This is my first post but have been training for a long time. I vary between 5/3/1 and a Westside Template. I have just recently (last 5 years) gotten interested in powerlifting and I am hooked. I have been doing 5/3/1 for about 8 cycles now and recently changed it up a little bit to what I believe will be Wendler’s 5/3/1 for Powerlifting when it is published. This is my Press day which I basically treat as a bench assistance day. My Pressing day is also my last day of the week.
Press 3x5 160, 170, 180 (no rep-out)
Press (boring but big) 5x10@115
Pull-ups with various grips 5x10 w/ bodyweight. Everything from super wide to chins and everything I can think of in between
Rowing sled drags 3x25yds and back w/ 115lbs on the sled
531 squat day today.
Working sets:
410x5
465x3
520x1
Reverse Ave. Band Squats:
565x1
605x1
675x1
Safety Bar Squat (boring but big) 5x10 @ 170, 190, 190, 170, 170lbs.
Prowler Relay with 2 training partners. 30 yds each, 6 total trips.
I attached a few videos in the video section of my profile. They aren’t all me. A few are some of the guys I train with. Sorry, no video of the prowler relay. Will keep you updated on bench day tomorrow.
Sunday, May 1, 2001 - Videos in my Video area on my profile.
Bench Day 5/3/1 week
Bench
270x5
310x3
345x1
Bench 50lbs Weight Releasers
370=FAIL - too big of a jump from 345 so according to Rhodestown Rules I have to take 2 more lifts
320
340
DB Bench w/mini bands around the back 5x10
BB Rows w/various grips 5x10 @ 205, 225, 225, 235, 235 - should have gone heavier
Reverse Fly Sled Drags 5 trips of 20 yards and back.
This is the workout from last Thursday 5.4.11
OHP
160x5
180x3
200x3
DB Bench Press
100x5
110x5
120x5
130x5
120x5
Pull-Ups
20 sets of 5 @ BW
Workout went well. Feeling good but will be switching OHP and Bench day next phase. Elbows are starting to get a little achy after squat days on Saturday. I figure I will try this to keep my Bench numbers going up and stay as healthy as I can up until the meet. No posts next week…will be deloading.
Last week was deload so no info there. Started my next phase of 5/3/1 yesterday (Saturday) with 3x3 squats
Squat (didn’t feel tight and was tired)
390x3
445x3
500x3
365 180lbs chain up top x 1
455 180 chain x 1
495 180 chain x 1
Safety Bar Squat 5x10@225
supersetted w/
weighted sit up 3x8@35lbs. - trying to add these back in slowly to keep my abs strong
Prowler push 3x20 yds. @ 90 lbs.
Really sore today for what reason i’m not sure but whatever. Still progressing so I have nothing to complain about.
Sunday 5.15.11
Overhead Press
175x3
185x3
195x3
3-Board work
225x3
275x2
315x2
365x1
405x1
425x1
440x1
Pull-ups 5x10@BW
Face pulls 5x10
All pressing is going well so I am very pleased. I feel that my bench will be the hardest goal for me to hit in July. All I can do is keep pushing - literally in that case.
Tuesday 5.17.11
Deadlifts
410x3
470x3
530x4
Sumo DL
525x1
555x1
575x1 (10lb. PR)
Safety Bar Good Morning
5x10@155
Keg Loading 5x5 - 100 lbs. of sand in a Keg loaded from the ground to about 4 feet or so. We wanted to change from Farmer Walks so we decided on this. No real method to the madness.
Standing Pulldown Abs 3x15
I have videos of Sundays lockout work as well as most of this workout and will upload them later today or tomorrow. Check 'em out.
Tuesday 5.19.11
Deadlift (Conventional)
410x3
470x3
530x4
Sumo DL
525x1
555x1
575x1 (10 lb. PR)
Safety Squat Bar GM
5x10@150 lbs.
Keg Loading
5x5@ Keg filled with 100 lbs. of sand (i dunno what that weighs)
Abs - anything.
Feeling better with the sumo pulls and getting closer to my goal of 600. My training max is at 585 for a conventional pull and I haven’t decided how I will pull in July yet. I have about 7 weeks and am starting to really focus in on training.
Yeah I messed up that last post. Ignore the 2nd straight DL post.
Thursday 5.19.11
Bench
295x3
315x3
330x3
Bench with Weight Releasers
335x1
350x1
365 close miss - Wes touched the bar at a stall point. Wasn’t tight - probably my worst looking set all day.
335x1
335x1
BB Row 5x10@205-215-225-205-205
superset w.
Rev. Fly Sled drag 5x40yds.@80 lbs.
Wasn’t tight at all benching. Probably due to moving bench day to the end of the week following DL. We decided to do this because our elbows were beat up after squat day so we wanted a little extra rest. 405 in July is the goal and I feel like I am getting closer and closer to that being a reality. Holding 400 in my hands every week is starting to pay off I think.
Strong pressing and pulling man! How do you feel the sled work is adding to your progress?
I think it has helped keep my GPP and conditioning up without taxing my CNS too much. The nice things is that I can keep my volume higher without killing myself and having all the soreness.
Saturday 5.21.11
I have felt like tired ass all week due to some changes at work and today it really hit me. I haven’t felt very tight the last couple of weeks. Today I was all over.
Squat
365x5
420x5
475x5 - FAR too difficult for what it should be. I cut it off there and will live to fight another day.
I will post videos from last week later this afternoon.
OK I will try posting this a second time.
I have felt crappy all week due to more stress at work and I feel I am not getting enough sleep. Squatting felt much heavier today than it should have.
Squat
365x5
420x5
475x5
I shut down shop and called it a day so I can rest.
Do you feel that extra work contributes to conditioning more, or do you see actual size and strength gains?
Sucks when stress and lack of recovery kicks in - especially on the squat. Feeling rotten to the core isn’t really conductive to supporting huge weight with your spine… Hope you get some rest and come back strong.
Do you feel that extra work contributes to conditioning more, or do you see actual size and strength gains?
Sucks when stress and lack of recovery kicks in - especially on the squat. Feeling rotten to the core isn’t really conductive to supporting huge weight with your spine… Hope you get some rest and come back strong.
I feel it more from a conditioning standpoint. I don’t feel I do enough of it to really elicit a huge size gain. Strength has definitely been affected as well from it. I do feel stronger for longer since starting the sled.
Overhead Press day 5.22.11
OHP
165x5
175x5
185x5
OHP Boring but Big
5xx10@115 lbs.
Pull-Ups
5x10@BW - random grip, just whatever I felt like at the time. Got through all 5 sets in about 8 minutes. that sucked.
Walking Row Sled Drag
3x40yds. @ 180lbs.
Didn’t feel the greatest and probably should not have done as much as I did but I wasn’t about to do to half workouts in a row. Immediately after training, I went and did contrast work varying between the steem room and cold shower for about 30 minutes. 3-5 minutes steam and 60-90 seconds cold shower. I feel a million times better now. I will still probably do an ice bath before bed tonight as well just to make sure.
OHP day on 5.22.11
OHP
165x5
175x5
185x5
OHP Boring but Big
5x10@115lbs.
Pull-Ups - all different grips, just whatever I felt like when it was my turn to go.
5x10@BW
Rows Sled Drag
3x40yds.@180lbs.
Should not have done everything I did given that I have been beat up but I wasn’t about to have 2 straight short lifting days so I did it anyway. Immediately followed training with 30 minutes of Sauna (3-5 min) alternated with Cold Shower (60-90 seconds). I feel much better now but will still take an ice bath tonight to help recovery for Tuesday.
DL 5.24.11
DL
385x5
440x5
500x5
Safety Squat Bar Good Morning
5x10 @ 130lbs.
in and out.
Bench 5.26.11
Bench
275x5
295x5
315x5
DB Bench 5x10
BB Row 5x10
I still feel somewhat drug down. My nutrition and recovery work have been sub-par as of late. I start another heavy week on the 28th. Hopefully it will go well. Damn I need to get my stuff together before the meet gets too close (7 weeks to the day this Saturday). Time to suck it up!