Pick Things Up & Putting Them Down with 5/3/1

Thursday 3/31/11
Cycle 3
Week 1 Day 3

Flat Bench Press:
45x20
95x5
115x3
145x5
165x5
190x5

DB Flat Press:
60x12
65x10
70x8
75x6

Weighted Dips:
25x8
45x8
45x8
45x7

Skullcrusher:
65x8
65x8
60x10
60x10

Pushups until failure

13 Chin ups
13 Push ups
13 Lunges

Comments: Widened my grip on the bench press by more than an inch on each side, and could tell the difference right away. I could actually feel when my triceps kick in and do the work, and it is evident that my weakness is my chest. Hopefully a wider grip will make my bench go up because it is supposed to be easier. I plan on doing the required reps for bench press week 1 2 and 4, and doing as many as possible week 3. We’ll see where that gets me. Tomorrow is deadlift.

Friday 4/1/11
Cycle 3
Week 1 Day 4

Deadlift:
135x5
185x5
225x3
265x5
305x5
345x5

Weighted Wide Pull ups:
45x5
35x5
35x5
35x5

T-Bar Row:
90x12
115x10
135x8
160x6

Cable Row:
100x12
120x12
140x12
160x12

Rear Delt work:
3 sets of 12

14 Push Ups
14 Lunges

Comments: Dead tired.

Monday 4/4/11
Cycle 3
Week 2 Day 1

Push Press:
45x10
65x5
95x3
115x3
135x3
155x6 (Just aimed for 6)

DB Arnold Press:
45x12
50x10
55x8
60x6

DB Lateral Raise:
15x15
20x15
20x15

BB Curl:
85x12
95x10
115x7

Cable Curl:
3 sets of 12 on 42.5 difficulty

15 Pull ups
15 Push ups
15 Lunges

Comments: Good workout. Weight was light, I would have gotten 155 for 10 most likely. 60lb DB arnold’s were very easy as well, I am going to use 65’s next week. Trying to add weight to the curls as well to progress and make the muscles grow. Going to up the weight on cable curls and increase the reps on Barbell curls next week. Squat Tuesday.

Tuesday 4/5/11
Cycle 3
Week 2 Day 2

Squat:
135x5
155x5
185x3
205x3
230x3
265x10 (Easy)

Seated Calf Raise:
145x20
145x20
145x20
145x20

Good Mornings:
95x10
95x10
95x10
95x10

Hanging Leg Raises:
3 sets to failure

16 Pull ups
16 Push ups
16 Lunges

Comments: Killed the workout today. Told myself to do 10 reps on the squat to get back into higher rep squats for next week (goal is to knock out 275 for 10-12). It was really easy. Tomorrow is off!

Wednesday 4/6/11

17 Closegrip Chin ups
17 Diamond Push ups
17 Lunges

Thursday 4/7/11
Cycle 3
Week 2 Day 3

Flat Bench:
45x20
95x5
115x5
135x3
155x3
175x3
200x3 (Only doing prescribed reps)

Flat DB Press:
60x12
65x10
70x8
80x6 (PR)

Weighted Dips:
25x8
45x8
45x8
45x8

Skullcrushers:
60x12
60x12
60x12
60x12

18 Push Ups
18 Chin Ups
18 Lunges

Comments: Great workout. Using a much wider grip on the bench press, and it feels very different. 200 for 3 was very easy. Next week’s weight is 210x1, but I will aim for 3 reps which should be no problem. Got an insane pump from the skullcrushers, even though they were really light. I focused on squeezing my tri’s and using a really large range of motion, going all the way behind my head. Even though 60lb is light, they felt amazing. Deadlifts tomorrow!

Friday 4/8/11
Cycle 3
Week 2 Day 4

Deadlift:
135x5
185x5
225x5
285x3
325x3
365x6 (Felt right to stop there)

DB Row:
70x10
80x10
90x10
100x15

T-Bar Row:
90x12
115x10
135x8
155x6

Cable Row:
100x12
120x12
140x12
160x12

Rear Delt Work:
3 sets of 12

Comments: Damn, I am beat.

Sunday 4/10/11

20 Chin Ups
20 Push Ups
20 Lunges

Monday 4/11/11
Cycle 3
Week 3 Day 1

Push Press:
45x10
65x5
95x3
125x5
145x3
165x5 (PR)

DB Arnold Press:
45x12
50x10
55x8
65x6 (PR)

DB Lateral Raise:
15x15
20x15
20x15

BB Curl:
85x12
95x10
115x8 (PR)

Cable Curl:
3 sets of 10 on 50 difficulty

21 Wide Pull Ups
21 Push Ups
21 Lunges

Tuesday 4/12/11
Cycle 3
Week 3 Day 2

Squat:
135x5
155x5
185x3
215x5
245x3
275x12 (PR)

Seated Calf Raise:
145x20,20,20,20

Good Mornings:
95x10,10,10

22 Wide Pull ups
22 Push ups
22 Lunges

Comments: Great day today. Last time I squatted 275, I struggled with 5 reps. For some magical reason, lowering my squat 1RM and working back up, along with some form adjustments, has done wonders for me. I can see 3 plates are near and cannot wait. 2 hours later, and my legs are already sore… normally the next day and the 2nd day are the worst, never had soreness the same day except for when I did Boring But Big, and did 5x10 after my heavy set… so damn, looks like taking a decent shit will be a problem for the next few days. Tomorrow is off.

Wednesday 4/13/11

23 Pull Ups
23 Push Ups
23 Lunges

Thursday 4/14/11
Cycle 3
Week 3 Day 3

Flat Bench:
45x20
95x5
115x5
135x3
165x5
185x3
210x3

DB Flat Press:
60x12
65x10
70x8
80x7(PR)

Weighted Dips:
25x8
45x8
45x8
45x10 (PR for last set)

Skullcrusher:
65x12
65x12
65x12
65x12

24 Pull Ups
24 Push Ups
24 Lunges

Friday 4/15/11
Cycle 3
Week 3 Day 4

Deadlift:
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x3
305x5
345x3
385x5 (PR)

DB Rows:
70x10
80x10
90x10
105x15 (PR)

T-Bar Row:
90x12
115x10
135x8
160x6 (PR)

Wide Pull Ups:
25 reps total
25 Push Ups
25 Lunges

Comments: Deadlifts went great, I think that I could pull 4 plates for about 3 reps at this point. By the time I work up to that weight (about 2 months of 5/3/1) I will hopefully pull it for 5. Breaking the 4 plate barrier on deads and the 3 plate barrier on squats will feel amazing… However, repping 2 plates on the bench press seems far away. I wish that lift progressed as well as much lower body lifts do. Oh well, deload next week.

Monday 4/18/11
Cycle 3
Week 4 Day 1 (Deload week)

Press:
45x10
65x5
85x5
105x5

DB Arnold Press: (Decided to keep this movement heavy)
45x12
50x10
55x8
65x8 (PR)

DB Lateral Raise:
15x15,15,15

BB Curls:
85x12
105x10
105x8

Cable Curls:
3 sets of 15 on 42.5 difficulty

26 Wide Pull Ups
26 Push Ups
26 Lunges

Comments: Taking this week easy, but I can’t help myself from doing at least one movement heavy. Today it was DB arnolds and they felt great. Light squatting tomorrow.

Tuesday 4/19/11

27 Pull Ups
27 Push Ups
27 Lunges

Thursday 4/21/11
Cycle 3
Week 4 Day 3 (Deload)

Flat Bench:
45x20
95x5
115x5
135x5

DB Flat Press:
60x12
70x10
75x8
85x6 (PR)

Dips:
15,15,15

Skullcrushers:
60x12,12,12 (Left tricep felt weird around my elbow)

28 Wide Pull ups
28 Push ups
28 Lunges

Friday 4/22/11
Cycle 3
Week 4 Day 4 (Deload)

BB Rows:
45x20
95x15
135x12,12,12,12

DB Rows:
70x10
80x10
90x10
110x15 (PR)

29 Wide Pull Ups
29 Push Ups
29 Lunges

Monday 4/25/11
Cycle 4
Week 1 Day 1

Press:
45x10
65x5
95x3
115x5
130x5
155x7 (felt right to stop there)

DB Arnold Press:
45x12
50x10
55x8
70x5 (PR)

BB Shrugs:
135x10
225x10
315x10
405x10
455x10

BB Curls:
85x12
95x10
105x8
115x6

Cable Curls:
50x12,12,12

Comments: Good workout. Finally decided to start shrugging again, and it was awesome. Shrugs were done with chalk only; 405 felt so light when I picked it up that I decided to slap on another 25 plate per side. Squats tomorrow

Tuesday 4/26/11
Cycle 4
Week 1 Day 2

Squat:
135x5
155x5
185x3
205x5
235x5
255x10 (Very Easy)

Good Morning:
45x10
95x10
115x10
135x10 (PR)

Seated Calf Raise:
145x20,20,20,20

Comments: Squats are my shit, and 255 is light weight at this point. Not really sure how many reps to aim for on weeks 1 and 2, so I figured keeping it to around 10 is a good idea, instead of going balls out and burning out by week 3 when the weight gets heavier. Decided to ramp good mornings, and glad I did. 135 felt solid, I really felt my hamstrings stretch while doing them. Wednesday is off.

Thursday 4/28/11
Cycle 4
Week 1 Day 3

Flat Bench Press:
45x20
95x5
115x5
135x3
155x5
175x5
195x5 (prescribed reps)

DB Flat Bench:
75x5
80x5
85x5
90x5 (PR)

DB Flat Flyes:
40x10
40x10
35x10

Weighted Dips:
25x10,10,9,9

Rope Tricep “3-point” extensions:
30x24,24,24,24

Comments: Learned a a “3-point” rope exercise from one of the powerlifters at my gym and it consists of 8 reps of a regular pulldown, then immediately to an overhead extension for 8 reps, and then to a straight arm pulldown for another 8 reps… its a killer. Good workout today, Deadlifts tomorrow.