split squat - L/R - 2x20 lbs - 20, 20, 10
Incline DB press - 2x60 lbs - 18, 18, 14
OA row - L/R - 45 - 23, 17
Cable crunch - 50 - 30
Band pushdown - red - 40
Assistance totals:
Push - 90 reps
Pull - 80 reps
Single-leg/core - 80 reps
Fasted. Can’t raise my arms in front of me, can’t straighten my arms. It was a good pressing day. Top set felt smooth, FSL sets were surprisingly easy. Kept expecting to grind them out, but the reps just kept going up nice and smooth. Pull-ups felt strong, got lightheaded during rows. Incline DB press had my pecs on fire. And I did too many band pushdowns—or at least more than I intended—which is probably why my triceps are about to explode.
Looking to do the sled and daily work in the late-afternoon today. Schedule might dictate that for the next several weeks, actually. We’ll just have to see how things go.
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c4w3d3
Tuesday - 19 October 2021
Workout: Hard + extra conditioning, 1555-1630 (35 minutes)
Sled push - 10x50 yds, 135 + sled = 222 lbs
Time: 9:12
4 rounds of:
a) 25 1-pump burpees
b) 25 KB swings - 24 kg
c) 30 BPAs - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
25-second rest between rounds
Man, that sucked. Better get used to it. Better yet, better just get better.
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c4w3d4
Wednesday - 20 October 2021
Workout: Easy conditioning + calves, 0755-0905 (70 minutes)
Weighted vest walk - 24 kg - 14 minutes (to park)
Easy run - 9 laps, about 1750m - 9:28
Weighted vest walk - 24 kg - 14 minutes (from park)
SL CR - L/R - 30x10, 35x8 | 40x6 + isohold: 24s
Jump rope tabata - 16x20/10 - 1 round
Fasted. Slept like a champ. Still up and down a lot, but periods between were incredibly restful. Had the track to myself again this morning. Cooler weather is keeping people at home, I suppose. Not a great time, but I’m happy with it, because I really didn’t want to run this morning. Jump rope felt really easy today, HR didn’t even hit 150 bpm, but I was getting 38-40 skips in each 20-second on period. (Usually get like 32-35.)
(Modified) Cooper WOD and BPAs later today.
Sorry man, not been in for a while
Good to see you are still grinding my man
Thanks for poppin’ in, my man. Good to hear from you. I can see you’re still crushing it, too—keep up the good work!
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c4w3d4
Wednesday - 20 October 2021
Workout: Extra conditioning, 1400-1435 (35 minutes)
(Modified) Cooper WOD - for time: 21:08
10 rounds of:
a) 10 burpees
b) 10 air squats
c) 10 KB swings - 24 kg
d) 10 sit-ups
BPA - red - 4x(10 high + 10 mid + 10 low)
Crushed this between lunch and my next engagement. Replaced push-ups with KB swings again. BPAs followed immediately, and now it’s just food and rest before deadlifts tomorrow.
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c4w3d5
Thursday - 21 October 2021
Workout: Deadlift, 0740-0850 (70 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0804; End: 0847; Duration: 43 minutes
Deadlift - 135x5, 165x5, 195x5 | 225x5, 255x5, 285x5 | (225x5)x5
Chin-up - BW - 10, 10, 10, 10
Ab wheel - ramp (10) - 25, 25, 10
Dip - 60 - 12, 12, 12, 4
Band good morning - green - 40
Incline scap/trap - 2x40 lbs - 40
Push-up - 40
Assistance totals:
Push - 80 reps
Pull - 80 reps
Single-leg/core - 80 reps
The mind is a funny thing: simultaneously my worst enemy and my greatest ally. Once again trying to make the work harder than it was, and once again remembering that I pulled 295x5 during TM testing and that I’m now three weeks bigger, three weeks stronger, three weeks better. So, yeah, I crushed it today.
Not much else to say, except that I may have to move to BB GMs, as even the green band felt too easy. Maybe I’ll play with tempo a bit first, see if I can make them harder that way. But at least I’ve got the barbell version in my back pocket if I need it.
Sled, etc. to follow later today.