I see now, thanks!
I agree with you. I prefer to stick to % and maybe adjust based on how the RPE feels, rather than base everything off of it. Though I find it tio be a pretty interesting approach as nothing really similar to what I’ve seen.
Thanks for the answer!
C14W3D4
DL
4x5 Box jumps and 100 pull aparts
I had a busy day today so decided to take my time.
5x97.5
5x110
5x125, belt on and it felt great! I think I’m starting to get the groove of the belt.
5x5 FSL
Assistance was the same as last week as I didn’t feel like pushing. I finished in 48 min. I’m glad I didn’t rush it cause I would have ended up needing more rest.
On a good note, I got a job!! I’ll be moving mid january and hopefully training won’t be distubed too much.
Congrats on the job. To where will you be moving?
What do you do if you don’t mind me asking?
I’m French, I’ll be moving to the UK where I studied !
@kyle_eng I studied civil engineering and that’s my first job out of uni
When you do goblet squats with two KBs, I’m assuming you clean them in position, and you hold one in each hand. How does that feel compared to holding a single DB? Have you tried DBs w this movement? I’d like to go up in weight, but using a 105lb DB might be difficult.
I never tried with just a DB so I couldn’t tell you.
I do clean them but if I was to use more weight I’d put them on a box to pick them up and back down. But because I’m doing the SLDL with the same KBs I leave them down.
So I clean them up and each “rest” on my arms and shoulders. It’s pretty hard to not collapse though cause you need to hold up each arm individually. Just try it and you’ll see which one you prefer. I’m sure it’s possible if Jim prescribes it.
Agree man. Ohp is my favourite lift, even though its so frustrating. Id never not do some form of oh pressing.
Also congrats on the job!
C15W1D1
Jumping straight into next cycle.
OHP
4x5 box jumps and 100 pull aparts
5x32,5
5x37,5
5x42,5
5x5 FSL
I used two 28kg KBs for the assistance and it kicked my ass. I managed in 35:30 which is good.
I think upping the weight is great as it doesn’t get me winded as much. Still tough though, holding the KBs is pretty tough on the upper back.
@MarkKo, what do you think about benching 3 times a week ? How would you implement it ? I’m thinking full body, four times a week. One upper and one lower body lift per day, one for main work, one for supplemental inspired from the main book. That would be my strength phase, after a hypertrophic phase.
Also merry Christmas everybody ! I hope you had a great time ! Also thanks for everything you guys have taught me: it’s been more than a year I’ve been on 531!
I used two 28kg KBs for the assistance and it kicked my ass.
Christ man, so you’re goblet squatting 123lbs for 5 sets? I don’t know how you do this, but doing the SLDL are difficult.
Maybe I’m comparing it to DBs. I still haven’t tried racking KBs, but holding a DB in front of you like that is rly difficult.
6 actually, 5 of SLDL. I used the box to pick them up. Yeah it’s not fun. Some weight is on my shoulders but it tries to fold me over still. I’m not sure how it compares to one DB, the DB sounds harder tbh. The tough thing with KBs is to stabilise them as they move individually…
I’m suffering on te SLDL too: the shrug gets pretty hard in the last sets. The actual SLDL is fine but keep it at this weight to make sure I can control it.
@hypem74 I think it boils down to what you want to achieve and whether benching three times a week will help you do it. What you suggest certainly could be done. Whether it does what you want better than something else is another issue.
If you want to drive your bench up, you’ll certainly want to bench at least twice a week. IMO you’ll also want those two bench days to be bench focused, so that you bench, then do some pressing assistance (incline, DB, decline, dips, overhead, etc) and do a bunch of vertical and horizontal rowing as well as shoulder work. There’s nothing stopping you doing two full body days as well (assuming you’re set on training four days a week), where you could do more benching or other pressing.
Thanks for your answer!
My reasoning behind it is that I made the most progress by benching twice a week (full-body), once with SSL, once with FSL, but I wasn’t doing the main work (5s PRO or PR set), which was a mistake I believe.
I am thinking of doing exactly that in terms of assistance as what you outlined.
The point is to do DL/SQ twice a week, splitting the main work and supplemental, OHP once, bench three times.
One of the two bench supplemental would probably be done close-grip as I have a kinda narrow grip already (one thumb away from knurling), my triceps are what drive my bench up.
I’m also used to full body workouts so it should be OK. I know I need to be wary of not squatting more than twice a week AND choose pushing assistance that doesn’t hurt my elbows.
C15W1D2
Squat day
4x5 Box jumps, 100 pull aparts
5x78
5x90
5x102.5, bar was slow as I didn’t rest enough
5x5 FSL good bar speed
I used 22 kg DBs for the incline presses and 5x11.
I finished in just under 38 min which I’m happy about as I thought it’d be more. I should have taken more rest though
Weight: 83.6kg
C15W1D3
Today felt pretty hard which surprised me. I came back home thinking about it And realised I was supposed to bench ! I was convinced today was DL day. Oh well, the bench was busy anyway.
4x5 box jumps and 100 pull aparts
5x85
5x97,5
5x110 belt on great speed
5x5FSL
Bar speed was good on all sets but I took a lot of time to recover from the assistance and finished in just under 45 min. I’m sure bench would have been a bit easier but that makes no difference anyway.
DB inclines 5x13 with 22kg
And 5x10 chins
Weight 83,7kg
C15W1D4
Bench day (finally!)
4x5 box jumps and 100 pull aparts
5x52
5x60
5x68
5x5 FSL
All these were fast. Especially coming back down to FSL the weights feel pretty good.
Assistance was the same as last week with 28kg KBs. I finished in 39 min.
A few notes: next week will be the second week of this cycle. The week after I’ll be busy with organizing moving etc so I’ll see how much training I can get in. If not I’ll do the third week the week after, when I start working.
I’m looking forward to go into a cycle of Beyond and then have a testing day at the end. The prep phase is fine but it gets pretty boring. I also don’t like having the clock in my mind at the end of the workout.
I do like supersetting assistance between main movements. But these get you winded and take away from the main lift. I expected that, but in my next cycles, I’ll focus more on the main lifts again.
Hopefully you’ll be ok. Workouts are so quick. That’s one of the reasons I chose this program.
C15W2D1
OHP
Box jumps 4x5 and 100 pull aparts
5x32.5
5x37.5
5x42.5, bar was slow as hell as I didn’t rest enough
5x5 FSL bar speed was good
I kept the assistance with the 28kg KBs, feeling good. I finished in 35:30 which I’m happy about.
Weight 83.6kg
Happy new year everybody !
I realised that I used the number of the 5’s week yesterday… oh well it makes no difference.
C15W2D2
Squat
4x5 box jumps 100 pull aparts
5x85
5x97.5
5x110
I felt like going up so
1x120 paused, belt on
2x130 paused, I could have done two more, belt on.
5x5 FSL
Bar speed was good, and didn’t feel too tired or winded. Assistance was the same as preceding weeks, apart from the fact I started with supersetting with chins on the first assistance set and not DB incline which makes a difference at the end of the workout: finishing with 2 sets of DB inclines is easier than 1 of chins and 1 of incline.
I think I’m going to start hitting at least my TMx1-2 on the squat and bench to get used to heavier weights. On the DL I will see depending on how I feel: it’s at the end of the week so hitting my TM for 1 or 2 shouldn’t impair my recovery.
weight: 83.4kg
C15W2D3
Bench
5x57.5
5x65
5x72.5
1x80
1x87.5
5x5 FSL
All sets moved fast, particularly the FSL after the singles because they feel pretty light!
Assistance with the two 28kg KBs.
I didn’t have my wraps today but that was not an issue. I had a mild elbow pain on the last single. I kinda felt it on the inclines in my last workout. I need to be careful with the pressing volume.
Weight 83.7kg
edit: @MarkKo, while you’re here (ahah), your thoughts on spoto press ? Thinking about it for my next hypertrophy phase as a bench variation, along with close and wide grip. It looks like something I could benefit from to build up my chest, especially with feet up. Thanks as always !!