Floor Press (5/3/1)
BAR x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
175 x 3
190 x 5
220 x 5
250 x 8 *
Banded Push-Up Dropset
Purple + Pink Band x 20
Pink Band x 8
Bodyweight x 5
Barbell Push-Ups x 50 total reps
Giant Set:
Bottoms-Up Barbell Triceps Extensions: 105 x 5, 115 x 5, 125 x 5
Dumbbell Clean & Press: 50 x 5 LR, 55 x 5 LR, 70 x 5 LR
Barbell Curl: 115 x 8, 115 x 10, 135 x 8
Today was an awesome upper body workout. First day in almost a month and a half that I did any sort of horizontal pressing and I was very pleased with my progress. 250 x 8 puts me somewhere around a 315 max which was a weight I got for 2 reps during the summer. The giant set was something that I used to do more often that I decided to try out again and I loved it. I will do more giant sets on my upper body days from now on, or at least for this cycle.
Floor presses is a killer exercise, did them on tuesday and I’m still feeling sore. Props on the pec recovery I’m sure you’ll be killing the bench any time soon.
I have a question on supplementation. I’ve never taken any supplements to be honest, I’ve always kind of been a big guy and I always eat a lot of food. I’m 6.3 at 235-240 with prox. 11-12 % body fat, I think it might be time to hop on the band wagon and perhaps take myself up to the next level. I was considering buying some simple whey protein supplement together with creatine monohydrate.
I’m pretty old school when it comes to supplementation and I don’t like to pay for something if I believe I can get the same results with a little bit harder effort. Any advice? What do you use and what do you feel made a significant change?
With regards to supplementation, I always have a whey protein around that I can drink between my big meals to get protein requirements in. I usually take 25-30 gram servings every 1-2 hours. I have experienced my best gains with taking in carbs around my workouts, primarily before and during. Before this whole CT protocol was developed (which I am currently using), I would take a full serving of Surge or waxy maize with protein before my workout, sip on half during, and take an entire other serving afterwards with more protein. This type of supplementation around my workouts has definitely yielded the best results strength and size wise. I do believe that CT’s protocol is amazing, but basic waxy maize or another carb + whey Isolate or hydrolsate would work very very well also. So, the supps that I would invest in if you want to give it a try would be a good whey/casein blend for between meals, a carb product, and a fast acting protein or BCAA’s.
Thanks again for being so helpful. I know I’ve been asking a lot lately, I wish I could be the one giving you feedback but you are a mile ahead of me. Again, thanks=)
Front Squat (5/3/1, cycle 2, week 1)
BAR x 3
95 x 5
135 x 5
175 x 3
205 x 1
215 x 5
250 x 5
285 x 7 *
Bottoms-Up Zercher Squat + Doubled Pink Bands (pin 2)
135 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 3
255 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 3 *
Circuit
2-Handed Dumbbell Swing (100 lb) x 8
Dumbbell Step-Up + Reverse (45 lb) 4 LR
X 3 sets, 15-20 seconds rest between each
Today was a good leg day. Front squatted 285 x 7 and the reps were much cleaner than two weeks ago when I did 285 x 7. They were smooth and not too hard. I didnâ??t want to push it a ton today on front squats, but I am very happy with my result. The zerhcers against the pink bands were awesome. I really felt the bands working on the heavier sets when I had to grind sustain my force throughout. 315 x 3 was tough, but not a max. The giant set/circuit is something that Iâ??m incorporating and really liking.
Looks you are making some good progress with 5/3/1. I have been been on 5/3/1 for a couple months and have really enjoyed its simplicity and room for individualization. I have tried to stay “true” to the program as much as possible but I sometimes push back my deload week. What do you think about deloading every 7th week (every 2 cycles) as opposed to every 4th week?
I figure that since I am still young (20) and weak I could use the extra work but I would was wondering what you would suggest?
[quote]jfc0533 wrote:
Looks you are making some good progress with 5/3/1. I have been been on 5/3/1 for a couple months and have really enjoyed its simplicity and room for individualization. I have tried to stay “true” to the program as much as possible but I sometimes push back my deload week. What do you think about deloading every 7th week (every 2 cycles) as opposed to every 4th week?
I figure that since I am still young (20) and weak I could use the extra work but I would was wondering what you would suggest?
Keep up the good work. [/quote]
Thanks man.
As for deloading, I know that after three weeks of killing it with heavy weights, I embrace the deload week and believe that I benefit from it. I think it really is an important part of the program because it gives your muscles and CNS less of a load than the previous three weeks. I still go pretty hard on the accessory work during the deload as you may have seen from my log, but I don’t push the weight up as much, rather I go for more sets. I enjoy the deload week because for me personally it gives my body (lower back, posterior chain, and shoulders) a break from the rigors of heavy weights. I think that you will see great results keeping the deload week. However, I would still go hard on the accessory work if I were you.
Hope this helps man, keep up the good work on 5/3/1.
Straight-Legged Weighted Sit-Up (80 lb) x 5
Dragon Flag (10 second eccentric) x 2, partial Dragon Flag x 10
Swiss Ball Step-Off x 10 LR
X 3 continuous
Pallof Press
8 x 8 LR (1 second pause)
9 x 8 LR (1 second pause)
Barbell Curl Blast Rep (30-45 seconds between sets)
BAR x 3
65 x3
85 x 3
95 x 3
Regular Curls
95 x 3
115 x 3
135 x 3
145 x 3
135 x 5
Preacher Curl Twitch Reps + Regular Reps (focused on rep form)
45 x 8 high twitch reps/8 low twitch reps + 3 regular reps
55 x 8 high twitch reps/8 low twitch reps + 3 regular reps
65 x 8 high twitch reps/8 low twitch reps + 3 regular reps
Band Wrist Roller + Barbell Squeeze
80 x 1/10 second squeeze
80 x 1
80 x 1
Saturday is always a less intense core circuit and some added â??beach muscles.â?? Really hit the biceps hard with some of CTâ??s methods. I have wanted to get my biceps and arms a little bigger and am experiementing with working them three times a week with about 10-15 sets every three days. Will see how it works after a month or so.
[quote]crankMAN wrote:
220x7 on Push Press, this is really impressive…
And if im not wrong bodyweight + 50 for 12 chinups is also great!!
Do you by any chance have video on youtube?
Keep the good job in!!
[/quote]
Thanks man!
The 50 + BW on pull-ups was at the way end of my workout and I think that 50 x 15 was possible. I do not have any videos on youtube, but I want to get some up in a little.
[quote]ebomb5522 wrote:
crankMAN wrote:
220x7 on Push Press, this is really impressive…
And if im not wrong bodyweight + 50 for 12 chinups is also great!!
Do you by any chance have video on youtube?
Keep the good job in!!
Thanks man!
The 50 + BW on pull-ups was at the way end of my workout and I think that 50 x 15 was possible. I do not have any videos on youtube, but I want to get some up in a little. [/quote]
Push-Press (5/3/1, cycle 2, week 2)
BAR x 5
95 x 5
115 x 3
135 x 5
175 x 3
205 x 1
210 x 3
220 x 3
235 x 5 (hit chin on 4th rep)
Bottoms-Up Bench Press (3â??â?? from chest)/Weighted Chin-Up
135 x 3/BW 3
185 x 3/45 x 3
225 x 3/55 x 3
265 x 3/65 x 3
275 x 3/80 x 3
90 x 3
100 x 3 *** (PR)
Giant Set
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise x 45 x 5, 50 x 5, 55 x 5
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension x 80 x 10, 90 x 10, 100 x 10
Power Curls x 135 x 5, 155 x 5, 175 x 5
Lots of effort today; was good except for hitting my chin during my main set on push-press. I got 235 x 4 pretty easily, rested for about 5 seconds, then went for the 5th rep and slammed the bar against my chin. I was rattled, got one more rep, then called it a day for that haha. The 100 x 3 on the chin-ups is a personal best and I think that I even could have gone higher, but didnâ??t feel like using plates instead of the dumbbells which only go to 100. Overall, good day, lots of effort, and I really am ready for deadlifts and back tomorrow.
Deadlifts (5/3/1, Cycle 2, Week 2)
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
335 x 1
405 x 3
450 x 3
505 x 3 (Easy reps)
Speed Deadlifts
315 x 1 x 4 sets
1-Arm Barbell Rows/Dumbbell Renegade Rows
100 x 10 LR/50 x 6 LR
100 x 30 LR/50 x 12 LR
Bottoms-Up Good Mornings/Purple Band Pull-Aparts
20 pull-aparts
135 x 3/20
185 x 3/20
205 x 3/20
225 x 3/40
I went to lift this morning and actually went into a hypoglycemic state during my warmup sets of deadlift. I stopped the workout and barely made it back to the dorm without passing out. Needless to say, I was sick as shit for about an hour. I went to the infirmary thinking I had the flu at first, but just had a devastatingly low blood sugar. I felt much much 100 % better after I ate lunch. I went back to the gym around 5 and banged out a workout. I only did 3 reps at 505 because I didnâ??t want to push it at all. I probably could have gotten 6-7, but 3 was all I wanted. Will definitely go for more next week with 535.