5/3/1 The Triumvirate Cycle 4 Week 2
Training max 155 lb.
Ball throws
8 lbs. x 12
Squat
Warm up sets
Working sets
105 lb. 70% x 3
120 lb. 80% x 3
135 lb. 90% x 6
Step ups
12 lb. 3 x 15
15 lb. 2 x 15
Leg curls
35 lb. 3 x 10
40 lb. 2 x 10
Jefferson curls
15 lb. 1 x 10
20 lb. 1 x 10
I went into this session with the attitude that I was gonna kill these squats. I don’t think it worked. Lol. I was actually really happy with the leg curls and step ups though. I was afraid that I was going to be super tight this morning from being in the car and sitting in a church pew for so long yesterday, but I felt surprisingly good.
Yesterday was the big scholarship interview. My son said he felt that the interview went well but he could have done better on the essay. He did what he could and I was proud. The car ride was pretty great. Turns out that he is an exceptional road trip DJ. It’s really fun when you realize that your kids pay enough attention to know what your favorite songs are. So we will have to wait until February to see if he will be awarded any scholarships at this school. Next week we drive to a different school for a different scholarship competition. I hope one of them works out. Either way I’m exceptionally proud of how much he has accomplished.
Thursday is my birthday. I took the day off because I hate working on my birthday. It always ends up being a complete and total cluster fuck. So I asked my youngest if he wants to skip school and stay home with me for my birthday. He said yes (obviously). I didn’t tell him that we are going to go the the rock climbing gym and then out to lunch together. He loves rock climbing. I’m actually excited for my birthday now.
The last time I intentionally celebrated my birthday was when I turned 28. I found out I was pregnant about a week before my party, so I spent my last birthday party completely sober. Lol. Any excuse I can find to spend some time with my boys is exciting for me. If I have to use my birthday as that excuse I’m all in.
5/3/1 The Triumvirate Cycle 4 Week 3
Training max 65 lb.
Ball throws
Overhead
8 lb. 10
Overhead press
Warm up sets
Working sets
49 lb. 75% x 5
55.5 lb. 85% x 3
62 lb. 95% x 5 (PR)
Seated Overhead DB Press
15 lb. 3 x 15
20 lb. 2 x 15
Lat Shrugs
50 lb.
Overhand 3 x 10
Underhand 2 x 10
Jefferson curls
20 lb. 1 x 10
1 x 6
Side Bends
15 lb. 3 x 10
Felt pretty good today aside from a crick in my right mid back. Feels like a rib needs to be popped back into place. I’m for sure slowing down on my progress, but I think I have one more cycle in me. After that I’m planning to somewhat slowly move into a deficit and lose some of the chub I have put on. Physically I feel a bit beat up, but mostly I feel strong.
I’m on the cusp of an existential breakdown I think. I’m going to make a separate post for that brain dump.
More to come.
KB swing
20 lb. x 15
Goblet squat
20 lb. x 10
Russian twists
8 lb. x 10
Push-ups
5 down to 1
Good workout today. I tried to focus more on the squeeze at the top of the swing and squat. Sometimes I’m concerned with the count rather than making sure I am making the movement count.
I’m starting to track my food again. I’m not ready for a deficit but I think it’s time to start reigning it back in. I don’t train enough for the amount of food I’m taking in. I’ve got a few things to take care of today and then hopefully I will talk myself in to going for a walk. I truly hate the cold and it’s a battle to get my ass outside when it’s cold. Ugh.
Impractical, but sometimes it’s reality. When I lived in Northern North Dakota, we’d get winters with -60 with windchill AND I also got incredibly ripped training in my insulated garage. It was a kind of result I couldn’t ever replicate anywhere else. Although being 27 may have helped as well, haha.
I know it’s good for me to get out into the cold. I just hate it. Lol. I’m just a bit of a baby. I suppose that is something that I can put in the “things to improve about myself” column. “Be less of a crybaby about the cold.”
Quick side note before I forget. I did my squats on Saturday and was moderately disappointed. I looked back at my old log book and only had 1 more rep than my best prior to starting 5/3/1. Then I remembered that my 135 in that book was actually 130 because I had the bar weight incorrect. So I have actually added 5 pounds and an additional rep on top of that. Doesn’t seem like much, but it made me feel better about the whole thing.
5/3/1 The Triumvirate Cycle 4 Week 3
Training max 195 lb.
Ball throws
8 lb. x 18
Trapbar Deadlift
Warm up sets
Working sets
146.5 lbs. 75% x 5
166 lbs. 85% x 3
185.5 lbs. 95% x 6
Good Mornings
40 lb. 5 x 12
Sit-ups
5 lbs. 5 x 15
I dropped the weight on good mornings and sit-ups. My low back is still somewhat unhappy with me. I was very happy with my last deadlift set. I wanted 5 and got 6. Victory is mine.
Time for me to drop another stretch for everyone. I hold this one for 5 seconds per ‘rep’ and do 10 reps. This Insta video was the easiest way to show you…
I don’t have much else to add other than a good work but it might be worth paying attention to your Good Morning form, those are 11/10 but easy to tweak and strain things if you jump up too much in weight or get lax on the form. I’ve also had success with doing low weight higher rep back extensions as well. YMMV but might be helpful.
Yep. That’s why we all do what we need to in the moment and then forget about it when we feel a little better. You could probably do Cossack squats bet deliberately and count it as an adductor stretch AND single leg work.
Dan John is really big on doing mobility work BETWEEN sets, during rest periods. It might be a way to more seamlessly work it into the system. He uses Tim Anderson’s “Original Strength”, but I imagine anything would be fine.
Today was supposed to be conditioning. It turned out to be an hour and a half of trying to get my shoulder and neck loose enough to move. Heat, foam roller, roller ball, and yoga. Still tight, but better. Friday is a massage. Very excited for that.
So we will have to wait until February to see if he will be awarded any scholarships at this school. Next week we drive to a different school for a different scholarship competition. I hope one of them works out. Either way I’m exceptionally proud of how much he has accomplished.
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