I think you nailed it dude! The monsters mixed in with all the healthy stuff seals it, haha.
2 Likes
03/13/2021
5/3/1 BBB Beefcake W3D2 (1ās)
Squats
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5
350 x 5
395 x 5
445 x 5
350 x 10
350 x 10
350 x 10
350 x 10
350 x 10
Those squats were an ass kicker. My lower back and quads were fired up. Not a lot left in the tank after that last set. As difficult as these sets were, I seem to be able to grind squats more comfortably than deadlifts.
Dips
20
20
20
20
Chins
10
10
10
10
10
Edit: Ok, Iād like to increase the RPE on this workout. Sitting here 15 minutes after completing my workout and Iām overcome with a nauseas feeling and having difficulty reading the computer screen. Time to eat.
4 Likes
These stats look like the most recent ones I have recorded (Jan 2020), so Iāll include those for comparison to my current stats below.
Weight: 222.2lbs (P.M. 3hrs post meal - night shift) (+2.6lbs)
Arms: L:15.75" (17.5" flexed) R:15.75" (18" flexed) (+0.25")
Forearms: 13.5" (14" flexed)
Hips: 43"
Shoulders: 54.75"
Waist (love handles): 37.5"
Chest: 45.5"
Neck: 16.75" (-0.25")
Thighs: 27" (+2")
Calves: 16.75" (-0.25")
Iām not unhappy looking at these numbers. Another big year in life where training was lower on the priority list than previous years. My thighs could still be showing the effects from yesterdayās squat workout, so we will see if this 27" sticks around or not. In week 3 of 5/3/1 BBB Beefcake, so this will at least give me some numbers to work off of if I continue on with Building the Monolith and Deep Water. Diet has been pretty good these last few weeks, but still some room for improvement. Following the Mountain Dog/Deep Water style of eating, similar to Pwn.
February 23 my weight was down to 218.2lbs from my cut which began on Jan 1. Since then I have switched my nutritional focus from eating to lose weight to eating to recover from my workouts. I hope to start adding in some more cardio into my week to help recovery and also burn a few extra cals (maybe even see that waist measurement drop an inch or two).
2 Likes
03/14/2021
5/3/1 BBB Beefcake W3D3
OHP
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
160 x 5
180 x 5
200 x 5
160 x 10
160 x 10
160 x 10
160 x 10
160 x 10
Well that last BBB set took me to RPE 10. Grindy rest-pause for that last set.
T-Bar Rows
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
Ab Wheel
20
20
20
Split Squat
10
10
10
How you been liking it dude? One of the things that always kept me gravitating toward that approach is just how I always feel ālightā eating that way. Iām pretty much always hungry, which is what I prefer. Feeling full makes me feel sluggish and slow, and carbs always got me there.
Been great watching you kill it alongside me dude. Good to have a partner in crime on this one.
I like it! Iāve ran similar approaches in the past and have had success but always end up migrating back to carbs because they are easyā¦and pizza. I havenāt felt any need to add carbs back into my diet, although I do eat quite a bit of fruit and some trace carbs when finishing off what the young lad doesnāt eat on his plate.
These past few days my hunger has increased significantly, but Iāve also made sure not to be hungry for very long. My workout frequency and volume have increased a lot with this program, yet my recovery has not been an issue. Sleep has been a little sporadic with me working nights again, but Iām making it work. Only two more weeks until Iām back on days for the summer.
Iāve been enjoying the challenge, and knowing that you and a bunch of people over at Reddit are running it as well has kept me accountable. Thanks for popping in.
3 Likes
Definitely get that shift work life: Iām on my second night 12 right now and will be coming home to deadlifts, haha. Cool to hear. Iām in a similar boat with carbs: I keep reading and hearing about how you NEED them for hard training, and itās just not happening with me. I see value in them when Iām LOSING weight, but when Iām gaining, protein and fats all the way.
1 Like
03/15/2021
Bonus Work
Poundstone Curls 45lb axle
65 reps - put bar down; rest 60s
35 reps - (15, 10, 5, 5)
Calf Raises 60lb dumbbells
12 toes out, 12 toes in, 12 toes straight
12 toes out, 12 toes in, 12 toes straight
12 toes out, 12 toes in, 12 toes straight
Triceps Pushdowns Bands
50 red micro
50 red mini
50 black mini (equivalent to Rogue blue mini)
50 red mini
50 red micro
Followed this up with a bunch of bodyweight lunges to loosen my hip up. It seems to be angry right now, and I have a feeling it is from the ab wheel. I may have been cheating by using and straining my hip flexors. I may work in some different ab work for the rest of the week to see if the discomfort subsides.
Glorious!
Oh, and sweet news on the new weight setup. U donāt think kgs or lbs vary in cost here thanks to Rogue.
1 Like
It was delicious! It is from a little corner store in the small town near us. It is still feeling heavy on my stomach 7hrs after eating it though!
My night shift ended up being nearly 11hrs, then had to run some errands before coming home to our son who was home sick for the day with my wife. Went down for a 4.5hr sleep, woke up and was tasked with going to town to pick up some baby Tylenol, and this is when we agreed that picking up a pizza was the play. We all enjoyed it, even our young lad who wasnāt eating very well due to being sick (typically a pretty good eater). He seemed to be getting better by the end of the day, so hopefully it passes quickly. I feel awful when he gets sick, I just want to take the sickness and bear it for him.
2 Likes
that looks amazing
1 Like
03/17/2021
I found a quick minute to get my accessory work done for my deadlift day. As long as the young lad is feeling better in the morning and he can return to daycare, I should be able to get my workout in after my night shift.
5/3/1 BBB Beefcake W3D4 Accessory Work
Superset the following work:
Dips
20
20
20
Band Facepulls
35
35
35
Leg Raises - Abs back supported, on one of those dip bar/leg raise combo units
10
10
10
Also, just an additional note about the axle curls from my workout earlier this week. The bar was a 3ā axle, not sure of the weight. I actually had some forearm DOMS the day following those curls.
1 Like
This week has been a little more difficult the last few in terms of time and energy for workouts. Our little man has been fighting a bug and home from daycare for the last 3 days. This means I work nights, and then look after him for the majority of the day while my wife works. Iām lucky to get in a couple 1-3hr naps which carry me through until my next shift. Yesterday I ended up picking up the bug that my son had. Mostly dry, sore throat with fairly significant body aches. Back, knees, hips, even hands seem to be in pain which was frustrating.
I went and got tested for COVID-19 just to rule it out and feel more comfortable about sending our son back to daycare given that his symptoms seemed to be getting better. Negative, thankfully.
This morning I attempted my week 3 deadlifts, with some of my internal thoughts during the workout.
5/3/1 BBB Beefcake W3D4
Deadlfts
135 x 5
225 x 5 - felt like 315
315 x 5 - felt like 405
385 x 5 - tough set, this is going to be my 5x10??
435 x 5 - felt like a top set
485 x 5 - not fun, but got it done
385 x 5 - Supposed to be 10 reps, not even sure Iāll get 5x5 today
385 x 5 - Uh oh, it might just be 3 x 5 todayā¦
385 x 5 - Ok, I can probably get 5 x 5
385 x 5 - Hmm, I can probably get 10 on my last set.
385 x 10 - This set probably felt the best out of all of them, but back wasnāt feeling too thrilled. Body still feeling pretty achy, back and knees mainly this morning.
I was out in the garage for ~2hrs installing a new winch switch on my ATV and installing 4 x LED shop lights in my garage.
I came back into the house where 385lbs was still loaded and decided to just pull it to at least get my 50 total reps with 385lbs for the day.
385 x 10
385 x 10
2 Likes
Iām just going to leave this here for future reference as my shoulder has been a little buggy.
1 Like
Bonus Work:
3 Rounds of:
35lb KB Swings x 25
BW Dips x 20
Red Mini Band Facepulls x 35
Finisher:
3" Axle Curls x 75reps (90s rest) + 25reps
2 Likes
2km walk with a 50lb vest. This was more tiring than Iād like to admit. Traps were torched.
Now that the weather is nicer, Iām hoping to start working these into my weekly routine.
1 Like
Love the narrative of this. Definitely been there before. That feeling when you hit the FSL set on the way UP and go ācrap: this feels heavyā is such a sense of doom. Good on you for sticking it through as best you could.
1 Like
So my last workout wrapped up the first three weeks of 5/3/1 BBB Beefcake. Over the next three weeks, I will be running it 3/5/1. This actually makes for a nice little pyramid of weeks capped off by the heaviest week (5/3/1/3/5/1).
Overall, I really think the first three weeks went well. The program took me into ādeeper watersā than Iāve been in a while, and I realize that Iām still just splashing around in the shallow end. I completed everything as prescribed except for my last day of deadlifts on the 1ās week. I just didnāt have enough gas in the tank for the 5x10 BBB sets.
I did a few small ābonus workoutsā consisting of some curls/swings/dips/facepulls/etc., but there was almost zero conditioning added to the base workouts. This is one area I plan to improve on over the next three weeks. This coming week is my last week on nights until next winter, so I shouldnāt have a lack of sleep to blame for my next 1ās week performance.
Diet has been fairly consistent. A pizza, a bag of popcorn, and a handful of cereal or goldfish crackers on occasion (when our son doesnāt finish his snacks) were my direct carbs (other than fruit) over the last three weeks. Otherwise, it has been nuts/nut butter, beef/chicken, eggs, guacamole, flax seed oil, protein powder and veggies for the bulk of my calories.
Iām jumping right into the next three weeks of BBB before a week deload and into Building the Monolith (Full body training and widowmakers squatsā¦oh boyā¦).
2 Likes
03/20/2021
5/3/1 BBB Beefcake W4D1
Bench
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
255 x 5
285 x 5
225 x 10
225 x 10
225 x 10
225 x 10
225 x 10
No real issues with any of these sets.
T-Bar Rows
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
Split Squats
10
10
10
10
Skipped abs tonight. The last couple of times Iāve done ab wheel or hanging leg raises Iāve tweaked my hipflexors and it has taken a few days to recover. Iām going to take a break on those this week and see if I can ease back into them next week.