If you are doing Smolov, you had better be eating a jar of PB at each meal.
@spidey: It’s definitely awesome, I think everyone should give smolov a try at least once in their lifting careers. Coan just looks appealing because I am pretty sure I can add 30-40lb to my bench in 12 weeks with it (because my bench is still suck). Thanks for the comment, I’ve not really got any legit well taken progress pics (think I’ll carry on looking better due to not drinking for awhile yet) but above is quick capture from a posing video in the last couple of nights which is a reasonable effort.
@ashy: Not quite a jar, but last night I remembered PB is one of the easiest ways to boost the calories, I will be having a tbsp with most meals and go from there. Certainly need to gain weight if I’m to get through the squat programme (using a squat max I hit 7~lb heavier).
[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
@spidey: It’s definitely awesome, I think everyone should give smolov a try at least once in their lifting careers. Coan just looks appealing because I am pretty sure I can add 30-40lb to my bench in 12 weeks with it (because my bench is still suck). Thanks for the comment, I’ve not really got any legit well taken progress pics (think I’ll carry on looking better due to not drinking for awhile yet) but above is quick capture from a posing video in the last couple of nights which is a reasonable effort.
@ashy: Not quite a jar, but last night I remembered PB is one of the easiest ways to boost the calories, I will be having a tbsp with most meals and go from there. Certainly need to gain weight if I’m to get through the squat programme (using a squat max I hit 7~lb heavier).
[/quote]
Dem lats… looking real wide man.
I don’t know how every one talks about putting away PB. I like the stuff, but it fills me up quicker then any other food, like 6 tbsp and I’m done. And I’m a pretty big eater.
[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Dem lats… looking real wide man.
I don’t know how every one talks about putting away PB. I like the stuff, but it fills me up quicker then any other food, like 6 tbsp and I’m done. And I’m a pretty big eater.[/quote]
Thanks. In my head I have more thickness then that, but one can only be so thick at 185~/5ft 10… haha. It’s a big thing to work on as I grow. I definitely struggle w/ PB as well. I’ve never really done more then 2tbsp’s a day but my metabolism seem’s to be super fast right now so force feeding is needed.
Haha I feel you on the scale “trolling” you.
I see those spinal erectors beginning to pop.
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
Haha I feel you on the scale “trolling” you.
I see those spinal erectors beginning to pop.[/quote]
It was trolling as well, as I weighed a full 2lb more today. Cheers, my lower back/love handle area is the last place on me to lean out, so to have an semblance of leanness there is reassuring.
AM Session: Smolov Squat, W1, D3
Squat
136/300 x 5 - 136/300 x 4 - 136/300 x 1 (?) - 136/300 x 3 - 136/300 x 3 - 136/300 x 4 - 136/300 x 4 - 11 reps remaining… - 136/300 x 3 - 136/300 x 3 - 136/300 x 3 - 136/300 x 2
Was onto my first work set within 45 minutes of waking up today and it was extremely tough. When I hit the first rep on the 3rd set and it almost crippled me I realised I’d started getting wider in my stance as the sets went on. I start to think I’m Mr. Powerlifter with a “massive” 300lb on my back and go all wide lol. Needless to say, I switched to my usual just outside shoulder width/“oly width” and the reps felt a lot better. I recovered somewhat but the reps still fell well short overall. 2 sets before finishing my new job rang me up and cancelled my shift. It’s fine though, mo money, mo problems, right?
^lifestory // 186.6 morning weight // back later // 10 x 3 squat tomorrow.
Damn that looks boring.
[quote]samoth2 wrote:
Damn that looks boring.[/quote]
If by boring you mean brutally hard then yes.
With Smolov you have to get in the zone for every set… meaning 26 sets a week of intense focus compared to… 1… on 5/3/1… (trying not to turn my log into 5/3/1 hate… haha)
Back session later. Will be adding a little assistance work this week (lateral/posterior delts tomorrow, for example) but it will be kept relatively minimal overall as even calf work becomes awkward when squatting 4x a week.
I does look hard. Still boring though haha.
Yeah the 1 top set ain’t very much. Might be too little but in two of the weeks I add a few singles afterwards so it’s a bit more.
Sometimes I would like to do the lifts more frequently but I’m committing to 5/3/1 for a while. Otherwise Jab will call me a pussy.
[quote]samoth2 wrote:
I does look hard. Still boring though haha.
Yeah the 1 top set ain’t very much. Might be too little but in two of the weeks I add a few singles afterwards so it’s a bit more.
Sometimes I would like to do the lifts more frequently but I’m committing to 5/3/1 for a while. Otherwise Jab will call me a pussy. [/quote]
I’ll “earn” exciting training and have periods of it (most of my training career / I definitely enjoy training like a bodybuilder more), but putting in the work in the most direct way possible to improve my squat/bench numbers make a lot of sense to me right now. Not sure how much I will directly focus on gaining strength once I’ve done a meet as I have bodybuilding goals for next year. But at such low strength levels, I will likely see strides towards both goals just by getting stronger. 5/3/1 just seems very inefficient at low strength levels, but I will use a bastardised version of the basic template within a bodybuilding split, as imo it works great for that purpose.
Great squatting Jake. Looks brutal indeed!
Samoth… Don’t be a pussy. 
[quote]Jab1 wrote:
Great squatting Jake. Looks brutal indeed!)[/quote]
Thanks, I’m relying on a serious amount of adaptation taking place as my working weights are 10kg higher next week and 5kg the final week. If I somehow manage the reps next week it will a week of volume PRs.
Out for a back session now and catch Holland vs. Germany towards the end of the first half. I’m bound to miss something exciting but dems the sacrifices for gains.
[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
[quote]samoth2 wrote:
I does look hard. Still boring though haha.
Yeah the 1 top set ain’t very much. Might be too little but in two of the weeks I add a few singles afterwards so it’s a bit more.
Sometimes I would like to do the lifts more frequently but I’m committing to 5/3/1 for a while. Otherwise Jab will call me a pussy. [/quote]
I’ll “earn” exciting training and have periods of it (most of my training career / I definitely enjoy training like a bodybuilder more), but putting in the work in the most direct way possible to improve my squat/bench numbers make a lot of sense to me right now. Not sure how much I will directly focus on gaining strength once I’ve done a meet as I have bodybuilding goals for next year. But at such low strength levels, I will likely see strides towards both goals just by getting stronger. 5/3/1 just seems very inefficient at low strength levels, but I will use a bastardised version of the basic template within a bodybuilding split, as imo it works great for that purpose. [/quote]
x2 for 5/3/1 within a bodybuilding split. I think I have come to the same conclusion as you recently on the strength gains and this summer seems like the most logical place for it to happen. After smolov/coan do you plan on going back to 5/3/1 for the main movements and using more bodybuilding type accessory movements?
I am doing 5/3/1 but still squat just about every time I’m in the gym
Bro, come at me you will.
[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
[quote]Jab1 wrote:
Great squatting Jake. Looks brutal indeed!)[/quote]
Thanks, I’m relying on a serious amount of adaptation taking place as my working weights are 10kg higher next week and 5kg the final week. If I somehow manage the reps next week it will a week of volume PRs.
Out for a back session now and catch Holland vs. Germany towards the end of the first half. I’m bound to miss something exciting but dems the sacrifices for gains. [/quote]
No you won’t, nothing exciting ever happens in football, don’t worry.
[quote]ashylarryku wrote:
I am doing 5/3/1 but still squat just about every time I’m in the gym
Bro, come at me you will.[/quote]
How are you structuring that? I always wanted to see how the high frequency strength stuff worked for me but could never keep up with the livespills enough to completely understand it.
@rattler: Yes that may well be my “go to” in between either running another strength programme or go all out bodybuilding for legs/calves which I do really enjoy. If my strength gains are up to my expectations I will feel happy to sit back and maintain my lifts whilst focusing on hypertrophy alone, but this all hinges on if I find a meet I want to target towards the end of the year. If I go BB style (w/531) I will either focus on front squat for awhile or pre-fatigue my back squat. Rest of the bodyparts work quite well just starting with 5/3/1 then bodybuilding afterwards imo but I may substitute incline bench for bench etc. depending on possible meet. /essay
@ashy: considerably improvement on actual 531 then, winning.
@sam: another awesome game, I’d be a h8r too if I was in ur position Ireland tehehe
Back
Pull-ups
Mid-grip - BW x 8 - +10/22 x 8 - add straps - +20/44 x 3
Barbell Rows
Underhand - 90/198 x 8 - 100/220 x 8 - 110/243 x 5
T-Bars (1p = 20kg)
3p x 8 < called, felt terrible on fatigued mid-back
One-arm BB Row / Meadows Row (1p = 10kg plate)
4p x 8 / 4p x 7 - LR -
4p x 3 / 4p x 2
Pullover
20/44 x some w/5+ second ecc.
Didn’t push volume too high on this since it’s sandwiched in between the two heaviest squat days. Already looking forward to hitting my back hard again after swolov.
And from my aforementioned Ibiza trip, he’s a hilarious photo for those of you who don’t have me on facebook. That was the last night and a wholly bad representation, as they were the only beer’s I drank all holiday (spirit man for sure).
Ha! We loaded up on Space vests before we came home, too.
@DC: Great choice. I’d love to go back in September.
Got >350g protein today. 320~ being from whey/eggs/meat. Reppin’ POG ‘protein cakes’ (1 scoop whey, 1 egg, sweeteners, microwave 45 secs). All you can eat buffet tomorrow through the day before squatting/benching at night. Determined to defeat smolov.