@bigpappafrance
It was a lot tougher than expected especially by the 5th set of 10 but still doable. I can see the third and sixth week being pretty brutal though.
1 November 2019
Deadlift
5 x 180 lb
5 x 205 lb
5 x 235 lb
5 sets x 10 reps x 180 lb *
Hip thrust
12 x 165 lb
Superset
Pushup
5 sets x 20 reps x BW
With
Face pull
5 sets x 20 reps
*finished in 24 min due to the time it took to change out weights for my wife and I.
Definitely mich easier than high volume squats. Didnāt finish as fast as we were supposed to although since it was 24 min from the start of my wifeās set to the end of my last set Iām sure it was close to 22 min. Fine by me. Back was smoked by the end though.
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2 November 2019
Overhead press
5 x 80 lb
5 x 95 lb
5 x 105 lb
5 sets x 10 reps x 80 lb
Bulgarian split squat
3 sets x 10 reps x BW +10lb
Bench grip rows
5 sets x 10 reps x 155 lb
Planks
3 sets x 45 sec
60 sec rest
The overhead press was harder than squats. Not sure if it was not doing ohp for 3 weeks, doing 100 pushups and 100 face pulls yesterday that smoked my shoulders, or what but I almost failed the last rep of the last set. A good 5 second pause 3/4 of the way up but I still got it though. Definitely going to be interesting next week. Maybe itās just because Iām used to low rep work. Idk. Finished the 5x10 in 13 min . I was supposed to superset the rows with it but forgot and had to do them separate. Probably going to have to be done this way anyways since I am working out with my wife and that is a lot of switching weights. We will see next week though. Good news is I am done with the first week.
I found myself initially struggling with the first week too, then the second week felt easy.
Hmmm. strange. I guess I will see.
4 November 2019
Squats
3 x 205 lb
3 x 235 lb
3 x 265 lb
5 sets x 10 reps x 205 lb (done in 25 min)
Superset
Pullups
2 sets x 5 reps x BW +15 lb
2 x BW +15 lb + 3 x BW
2 sets x 5 reps x BW
With
Pushups
5 sets x 20 reps x BW
Sets of 10 were easier today than last week. Probably because of the extra rest taken due to my wife. She said this one was a struggle for her. Still minus her first set and changing weights that puts me at probably 22 or 23 min which isnāt too far off I guess. My lower right back felt toght/pumped after the squats. The real tough part today was the pullups and pushups. For some reason they just werenāt there today. I managed to make it through the pushups but had to drop weight for the pullups.
I mentioned I had the same experience. I wonder if itās due to, in the first week, the volume is a bit of a shock to the system, but on the second week your brain knows what youāre in for.
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Yeah, I think that plays a large part, but I also got a few minutes more rest this time. So there is that. Still nervous about the third and sixth week though, but now I kind of have proof of concept that moving up the weight is doable.
Youāll get the third week no problem. I just wrapped it up and while it was tough, I just coached myself through the last couple sets.
Itās like 20 rep squats: if you can get 10, you can get 12. And if you can get 12, you can get 15. And if you can get 15, well, 20 is only 5 more reps.
You got through weeks 1 and 2, and week 3 is only 5 sets more; if you can get through 2 sets, 3 is only 1 more. And if you can get 3, youāre more than halfway, and by the 4th youāve only got one more set. I just made sure I didnāt blow my load on sets 1-3, then made sure I concentrated HARD on getting quality reps on those last couple sets.
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Yeah, Iām sure it will be fine. Quality of reps is definitely something Iām trying to watch for towards the end of the session.
Going to look like a gorilla soon!!
@bigpappafrance
Hahah thanks but I think I am many years away from being called that. Besides my arms are way too short.
5 November 2019
Bench
8 sets x 1 rep x 250 lb
45 sec rest
Bench grip rows
5 sets x 10 reps x 155 lb
Superset
Bulgarian split squat
3 sets x 10 reps x BW +15 lb
With
Barbell curls
8, 6,6 x 65 lb
Planks
3 x 45 sec
60 sec rest
Bench was significantly harder today. Hopefully the next two weeks go smoothly. Abs were sore from yesterdayās squats. Good workout overall.
Edit: my wife said the bar speed looked good for all sets of bench, so I feel confident in the next week.
8 November 2019
Deadlift
5x 195 lb
5 x 220 lb
5 x 250 lb
5 x 10 x 195 lb
5 x 10 was not timed as it usually is. To be honest, I just forgot. It was done with only enough time to switch between weights for me and my wife, so thatās all that really matters to me. At this point, we couldnāt have gone faster. Good workout. Had a meeting right after, so acessories will have to be put off till later today or tomorrow.
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9 November 2019
Overhead Press
5 x 90 lb
5 x 100 lb
5 x 115 lb
10 x 90 lb
2 sets x 9 reps x 90 lb (inch closer grip)
7 x 90 lb (inch closer grip)
8 x 90 lb (inch wider grip)
Bench Grip Rows
5 sets x 10 reps x 155 lb
Bulgarian split squat
3 sets x 10 reps x BW +20lb
Planks
3 sets x 45 sec with 60 sec rest
superset
pushups
5 x 20
face pulls
5 x 20
FSL sets were done in 18 min. OHP has definitely gotten weaker. Last month I did 115 for 5 sets of 5 and a few weeks ago, I did 140 for an easy triple. Today, I could barely get 115 for 5 and didnāt get my 5x10. I am thinking of how to address this. Maybe lower my training max to 120 for overhead press? I have a week to think about it. Either way, it wasnāt close enough where I could just push through and maybe hit all reps next week. Kinda bummed about it. I am not sure whether it is the two weeks of not doing overhead press that is to blame, the lowered frequency, or the lowered intensity or both. Volume is kind of the same: 7 sets a week before and 8 sets a week now. Hopefully it comes back quickly though.
Edit: forgot that I did 3 sets of 50 lb kb curls around 13,13,11if I remember correctly.
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Or itās just fatigue. Which is very likely. In which case, donāt do anything.
Itās funny how you get a lot of people saying 531 progresses too slow. I figure it progresses too fast, because adding five pounds to your training max every cycle seems a very fast way to progress.
Iām pretty certain you could run 531 for around six cycles (three weeks plus deload) or so with the same training max and end up with the same or better progress, assuming you took three to five weeks after to peak and test.
Not in any way shitting on 531 or what youāre doing, just raising a point.
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Good to know Iām not the only one.
Yet here I am running 5/3/1. The irony.
When it clicks that all you want to do is accumulate fatigue, manage recovery and eventually peak everything becomes much simpler because progression speed ceases to be relevant.
Could that really be it though? This is only my second week on 531 and prior to that I did a 2 week peak with no overhead press and a week long deload where I basically did nothing because of my school schedule. I was inclined to think it was from detraining. Honestly, I dont know though. The strength drop is pretty drastic and only on ohp.
While Iām thinking about it. I am wanting to do a powerlifting competition, but Iām wondering if there is ever a good time to do it. Should I wait till I have been lifting for x amount of time should I just find a competition and go for it. I know at this point I wonāt be competative. Just kind of something I wanted to try out.