You are going to love 5/3/1, and I’ll not mock your tiny weights if you don’t mock mine.
Tiny weights? WHERE?!?!?! If you wanna see tiny weights, come into my 5/3/1 lair. 
In my case, I tried to be extra conservative on the maxes hoping that I can make progress for longer that way. What you are doing is the smart thing.
Good for you starting right in on this despite the hangover.
tiny weights…for fuck’s sake Cal…i’m beginning to think you want me to reach through this computer and slap you…
yeah, maybe on your ass that is.
congrats on starting. i’m super stoked for you and you’ve just pushed me to step away from the computer (or tnation, anyway) and figure my shit out. you go girl, your weights rock.
Week 1: Day 2
Deadlift:
Bar x 10, 40kg x 5, 50kg x 5, (working sets) 60kg x 5, 67.5kg x 5, 75kg x 5
Oh dear, bit of a disaster here - not the back (which I’d warmed up with 80 hypers) but the damned right knee. Got the sharp pain again so I was lifting very gingerly and using way too much back and hardly any leg. The result were some horrible Quasimodo-style deadlifts. Plus, I also forgot that I shouldn’t stop at 5 on the last set but, given the knee pain and horrible form, that’s probably a blessing.
If I can take anything positive from this it’s that the knee pain is towards the outside of the knee, which means it’s ITB, so I know how to deal with it. Next!
Accessory work:
Good Mornings:
4 x 10 x bar
I find these pretty uncomfortable so I’m not adding weight to the bar until my ROM improves.
Single Leg Curls:
2 x 10 x 10kg
1 x 10 x 12.5kg
1 x 10 x 15kg
Stuck in the free weights room, where I generally lurk, is an old, bent over leg curl contraption, so I am making use of it in order to smoke the entire posterior chain and because my hams are somewhat deficient (they are very much overshadowed by my horse-sized glutes). Had a lot of trouble with that left ham/glute so strengthening it can only help.
Cable Rows:
2 x 10 x 25kg
2 x 10 x 30kg
I’m assuming it’s kilos on the machine although this is one of the crap machines in the main gym (which is freezing - who needs air con in January ffs?) so it’s hard to tell. Going purely for form and proper scap retraction on this so not attempting to go heavy.
Dumbell Curls:
1 x 10 x 6kg
1 x 10 x 8kg
1 x 10 x 10kg
Why curls? (I’m very much a compounds-only sort of chick). Basically because a) might help with the elbow problem, b) it will help with chinning and c) my biceps suck. Triceps are decent, under their current layer of flob, but the bis are just underwhelming.
So that was it. I imagine I won’t get as much done on the weekdays because I am always pushed for time but I’ll do what I can.
ehhh, curls to help the elbow?
not sure about that one!
Blood flow thing. Motion is lotion, and all that.
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
Week 1: Day 2
Deadlift:
Bar x 10, 40kg x 5, 50kg x 5, (working sets) 60kg x 5, 67.5kg x 5, 75kg x 5
Oh dear, bit of a disaster here - not the back (which I’d warmed up with 80 hypers) but the damned right knee. Got the sharp pain again so I was lifting very gingerly and using way too much back and hardly any leg. The result were some horrible Quasimodo-style deadlifts. Plus, I also forgot that I shouldn’t stop at 5 on the last set but, given the knee pain and horrible form, that’s probably a blessing.
If I can take anything positive from this it’s that the knee pain is towards the outside of the knee, which means it’s ITB, so I know how to deal with it. Next!
[/quote]
Maybe a real good ITB warmup before hand? Also, sumo style transfers the stress to the inner leg, at least that is what it feels like to me.
Hey, at least you know what is wrong and have a plan for fixing it.
I am still on the bar only for GMs too. My ROM is gradually getting better on these, and I agree that is much more important than adding weight too soon.
To be honest, I tried widening my stance and it felt a lot worse. Will roll, stretch and tape it and see if that helps.
something chris pointed out to me about curls, that an orthopaedist (sp? fml) told him… is that we shouldnt make a habit out of curling with a pronated grip, as that rarely happens irl, and that neutral is preferable, as its a more natural position. esp when using a bb or straight bar.
other than that, glad u started 5/3/1. I’ll keep eyeballin u…
Hammer curls then. Got it.
Seriously Cal, your tiny weights are my dream weights! Don’t make me make Talenaah reach into her computer…
Good stuff woman, I’ll keep following along. Just consider me PW 5/3/1 groupie…without the quaaludes.
OOh! I have something potentially useful to share. A while ago, I kept hitting a wall on my bench press. I would deload and try to reset. After doing that 3x to no avail, my boyfriend , inspired by a suggestion in Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength, tracked down some 10oz metal washers online that fit the diameter of a barbell. I was able to use 2 on each side to make a 2.8lb jump which really gave me a leg up and put my bench back on a linear progression. Now, I’m using the 5/3/1 program and the “micro plates” have been invaluable in getting close to the exact weight called for on each workout. I don’t use them for dead lifting or squatting typically, but they have been useful for overhead press and bench press. I use either one or two per side as appropriate. I don’t know where he ordered them from, but I can find out and post a link if you’re interested.
[quote]Mascherano wrote:
Just consider me PW 5/3/1 groupie…without the quaaludes.
[/quote]
they’re in the lime water. get used to it.
Bench press day, which under normal circumstances I’d look forward to, except that my 18 year old rotator cuff problem has come back to haunt me. Actually got a pain out of it turning a page in the newspaper on the tube last night. What the hell.
Well, I figured if I warmed up really well and used really, really strict form, I might get away with it.
Week 1: Day 3
Bench Press:
Bar x 20, 30kg x 15, 35kg x 10, (working sets) 40kg x 5, 47.5kg x 5, 52.5kg x 11
Wasn’t too bad. I just have to maintain ultra strict form (and that, to be honest, can only encourage good habits).
Accessory work:
T-Bar Rows:
4 x 10 x 15kg (that’s a 15kg plate, plus the contraption itself)
I wanted to do body rows on the Smith Machines (as they’re basically an inverse bench press) but some dork was using it, so I used the T-bar instead. It felt horrible on my lower back, even with a relatively light weight. Don’t think I’ll do these again, at least until my back is less snarky.
Lateral Raises:
1 x 10 x 4kg
1 x 10 x 6kg
1 x 10 x 8kg
Haven’t done these for ages. The first two sets were fine but my shoulder didn’t like the 8s even though they’re not that heavy. At the moment I’m testing it to see what it can handle and what it can’t. I daren’t do dips, which would normally be a part of my programme, and my elbow prevents me from doing pull-ups.
Decided to do some 'habbing:
Revese Hypers:
3 x 30
(My gym has the basic 45 degree hyper bench thing - a cheap on at that - not the sort where you can stick your feet under something and left an actual weight). So these are no added weight ones. Which is fine as my lower back needs endurance, for posture ‘n’ stuff.
2 sets of 30 second bird dogs
2 sets of 20 clams
That was it, really.
Fuck it’s cold here. Really cold. Heating’s on full and my hands are freezing. Need me some hot tea.
Im steeping some tea as I type!
Take care of that shoulder!!
Good for you getting your working bench sets in despite the shoulder issue.
I drink tea instead of coffee in the mornings, summer and winter. But a nice hot cup is especially nice in the cold.
I drink tea out of a half pint mug. I have 3-4 of those before work, then 3-4 in the evening (also drink green tea at work. I don’t like the milk they have there so I save the traditional British cuppas for home).
Yeah, I drink a lot of tea. A lot.
Week 1: Day 4
Front Squat:
Bar x 10, Bar x 10, Bar x 10, (working sets) 22.5kg x 5, 27.5kg x 5, 30kg x 12
As mentioned before, opting for front squat as it puts less stress on my elbow and lower back. This means using lighter weight but with my various injury problems, that’s probably for the best.
Stopping on the last set was more about overall tiredness than anything.
Accessory work:
Barbell Hip Thrusts (shoulders on bench):
1 x 10 x 60kg
1 x 8 x 60kg
1 x 6 x 60kg
Didn’t plan on dropping the reps each set - I just couldn’t do any more.
Cable Leg Abductions:
3 x 10 x 10kg (per leg)
Superset
20kg Leg Extensions: 10, 10, 10
Overhead Squats (using 5kg bodybar): 10, 10, 10
I did a few leg extensions as part of my warm-up due to the bad knee so decided to include them as part of the “working” workout. I don’t normally do isolation work but my knees being as they are, it’s not a bad idea. Threw in the overhead squats after each set of leg extensions more for form and mobility work than anything else.
And that’s it for today. The Siberian blast has turned the pavements into sheet ice so I get to work at home, which is nice (two hours saved on commuting) but also more expensive (heating on all day plus phone calls on my own phone). Ah well. Got about 20 minutes extra at the gym so not complaining.
the leg extensions don’t bother your knees?
I like the single leg ext machine myself…otherwise I can FEEL(and hear) the cackling of which has become my knees when I do any bending movements…but the leg ext machine HURTS…
oh, I also meant to ask, being the tea connoisseur that you are, do you brew big batches to have one hand? And what kind of tea do you like most?
