C4W2D3, end of 5’s week
Bench day !
As I was warming up I felt pretty good so I went for the bench PR especially after 3 days rest. I feel really good doing PR sets after the 5s pro work.
5x45
5x50
15x55
5x20 lunges with a 20kg kettle belt
5x10 DB bench with 22kg
100 chins between all the above
I ran back home (downhill for just 15min)
Gutted today !
I arrived at the gym at 1730, and just after my PR set I was told they closed at 1800… I had 5 min left so I did FSL with my press but I couldn’t do my DL workout. I’ll have to do it tomorrow and push the squat session for sunday.
C4W3D1, 1’s week
3x5 box jumps + stretching
Press, SS with chins
5x37.5
3x42.5
7x47.5, which is not a PR… but I’m glad of the other PRs for this cycle.
FSL pyramid
3x42.5
7x40 (no time to unload the bar and change the weight to 37.5)
Total chins 50: my last set was a set of 10 after the FSL, I’ve definitely progressed on those!
I’m glad I was doing OHP and not deadlift because I wouldn’t have been able to do my singles! I didn’t want to do them on OHP though, it’s probably not a great idea.
That’s an advantage of 531 though, you can do the PR set and basically be done for that lift for the week; you’ve done the most important.
I ran home, 15 min downhill.
I did some conditioning with a friend yesterday (sprints, rope jumps, push ups, side steps around a football pitch) and then played tennis so I figured it wouldn’t be wise to go hit singles on the DL, so I went today.
C4W3D2, 1’s week
DL day
3x5 box jumps + quick stretch
I filmed the PR sets and singles as last time my hips were too high and I want to get my technique right. Please give me any feedback you find relevant.
I think my hips at the start are OK, the issue is I don’t push through at the end. I feel properly locked out at the end though, I do squeeze my glutes.
After the first single I tried to push my hips even more and the result is probably better.
Main sets
5x85
3x95
10x105, I had a few more but capped the set, it is still a PR!
1x115
1x120
1x125
1x130 (PR)
Pretty happy with the PR, it didn’t feel too heavy and I could probably do more but that was my goal for this cycle of 351! The barbell also started rolling in my hands at the top but it was not too bad (I pull double overhand)
10x6 dips
Every set of the workout supersetted with chins… probably around 75 total
It remains Squat and Bench and I’m done with this cycle of 351.
I’ll probably start building the monolith for some hypertrophy work.
Looks good. Really good, in fact. By bar speed you’ve got at least 150 kg, probably more, although you’d probably want to pull it mixed grip.
I think I could have pulled it in January when I did 120x3, but I prefered to stay away from 1 rep max.
Even now it’s probably not the smartest as my heaviest set in the last few weeks have been 100kg. I’ve also never pulled mixed grip so I should try to get used to that a bit.
After a a few leaders as strength blocks I’ll go back and try maybe 140 in an anchor.
Thanks for your feedback!
Both of those looked pretty easy, you’re doing great!
Thanks Ceasium 
I got DOMS in my lower back from DL so I prefered to do my bench workout instead of squat today. No wonder there is no FSL in 351 for powerlifting ! I can’t imagine how my back would be aha
The bench I had was not very nice, and the bar was smooth where I would grip it… I had to roll the bar towards me then lift it off the rack, it threw me off for the first 1x80 single.
C4W3D3
Bench
Main sets
5x40
3x50
12x62 (PR) Really happy with this even though it’s touch and go
I hit a few singles
1x70
1x74
1x80 I pushed the bar away from me as I pushed off my chest. I had to use my hips to get it up… So it probably doesn’t count, so I hit it twice more.
1x80
1x80
3x20 DB bench with 14kg
3x20 back raises to get the blood flowing in my back
Chins between every set of the workout so I think 18x5
I wanted to try to get a 1RM but the first single reminded me I should work on my technique, that’s why I did more singles at 80.
Here is the video of the + set and the singles, any feedback welcome !
Overall I’m happy with how bench is going. 2 plates is still far away but I’ll get it!
@MarkKO what software do you use to cut and merge your videos together ?
@hypem74 I use the free version of VideoShow on Android.
With your bench, couple of things:
I’m on iphone, I’ll see if there’s an apple version… I’ll find something thanks!
I won’t be benching again in this gym as I’ll be back into uni next week so the rack position should be better!
I do try to keep my wrists straight but never really manage. I’ll try it again next week.
Thanks!
C4W3D4
Squat
Main sets
5x72.5
3x82.5
10x90 rep PR, it felt pretty hard but I had a few more I think !
Singles
1x100
1x105
1x110
1x115 (PR)
5x20 lunges with a 20kg dumbell
5x20 incline DB press, 10,14,12,12,12 kg it’s harder on the incline ! It feels pretty unatural too.
Chins between every set so around 100.
I ran home again! Good way to get my running in.
The last single was a bit of a grinder but I felt good doing it I knew I could do it! Pretty happy about this, maybe a bit more than the DL PR because this one was harder to get.
This is the end of my 351 for powerlifting cycle. I’m thinking of deloading before starting building the monolith… but at the same time I feel pretty good and I haven’t been cycling at all recently because uni is finished. I’ve just been sitting down revising so I don’t think I need it tbh.
I think it was interesting to do lower volume/ higher intensity for this cycle.
This is the video of the rep PR and then the singles, let me know any feedback. I tried to not bend my wrists: I take a larger grip now and it feels better even on the rep PRs, the bar doesn’t bury my shoulders too much.
That looked good. Wrists hardly bent at all and you seem to really have found your groove.
I trained on friday but with exams arriving I will have to postpone my next session to wednesday… sad time! With all my homework i’ve had over Easter I need to cram my exam for wednesday. It will also count as a deload.
C5W1D1, BTM
Main sets
Squat
5x5 90kg
This felt pretty good!
Press
5x37
5x42
5x48
12x37
Dips
10x6
Chins between all sets above so around 100.
On Friday I need to do 5x5 weighted chins… not sure how much weight to use ? I can do 10 with my bodyweight (77kg) once but then I need a good rest to repeat that. That’s why I’ve been doing them by sets of 5.
I went to the gym today cause otherwise I’ll get crazy studying !
C5W1D2, BTM
Dl
5x81
5x92
3x5x104
Bench
5x48
5x54
5x5x61
(60-90s rest between each, the last few reps of the last set were hard aha)
5x20 DB row with 16kg
curls with a straight bar of 15 kg: 15/10/10/10/10
I’ve never done curls before and they were particularly hard after the rows!
I powered through the workout and I was done in just under an hour
Weight: 77.4kg
C5W1D3
Squat
5x70
5x80
5x90
20x45
The 20 rep set felt pretty good! Hopefully this lasts…
OHP
5x25
5x30
5x35
10x5x37 (70%)
I took between 60-90s rest for these, it felt hard the manageable!
5x5 Chins, weighted at 5/7.5/5/5/5kg
The first set felt easy so ramped it up but I knew I wouldn’t be able to do 3 more sets at 7.5kg.
The program calls for 100 shrugs but I prefered to do 3x20 back extensions bcause it’s been feeling tight.
The session was done in just an hour, I’m enjoying that!
Weight: 77.8
edit: I also do the band pull-apart but at home with an old inner tube
C5W2D1, BTM
Start of another week ! 531 Forever is on its way, it should be there next monda hopefully!
Squats
Main sets
5x65
5x75
5x5x85
These felt pretty good and I almost didn’t take any rest between these reps as I was doing chins too.
Press
Main sets
5x35
5x40
5x45
10x35
I jumped too fast into the AMRAP set…
14x5 dips, these were really hard to go through, but I’m glad because when I first tarted doing them I would do 25 total and be done! I am trying to ramp up to 100 on the final week.
100 chins in total
weight: 77.4kg
C5W2D2
Deadlift
5x76
5x87
5x5x98
Bench
5x44
5x51
5x5x58
5x20 DB rows with 16kg
5x10 curls with straight bar at 15 kg
weight: 78.6, I ate a lot yesterday aha
I like wednesdays, they’re not as tough as mondays and fridays.
C5W2D3, end of the second week of BTM
This week felt pretty light, which is the point because next week will be much harder.
Squat
5x65
5x75
5x85
20x56
The 20-rep set was definitely harder than last week but my legs started burning around the 17th rep so I feel pretty good about it!
Press
10x5x27
This was a lower weight so I tried to focus on pausing and exploding at the bottom. I took 1 min rest between sets.
Weighted chins : 7.5/7.5/5/5/5 kg
Next week I’ll do 3x7.5, 2x5kg
weight: 78.4kg.
I received 531 Forever! The shipping was pretty fast, 6 days from the US to the UK. The content is amazing, there are so many options available.
Each program is explained in details, as well as who should/should not do it, which is good to know for a beginner. I really recommend people to get it, you won’t be disappointed.
I am trying to decide what would be the best/msot interesting for my next programs. After BTM, I have 5 cycles to go, counting deloads, before leaving uni and going home. I need to decide what these 5 cycles will be.
Damn I’m jealous I really want the new book but I just can’t justify like £30 on a book right now. I’m going to have to either wait till I secure a job or for the e-book.
Glad to see you’re enjoying building the monolith. You must be at university a pretty long time if you can fit five more cycles it, I’m not jealous of that bit lol.
That’s the only thing I indulged for myself since last september… Also I don’t drink so that’s the money I haven’t spent on drinks aha
The ebook will be out in a few months I believe, maybe just wait for that: there’s also no shipping cost!
I have my thesis to write this summer, I’m hoping to be done at the start of august. From there I need to find a job etc so I don’t know how my training will suffer, hopefully it won’t!
But that’s the main reason why I want to plan these 5 cycles really well.
I am very happy to have 4 more weeks to go on BTM before starting another program: there is so much to the book I’m getting lost.
I have different options available.
I think I need two more cycles of hypertrophy work before handling heavier weights: I’d like to reach 80kg of bodyweight. I have been eating more on BTM and it seems to be working.
BBB sounds interesting especialy because I have never done it.
For the strength part, I like the idea of BBS or SSL. I like doing BBS on the press with BTM so I can see myself enjoying these workouts.
Krypteia is a 5 cycle program the first time you do it, this might be an option because it brings hypertrophy and strength.
@MarkKO, as an example, could you give me an idea of the templates you’ve ran in the past and worked well (for hypertrophy, then strength ?). Thanks again. Any advice on my programming that you can think of for somebody of my level ?
My next cycles will also depend on how many days a week I will be able to train. Switching to 4 days could be an option as I won’t have lecture this summer.