Ebolarama's 5/3/1 Log

Training Logs
1

Introduction: I’ve been lifting for just about a year now, during which my interest in Powerlifting has steadily increased. I plan to compete sometime early next year. My goal with this log is to simply keep track of my progress and hopefully post some videos of my accomplishments and whatnot throughout. I plan to post weekly with a general overview of my lifts and how the week progressed overall.

Current Gym Maxs
Squat: 305
Bench: 225
Deadlift: 375

Long Term Goals:
Squat: 405
Bench: 315
Deadlift: 500

I am currently using the 5/3/1 method and find it to be to my liking. I realize at this stage in my training career I could pretty much pick any routine and make progress assuming I’m allowing adequate rest and proper nutrition. But, in all honesty, being a typical 23 year old male I don’t exactly take care of my body like I should. However, I am young with no real injuries to speak of. My prime concern is increasing my numbers and 5/3/1 has continually allowed me to do just that even without an optimum sleeping, eating or training schedule.

I am currently on my third cycle of 5/3/1. I try to keep my training principles in line with what Jim Wendler recommends as much as possible. I keep my assistance to compound lifts, working on weak points and improving overall conditioning. I usually pyramid down after completing my last “all out” set of the day. Sometimes I go for rep records and sometimes I don’t.

A few things about myself:

  • I live and breath music, all forms of metal, pretentious indie bands and drone/noise bands mostly occupy my ipod. I also play drums and guitar.

  • I am a personal trainer at a posh frou frou gym. I hear the words “functional training” about a hundred times a day. I get yelled at for teaching my clients how to deadlift and such. It sucks but pays the bills.

  • I am fairly obsessed with training and most things relating to it. I enjoy learning about all aspects pertaining to the human body.

  • I am an open book. Nothing is taboo in my eyes.

Alrighty, that takes care of all that bullshit. Time to stop pussyfooting around and start training.

2

5/3/1 Log 3rd Cycle (260S, 200B, 360D, 145P)

Week 1 (8/2 - 8/6) 65%, 75%, 85% - 5 Reps

Squat: 170x5, 195x5, 220x6, 195x5, 170x6 - Felt good but decided to stop at six.
Bench: 135x5, 150x5, 170x7, 150x7, 135x10 - Wanted to get ten but such is life.
Deadift: 235x5, 270x5, 305x5, 270x0, 235x0 - Had no chalk so I barely held onto five before the bar slipped. Lower back toasted after.
Press: 95x5, 105x5, 125x5, 105x5, 95x10 - Had no energy by Friday and my press definitely suffered as a result. Lower back still an issue.

Overall not a horrible week but definitely not the best. I strained my left biceps about a month or two ago and they still haven’t fully recovered to the point where pull-ups or chin-ups don’t hurt, but I was finally able to start doing dumbbell rows again this week with only a slight burning sensation. I supplemented these with some face-pulls to round out my upper back work. My lower back on the other hand is so stiff and sore that I went very light on lower body assistance, keeping it to mostly abdominal work and some prowler sprints. I’ve been stretching and foam rolling the hell out of shit but it seems to be taking an unusually long time to recover. We’ll see how next week goes I suppose. Generally week one is always toughest for me in terms of rep records, but I usually crush week two and always get more than one rep on week three, so I’m not too worried.

3

5/3/1 Log 3rd Cycle (260S, 200B, 360D, 145P)

Week 2 (8/9 - 8/13) 70%, 80%, 90% - 3 Reps

Squat: 180x3, 205x3, 235x4, 205x3, 180x6
Bench: 140x3, 160x3, 180x5, 160x8, 140x10
Deadlift: 250x0, 290x5, 325x0, 290x0, 250x0
Press: 100x3, 115x3, 130x3, 115x3, 100x6

My back was too fucked up from a seemingly endless amount of torque and strain it endured throughout the week to even attempt my first work set. On the bright side my left biceps seem nearly completely healed. Did about fifteen sets of chins on my bench day with only very slight aching. Felt fine minutes later. As far as everything else goes this week was kind of get fucked up with friends night… every single night, and it definitely affected my performance in the gym, though I still managed to kick my ass with some prowler sprints followed by farmers walks. Talk about feeling like dying. Depending on how I feel next week I may omit my final deadlift day, and if things get worse, squat day too. I know from experience it is better to let these things heal than push it.

4

5/3/1 Log 3rd Cycle (260S, 200B, 360D, 145P)

Week 3 (8/16 - 8/20) 75%, 85%, 95% - 5/3/1 Reps

Bench: 150x5, 170x3, 190x4, 170x5, 150x10
Press: 110x5, 120x3, 135x3, 115x0, 100x0

Didn’t bother writing down squat or dead numbers since my back is still relatively fucked, getting better over all, but I just knew I shouldn’t push it, especially on 5/3/1 week where I am liable to really exacerbate shit. Pressing is still going up so I am happy over all. Hopefully I’ll be squatting next cycle but I still highly doubt I’ll be pulling from the floor anytime soon. Such is life. Here’s hoping my next cycle is a little more productive.

5

5/3/1 Log 4th Cycle (150P, 205B)

Week 1 (8/30-9/3) 65%, 75%, 85% - 5 Reps

Bench: 135x5, 155x5, 175x10, 155x5, 135x10
Press: 100x5, 110x5, 125x6, 110x5, 100x5

Taking this cycle off squatting and deadlifting completely. Very happy about getting 175 for ten on bench. I’ve been doing a TON of back work lately and I really think I’m getting the hang of using my lats during benching and pressing.

6

5/3/1 Log 4th Cycle (150P, 205B)

Week 2 (8/30-9/3) 70%, 80%, 90% - 3 Reps

Bench: 145x3, 165x3, 185x3, 165x3, 145x10
Press: 105x3, 120x3, 135x3, 120x3, 105x7

Was really burnt this week. Still managed to train nearly everyday, but overall my energy levels sucked as did my eating/sleeping. On the plus side my back is feeling better and better and I’m sure I’ll be ready to do lower body in two weeks. Once again, did a lot of back work, basically devoting entire days to it instead of keeping it to my bench and pressing days. Really happy with my progress so far.

7

5/3/1 Log 4th Cycle (150P, 205B)

Week 3 (9/13 - 9/17) 75%, 85%, 95% - 5/3/1/

Bench: 150x5, 175x3, 190x3, 175x3, 150x10
Press: 110x5, 125x3, 140x3 (+1)

Back feels nearly healed up. I took some singles the other day and it looks like I lost quite a bit of strength, or at least forgot the immense conditioning aspect that squatting and deadlifting entail. Should have pushed the sled harder but fuck it. I think I’m just gonna start from a 225 squat and 315 deadlift next cycle. I would rather train with lighter weight than risk hurting myself again. Besides, I’m sure my strength will return quickly and I plan to really push the final sets. Speaking of which, this is my 5/3/1 week and I consider it pretty successful. Both were very smooth and controlled and PRs for reps. I remember hardly being able to put 135 over my head not too long ago and to do three super solid reps with 140 was pretty gratifying. Other than that, just generally looking forward to training lower body again. Really gonna hammer the hamstrings for accessory.

8

5/3/1 Log 5th Cycle (225S, 210B, 315D, 155P)

Week 1 (9/27 - 10/1) 75%, 85%, 95% - 5 Reps

Squat: 145x5, 170x5, 190x5, 170x5, 145x5
Bench: 135x5, 155x5, 175x6, 155x5, 135x10
Deadlift: 205x5, 235x5, 265x4
Press: 100x5, 115x5, 130x5, 100x10

Well I’m back to squatting and deadlifting, though I can’t say my lower back is as enthusiastic as I am, I’ll manage. Everything felt heavy this week. I missed my last rep on deads simply because the bar slipped out of my hands. My grip strength has definitely gone down in the last few months so I’m focusing a lot on that. All my assistance lifts are moving along nicely though so I’m feeling good. Week 1 is always the toughest for me somehow so I’m looking forward to week 2.

9

5/3/1 Log 5th Cycle (225S, 210B, 315D, 155P)

Week 2 (10/3 - 10/8) 70%, 80%, 90% - 3 Reps

Squat: 155x3, 180x3, 200x5, 180x3, 155x5
Bench: 145x3, 165x3, 185x4, 165x5, 145x10
Deadlift: 220x3, 250x3, 280x3
Press: 110x3, 125x3, 135x3, 125x4, 110x5

My back felt great this week. No strain whatsoever. Squats and deads were easy but I didn’t push the final sets much. I can feel my press beginning to stall since getting 135 for all three reps was tough. Everything is going according to plan, however, so I’ll stay the course.

10

5/3/1 Log 5th Cycle (225S, 210B, 315D, 155P)

Week 3 (10/11 - 10/15) 75%, 85%, 95% - 5/3/1

Squat: 165x5, 190x3, 215x5, 190x3, 165x5
Bench: 160x5, 180x3, 200x2, 180x3, 165x6
Deadlift: 235x5, 265x1, 300x5
Press: 115x5, 130x1, 145x1

Finally! 215 for five felt like cake on squats and even though my last few reps on deads weren’t picture perfect my back pulled through with no discomfort whatsoever. Very happy about this. My pressing seems to be slowing down a bit but I’m not worried. Definitely keeping the weight the same for the press next cycle. I barely managed to get 145 overhead so there’s no sense in adding another five pounds. Here’s to a successful 6th cycle!

11

5/3/1 Log 6th Cycle Recap (235S, 215B, 325D, 155P)

Week 1 (10/18 - 10/22) 65%, 75%, 85% - 5 Reps
Squat: 155x5, 175x5, 200x5, 155x5, 175x5
Bench: 140x5, 160x5, 180x6, 160x5, 140x10
Deadlift: 220x5, 250x5, 280x7, 225x5
Press: 100x5, 115x5, 130x4

Week 2 (10/24 - 10/29) 70%, 80%, 90% - 3 Reps
Squat: 165x3, 185x3, 210x5, 185x3, 165x3
Bench: 150x3, 170x3, 190x6, 170x5, 150x10
Deadlift: 225x3, 260x3, 290x3, 260x3
Press: 110x3, 125x3, 135x3, 125x3, 110x3

Week 3 (11/1 - 11/5) 75%, 85%, 95% - 5/3/1
Squat: 175x5, 200x3, 225x3, 200x3, 175x5
Bench: 160x5, 180x3, 200x6, 180x3, 160x8
Deadlift: 245x5, 275x3, 310x3
Press: 115x5, 130x3, 145x1

I remember when I could barely eek out 200lbs on bench for one measly rep not too long ago and I just owned it for six. The highlight of this cycle by far. Everything is moving along nicely… except for my press, but as long as I’m crushing bench I don’t really care. Can’t wait for cycle number 7.