I thought it’d be a good idea to keep a log on here for the sake of accountability. I’ve been 5/3/1 since about Janurary and had been looking for something new when Mike Robertson’s Simple Strength article came out about a week and a half ago. I thought it looked like what I needed so I thought I’d give it a go. I started it this past week.
Monday 6/6/2011
- SSB Box Squat (RPE 8)
80x5
130x5
170x2x5 (ie, 2 sets of 5 reps)
220x5
260x5
280x5
300x5
- SSB Good Morning
80lb + Mini band 3x8
- GHR
BWx3x8
- 90/90 Split Squat
BW 3x10
- Ab Wheel
3x8
The Split-squats were much harder than I anticipated and the ab wheel is much harder than I remember (hadn’t used it since high school). All in all it was a great session, felt like I had 310 in me for the last set of squats but I’ll save that for next week.
6/8/2011
- Bench Press (RPE 8)
45x10
95x8
135x5
145x5
165x5
185x5
200x5
- Seated Cable Row
112x10
125x10
125x10
135x10
135x10
- Dips
BWx10, 8, 8
- Face Pulls
60x3x12
- Off-set Farmers Carry
70x3x50ft
Everything was good here except I think a 70lb DB might have been too much for the farmer’s carry. I think I’ll back off to 50 next week and really concentrate on staying upright.
6/10/2011
- Sumo Deadlift (RPE 8)
135x2x5
185x2x5
225x5
255x5
275x5
- RDl
185 + Mini Band 3x8
- GHR
BWx3x8
- Bulgarian Split Squat
3x8
- Band Jacknife
3x8
I do the Band Jacknife’s a litte differently. I do them holding myself upright on a dip bar and loop a mini-band under the handle of a heavy dumbbell then choke the two ends around my ankles. Sumo form really felt in a groove here.
6/11/2011
-
Pin Press (roughly equal to a 3-board)
45x10
95x8
135x5
155x5
175x5
205x5
225x5
-
Chinups
BWx4x8
3A) Skull Crusher 50x3x10
3B) Barbell Curl 50x3x10
3C) Scaption Raise 8x2x8
3D) Band External Rotation 2x8
- Tall Kneeling Pallof Press 30x3x15
Sunday 6/12/11
Active Recovery
1A) Yoga Plex 3x8 Per side
1B) Quadruped Extension/Rotation 3x8 per side
2A) Goblet Squat 3x10
2B) Thoracic Mobilization 3x10
3A) One-Leg Hip Thruster 3x10
3B) Tall Kneeling Pallof Press 2x10
4A) Inverted Row 3x8
4B) Squat to Stand 3x8
5A) Prone Row w/External Rotation 2x8
5B) Zottman Curl 2x8
Everything was super light, got my heart rate up and worked up a good sweat, all in all it felt good to shake things loose and get the blood pumpin after doin ME dealift work on Friday and then RPE upper on Saturday.
Monday 6/13/11
-
SSB Box Squat–RPE 8 (Moved the Box Height up about an inch from last week)
80x10
130x8
170x2x5
220x5
260x5
270x5
290x5
310x5
330x5
-
SSB Good Morning
80x3x8
-
GHR
BWx3x8
-
90/90 Split Squat
10x3x10
-
Ab Wheel
BWx3x8
I bumbed the boxsquat height up by adding another 45# plate, I noticed while setting up in the monolift that one-plate plus the box-squat box was a touch below parallel so I added another plate. I’m glad I did this, I felt like my technique was really in a groove.
6/14/2011
-
Bench Press RPE 8
45x10
95x8
135x2x5
155x5
175x5
195x5
205x5
-
Seated Cable Row
120x10
137.5x10
150x3x10
-
Dips
BWx8,10,10
-
Face Pull
60x3x12
-
Offset Farmer Carry
50x3x50ft
It was hard to stay tight and keep my leg drive on the last set of bench, my legs are relatively sore from yesterday. My technique felt better and definitely got stronger tonight. Have to go MTHF this week instead of my normal MWFSat. Heading out to Portland for a week with my younger bro to visit our older bro, should be an awesome time. My plan is to restart Mike Robertson’s simple strength plan from the beginning and go for the whole month start to finish as intended when I get back. I’ll treat this week away in Portland as an active recovery/deload week, while I won’t be doing any orgainized weight training regimen we will be doing a lot of hiking, outdoors activity etc,
June 15th
Active Recovery
Foam Roll/LaxBall/PVC–Whole Body
1A Hip Flexor Mobilization 3x5
1B Quadruped Extension/Rotation 3x5
2A Golbet Squat 3x10 (LIGHT)
2B Thoracic Mobilization 3x10
3A One Leg Hip Thruster 3x5
3B Dead Bug 3x10
4A Inverted Row 3x8
4B Dynamic Lunge/Hip Flexor w/Hip Lift 3x8
5A Band External Rotaion 2x12
5B Zottman Curl 2x8
June 16th
Deadlift RPE 8
135x2x5
185x5
225x5
255x5
275x2x1
285x5
RDL
185 + mini-band x3x8
GHR
BWx3x8
Bulgarian Split Squat
3x8
Band Jackknife
Minibandx8,8,12
Overall got a good session in. Sumo form has felt pretty good as of late. I think I’ve finally locked the width of my stance & setup. I think I’m gettin a lot of carry-over from the SSB squats with keepin my upper back tight. Tomorrow will be my last training session before I head off to Portland. When I get back I’m gonna start taking some vids of my work sets on squat, deads, & bench.
June 17th
-
Pin Press RPE 8
45x10
95x8
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
-
Chinup
BWx4x8
3A) SkullCrusher–50x2x10,70x12
3B) Barbell Curl–50x10,10,12
3C) X-Band Raise–Minibandx2x8
3D) Band External Rotation–2x8
-
Tall Kneeling Pallof Press
40x2x15
50x15
-
Log Press
Log(wt??)x10, 8
This is what I did Friday when I left work at noon. The pin presses felt great, form wise. The weight felt pretty heavy for some reason, probably still a little fatigued from deadlifting thursday night, so I stopped at 205. Everything else went great. Decided to some Log Presses at the end of the workout just for fun and because I’ve never done them before and I was curios. Needless to say I loved them and I’m gonna program them into my training when I get back from Portland. Got out here way late last night, much later than we should have b/c we were flying UA and there computers were down or some bs, whatever were here and gonna enjoy the vacay!
Alright, finally back from Portland and able to get back to training. Did a lot of hiking while I was out there and my bro is vegetarian so I thought I’d come back a little weak. To my surprise I felt just as strong as when I left (this probably had something to do with the one and a half pizza and half gallon of chocolate milk last night) and I wasn’t nearly as gased from the lower body session as usual, hopefully this will translate into some strength. Anyways, here was tonight’s squat session.
June 27th
-
SSB Box Squat RPE 8
80x10
130x8
170x5
220x5
260x5
290x5
310x5
330x5
-
RDL
185x8
205x8
225x8
-
GHR
BWx3x8
-
90/90 Split Squat
20x3x10
-
Ab Wheel
3x8
Everything felt pretty good, thought maybe I had 340 in me but the monolift was a touch high (haven’t figured out how to lower it yet) and it felt a little awkward unracking and racking the weight. My bow setup was about an inch above parallel so next week I’ll just use a regular 45# plate on the box instead of a bumber. Everything else felt quite good.
June 28th
Active Recovery
SMR Whole Body–Foam Roll/PVC/Lax Ball
1A) Hip Mob 2x10
1B) Quadruped Extension/Rotation
2A) Goblet Squat 2x10
2B) T-Spine Mob 2x10
3A) Glute Bridge 2x25 seconds
3B) Tall Kneeling Lat Pulldown 2x10
4A) Band Row 2x10
4B) 1-Arm Incline Pushup 2x10
5A) Prone BPA 2x10
5B) Band External Rotation 2x10
6) Hill Sprint x2
7) Whole Body SMR/Static Stretch
June 29th
-
Bench Press
45x10
95x8
135x5
165x5
185x5
205x5
-
Neutral Grip Cable Row
125x10
137.5 4 sets of 10
-
Dips
BWx8,10,10
-
Face Pulls
60x12
70x12
80x12
5)Suitcas Deadlift (from about mid shin)
135 3 sets of 6
Felt weak today. Set up was shit on the last 2 sets of bench. I’ve always been awful at pressing, so I’m gonna take more warmup sets to groove technique with longer rest periods.
June 30th
Active Recovery
Whole Body SMR/Dynamic Warmup
1A) Hip Flexor Mob 2x10
1B) Quadruped Extension/Rotation 2x10
2A) Goblet Squat 2x10
2B) T-Spine Mob 2x10
3A) External Rotaion 2x10
3B) BPA 3x10
4A) Glute Bridge 2x20sec
4B) Plank 2x20sec
5A) 1-Arm DB Press 2x3
5B) 1-Arm DB Row 2x3
6) Hill Sprint x2
7) SMR/Static Stretch
July 1st
-
Deadlift
135x5
185 2 sets of 5
225 2 sets of 2
255x2
275x1
295x5
-
SSB Good Morning
8x 80, 90, 110
-
Poor Man KB Swing (Use some boat rope wrapped around the head of a DB)
50 3 sets of 8
-
Bulgarian Split Squat
3 sets of 8
-
Band Jacknife
3x8
Awful. I felt great heading into the gym and all through my warmup sets on deadlift and then everything went to shit on my set of 5, especially the last rep. Guess they can’t all be great training sessions. Accessory stuff felt fine tho. Hopefully I’ll redeem myself with some pin presses tomorrow.
July 2nd
Warmup
A) External Rotation/Front Raise/Lat Raise/Prone Y 2x5
B) Glute Bridge 30 sec
C) Plank 30 sec
D) Cable Row 2x10
E) Log Press 4x5 (Mixed 2 of these sets in with my 1st 2 Pin Press sets)
-
Pin Press
45x10
95x10
135x5
165x5
185x5
205x5
-
Pullup
4x8 (BW for 4 reps then band assisted for 4 reps)
3A) Skull Crusher
70 3 sets of 8
3B) Barbell Curl
60 3 sets of 8
4A) Prone Y
20 2 sets of 8
4B) Knee Supported External Rotation
10 2 sets of 8
- Tall Kneeling Pallof Press
50 3 sets of 15
Everything felt great. For some reason the jump from 185 to 205 feels like a million pounds on my pin presses and bench, also can’t for the life of me figure out why my pin press is the same as my bench. Guess my lockout strength is just shameful.
July 3rd
Active Recovery
SMR Whole Body/Dymanic Warmup
1A) External Rotation 2x10
1B) Blackburns 2x8
2A) BW Box Squat 2x10
2B) Tall Kneeling Pulldown 2x10
3A) Log Press 2x3
3B) Inverted Row 2x8
4) SMR Whole Body
5) Static Stretch
July 5th
-
Safety Bar Box Squat
80x10
130x8
170x5
220x5
260x5
290x5
310x5
330x5
-
RDL
185x8
205x8
225x8
-
GHR
BWx8,8,9
-
90/90 Split Squat
20# 3 sets of 10
-
Ab Wheel
3 sets of 8
Squats felt good. Definitely ready to go balls out next week. I guess I should note all my lifts are completely raw, no belt, no wraps, no nothing. Definitely need to get a belt tho.
July 6th
Active Recovery
SMR Whole Body/Dynamic Warmup
- External Rotation x15
- DB Press/Lat Raise/Rear Raise x5 each
- Glute Bridge/Plank x30 sec each
4A) Goblet Squat 2x10
4B) 1-Arm DB Press 2x4
4C) Band Good Morning 2x8
4D) 1-Arm DB Row 2x5
- Hill Sprint x2
- SMR Whole Body/Static Stretch
July 7th
-
Bench Press
45x10
95x10
135x5
155x5
165x5
185x3
205x1
210x5
-
Cable Row
125x10
137.5 2 sets of 10
150x10
160x8
-
Dips
BW 3 sets of 10
-
Face Pulls
70x12, 80x12, 90x12
-
Suitcase Deadlift
135 3 sets of 6
Didn’t feel that great heading into the gym, had a hectic day at work but was pretty pleased with how my benching went. Also, just saw Wendler’s most recent spill and I realized I never posted any goals, etc when I started up my log so here they are:
Basic stats
Height: 5’11"
Weight: ~205
Goals
Bench: 315
Squat: 500
Deadlift: 500
Timeline: August 2012
For now, I’m gonna see Mike Robertson’s 2 phases of Simple Strength through. I definitely feel like I’m getting stronger, more muscular, and building up my weak spots. I have a pretty good idea of how my training is probably gonna take shape when I’m thru with SS but I won’t lay anything out until the time comes.