well done
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Deload Day 1 of 3
- Squat 155 3x5
- OHP 85 3x5
- Deadlift 155 3x5
- Dip 25 2x8
- Chins 2x8
Decided I definitely need a deload. Dropped last successful main lifts by 10% and did 2 less sets. Accessories I dropped a few reps and one set. Skipped abs.
Only took 43 minutes to complete instead of 85.
Also I think I need to eat even more. Can’t tell if I’m gaining weight or not, doesn’t seem like it. Weight has been fluctuating between 133-134.4 for the last couple weeks. I’ve been doing 3000-3200 calories on lifting days and 2500-2600 on rest days. I think I’m gonna bump this up another +200 each day and see if that helps with driving me into overreaching so quickly. I usually walk about 5-6 miles a day and haven’t been doing cardio recently.
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Back to Normal weights/progression today. Did some cardio the last few days. I think that’s also a big part of why my heart rate is so high and my sleep has been shit, cause I haven’t been doing cardio lately. Just been walking the dog cause I was burning too many calories. Alas, I’ll just have to eat even more on non-lifting days.
Workout:
- Squat 180lbs 3x5 - this was tough, did 2 and 3 minutes rest. Had to take a rest pause on the very last rep to catch my breath.
- Bench 145 5x5 - still pretty easy. Last set RPE around 7
- Pendlay Row 140 5x5 - Easier than 135
- Tricep rope push down 75 3x8 superset with facepulls
- Facepulls 95 3x13
- Dumbbell curl 25lbs 11,11,12
- Hanging Leg Raise 3x15 - will be adding weight to ankles next time and dropping reps
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I’m struggling to recover (CNS and cortisol) from my workout on Monday. Muscles are fully recovered, but I’m just fatigued and sleeping poorly. Dark circles under my eyes. Did 30 minutes of cardio yesterday.
Going to do cardio today instead of lifting. Will lift either tomorrow or Saturday.
Also moving forward I will be dropping the assistance exercises, and only doing the big 3 for the day. I think the 90+ minute workouts are too much for my CNS/cortisol to recover from.
With 3x5 Squats, 5x5 press, 5x5 rows/1x5 deadlift, hopefully my workouts won’t take more than 45 minutes.
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Still didn’t feel recovered in Thursday and also had to work a bit late so skipped Thursday and had plans Friday after work.
Weighed in at 132.4 this morning which sucks, since I’m trying to bulk and I’ve lost 2.5 lbs somehow, and none of it appears to be fat.
Workout:
- Squat 185 3x5 - 3 minutes rest. Felt like my eyeballs were gonna pop out of my head on the last rep
- OHP 105 5x5 - 90 second rest after first 2 sets. 3 minutes after set 3 and 4
- Deadlift 185 1x5 - starting to get a littler tougher but still not too challenging
- Hanging Leg Raise +5lbs on the belt around my ankles 3x8 - very awkward, weight flailing around. Need to figure out a different ab exercise that is actually challenging for me, as my abs are easily my strongest muscle group.
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If you’re able to spend a few bucks, some places online sell ankle weights that would probably work better than a belt. Or you could pinch a dumbbell between your feet.
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Workout
*Squat 190 5,5,2 - stopped after 2 reps on the third set cause I felt my legs start to seize up after initiated the third rep. So I stopped before lowering and just ended the set.
*Bench 150 5x5 - last set RPE around 7-8
*Pendlay Barbell Row 145 5x5 - last two sets were easier than the first 3. Think I needed another warm up set
I think I’m going to switch to a 4 day upper-lower or 5/3/1 soon. I’m not able to get to the gym consistently enough the same 3 days per week and it’s throwing off my schedule, but I can get to the gym 4 days per week if I can go at least 2 days back to back (for example I can’t go to the gym in 2 days cause I have a conflict but I could go again tomorrow if my routine let me go back to back days). Squat is starting to stall and so is OHP. Bench will be soon.
190 for 5 isn’t too bad on squats for being 133lbs. Was talking to my dad last night and he thinks maybe my body just doesn’t like having a lot of mass on it. I think that’s an excuse but also has some truth to it. I’ve always struggled to get past and settle around 130lbs (at 5’6").
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Plan Moving Forward (4 days/week):
Linear 5/3/1 BBB then transition to normal 5/3/1 BBB. Deload every 4th week.
Linear Phase:
- Squat 1x5, Deadlift 5x10 @ 60% of last week’s 1x5, Abs
- Bench 5x5, OHP 3x10 @ 70% of last week’s 5x5, Dumbbell Row 5x10
- Deadlift 1x5, Squat 5x10 @ 60% of last week’s 1x5, Abs
- OHP 5x5, Bench 3x10 @ 70% of last week’s 5x5, Pull Up 5x8-10
For Bench and OHP I will switch to 3x5 after first failure or if rest times start creeping up on set 4&5.
Linear Phase Progression:
- +5lbs/week to Squat and Bench (change to 2.5 after first failure)
- +10lbs/week to Deadlift (change to 5 after first failure)
- +2.5lbs/week to OHP
Once a lift stalls (2 failed attempts in a row), I’ll transition to normal 5/3/1 BBB weights and progression with (90% 1RM for Training Max and 5x10’s at 60% of TM).
I think I should be able to get my lifts here before I switch to 5/3/1, but maybe I’ll surprise myself:
- Squat @ 205 for 1x5
- Bench @ 165-170 for 3x5
- OHP @ 115 for 3x5
- Deadlift @ 245 for 1x5
Bodyweight gain: still aiming for +0.5lbs/week.
On Thursday 6/29 I’ll be doing OHP day cause Wednesday I’m going rock climbing and may have some tired/sore grip. Then I’ll do Deadlift and 5x10 Squats on Friday.
I think this is really going to help my recovery and consistency.
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Workout
- OHP 107.5lbs 5x5 - 3 minutes rest before last 2 sets. Last rep was a GRIND.
- Bench 105lbs 3x10 - harder than I expected but maybe it’s cause I slept like poop last night
- Chin Ups w/ chest to bar 5x8 - 3 minute rest last set
Only took 42 minutes
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Workout
- Deadlift 195lbs 1x5 - grip might start being a limiting factor here. Gonna take it as far as I can without straps.
- Squat 115lbs 5x10
- Hanging Leg Raise 5x13
Might start adding some farmers carries to build up my grip on upper body days where the next day is a rest day.
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Workout
- Bench 155lbs 5x5 - 3 minutes rest last two sets, also got a spotter for the last set but it was pretty easy. Don’t know how much of that was the psychology of having a spotter.
- OHP 75lbs 3x10
- One Arm Dumbbell Row 55lbs 5x10
Bench is now where it would have been a month ago on my original routine but plus 1 set.
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Workout
- Squat 195lbs 1x5 - worked up with 95,115,135,170 each with 1x5. The 195x5 was brutal. Took it one rep at a time.
- Deadlift 115lbs 5x10
Skipped abs today cause my hip flexors are tight. Definitely need the next two rest days that are due. Need to focus on cardio and stretching because I’ve been neglecting those for social activities over the last week.
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Workout
- OHP 110lbs 5,5,5,5,4 - thought I had this but couldn’t put up that last rep. 3 minutes rest last two sets
- Bench 105lbs 3x10
- Chin Up w/ chest to bar 5x8 - 90 seconds rest all sets
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Workout
- Deadlift 205lbs 1x5
- Squat 115lbs 5x10
- Hanging leg raise 14,13,13,13,14
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My bodyweight is now around 135lbs. I feel like I lost 2lbs lbs of muscle, and then gained back .5lbs muscle and 1.5-2lbs of fat.
Workout:
- Bench 160lbs 5x5 - needed 3+ minutes rest for the last three sets
- OHP 75lbs 3x10
- Dumbbell row 60lbs 5x10 - was gonna do 55 but there were no free 55lb dumbbells so upped to 60
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Stick with it, my man. You just gotta keep putting the demand on your body and feed it right—it will eventually figure things out and respond accordingly.
These things just take time.
And consistent effort.
Lots and lots of consistent effort.
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Thanks for the reminder. I definitely screwed things up last year trying to rush it.
Today’s Workout:
- Squat 180lbs 5x5 - 3 minutes rest last two sets. Didn’t think my CNS could take a heavy top set of 200 today, I’m pretty fried. So I went back to my last 3x5 weight and did 5x5. Felt real heavy though.
- Deadlift 125lbs 5x10
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Took a few days off because I was feeling rundown. Did cardio 4 the 5 days.
Workout today:
- Deadlift 215lbs 1x5 - worked up with 4 pyramiding weights. At 215 I was barely holding on by my fingers on the last 2 reps.
- Squat 115lbs 5x10
- Hanging Leg Raise 14,14,13,14,14
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Workout
- OHP 110lbs 5x5 - 3 minutes rest after set three and 4 minutes after set four, but I did it. Felt like every set was a grind and tough to finish. Gonna change to 5/3/1 next week
- Bench 110lbs 3x10 - felt easier than the 105 the last two weeks
- Chin ups w/ chest to bar - 8,8,8,9,9
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Workout 5/3/1 BBB Squats with TM of 200lbs
- Squat: 115lbs x5, 135x5, 155lbs x15
- Deadlift 120lbs 2x10, 130lbs 3x10. Accidentally put 120 on instead of 130 at the start
- Hanging Leg Raise 5x14
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