I’m looking forward to see the deadlifting tomorrow!!
Today. I’m excited. I keep running through it in my head.
Today’s training
Agile 8
Deadlift
3x401 lbs, under 6 RPE, sumo
3x462 lbs, 6 RPE, sumo - left hamstring tweaking a bit
3x517 lbs, 7-8 RPE, semi sumo - ugly AF, so focused on my TM single I wasn’t concentrating on the set
1x572 lbs, 9-10 RPE, conventional - felt good, slow off the floor but once it started moving was fine
Got my confidence back.
@andypee I believe you were looking forward to this.
10 fat man pull-ups after each set
On went the Oly shoes.
3x10x297 lbs SSB squat, no belt - first set high, because I was being lazy. Fixed that for sets two and three. Felt my quads, abs and back.
Supersetted 30 lbs hammer curls/220 lbs BB shrugs
5x10/12 - turns out I make faces when shrugging and a) can’t control it nor b) make that face unless I’m shrugging. It’s a kind of disgusted sneer.
Nice rep bud, that looked fairly comfortable! ![]()
It felt good. Gives me hope for October.
Seeing you do that made me want to hit the gym and load up the bar haha!! Really motivates me seeing others lifting what I can’t
Wonderful job @MarkKO and I’m happy to see you say you got your confidence back!!! You are so freakin strong ![]()
Tell me that again when I pull 660 lbs and I’ll start agreeing ![]()
Thanks though.
HA… well I don’t care if you agree or not because that’s what I see!!! Your welcome ![]()
Coming down with a head cold. Yay. Better than tonsilitis though. Also tired AF.
Today’s training:
Agile 8 and shoulders
Bench press
5x192 lbs, under 6 RPE
5x220 lbs, 7-8 RPE - fucked the first unrack, had to reset and try again
7x247 lbs, 9 RPE - tried lifting my head because I was otherwise failing to keep my upper back right. Felt pretty good.
35 pull aparts after each set
5x4x192 lbs paused bench press (2ish seconds), 7 to 7-8 RPE
5x20x88 lbs calf raises after each set
Supersetted dips/132 lbs Hammer Strength chest supported rows
3x10/15
Dips were markedly easier, could probably have done 12s. Chest supported rows were cool, they’ll happen again.
2x12x220 lbs, 1x20x220 lbs trap bar shrugs - kind of like these. Feels like they make it easier to hit the lower traps, but don’t hit the upper traps as well as barbell shrugs.
About 5 minutes leg to leg jump rope, very not unbroken.
Definitely a head cold. Got an OK sleep, and nice not to have to be up at around 0400, but I’d have slept better if I hadn’t kept being woken up by my hands going numb.
Anyhow, nothing below the head so green light training. I mightn’t push the plus set though, because breathing is going to be problematic. An excuse for some heavy singles? Maybe.
Hands going numb?!? That doesn’t sound good and hopefully doesn’t happen much. I am excited about how positive you are even when your not feeling the greatest ![]()
Probably nothing, must have slept on them funny. Pretty rare for sure.
I can’t help being positive. I’ve got a great partner and stepson, a job that pays pretty well that I like and I can also squeeze in my training and to cap it all I’ve managed to make myself the kind of man I can actually like and respect. I mean, what more could I ask for?
That’s really great to know! You for sure seem like a special guy. The positive energy is definitely contagious and I need to see all of that I can. I try to stay positive but seems like someone always is around to try and break me down. I’m too sensitive so I guess that’s my fault. Thank you for being a good support from far away!
Well, I’m glad it helps. I figured at a young age in my adult life that I wouldn’t ever blame anyone for my situation because as an adult, I’m the only person who decides what happens to me. I proceeded to make some very bad decisions and have not a very pleasant few years, but after a while I decided to stop that and make better decisions. This helped.
From the tone of your logs and the content, I think you’ll be fine. If people aren’t good for you, remove them from your life. Same with anything else. If you’re picky about who is close to you, you’ll be happier. I’d rather be alone than with anyone or any group that wasn’t good for me.
Today’s training
Agile 8 and shoulders
Squat
No more walking out until after the meet in October
5x324 lbs, under 6 RPE - I might be congested but these felt great
5x374 lbs, under 6 RPE - a little weight there but it seems like anything under 400 lbs doesn’t feel particular heavy these days
5x423 lbs, 6 or a bit under RPE - congested enough I decided I’d just do minimum reps. Weight feeling OK is one thing, not getting enough air is another.
1x473 lbs, 9 RPE - unrack felt terrible, like the bar was unevenly loaded. Still moved fine though.
Had to tighten my belt one notch. Seems like my waistline got smaller again.
1x500 lbs, 10 RPE - new sleeves PR, 16.5 lbs off my all time PR.
3x15 push ups here and there
Oly shoes go on
5x5x324 lbs close stance squat, deep as I felt I could safely go, 7 to 7-8 RPE. Kept my belt unbuckled for these.
10x30 lbs hammer curls after each set
3x12x264 lbs Oly shoe hack squat
3x10x220 SSB good mornings
1x20 45 degree back raises with about 88 lbs of chain on my neck
Also playing around in my head with the next seven weeks. I think it may make good sense to take a step back from going all out on rep PRs on the squat, and instead get accustomed to heavy wrapped singles.
I’m thinking along the lines of capping my plus sets at the minimum reps for weeks one and three and working up in wrapped singles past my TM; and in week two capping the plus set at five reps.
That way I’ll get a more accurate idea of where my wrapped single sits, get comfortable with my second attempt and beyond and also get back into the wrapped groove. Ideally I’ll have hit very close to my third attempt before I hit the platform.
I know that’s not 531 as Jim intended, but I think it’s close enough to be a decent option. I also know it’ll help me come meet day if I’m used to a heavy bar on my back.
Then post meet I’ll go back to focusing on my plus sets and setting rep PRs.
I’m pretty sure this is what Jim originally programmed in 5/3/1 for Powerlifting
Now that you mention it…
I just went over my spreadsheet, and I’ve somewhat fool hardily blended that with what I did in the run up to my last meet, which worked really well.
I’ll go for a rep PR as normal next week; then in week three I’ll chuck on wraps from the get go and hit the 1+ set for just one, then my TM for a single, then my PR for a single (my TM is 11 lbs below my PR by now). Then I’ll have a deload.
Cycle seven I’ll do all my squats wrapped and hit only the minimum prescribed reps followed by two singles close to my TM for the first and between my TM and third attempt for the second. That will have me hitting a top single just 11 lbs shy of my planned third attempt.
I had a think decided that while I have no business mucking with 531, I know what works for me in the month or so leading to a meet. For DL 351 is as close to perfect as can be, and for bench as long as I hit a couple of heavy singles here and there I’ll be fine but for squats I need to get a real feel for a) wraps and b) heavier singles close to my third attempt.
The head cold persists, but stays in my head which is a decent outcome.
I’ll be training after work all this week, and that means post night shift. That’ll be different.