5/3/1 Week
Deadlifts:
Bar x some
135 x 10 SLDL
185 x 5 Sumo
245 x 3
285 x 5
325 x 3
360 x 5
Bent Rows - 135 x 10 x 3
Short on time and feeling fatigue building up, so cut it short. It’s going to be a tough week.
Walked 18 holes over the weekend and took care of blisters last night. Bad shoes.
Thanks OG for checking in on my OP’s. I think OP could get more PR’s if his ATP wasn’t DOA.
Mmmm.
5/3/1 Week
Bench Press:
Rotator Cuff warmups
Bar x some
135 x 10
185 x 5
225 x 3
240 x 5
270 x 3
300 x 3
245 x 10
Dips:
BW x 20 x 3
Face pulls, sit ups
I don’t know if there is anything to this armchair theory, but ever since I’ve focused on squats and deadlifts, my bench hasn’t moved much. I’ve been putting equal effort into the big 3 in the 5/3/1 program. Just following the script to the letter.
My squats and deadlifts are up about 50lbs each since the start of the year. Bench hasn’t moved more than a few lbs.
When I was treating bench with more focus than Squats and Deads it was moving up pretty regularly.
By focus I mean intensity. I was hammering my chest for up to a couple of hours sometimes twice a week, and testing 1RM about every third week. Most of the time I could barely pick up a fork to eat on chest days.
CNS?
Still having beginners gains on the lower body?
Maybe I answered my question in the 4th para?
I’m such a dork.
I have never got what i consider great results with 5-3-1 on bench. My biggest bench gains ever came when I was running Smolov and benching using something more akin to Prilipin’s table as kind of an afterthought. Go figure.
dinner porn is better than real porn…wait…did I just say that?!! and all your numbers look good…keep hammering the bench and it will move.
531 Week
Squats:
Bar x 10
135 x 10
185 x 8
225 x 5
255 x 3
270 x 5
305 x 3
340 x 4 Match PR from last cycle
340 x 3 Intentionally tried to go as deep as possible. Dive bomb.
Front Squats:
135 x 10
185 x 5
185 x 5 Ab flutter - shut it down.
Calf work
Screwed up week at work for 531. All workouts were rushed and sleep sucked. On the plus side, dinners have been awesome. No worries.
Now is where patience needs to kick in.
I’ve decided to up the volume slightly on Squats and Bench for next cycle.
BW 190
I have a theory on 5-3-1 that you can really push only 2 of the three lifts at one time. You can make gainst in third but they will be much slower. I’m betting though that this is the case in most systems. You only have so much food, so much rest, adn so much recovery time.
Joe - Thanks for checking in brother!
You may be on to something there. I’m very interested in all things recovery related.
I’ve been examining the program and like you, have many waves under my belt.
The way 5/3/1 is structured for true 1RM % for the top sets are:
week 1 77%
week 2 81%
week 3 86%
If you consider what is most taxing on the body:
I think the program is ideally structured for deadlifts and squats. My theory is to treat Bench and OH press equally with those two big lifts is a mistake. I think the top set volume could be increased in squats with an extra 1 or two sets, Bench up to 3, and OH Press up to 3/4.
JMHO
Very interesting. I’m going to think about this and chime in later.
531 Week
Lunchtime
BW 189
Foam roll, Rotator Cuff warmups
Overhead Press:
Bar x 10 x 2
95 x 8
135 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 3
190 x 2
190 x 3
190 x 1
Dips:
BW x 20 x 3
Pull Downs, Shoulder dislocates
Shoulders are fried.
Still nursing a elbow tendon pull. Can’t do chins or Krocs yet, but getting closer.
Let the deload begin. Going to TRX class next week.
In-n-out Double/Double refeed - Screw it, I’m not a bodybuilder.
Interesting thoughts on 5/3/1 and nice work…let us know how TRX goes!
TRX training today. I went through about 40 exercises with a trainer.
Take-aways:
Nothing too difficult other than some of the core work, which I need.
Lots of shoulder and hip mobility stuff.
Would be good to spend 15-20 minutes as a warmup prior to workouts.
Creation of a 30-45 minute circuit at a good pace for deload weeks would probably help recovery.
Have a lot to learn - balance and form is a little difficult at first.
Deload continues…
A little sore in the upper quads from TRX. I did a one-leg squat movement where you just hang on the to strap for balance. Go deep, come up then kick back as far as possible.
Traps are also feeling it from a variety of face-pull type movements using bodyweight against the straps.
Going hiking next week and climb to the summit of this baby volcano. Will probably wreck me.
OP_ you need to bring an Over 35 T -nation flag and plant it at the summit!!! We would than knight you and call you Sir!. Looks like a freakin awesome place…bet ya there is some good fishing in that water too!
Enjoy!
Read (in another thread) about the progress you made from skinny fat to jacked bad ass in the past decade. Since you’re so much older than me (wink, wink), I’m now going to use you as my motivation when I start to feel “too old for this”. Impressive work Sir!
OG - Good idea. I’ll snap a few photos up there. Plan to spend most of my time Bass and Trout fishing.
Will get my workouts in next week before I leave.
PG - Thanks for dropping in. Crank up that log again brother.
I consider myself far from Jacked. Sounds like a good thread title… But happy with the lean bodyweight I’ve put on over the years. I read in my 40’s how much muscle we lose year after year if we don’t do something about it. I was already in bad shape and could only see it getting worse. That was my motivation and still is. At some point the gains will stop, but not without a fight.
Deload week. re-reading Rippletoes Starting Strength.
It’s hard to disagree with what he says about form on the basic lifts.
Definitely worth a close examination. Will save me some Doctor appoints.
If you haven’t read it, be prepared for a lot of anatomy and geometry terminology.
I think I’m 90% where he recommends form. One of the reasons my frick’in elbow is screwed up is highlighted in the book. For low back squats, Do not grip with the thumb under the bar. Any weight bearing slip will pull the inside elbow tendon. Exactly what happened.
He also describes why rotator cuff tendons are torn with elbow flared benching. Thankfully I haven’t experimented with that one.
Ton of good info on the basic 4 lifts.
I’ve been stalling about buying the Starting Strength book because I didn’t think that there was anything new in it for me but due to your description I think I’ll get the book. I go to the Starting Strength site sometimes for good training tips and great interviews. Do you think the TRX training adds to your strength? I did an introduction to TRX with an instructor but I am not sure if I want to purchase the TRX. My question is how will the TRX add to my powerlifting? Is the TRX worth the investment?
