As I recall it the 50% set is one set to almost failure in the range of 10 - 14 reps rest 60 seconds get at least half the reps in on the second set.
If you do 12 reps on the first and 8 on the second you can up the weight or do 13 - 14 reps on the first set. and then do 7 reps on the second set.
Save the rest pause sets for another kind of sets, like doing a double rest pause set instead of the 50% set or another exercise with rest pause.
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Week 5 Lower 1
Squat
Work up to 300x1, 325x1 (10 lb PR)
245x12, 60 sec, 245x8
RDL work up to 300x3
245x14
Walking lunges 5x40
300x1 was a breeze and looked good to me. 325 did not feel bad at all but I did notice a forward lean coming out of the hole, and confirmed by the video. Depth was questionable but it’ll be good next time.
Going to start my own BB website called Body By Taco Bell or BBTB for short. Hoping the execs see my lifting videos and endorse me which would mean free Tbell for life. Also a clothing line Called TB threads which will have actual bells all over.
JK… Maybe…
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Does taco bell even taste good? I’ve never had it dude. Great squat pr.
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Hell yeah man, nice job! Also, I think your camera angle makes it look like you lean forward more than you actually do. The camera is a little behind you so the bar looks like it travels forward as you drop.
TL;DR - your squat looks good, you’re gonna have some forward travel at PR weights. Keep at it 
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Yeah I was thinking that may be an issue too. Felt very confident with it so I’m happy for sure.
Haha this is all my opinion, but I love it. I would be cautious with taking food recommendations from me though, I’ve been told I have questionable tastes. I think it is amazing and it’s the only fast food I’ll eat.
…although I have heard their ground “beef” has similar ingredients to that of yoga mats… Lol
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Week 5 Upper 1
Bench, work up to 205x1
165x12, 60 sec rest, 165x6
Incline press @ 95lb- 27, 15, 13- Total- 55
Pendlay Row, work up to 215x2 (PR)
175x8, 175x8, 150x12, 150x12
Band pulldown- 33, 20, 18- Total- 71
Curls- 3 sets
Bench is my nemesis. I hate it and it feels so unnatural to me but I want to get at least comfortable with it. It seems very inconsistent. Gotta do some research and figure out what I’m doing wrong with pressing.
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Week 5 Lower 2
Zercher work up to 225x1, 240x1(15lb PR)
165x12,60 sec rest, 165x9
Walking lunge BW+50lb
35,30,30,25,30
240 felt ok. Hoodie kind of threw me off with the front pocket. Feeling a bit under recovered from the weekend. Had too much beer and food Saturday, so Sundays eating was way off, I’m sure I’m dehydrated as hell now too. Just going to roll with it. Might do a deload after week 6 to stay ahead of myself, but we’ll see how the rest of the week goes.
225x1
240x1
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Hey BM
Didn’t see that squat PR till now. Well done. I would say you’ve got a pretty good squat now.
Garage rocker said it, PR attempts will be not so pretty, this one was a good one. You have even more in you I’m sure.
That forward notch was just the sticking point of your lift man.
Bench will come along, It’s probably lack of bracing and getting tight under the bar. There are zillions of websites you could visit
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Thanks mortdk, pretty happy with how squat is moving so far. It just goes to show how well 531 works.
As far as bench is concerned I think it has to do mostly with bracing and keeping back tight, like you said. My equipment is not the greatest for bench and lift off is a pain in the ass. Definitely lose a bit of tightness during unrack. I’m planning on building a couple platforms within the next few weeks to hopefully assist with that and deadlifts, so I’m not afraid of falling through the floor lol.
Woke up at 208lb this morning and I think I turned a corner with the weight gain. We’ll see if it sticks around.
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Week 5 Upper 2
OHP
Work up to 120x1
85x12, 60 sec rest, 85x11
BW dip 350- 18, 16, 13
Total- 47
DB Row @ 62.5lb
21, 19, 17
Total- 57
Pull Up
5x6
3 sets of curls with heavy bands. Last set did rest pause, +5 each arm then another +5 each arm.
Stomach felt off today. Not sure if I ate something that was going bad last night or what but I kind of felt like puking through this entire workout. Kept the main work pretty easy-ish/ same as last week and sort of pushed the assistance stuff. Just tried to make sure I got more reps than last week.
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Week 6 Lower 1
Squat
Work up to 305x1
255x12, 60 sec rest, 255x7
RDL work up to 285x1
245x16
BW walking lunges 65,50,40,40,35
Squat felt amazing today. I was going to go for 340x1 but decided against it. Not worth it at this point. Hit a shitload of PRs the past week or so, so I’m happy. Getting a funny twinge in my right hamstring/hip/groin area during the RDLs so I took it easy on the top set.
Edit: weighed above 207 this morning so I’ve definitely put on a couple lbs. So strange how it happens seemingly overnight.
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Week 6 Upper 1
Bench
Work up to 205x1
165x12, 60 sec rest, 165x6
Incline press @ 95lb- 21, 16, 13 Total- 50
Pendlay 180x8, 180x8, 155x12, 155x12
Band pull down, 35, 23, 19
Curls 3 sets
Cutting week 6 short for deload, will start back next Monday with lower 2 day. May switch back to 3 days/week depending on how I feel.
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Deload
Squat- work up to 300x1
OHP- work up to 120x1
Stomach has been fuucckkkeeddd up the past couple days. Everything I eat or drink pretty much goes straight through me. I’m thinking it has been an issue of not eating enough (nothing until like 3-4 pm, sometimes even dinner) and drinking too much alcohol on weekends. I’ve noticed it’s messed with my stomach before but never this bad. Probably going to cut way back/cut out beer for a while and see what happens. Hopefully going to start feeling better tomorrow.
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Bench
Work up to 205x1
165x11, 60 sec rest, 165x6
Incline press@ 95lb- 24, 18, 12
Row- 175x8, 165x8, Tempo 2x12 at 135
Band pull down- 25, 20, 15
Curls x3
Feel more beat up now than I did before deload. Usually how it goes, just have to keep rolling with it. Feeling lighter but I haven’t weighed myself. Unfortunately work has started picking up again so I’m expecting to get worn out pretty quickly. More than likely going to switch to 3x a week for a while.
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Zercher
Work up to 215x1
175x12, 60 sec rest, 175x6
Walking lunge BW +70lb
5x25
Stomach was off again today, eating was off all weekend. Weighed 205.5 lb after work today. Zerchers were alright. Forearm pain was way more intense than I remember it being but after just about 2 weeks of not doing a zercher I’d assume that’d be normal. All weights stay the same next week. Felt pretty gassed after this one and I’m still trying to get back into the groove.
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OHP
Work up to 110x1
90x12, 60 sec rest, 90x7*
BW Dip 350- 19, 13, 10, RP 5
DB Row @ 62.5 lb- 24, 20, 17
Chins 5x5
Band curls 3 sets
OHP felt good. Could’ve done at least a couple more reps on 50% set. Unfortunately had to go straight from workout to a 3 hour service call so I had a late and small dinner
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I just had the same problem either last week or the week before (can’t remember which one…yikes). Double up on the green veggies and try and use olive oil and vinegar as dressings. I don’t know why, but it helps every time I do that.
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Squat- work up to 315x1
265x12, 60 sec rest, 265x6
RDL- work up to 300x2
245x13
Walking lunge- (BW) 75, (BW+50lb) 20, (+50lb) 20, (+50lb) 20, (BW) 40
315 moved well. 50% set was alright… Tried not to sink too far past parallel on them. Tried to re brace every rep of the second set and that was not happening. I’m better at just repping them out until I have to breathe and re brace. I can definitely feel what my upper back is supposed to be doing for squats now. I honestly believe I lacked enough muscle to tell what I was supposed to do.
RDL felt off today. Hopefully next week will be better.
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Your leg must hate you
Nice lifting
Thanks mortdk, they’re pretty tender today.
Bench- work up to 200x1
165x12, 60 sec rest, 165x6
Incline press 350- 25, 17, 13 Total- 55
Pendlay 1x8 @ 180lb, 1x8 @ 175lb, 1x12 @ 155lb, 1x12 @ 145lb
Band pull down- 40, 18, 16 Total- 74
Curls 3 sets, last set did a drop set
Late lunch today, so I was pretty full during this. Had to hold back some.puke during pendlays due to being bent over. Not a good feeling. Wish I had just skipped lunch.
Going to add 5lb to incline press next week. Everything else stays the same.
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