Super set:
Wide width chin up - BWx10, BWx8x3
1 arm standing cable pull over - 10, 15, 20x12x2
HS low row - 45x10x4
HS NG row - 45, 90, 100, 110, 120x8
SG shrugs - 75x100; 5 sets, AMRAP each set
Standing concentration curl - 20x15, 22.5x12x2, 25x10
Lunges - BWx100
Hip abductor - 70, 85, 100, 115, 130x12
Hip adductor - 70, 85, 100, 115, 130x12
The sciatica is real, really hard to walk the past two days. For this deload I will only be doing BW lower body and push/pull schedule. Hopefully the lower body rest, along with daily stretching will make this heal/go away soon.
Still hurting from sciatica but the pain is much less than a couple days ago. The pace of today’s workout was a little slower but the pump was still good. Won’t be heading to the gym until the start of the next cycle to let the lower body continue healing. Also, planning on incorporating yoga into my off days soon.
Beginning to feel sciatica slowly going away. Had a good workout which I enjoyed and I’m planning to change my workout routine for the summer to pull 1, push 1, lower 1, rest, pull 2, push 2, lower 2 and repeat. I will still be following the 531 template for the most part but the frequency which I would work the main lifts would be more spread. Going to start this routine right away with cycle 7.
Super set:
DB lateral - 5x20, 7.5x20, 7.5x15x3
Reverse BB shrugs - 55xAMRAPx4
Rope tricep overhead extension - 27.5x12, 32.5x10, 37.5x7x2
1 arm reverse grip tricep pull down - 7.5, 10x15
Amazing chest, shoulder and triceps pump today. I’ve been on and off with HS chest machines and this time around I seem to have found my grove and i’m planning to continue using them during this cycle. Tweaked the way I perform DB laterals which allows me to feel constant tension on the shoulders. So far I like the separate back and chest/shoulder days, each workout is quicker and the pump at the targeted muscle is much greater.
Back squat (pause) - BAR, 95, 135, 185x5, 225x2x2, 245, 280x5, 275x5x5
SG rack pull - BAR, 135, 225, 245x6x6
BB lunge - BWx12, 40x18x3
Seated leg curl (pause) - 70, 100, 115, 130x8x2
Hyper extension - BWx20, 10x12x3
Didn’t squat the expected 315x5, once I unracked it I knew not to try it if I wanted to walk tomorrow. Instead did some paused squats and SG rack pull which felt great; not able to pull off the floor yet but rack pulls feel fine for now. Lunges gave me an unbelievable pump, I have a love and hate relationship with this exercise. Depending on how I feel my lower body is recovering, I may do instinctive lower body training for this cycle and continue with these numbers the next cycle.
Seems like the longer I’m on 531 the more exercises I’m unable to perform according to the template. Maybe I was too optimistic at the beginning and overshoot myself by increasing the frequency of the program. Lets see how things workout with my new split with 531 and if needed, I’ll readjust next cycle.
Decline skull crusher - 50x10x4
1 arm reverse grip tricep pull down - 12.5x15
Did 3 sets of 12 external and a set of 12 for internal shoulder rotation before the workout. Although I didn’t feel a difference today, I will continue doing this preworkout for a month to see if a difference is felt.
Back squat (high) - BAR, 135x5, 185, 225, 245, 275x4x8, 295x3x2
SG DL - 135, 185, 205x6x4, 235x5x2
Single leg lying leg press (noBase/high/narrow) - BASE, 45, 55, 65, 75x8
Compound set:
Lying leg curl (wide) - 80x8x3
Lying leg curl (narrow) - 80x8x3
Wide width pull down - 17.5, 22.5, 27.5xPUMP
Hyper extension - BW, 10xAMRAPx2, 20xAMRAP
Ab machine - 25, 30xAMRAP
Squats felt amazing, probably the best in a while. I was also able to deadlift pain free off the floor and decided to keep it light. I realize my quad overpowers my hamstring and glutes which is probably the cause for my anterior pelvic tilt and, along with other issues, led to the development of my sciatica. Since then I’ve been focusing on contracting my glutes every rep for lower body exercises unless I wanted to specifically hit quads. My hamstring/glute connection is slowly improving. While developing a better leg anterior:posterior strength ratio helped with my healing, yoga and learning specific stretches have helped a lot.
Looking back i’m happy that I was able to experience the injuries I had. It forced me to educate myself in areas which I otherwise wouldn’t have bothered with and appreciate the other factors outside the gym to building strength/mass to a greater degree. Only regret is anteriorly dislocating my SC joint as it’s still an issue and fixing it seems unlikely.
Good workout. Scapula and SC joint gave me a bit of issue by the time I got to OHP, perhaps due to fatigue. Been a while since doing flat skull crushers and I was able to get a really big pump with them, especially when followed by pull overs. Straight bar press down were done paused with a squeeze at the bottom of each rep.
Doc just informed me that in addition to the anterior subluxation to my right sc joint that my left ac joint is also separated. With this information i’m deciding to back off of 531 completely to reevaluate and reprogram my training.