Close grip Larson press: 40kg/88lbs x10 and 45kg/99lbs x10
DB shoulder press: 2x12 with 10kg/22lbs supperseted with 2x10 dumbbell front raises with 6kg/13lbs
Bicep curls: 2x giant set consisting of 12.5kg/28lbs x10, 10kg/22lbs x10 and 8kg/18lbs x10
Dumbbell roll press: 2x10 with 10kg/22lbs suppersetted with 2x10 dumbbell skull crushers with 8kg/18lbs
Cable curls: 2x10
Cable tricep extensions: 2x10
NOTES
Managed to get into the gym before work this AM so did a bit of fluff work for the vanity muscles. Not really much to say about doing curls and triceps work, everything was light weight but higher intensity due to the suppersetting and limited rest.
The drop sets on normal curls was very humbling.
Power cleans: 30kg/66lbs x5, 35kg/77lbs x5, 40kg/88lbs x3, 45kg/99lbs x2,1, 47.5kg/105lbs x2,1,1 and 42.5kg/94lbs x3,3
NOTES
So had no idea what to do today so thought I would get some reps in on these two lifts. Technically managed a weight PB on both these lifts with the 47.5kg/105lbs power clean and the 32.5kg/72lbs press. I did manage to get 35kg/77lbs up on the press but had to tip toe for extra force at the top so didn’t count it.
The pressing overhead still looks ugly but instead of waiting until I get it perfect I think I should at least get some reps in. Hopefully this results in shoulder development and maybe a better bench
Hip thrusts: 3x10 with 100kg/220lbs
Walking lunges (30kg/66lbs Barbell): 2x20 steps (10 each leg)
Weighted Dips: 1x9 with 7.5kg/16lbs and 1x11+ 3x10 with 5kg/11lbs
Weighted Pull ups: 50 reps done in 8 sets with 2.5kg/5lbs (2x5reps, 3x6 reps, 2x7 reps and 1x8 reps)
NOTES
Today was a weird day. My knee felt very dodgy as soon as I stepped out of bed and feels very funny now, I also have a very tight calf. BUT squats went nice, everything was smooth and easy-ish and I managed the supplemental work in 3 sets which is nice.
Weighted pullups and dips are also progressing so things are going good if I may say so myself.
Tomorrow we test Bench TM hoping for closer to 10 than 5 but 5 is the absolute minimum allowed for the main lifts this week
Bench: 47.5kg/105lbs x5, 55kg/121lbs x5, 60kg/132lbs and 67.5kg/149lbs x7
Bent over DB Row: 2x15 with 25kg/55lbs and 1x22 with 20kg/44lbs
Seated DB shoulder press: 12.5kg/27lbs x 15,12,12,11
Weighted Crunches: 50 total reps over 4 sets
NOTES
So today first day of the test week and only managed 7 (technically closer to 5 than 10 ) and I’m not too happy about it. On one end it is 1 rep shy of my all-time rep PB with this weight but it is also the same reps I got last test (which was 2.5kg/5lbs lighter than today)
I also messed around after the session with a few extra sets with a wider grip to try it out. My normal grip is what I think would be considered narrow/ close grip. My grip tends to be roughly shoulder width (slightly out) so perhaps widening my grip may be the right move but we shall see!
Rows: 2x20 with 40kg/88lbs and 3x20 with 45kg/99lbs
NOTES
So unsure really what today was. It wasn’t conditioning ( I did superset every exercise) but it wasn’t ‘bodybuilding a lagging body part’ so we will just call today work.
I got all the reps I would have gotten doing my normal Power clean/ Row circuit for both those lifts and then did some extra work on press and overhead pressing.
Today felt good and I feel like my very short term goals of 50kg/110lb power clean and 40kg/88lbs press are within reach. Just need to keep showing up and picking at those lifts!
Tomorrow we deadlift and I may try using wraps instead of a mixed grip for the deadlifts. Perhaps that may be the usual protocol for testing weeks: Wraps + belt
Deadlift: 100kg/220lbs x5 110kg/243lbs x5, 125kg/276lbs x5 (with straps), 137.5kg/ 303lbs x6 (Straps and belt)| 137.5kg/ 303lbs x7 (chalk and no straps)
RDL: 100kg/220lbs x7 and 85kg/187lbs x13
Goblet squats: 3x10 with 40kg/88lbs
Weighted Dips: 2x10 + 1x8 with 6.25kg/14lbs and 5kg/11lbs x12,10
Weighted Pull ups: 50 reps done in 8 sets with 2.5kg/5lbs (1x8reps,2x7reps,3x6reps, 2x5reps)
NOTES
So today was no the best of days. My right leg is feeling weird and very tight from the ankles and calf to the knee joint. That being said I still managed to deadlift (somewhat of a miracle considering walking was hard this AM and I was visually limping yesterday night)
I experimented with using straps and double overhand grip and managed 6 reps and perhaps it was ego or perhaps it was genuine curiosity but I tried that set again with mixed grip and no straps and managed 7. 7 is still not 10 so not too happy but in the scheme of things the TM is still appropriate so we still move on.
I talked about the same thing in an articles thread recently. Mixed grip I feel a lot stronger, more stable, and form feels more consistent… but I’m sure it’s just a case of what you’re more practiced with. Over time the discrepancy will probably disappear once you make the switch.
I think, for me anyways, it could have been issues setting up.
Usually my lats are super tight before touching the bar and I got a big breath in me for bracing and today having to be on my knees to do the wraps then get tight and then get a brace with the belt while bent over was just unknown territory.
But I do think there is a discrepancy and perhaps if I did the mixed grip first and then with wraps… the difference in reps would be more than one
Yeah, it makes my cues miles off too. It’s surprising how different it all feels despite it being what we would perceive as being such a small change. It’ll come though, for both us.
Seal rows: 2x15 and 2x20 with 16kg/35lbs
Incline DB press: 2x13 and 2x12 with 15kg/33lbs
NOTES
So very disappointed about today’s incline pressing performance. I only managed 5 which means my TM is accurate for the next cycle but also means the lift is somewhat lagging behind where I would like to be. Ideally for these test lifts I wanted to be closer to 10 reps.
Incline pressing is becoming a problem lift as it hasn’t really progressed in the last year, I’m going to look at what accessory work I can do or extra work I can do to help build that specific lift (Spoiler alert I think more overhead work) with a mind that any lift which has carry over to incline pressing will also result in incline pressing progress having a carry over to bench press.
Close grip Larson press: 40kg/88lbs x10, 50kg/110lbs x8 and 45kg/99lbs x8
DB shoulder press: 2x12 with 10kg/22lbs supperseted with 2x10 dumbbell front raises with 6kg/13lbs
Bicep curls: 2x giant set consisting of 12.5kg/28lbs x10, 10kg/22lbs x10 and 8kg/18lbs x10
Dumbbell roll press: 2x12 with 10kg/22lbs suppersetted with 2x10 dumbbell skull crushers with 8kg/18lbs
DB Floor press: 4x8 with 20kg/44lbs
Hammer curls: 2x10 with 10kg/22lbs
Cable curls: 2x10
Cable tricep extensions: 2x10
NOTES
So not much one could say about a 30 min session dedicated to curls and other ‘vanity’ exercises.
I found a way to do floor presses without a headache for set up (Plyo boxes are same height as a bench) and I think the ‘Vanity workout’ may soon turn into a bench accessory workout with floor press and close grip benching being the main lifts,
Apologies as I’m not overly familiar with the MalcomX variation of 5/3/1, it seems like an insane amount of pressing volume. Is there really that much?
I only ask as too much pressing could be what’s stopping a lift like your incline press from progressing. More is not always better. Considering the level you’re at I feel like you could get a lot more progress whilst doing a whole lot less. Obviously potentially disregard this information as I’m not as acquainted with 5/3/1 as a lot of others here. But you may just be doing a whole lot of sandbagging that’s messing with your recovery to perform and grow as quickly as you’d like to.
@Andrewgen_Receptors Tagging you in as I seem to remember you doing 5/3/1 with some added GAP/Vanity workouts. I could be completely wrong and just an idiot.
Malcolm- X is just BBB where the 50 reps are done in a " as you can" way instead 5x10 supplemental work.
I’m guessing you are alluding to the overhead pressing I’ve been doing on non 5/3/1 days as well as the close grip and floor presses from today?
Those aren’t part of 5/3/1 so you may be right ( open to anyone else’s views on this if people also agree)
I don’t think the OHP work has any affect on recovery just due to how light it is and because it’s done more as a technique mastery than an actual Workout.
Also perhaps you may be onto something with the fact that my push accessory work on bench and incline days are all 50 reps of pressing of some form
Top set Bench + 5 sets or 50 reps accessory (you got your 50 reps in just 3 of your back off-sets on bench day)
Top set Overhead press + 5 sets or 50 reps accessory
That’s ~12 sets a week.
In your week 3 cycle you did
Top set Bench + 3 back off sets (high rep high volume) + 4 DB press sets
Overhead Press random sets/technique work. Maybe this could count as “active recovery” but a lot of people would call it junk volume.
Weighted Dips 5x10
Incline bench top set + 4 back-off sets
Incline DB Press 3 sets
Flat DB Press 1 set
Larsson Press 2 sets
More OHP work at 75-80% of training max
DB Shoulder Press 2 sets
If we ignore the OHP work that’s still double what BBB is asking of you. 24 sets.
I wouldn’t even ignore the OHP work given its percentage in relation to your training max. You’re doing anywhere between 30-40 sets. That’s not counting 5/3/1 warm-up sets or any isolations that could also play a role (tricep work especially). In your PR week you were doing other random stuff too.
For what it’s worth, I have also done a lot of “technique” OHP work in the past but I counted this in my main work. I agree that due to the lighter weight it doesn’t take much toll on your CNS but it can still have a habit of overworking your elbows and that’s without all the other stuff you’re doing.
Oh my bad I think we have misunderstanding here and I didn’t explain well enough,
Malcolm-X is basically
3 sets of main work.
50 reps with First set weight instead of 5x10 supplemental work (these are my 3 high rep sets to get 50 reps on the main lifts)
50 reps push + 50 pull + 50 legs/core done as accessory work
So all upper sessions have 100 reps of pushing done after the three main sets.
Same with the lower sessions having 50 reps of dips and pull ups as the recommended push/pull.
So total per week Malcolm-X calls for 330 reps of pushing work.
The added work is ‘Vanity day’ (today) and the random OHP/Cleans days which I do instead of conditioning sessions.
I agree 89 extra reps last week of pressing is a lot regardless of the weight so definitely could be setting me back!
Yeah I did stealth edit the first bit just before you replied. I actually really like the idea of BBB with a rep goal instead of 5x10.
I get what you mean, and like I originally said, I may just be being an idiot as I’m not a 531 guy. I’ve just seen a lot of other guys on here following similar programs and they opt for less intense accessory work even whilst getting their 50 reps (or more) in. A lot of the T-Nation articles I’ve read have included the 50 reps of FSL/BBB whatever with the total count, too.
Just trying to help out and calling it as I see it, and that’s that it might be a lot of work to recover from at your level. I’m completely happy for Andrewgen or any of the others to tell me i’m wrong though. I’m here to learn just like everyone else.
Oh I fully appreciate it ( except for the stealth edits making me think I misread!) and I’m always one for learning and improving things.
I fully admit looking at @SvenG@T3hPwnisher and other posters with the mentality of pushing the volume up and eating for growth and that has played a part in exercise selection of accessory work leaning towards pressing with an extra day for arms instead of using the accessory work for arms. Perhaps that may be holding me back like you mentioned.
Not bad manners at all. It might turn out I was wrong to speak up about too much volume, especially about a program I haven’t ever fully dove into myself. These guys you’ve tagged are absolute machines and will give you more educated answers.
I do know myself that I would have to very slowly build up to that amount of work capacity. It would be a question of too much too soon for me. We all have very different training philosophies and goals though. Hope you get some good answers!
I’m a big fan of the motto “There is no overtraining: just undereating”. But there DOES need to be some sort of plan regarding volume, as eventually SOMETHING is going to break down. Typically, for me, it’s the guts. I eventually just can’t eat to sustain the volume of the training, so I need to let the training volume dip so my guts can heal. That’s a great time to chase PRs.
) and I’m not too happy about it. On one end it is 1 rep shy of my all-time rep PB with this weight but it is also the same reps I got last test (which was 2.5kg/5lbs lighter than today)