Quest for 1/2/3/4

Training Training Logs
41

10/6/25
531 BBB Beefcake
Week 2, Squats

Squats

Warmups
5x35kg
5x42.5kg
3x52.5kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x60kg
5x70kg
5x77.5kg

BBB Sets
5x10x60kg

Assistance
60 dips
60 chins

Notes+Thoughts

  • Good session today, 5x10 was tough, but doable. Sneaked in a few more dips and chins, because I had the time.
  • Still been keeping up with the conditioning on “off” days, usually either a ~45min weighted vest walk or rower.
2 Likes
42

12/6/25
5/3/1 BBB beefcake, OHP day

Overhead Press

Warmups
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x25kg

5/3/1 sets
5x30kg
5x32.5kg
5x37.5kg

BBB Sets
5x10x30kg

Assistance
Cable Crunches - 50x57.5kg
Dumbbell BGSS - 25x20kg (each leg)

Notes+Thoughts

  • Did the same assistance work but in fewer sets and less time, will up the weight though for next week.
  • Those BBB sets were pretty tough - no awful grinders, but rep speed was seriously slowing down near the end. Felt great doing it though.
  • Conditioning has been done, on off days, like always.
2 Likes
43

14/6/25
5/3/1 BBB beefcake - deadlifts

Deadlifts

Warmup sets
5x45kg
5x55kg
3x67.5kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x77.5kg
5x90kg
5x100kg

BBB sets
5x10x77.5kg

Assistance

50+ dips
100+ Band pullaparts

Notes+Thoughts

  • Love deadlifts: they’re hard, but I feel like they “fit” me, if that makes sense.

  • Exceeded my accessory work this time, adding some more reps here and there after I had completed the prescribed work - I figure it cant hurt.

  • Nothing else in particular to report: got in, got the work done, and got out. I suppose that is one of the key features of 5/3/1, certainly not a bad thing, though.

2 Likes
44

5/3/1 BBB beefcake
Week 2 - Bench day

Warmups
5x22.5kg
5x27.5kg
3x35kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x40kg
5x45kg
5x50kg

BBB sets
5x10x40kg

Accessories
5x10 Dumbbell rows
50x60kg Cable Crunches
25x22.5kg Bulgarian split squats (each leg)

Notes+Thoughts

  • Fun session, chest was nicely pumped after the BBB sets, lol.

  • Decided to bump up the weight for my accessories (or assistance? I dont know the naming conventions), which was a good idea, but the rows took a lot more time to get through.

  • Have also been implementing some “daily work” outside of the gym: a few chinups and pushups here and there - stuff like that.

2 Likes
45

5/3/1 BBB beefcake
Week 3 - Squat day

Barbell Squat

Warmups

5x35kg
5x42.5kg
3x52.5kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x65kg
5x72.5kg
5x82.5kg

BBB sets
5x10x65kg

Assistance
70 dips
70 chins

Notes+Thoughts

  • Ok, this was pretty tough. The last reps on the last BBB sets were on the verge of being a bit grindy, but I got the prescribed work completed, and a bit more.
  • Overall a good session, and I’m excited for the next workouts in the week.
2 Likes
46

19/6/25
5/3/1 BBB beefcake - OHP day

Overhead Press

Warmups
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x25kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x30kg
5x35kg
5x40kg

BBB sets
5x10x30kg

Assistance
Cable Crunches - 50x60kg
Dumbbell BGSS - 25x22.5kg (each leg)

Notes+Thoughts

  • Good session, finished the prescribed work was quite challenging though.
  • Still feeling the 5x10 squats from earlier in the week, DOMS is very real.
2 Likes
47

20/6/25
5/3/1 BBB Beefcake - deadlift day

Warmup
5x45kg
5x55kg
3x67.5kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x82.5kg
5x95kg
5x105kg

BBB sets
5x10x82.5kg

Assistance
50+ dips
100+ Band pullaparts

Notes+Thoughts

  • BBB sets were tough, anticipating some DOMS similar to squats in the coming days.
  • Otherwise, good session :+1:
2 Likes
48

In for the follow.

@LessWeakEachWeek - This is so true—I wish I had discovered what you already seem to have done when I was your age.

Excited to see how 5/3/1 BBB goes for you, dude—it did wonders for me, even at 40+ years old!

2 Likes
49

5/3/1 BBB beefcake
Week 3 - Bench day

Warmups
5x22.5kg
5x27.5kg
3x35kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x42.5kg
5x47.5kg
5x52.5kg

BBB sets
5x10x42.5kg

Accessories
5x10 Dumbbell rows
50x60kg Cable Crunches
25x22.5kg Bulgarian split squats (each leg)

Notes+Thoughts

  • Good session, marking the end of my first cycle of BBB - those bench sets seriously were tough near the end! Despite this, everything felt “doable” - the only thing I had to do was put in the work.
  • Will probably increase my TM’s and run another cycle before assessing my progress and deciding where to go from there. I’ve had a lot of fun with BBB beefcake!
  • @SvenG Thanks for the support! It really does mean alot
2 Likes
50

23/6/25 - Off / “assessment” day

8km run in 40 minutes 30 seconds.

Notes+Thoughts

  • With the conclusion of my first cycle of BBB beefcake, I wanted to check up on how my cardio was holding up after pushing the food and weight, so I went for a run.

  • Everything felt pretty good - the entire time I was comfortable and I recovered fairly quickly afterwards.

  • I believe this has shown me that the conditioning work has been effective in maintaining my current fitness, and I will be beginning the next cycle tomorrow.

3 Likes
51

Excellent idea for the assessment.

Here is Jim’s dirty secret in BBB Beefcake. You notice all the bodyweight work you’re doing? The dips and the chins? Those necessarily regulate it so that you DON’T get too fat on the program. Since you’re having to move your body through space with these exercises, putting on excess fat will have a detrimental impact on your performance and you’ll see the reps start to drop. If you keep the gains on the lean side, you’ll continue to cruise through these.

Same with Building the Monolith’s 100 chins and 200 dips.

2 Likes
52

I’m alive! It’s been mock exams at school the last week, which meant I prioritised my studying and training over the log - just for a short while.
I am on my second cycle of 5/3/1 BBB beefcake, here are the logs for the past week.

24/6/25 - Squat day

Barbell Squat

Warmups
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
3x55kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x60kg
5x67.5kg
5x77.5kg

BBB sets
5x10x60kg

Assistance
70 dips
70 chins

26/6/25 - OHP day

Warmups
5x20kg
5x22.5kg
3x27.5kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x30kg
5x32.5kg
5x37.5kg

BBB sets
5x10x30kg

Assistance
Cable Crunches - 50x57.5kg
Dumbbell BGSS - 25x20kg (each leg)

28/6/25 - Deadlift day

Warmups
5x47.5kg
5x57.5kg
3x70kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x75kg
5x87.5kg
5x100kg

BBB sets
5x10x75kg

Assistance
50+ dips
100+ Band pullaparts

29/6/25 - Bench Day

Warmups
5x25kg
5x30kg
5x35kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
5x50kg

BBB sets
5x10x37.5kg

Accessories
5x10 Dumbbell rows
50x60kg Cable Crunches
25x22.5kg Bulgarian split squats (each leg)

Notes+Thoughts

  • Really am enjoying this program - it’s hard work, but I’m not destroying myself everytime I enter the gym; I can recover and reap the benefits of training.
  • One of my friends said he “wouldn’t be surprised if I was taking steroids”, which is funny considering I weigh only 2-3kg heavier since I started at 55kg. I suppose I’m headed in the right direction at least :sweat_smile:
2 Likes
53

1/6/25 - Squat day

Barbell Squat

Warmups
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
3x55kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x65kg
5x72.5kg
5x82.5kg

BBB sets
5x10x65kg

Assistance
85 dips
75 chins

Notes+Thoughts

  • Good session, nothing incredibly nitable occurred, however
  • Have been trying to see how many dips and chins I can “get away with” with the amount of time I have to train. I seriously doubt doing 25 extra dips in a session will push me into “overtraining” territory, but I’ll keep an eye on recovery nonetheless.
2 Likes
54

Warmups
5x25kg
5x30kg
5x35kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x42.5kg
5x47.5kg
5x52.5kg

BBB sets
5x10x42.5kg

Assistance
5x10 Dumbbell rows
50x61.25kg Cable Crunches
25x45kg Smith machine split squats (each leg, over 3 sets)

Notes+Thoughts

  • Good session today, can feel the squat session from earlier, but not crippled.
  • Swapped out dumbbell split squats for smith machine split squats. My reasoning being: Weight progression on the dumbbell split squat is too “coarse” and that they require a fair amount of balance and concentration to execute, taking away from the goal of challenging the muscle and illiciting a growth response.
  • I also like them alot more, to be honest :sweat_smile:
2 Likes
55

4/6/25 - deadlift day

Warmups
5x47.5kg
5x57.5kg
3x70kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x82.5kg
5x92.5kg
5x105kg

BBB sets
5x10x82.5kg

Assistance
70+ dips
100+ Band pullaparts

Notes+Thoughts

  • Nothing to note of this session, got in, got the work done, got out.
  • Barring any shoulder issues, I am keeping dips for LIFE. I rolled my eyes the first time I saw the title of the “upper body squat”, but its a surprisingly good comparison. Even my back feels “worked” the day after a voluminous dip session. Rant over.
2 Likes
56

6/6/25
5/3/1 BBB beefcake - OHP day

Overhead Press

Warmups
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x25kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x30kg
5x35kg
5x40kg

BBB sets
5x10x30kg

Assistance
Cable Crunches - 55x60kgkg
Smith machine BGSS - 25x47.5kg (each leg)

Notes+Thoughts

  • Good session, I am still sticking with the smith machine split squats for the single leg work - I “like” them and can progress with them.
  • Its interesting seeing an appetite uptick in the days after the deadlift workouts, recently I have been HUNGRY, and focusing on getting in quality food.
3 Likes
57

8/7/25
5/3/1 BBB Beefcake - Squat day

Barbell Squat

Warmups
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
3x55kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x67.5kg
5x77.5kg
5x87.5kg

BBB sets
5x10x67.5kg

Assistance

80 dips
80 chins

Notes+Thoughts

  • Very good session. As we were nearing the end of term, we had a school BBQ. This meant, after an unreasonable amount of ice pops, I came in to the session very adequately fueled. Lost count of dips and chins eventually.
  • While I am not planning on making “ice pops” a staple of my diet, I’m going to focus on increasing my carb intake relative to what I’m already eating. I seem to train marginally better with them compared to more fats. Still keeping an adequate amount of fat, though, as I’ve heard they’re necessary for hormones and stuff.
2 Likes
58

10/7/25
BBB beefcake - bench day

Bench Press

Warmup sets
5x25kg
5x30kg
5x35kg

5/3/1 Sets
5x45kg
5x50kg
5x55kg

BBB sets
5x10x45kg

Assistance
5x10 Dumbbell rows
60x61.25kg Cable Crunches
25x47.5kg Smith machine split squats

Notes+Thoughts

  • Life got in the way yesterday and I couldnt make it to the gym as usual. Took the time to do some conditioning instead (bike+weighted walk)
  • May have to find an alternative to the cable crunches - dont have a training parter to hold my legs down, resulting in pretty poor abdominal activation. Otherwise a good session.
2 Likes
59

May have to find an alternative to the cable crunches - dont have a training parter to hold my legs down, resulting in pretty poor abdominal activation. Otherwise a good session.

I’m a fan of ab wheel and hanging leg raises.

2 Likes
60

Thanks for the suggestion! May I ask, how would you progress with these over time?