Nov. 27
mobility
power clean
45kg x 3
55kg x 3
65kg x 2 x 4 sets
deadlift
77kg x 3
90kg x 5
102kg x 5
114kg (251 lbs) x 13
squat
bar x 5
60kg x 10 x 5 sets
stability ball sit-up
bw x 10
5kg (on head) x 10 x 5 sets
bw x 10
(80 mins)
Total reps keep climbing on deadlift. I think my grip is going out before my legs. But it was pretty close either way.
Squatting for 10 sucks. I took the bar in a higher position than usual. This was good. I used to squat this way. I’ll have to try it on an actual squat day and see how I like it.
I took my time through all the sets today.
Nov. 29
mobility
military press
bar x 5
28kg x 5
36kg x 5
41kg x 5
47kg x 11
db press
15kg x 10 x 5 sets
pull-up/chin-up
bw x 30 reps in 13 sets
bb curl
28kg x 10 x 5 sets
(60 mins)
Solid day. Rep pr on the press. I decided to drop the dips for the cycle. Curls will replace them for now.
Dec. 1
mobility
squat
bar x 5
45kg x 4
60kg x 3
76kg x 2
89kg x 3
101kg x 3
113kg (249 lbs) x 6
good morning
60kg x 10 x 5 sets
deadlift (conventional)
65kg x 10 x 5 sets
(65 mins)
Solid. Squat PR. Took the bar in higher position. This felt better although it moved down a bit by the last rep. I’m going to work on this. The higher bar position really made it easier to pull my elbows under the bar. I also put my belt looser than usual and a bit higher on my waist. This was good.
For now I’ve dropped the lunges and going to to BBB DLs on squat day and vice versa.
Mobility/warmuup for today is simple, but effective. Jumprope, groiners, cossack squats, shoulder dislocations.
Dec. 3
mobility/warmup
bench
bar x 10
36kg x 5
45kg x 3
57kg x 3
64kg x 3
72kg x 6
db bench
21.5kg x 10 x 5 sets
db row
20kg x 10
24kg x 10
28kg x 10
32kg x 10
36kg x 15
(60 mins)
Bah. A rep less than last cycle at the same weight. That is the second time this cycle. Damn. Also annoying as I was doing 3 sets of 5 at this weight a couple months ago. Oh well, just gotta keep with it.
I dropped 1kg per db on the db bench cause last time the reps were not very smooth. Today they were very quick. That felt great.
Db row was a PR on the top set. I like ramping them like this as the first few sets are light enough that I can really retract my scap. On the heaver sets this is pretty difficult.
Dec. 5
mobility/warmup
power clean
45kg x 3
55kg x 3
65kg x 2, 2
73kg x 1, 1
deadlift (semi-sumo)
81kg x 3
94kg x 3
107kg x 3
121kg (267 lbs) x 10
squat
bar x 5
60kg x 10 x 5 sets
stability ball sit-up
bw x 10
5kg (on head) x 10 x 5 sets
(70 mins)
Pretty good. The BBB squats are still murder. I might drop them down a bit next cycle. I don’t want the assistance to be what tears me up.
Dec. 6
track work
3200m in 20:13
I tried to keep it pretty slow, but the running was still quite unpleasant. I’m around 95kg/210lbs.
My work capacity has gone to shit and I’d like to shed a bit of fat, so I’ll be running 1-2 times a week. Probably on the day after lower body lifting. At the moment I’m lifting every other day. Depending on how I feel I might drop this to 3 days a week.
Dec. 8
mobility/warmup
military press
bar x 5
32kg x 5
40kg x 3
44kg x 3
50kg (110 lbs) x 10
db press (< 90 secs rest)
15kg x 10 x 5 sets
pull-up/chin-up (60 secs rest)
32 reps in 18 sets
bb curl (< 90 secs rest)
28kg x 10 x 5 sets
(60 mins)
Another Mil. press PR. Db pressing was quick, but I think I’ll wait one till next cycle to increment.
I’m trying to keep a bit more consistent on rest times for assistance work.
Dec. 10
mobility/warmup
squat
bar x 5
45kg x 5
60kg x 3
80kg x 2
95kg x 5
107kg x 3
121kg (267 lbs) x 2
straight-leg deadlift
60kg x 10 x 5 sets
ab wheel
bw (from knees) x 10 x 5 sets
(55 mins)
I got fewer squat reps than I hoped for. The second rep didn’t feel all that heavy, but I was leaning heavily to my left on the rep, so I decided to just cut it there.
I think I’ll increment a bit less for next cycle.
I’m made some changes to the assistance on the lower days. The last few workouts have just been nasty and I’m worried it is not helping my progress.
Dec. 11
Conditioning:
A1 jump rope x 50 x 3 rounds
A2 burpee x 10 x 3 rounds
jump rope x 50 x 5 rounds
(20 mins)
Couldn’t make it to the track today, so I went for some bw conditioning work. It took me 20 mins to get through that little work. I probably spent 15 mins of it laying on the ground. Man, I feel pathetic.
Next time I think I’ll stick to the rope. In fact, it might be a good idea to finish off every workout with some rope work until I get a bit more work capacity in.
Dec. 21
mobility/warmup
bench
bar x 10
36kg x 5
45kg x 3
53kg x 5
60kg x 5
68kg x 7
A1 bb row (pendlay)
45kg x 10 x 5 sets
A2 db bench
22kg x 10 x 5 sets
A3 jump rope
bw x 30 x 5 sets
(65 mins)
Good to be lifting again. I’ve been sick as shit the past week or so (this also explains how miserable my last session was).
I’m a rep short of the previous 5 day on bench, but that’s not too bad considering everything. I’ve lost a fair bit of weight too.
I decided to just restart the 531 cycle. I needed to make some changes anyway. I’m going to be doing the assistance in a superset with jump rope for awhile (hopefully a few cycles). My conditioning really needs work. It also looks like my best gains have come when my conditioning is good too (go figure). Some of the weights need to be adjusted up or down too.
Dec. 23
mobility/warmup
deadlift
45kg x 5
65kg x 5
85kg x 3
98kg x 5
110kg x 5
125kg x 10 PR!
A1 straight-leg deadlift
64kg x 10 x 5 sets
A2 sprinter sit-up
bw x 12, 14, 16, 14, 12
A3 jump rope
bw x 30, 30, 30, 30, 50
(60 mins)
Solid. Nice to hit a DL pr. At the end of this cycle I might try to pull a heavy single. I must be well beyond 315 by now.
The assistance superset was easier than last time. I’ll chalk this up to improving jumprope form, but at this rate it shouldn’t be long before my conditioning is decent again.
Dec. 25 – Merry Christmas!
mobility/warmup
military press
bar x 5
32kg x 5
40kg x 5
45kg x 5
50kg x 8
A1 chin-up
bw x 5, 4, 4, 4, 4
A2 db press
15kg x 10 x 5 sets
A3 bb curl
28kg x 10, 6
A4 jump rope
bw x 30, 30, 40, 40, 100
(50 mins)
Decent. Two less reps at this weight than last time, but that was the 3x3 day, so whatever.
I dropped the curling after two sets as it was making chinning more difficult. I might do curls on the DL or squat day if I really want to keep them in.
These circuits are getting easier. I’m going to push up the rope reps to 40 for a few workouts and see where I’m at after that. Eventually the goal will be to do 2-3 mins straight of rope for 5 sets.
Dec. 27
mobility/warmup
squat
bar x 7
45kg x 5
65kg x 3
80kg x 5
90kg x 5
100kg x 10
A1 front squat
45kg x 10 x 5 sets
A2 hanging leg raise
bw x 5 x 5 sets
A3 jump rope
bw x 40 x 5 sets
(65 mins)
Not bad. 100kg x 10 is around my best ever. The last few reps were getting closer to good mornings, but I kept a pretty flat back. I gotta work on this though. Abs and quads maybe?
I took vids of the sets and discovered I was under the bar for a good 90 seconds on the set of 10. Ouch. I always do my top sets like this though. Lots of breathing at the top.
The superset was pretty difficult at first, but the last few runs were the easiest. The sets take around 2 mins each. I didn’t really track rest time but it has got to be around 4 mins. Hopefully both of these numbers will decrease in the coming weeks.
Dec. 31
mobility/warmup
bench
bar x 5
36kg x 5
45kg x 3
55kg x 3
62kg x 3
70kg x 7
A1 bb row (pendlay)
45kg x 10 x 5 sets
A2 db bench
22kg x 10 x 5 sets
A3 jump rope
bw x 40 x 5 sets
(55 mins)
The supersets are getting easier and easier. This is a good sign.
I had to take an extra day off as I managed to get sick again. Timing was all right though. I was so damn sore from the squat day.
Jan. 1
mobility/warmup
deadlift
45kg x 5
65kg x 5
81kg x 3
95kg x 2
102kg x 3
117kg x 3
132kg (291 lbs) x 7
A1 straight-leg deadlift
64kg x 10 x 5 sets
A2 ez bb curl
21kg x 10 x 5 sets
A3 jump rope
bw x 40 x 5 sets
(65 mins)
Pretty good. Need to work a bit on my form on the top set, but otherwise all was well.
The superset was even faster than last time. I will probably have to bump up the curls some.
Jan. 3
mobility/warmup
military press
bar x 5
32kg x 5
42kg x 3
47kg x 3
53kg (117 lbs) x 6
A1 chin-up
bw x 5, 5, 4, 4, 4 (+1)
A2 db press
15kg x 10 x 5 sets
A3 jump rope
bw x 40 x 5 sets
(45 mins)
Tied a PR at that weight.
Assistance was even quicker today. I was able to wrap everything up in a quick 45 mins. If I get under 40 mins next time, I might add a bit of extra assistance or some extra prehab. We’ll see. I do also like keeping it quick.
Jan. 5
mobility/warmup
squat
bar x 5
45kg x 5
65kg x 3
85kg x 3
95kg x 3
105kg x 8
A1 front squat
45kg x 10 x 5 sets
A2 hanging leg raise
bw x 5, 5, 5, 5, 6 (+1 rep)
A3 jump rope
bw x 40 x 5 sets
(60 mins)
Pretty good. I widened my stance a bit. I think my form was more solid this way. I also went with a tighter belt than I usually do on the top set. I still can’t decide between two settings.
The superset was pretty tough. This is the most difficult day. I do like the front squats a lot though. I mixed up my stance on these from set to set. Really like the close stance on these though.
Jan. 7
mobility/warmup
bench
bar x 5, 5
32kg x 5
45kg x 3
59kg x 5
66kg x 3
74kg x 5
A1 bb row (pendlay)
45kg x 10 x 5 sets
A2 db bench (reg/neutral/reg/neutral/reg)
22kg x 10 x 5 sets
A3 jump rope
bw x 45 x 5 sets
(55 mins)
That’s the heaviest set of 5 I’ve done yet. Good. I changed my setup and liftoff on the bench a bit. Also went with the tighter belt setting as my waist has shrunk a bit. This superset assistance seems to be working.
For next cycle I’ll probably bump the db bench to 22.5kg and the row to 49kg.
Jan. 9
mobility/warmup
deadlift (conventional)
45kg x 5
65kg x 5
90kg x 3
110kg x 5
125kg x 3
140kg (309 lbs) x 5
A1 straight-leg deadlift
64kg x 10 x 5 sets
A2 ez bb curl
23.5kg x 10 x 5 sets
A3 jump rope
bw x 45 x 5 sets
(60 mins)
Very happy with 140x5. I normally pull sumo or semi-sumo, but I just couldn’t find the groove today and I ended up going back to conventional. I think I’ll stick with this for a bit. I felt pretty solid this way.
Jan. 11
warmup/mobility
military press
bar x 5
32kg x 5
45kg x 5
50kg x 3
55kg x 5
A1 chin-up
bw x 5, 5, 5, 4, 4 (+1 rep)
A2 db press (reg/neutral/reg/neutral/reg)
15kg x 10 x 5 sets
A3 jump rope
bw x 45 x 5 sets
neck (extension)
2.5kg x 20 x 3 sets
(50 mins)
Pretty good. That is basically a press PR.
Chin-ups were good too. Nice clean reps. I’m going to keep adding single reps as long as I can.
I threw in a bit of neck work as time was good. I’m gonna make a neck harness to help with this.