Cycle 4, Week 2
Bench
DB bench: 2x8@25s, BB: 8@65, 3@75, 3@85, 5@95(technically a 3 rep PR), 5x10@65
Banded Pullups
5 neutral, 3 neutral with one band, 5 pronated, 5 neutral, 5 pronated, 3 neutral one band
Banded Face pulls
3x10
Military press
2x10@bar, 8@ bar
Side bends
3x15@30
Hanging leg raise
3x10
Cable pulldown abs
4x10@65
Cycle 4, Week 3
Squat
2x6@bar, 2x5@95, 3@135, 5@155(add belt), 3@175, 3@195(2 rep PR), 5x10@95
Leg Curls
10@45, 2x10@55
BW Hypers
3x10
Walking Lunges
4x8@25s
Squat Jumps
4x8
Treadmill
10 minutes of mixed running and walking on incline
Cycle 4, Week 3
Deadlift
2x8@bar, 2x6@135, 5@185, 5@215(add belt), 3@245, 2@270(1 rep PR!), 5x10@135
*Great job today I think. About 3 weeks ago I got a one rep max at 275, so this is pretty awesome that I got double out of this.
Front Squats
2x8@bar, 5x5@65
*My form just sucks. I’ve been attempting to do these correctly so they sit on my shoulders without too much pain and keep the bar off my windpipe. Today I had a bit of coaching from the BF and these went a little better than usual. Just gotta go light for now and work that form out.
Banded Pullups
4x5(2 sets neutral, 2 sets pronated)
Standing Banded Rows
4x15 fast
Pushups
4x5
Cable Palloff Press
3x10@50 R/L
Straigh Arm Cable Pullovers
3x10@40
*These cable pullovers actually activated my front abs very well.
JEEEZ LOUISE strong deads woman!
Haha thank you coyotegal! That made me feel good:)
Cycle 4, Week 3
Bench
2x8@bar, 2x5@65, 3@85, 5@80, 3@90, 3@100(2 rep PR), 5x10@65
So I should have gotten five@100 but completely fucked up on the second rep and let the bar drift backwards a bit. Screwed up my stabilization and I almost got 4 but no cigar. Ah well. Improvement still.
DB Rows
4x10@65…very easy, need to start getting heavier and step out of my comfort zone with these
Incline Bench
8@bar, 3x8@65
Laying pullovers
3x8@50
Rowing
500m, 400m…was tired and my back hurt a lot. Had a 11 hour work day before this workout so I wasn’t at my best for cardio.
Deload Week
Box Squat
2x8@bar, 2x5@95, 9x3@135…worked on speed and exploding, which is one of my weaknesses. Felt strong.
Circuits
5 rounds@65:
6 rack cleans,
8 bent-over rows,
6 OHP
8 lunges
Overhead Squats
4x8@bar
Snatch
2x6
Hanging Leg Raise
3x15
Pullups
3x3
Cable Pulldown Abs
3x15@80
Rowing
500m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 5x100m sprints
Took about 10 minutes to do this with the rests periods in there. My back is gonna be sore!
Later today I went to a spin class…it was 50 minutes long and I thought my quads were going to explode several times. Very tough and I will be waddling tomorrow but it’s a great way to get in some intense interval cardio. Loud music, dark room and a crazy lady yelling at you is the way to do it haha
Deload Week
Deadlift
2x6@bar, 2x6@135, 5@185, 8x4@205…working on speed
Squat Jumps(superset with deads)
8x10
Front Squats
5@bar, 5@65, 4x5@85…form is getting better
Banded Pullups(orange) Pronated grip
12, 10, 8, 3x6
Cable Low Row
4x10@85
Hypers BW
4x15
Hanging Leg Raise
4x12
Stair Stepper
16 minutes, level 8
Deload Week
Bench
2x8@bar, 2x6@65, 5x8@75, 18@65
Iso-Low Row
3x10 neutral grip
3x10 pronated…supersetted with neutral grip
Meadow Row
4x10@45 R/L
JM Press
4x10@50
Front Raises
4x6@15s R/L
Rapid Fire Straight punch with DB
4x12@15s
Hypers
4x12@30
Hanging Leg Raise
2x12
Decline Situps
2x15
Cycle 5, Week 1
Squat
2x6@bar, 2x5@95, 5@145(belt), 5@165, 3@185, 5x5@95 3 sec paused squat
*Terrible. My hamstrings are just the tightest and sorest they have been in a while and that hindered my heavy squatting. I am probably going to test my 1 rep max on Week 3 and readjust all the numbers and start over.
Leg Press
8@2 plates, 2x8@2.5 plates, 3x8@3 plates
T-Bar Row
2x10@70 pronated wide grip, 2x10@70 neutral grip
Banded Side Steps
3x12 each way
Cable Pullthroughs
3x10@100
Banded Pulldown Abs
2x15…2 heavy bands
Side Bends
2x12@25
Cable IsoLow Rows
3x8@105
Basically this workout was shit because I was avoiding doing anything involving hamstrings. Just one of those frustrating workouts. I’ll get over it.
Cycle 5, Week 1
Deadlift
3x6@135, 5@185, 5@225, 5@250, 5x10@135
Banded Pulldown Abs(superset with DL)
5x10
*This was really rough and I barely eeked out 5 reps but it wasn’t bad. I’ve gotten 6@245 before so this is about even with previous PR.
Bench
2x8@65, 5@75, 5@85, 9@95(4 rep PR), 5x10@65
*Awesome PR. The 8th and 9th reps were really horrible form and uneven but I still got the bar up technically. Wouldn’t have impressed anybody else haha. And this was after my DL so double awesome. I missed my workout yesterday so I went ahead and did both Week 1 lifts today, just FYI.
Banded Pullups
5x6
Front Squats(superset with pullups)
8@bar, 4x8@65
Triceps Pushdowns
3x12@85
Cycle 5, Week 2
Squat
2x5@bar, 2x5@95, 5@135, 3@150, 3@170, 1@195, 10@95, Banded Squat@bar: 4x5, @65: 2x5
*This is a very frustrating Cycle. I have failed both squat weeks at this point. Was suppose to get at least 3@195 but it was so far from happening haha. My back is beyond sore from my deadlift the other day, so I really couldn’t keep my back as tight as usual and I was pretty unsteady. So I added some bands onto my squat for the first and worked on stability and exploding. Will keep doing those. Testing my 1 rep max next week to start 5/3/1 over again.
Banded Hamstring Curl
3x20
DB Lunges
16,14,12@35s
Squat Jumps
2x10
Stair Master
12 min, level 8
3/30/13, Cycle 5, Week 2
Deadlift
10@bar, 3x5@135, 2x3@185, 3@205, 3@235, 3@265, 4x10@135
*This was barely 3 reps…hitched the last rep but I got it up. It was so ugly and I was completely on my toes. I really need to get my form down a bit better when I lift heavier.
Banded Pullups
4x5(2 sets neutral, 2 pronated)
Front Squats
8@bar, 5@65, 5@85, 2x3@95
Kettle Bell Swings
3x12@30
Kettle Bell Snatch
3x8@18 R/L
Stair Stepper
12 min, level 9
Cycle 5, Week 2
Bench
2x8@bar, 2x5@65, 5@75, 3@80, 3@90, 5@100, 5x10@65
*My bench form is steadily improving and finally paying off. I wouldn’t have been able to come close to 5@100 a couple weeks ago. Very happy with it.
OHP
2x8@bar, 6@65
Rack Clean and Press
2x6@65, 2x6@75
Banded Pullups
12,10,8,6
Seated Front/Lat Raise Combo
3x8@10s R/L
Rapid Punches(superset)
3x11@10s R/L
Stair Master
14 minutes, level 8 for 8 min and level 9 for 6 min
Cycle 5, Week 3
Squat
2x5@bar, 5@95, 2x3@95, 2x2@135, 1@155, 1@175, 1@185, 1@200, 1@210, 0@220, 1@220(20lb PR!!!)
*So I went ahead and tested my 1 rep max tonight instead of the prescribed 1+@205. I started off extremely tight and tired after a 10 hour work day. My body just kind of woke up a little more each time I added weight. The first 220 that I failed was because I did a weird rebalance/dance thing right before I went down. I think it was honestly a nervous twitch because that is the most weight I’ve ever had on my shoulders and I was nervous. But I’m glad I went for it the second time. Loved it! So close to 2 big boy plates!
Cable Lat Pulldowns
8@90, 3x10@105, 2x10@90…did these with my boyfriend. Very little rest in between each set.
Glute Brides
8@135, 4x8@185
RDL(superset with glute bridge)
4x12@50
Cable Palloff Press
3x10@65
Cycle 5, Week 3
Deadlift
8@bar, 3x3@135, 2x2@185, 2x2@205, 1@225, 1@245, 1@265, 1@275, 1@285(10lb PR), 0@295, 3x5@185
*So again, tested one rep max instead of the 1+ deal. Happy with my 285 pull today. 295 was stapled to the floor and I didn’t set myself up very well for that one. I take way too much time before the lift prepping and thinking about it. With deadlift, I really just need to go in there and fucking do it. Next time though.
Inverted Rows
4x6@BW
BB Step ups
4x8@40 R/L
Neutral grip Pulldowns
4x10@90
BB Suitcase Deadlift
2x8@40 R/L
Leg Curls
3x8@70
Super consistant…you are doing so well!! That shit pays off big time 
And big congrats on that squat PR.
Thank you so much coyotegal! I really appreciate you reading! And yes, that squat PR was HUGE for me and I’m proud…more to come;)
Yesterday, Cycle 5, Week 3
Bench
2x8@bar, 2x5@65, 5@75, 5@85, 2@95, 1@105, 1@115(15lb PR), 2x0@125, 5x5@65 paused
*Again, went for a 1 rep PR and very happy with it. Big progress here! Unfortunately, I’ve discovered that if the weight is too heavy, then I’m am done at my sticking point. I have zero ability to push through it. Which is what I discovered at 125 and then did paused bench to work on that explosion I need to have. Still happy with my PR though.
Assisted Pullups
3x6(2 pronated, 1 neutral)
DB Incline Bench
2x10@25s, 10@30s, 8@30s
Incline Pushups on Smith machine(inbetween the DB incline at 30s and thus the set of 8 instead of 10 since I was exhausted)
5@5, 5@10, 5@15 no rest
BB Rows
20@bar, 15@65, 10@85, 2x10@95
Planks
3 rounds:
1 min regular, 30 sec on right, 30 sec on left…no rest. About 3 minutes rest in between each round
I start my deload/cardio week now. However, since I’ve missed a lot of my 5+ and 3+ weeks on this Cycle, I’m going to replug in all my new PR’s and start 5/3/1 over again. It’s clearly a great program for me right now and I want to keep it up but I just can’t make those lifts programmed at Cycle 6.
Since I started the program at the end of November my lifts have improved as follows:
Squat: 200 to 220
Deadlift: 245 to 285
Bench: 100 to 115
Deload Week/Cardio
Stair Stepper
18 min…level 9 for 12, level 10 for 6 min
Airdyne Bike
2 tabatas…ouch!!!
Row Machine
800m moderate speed
Overhead Squats
3x8@bar with some other random cleans and presses
Widow Maker
20@95…BALLS. First time doing that and I can see why it’s called widow maker. Gonna try that again later @115.
4/11/2013, Deload week
Box Squat
2x8@bar(normal), 8@bar(box), 3x5@95, 6x2@135, 10@bar(normal)
Banded Pullups
4x8
Banded Pulldown Abs(superset)
4x16
BW Bulgarian Squat
3x8 R/L
10 min of mixed cardio and 10 min of stretching
4/13/2013, Deload Week
Morning Cardio:
Treadmill
1 mile warmup at 6.
8 sets of .2 miles at 7.5 and .1 at 3.5 walk…total of 3.1 miles
Evening
Deadlift
8@bar, 3x5@135(RDL), 2x5@185, 2x3@205, 3x3@225(add belt), 5@135(RDL)
Front Squats
2x8@bar, 5@65, 3x3@95
Banded High Rows
4x15
Banded Woodchopper Abs
3x10 R/L