Try the more volume idea mate, I feel my bench has flown up the last 2 months benching 2 or 3 times a week compared to when I was doing 5/3/1
My comment was more than just comfort words
I do believe 110 kg x 6 to be strong.Even if it’s far from competitive in the powerlifting world,you still bench more than most people and than what you benched at the beginning of this log
Sometimes in the chase of our goals we forget how far we’ve come
As far as messing with 531,after doing it for so long I think you are at the point of messing with it
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Maybe Juggernaut is something you should give a look at.I’ve heard it’s like 531 with a lot more volume
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To echo @andypee, volume drives my pressing (at least my bench) like nobody’s business. I’ve enjoyed having chest focused pressing, shoulder focused pressing, and triceps focused pressing doing each once a week. I cut back on volume per session, but I’m getting significantly more weekly volume and with better quality/heavier compound movements.
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@stronkfak wise words. I think next cycle I will start benching more. This cycle I’ll let my shoulder get used to benching again, then into more volume.
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This is what I’m thinking for bench: I’ll test bi-weekly benching next cycle, and if it’s good I’ll continue it. I won’t need to change much for the leader phase in 2017 since its 5s Pro with FSL and a very low TM. I’ll just have my FSL as 3x8 one day and 5x5 the other and keep assistance as planned except for making press my push work on Monday.
For next cycle, I’ll do 531 with plus set and FSL 3x8 on Monday and 531 pyramid without plus set on Thursday. Assistance either day stays as is except for press as the push assistance Monday.
Tempting as it is to start all this next week, I don’t change things mid cycle unless I have no choice. Plus, it’ll help to let my shoulder gradually reacclimatise to benching.
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I like it. I’m with everyone else, volume and frequency moves my bench better than any other means. Just make sure you pay attention to your body (shoulders), it’ll sneak up on you then it’s too late (I know you already know this, just a friendly reminder).
Every time I’m kicking ass and hit a PR, I take it one step too far and pay the price.
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That has been my experience too. I only stopped because I started 531 and didn’t want to mess with it; but I was genuinely concerned that it didn’t allow much frequency for bench.
I still feel mildly bad about making a significant alteration, but I won’t ignore the evidence simply to keep chugging the Koolaid. I’ll adhere to the main principles of starting light, progressing slowly and hitting rep PRs: the spirit, if not the letter.
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Able to finally put a line under this week. Not the best I’ve had but a fair chunk of that was how I reacted to various situations so I can’t complain.
Gut feels normal again. This is good.
I’m also down to 209 lbs. I say this because in the last few days I’ve been below 209 on waking. Hell, today I was 206.6. That’s with regular hydration and regular eating. The day after my gastro I was in fact over 209 on waking. So, things appear to be working.
Today’s training
Agile 8 plus shoulders
Squat
12 TRX fatman pull-ups between first three warm-up sets
5x319 lbs, under 6 RPE - this felt very, very light
5x363 lbs, under 6 RPE - still feeling light
10x412 lbs, 7 RPE - just didn’t have the focus to execute more reps safely. Bar felt light though. I’ll take 400ish for 10 on a mediocre day.
Front squat, Oly shoes
5x8x214 lbs, under 6 to 7-8 RPE
Did these quickly, pretty much no reset between reps and hardly locking out at the top. Turns out clean grip is quite comfortable for medium reps with a light weight. Probably the first time I’ve felt my quads from front squats. Hips/groin too. Definitely a welcome break from close stance squats.
Rear foot elevated split squats (from hereon in RFESS)
50 total reps with 44 lbs of chain on my neck: 15, 15, 10, 10
Didn’t fancy holding DBs but didn’t want to go bodyweight only. Felt these from hip to knee. Groin gets opened AF but as long as I stretch after it’s fine.
45 degree back raises
100 total reps:
Heavy+medium band 16
Heavy band 6
Rest
Heavy band 12
Medium band 8
Rest
Medium band 15
Bodyweight 15
Rest
Bodyweight 28
Traps
50 total reps DB shrugs, 80 lbs per hand: 20, 20, 10
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Went though and made the necessary alterations to have bench twice a week. It looks decent. Doing 2017 was easy enough, because of the leader/anchor. All I needed to do there was basically make Thursday a mirror of Monday. For my anchor PR set is Monday, no PR set on Thursday. For peaking joker set is Monday and FSL paused bench on Thursday.
For next cycle, PR set is on Monday with FSL sets and 531 pyramid on Thursday.
Sticking with 50 total reps military press on Monday after bench, starting at 132 lbs and going up 5 lbs every cycle.
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Starting to realise something that I should probably be careful about in some circumstances: it’s probably becoming quite obvious that I’m fairly contemptuous of anyone who states that they have a goal and then proceed to do nothing (or even the opposite required) to achieve it.
Case in point: my fiancee decided (again) that she needs to lose weight. Fair enough, her call. I suppose she could drop 10-15 lbs if she really wanted, but apart from wanting to she doesn’t need to for health reasons.
To my dismay, she asks me how to do it quickly (wedding we’re guests at in early December seems to be the driver). I put it to her that she can chose between getting lighter quickly or actually getting leaner - which takes time. I strongly advised against doing anything stupid and tried to explain that it could take some time. I also made the point that I’d so anything to help, but that she’d have to drive this otherwise it wouldn’t work. Lastly, I asked her what she was prepared to do to achieve this, and tried really hard to make a big deal about it being OK if there were limits. Pretty much what I said was, be honest about your limits, because there’s no wrong answer - you just have to be realistic about what you’re prepared to do. If that happens to be nothing, don’t sweat it because you don’t actually need to lose weight. When you want to enough, you’ll do what it takes.
Anyway, she was fine with that, I tried giving her some easy things to do that don’t take much effort. She said she was ready to do anything, which made me cringe a little because I’ve seen her try before. My advice was to use a plate as a measure and just go half lean meat, half carbs/veggie mix and eat all her meals. No worries.
Long story short, she fails to even do any of that that day, talks about doing lots of cardio. Next two day she’s sore and stiff AF. Saturday night were at her aunt’s who’s been training and eating well pretty consistently. She and I get on great, we’ve got similar attitudes and started talking about why people stay fat and unfit. Anyway, I caught myself saying what I feel and thought, oops, this probably comes across as targeted at my fiancee. It wasn’t, but it did make me realise that I had gotten surprisingly frustrated by my other half not following through with what she said she wanted to do.
I felt kind of bad, because my immediate thoughts were that she sees what I do day in day out and sees the results so why can’t she just do the same? Arrogant much huh?
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My wife told me once she was going to do a water cut so that she could lose 10 lbs in 36 hours like I did to make weight for a meet 
Just let it slide dude. From what I’ve seen boyfriends/husbands who try to play personal trainer usually just create more friction. Just answer her questions etc but if you try to hold her accountable you both may get resentful
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Totally agree. I actually told her about a couple of quick cutting strategies for losing scale weight. Worst case, she’ll try one a week out.
I’d never try to hold her accountable, I was more taken by surprise by my internal dialogue about it.
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Dude, you would hate me, I am so much like your wife.
Well, that sounded fucking weird, I am not committed to losing weight despite the fact I say I am, is probably a more accurate statement. I am down about 5lbs over the last month though, so that is something.
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Nah, I love her to bits. I think that’s why it irked me. She’s so good at everything else she does.
I think 209 lbs may be a point where my strength gets affected. I don’t doubt it’s temporary, probably week or two and I’ll adjust, but it seems noticeable.
Today’s training
Agile 8 plus shoulders
Press
25 pull aparts with rotation between first three warm-up sets
Left bicep feeling weird and abs being lazy
3x126 lbs, under 6 RPE
3x137 lbs, just under 6 RPE
6x165 lbs, 9 RPE - just not there today
5x7x126 lbs, 7 to 8-9 RPE
30x110 lbs calf raises between sets
DB bench 50 total reps with 75 lbs: 10, 8, 9, 8, 8, 7
Made a big effort to tuck, then flare. World of difference, felt very much like benching. Massive pump in my upper chest. Promising. Even felt like I got some leg drive.
DB chest supported rows 50 total reps with 65 lbs: 10, 12, 12, 10, 6
Played with ploy boxes, worked up to two 90 cm standing jumps. Was pleased, then saw how low that is. Still kind of pleased.
Incline treadmill walk: 20 minutes 15 degrees at 4 km/h with 44 lbs chain
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Bad days happen, especially when you are running on a deficit, mate. You are definitely making tons of progress though by dropping your body weight so much while keeping your strength the same/slightly increased. You’ll be killing it when you get back to your old weight, except you’ll be a good bit healthier, and better put together. Or you can always hang out in the 93KG weight class like me. lol
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Am I the only one that when he gets more reps in a set than the previous one immediately wonders if he was a bitch or just rested more?
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Really not switched on this week, and I think that’s a large part of why my strength seems to be there but not accessible.
Today’s training
Agile 8
SGDL
3 pull-ups between first three sets. Chest to bar with narrow grip, not quite with wide
5x286 lbs, under 6 RPE
5x330 lbs, just under 6 RPE
7x374 lbs, 9 RPE - sloppy AF, just not there
Tried paused front squats at 286 lbs, got one. No juice
25 total reps 225 lbs front squat: 6, 4, 5, 5, 5
Fat Gripz BB shrugs 100 total reps at 132 lbs: 20, 16, 17, 17, 15, 15
Felt like I’d short changed my quads so
50x440 lbs leg press, close stance in Oly shoes rest/pause.
Definitely don’t feel leg press in my quads
Bench tomorrow. Expectations are realistic this time
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