10/27/2020
Opener:
5x5 High pulls @ 135 lbs + 5x3 KB jumps
5’s PRO DL: 135, 175, 205, 255, 295, 325 lbs
8x3 FSL DL @ 255 lbs
Superset assistance with 60 ab wheels, 60 ring dips, 60 DB curls
Finish with max set decline push ups: 49, 27, 24, 20 with springs in between.
Total time = 46 min
10/28/2020
Bench Press 5’s PRO (with 3 plyo push ups after each set): 115, 135, 155, 195, 205, 245.
Widowmaker at 195 lbs: 16 reps
** Assistance Supersets between main lifts:** 3x12 ab wheel; 3x10 rear delts
Weight-vested assistance circuit (5 rounds):
12 push ups
20 squats
10 inverted rows
Finish with: max sets of band pull aparts (50, 30, 25, 20) with 12s airdyne sprints in between.
Total time = 43 min
I’ve never really thought to do this for upper body lifts, despite loving it for squats.
Is the idea similar? To teach the muscles to produce power when fatigued?
I do it, as you say, for general explosiveness and athleticism. I have read doing the same movement pattern explosively right after a heavy lift is effective for this. The 6 Weeks to Superhero is this taken to the next level.
The movements would be:
BP → plyo push up
OHP → overhead med ball throw
Squat → vertical jump
DL → broad jump
And can be extended to pull ups → med ball slams.
It’s also kinda fun to do, and if you are doing only 3-5 of the move it’s not at all taxing.
I’ve been playing around with keeping the meat of the 531 program, and modifying the way the assistance is done, the supplemental work, and any opener lifts. None of this is brand new, as Jim has suggested using weight vest circuits for assistance, and putting cleans or similar in front of squat/DL day, but I’ve been making a few of my own variations.
I’ve discovered a couple of things about me as I’ve dabbled in different programs or workouts the last several months:
10/30/2020
Squat day. Since I have a pretty high DL volume this week, I wanted something different so went back to the workout I did a couple of weeks back. I increased the weights a bit, too.
With 30s rest, 10 rounds of:
2 Backsquats (190 lbs) followed by 2 vertical jumps.
Three rounds of:
8 Zercher squats (155 lbs) followed by all-out 12s sprint on Airdyne
Unilateral Finisher
With a 45 lb DB in my left hand, do 8 step back lunges on my left side.
Grab a 60 lb DB in right hand, do a 50y farmer’s walk.
With a 45 lb DB do 8 rows on my left side.
Grab a 60 lb DB in right hand, do a 50y farmer’s walk.
With a 45 lb DB do 8 shoulder presses on my left side.
Grab a 60 lb DB in right hand, do a 50y farmer’s walk.
With a 45 lb DB in my left hand, do 8 1 legged SLDL’s.
Grab a 60 lb DB in right hand, do a 50y farmer’s
(swap sides and repeat)
Total time = 47 min
Notes: This workout sneaks up on you. It takes a bit longer than it seems like it should, and nothing on itself seems that tough. But the sum workload ends up being pretty good. I like this one, and will keep it in the rotation.
10/31/2020
Main work for OHP:
5’s PRO: 55, 65, 85, 105, 115, 130 lbs
Supplemental work for OHP:
5x10 @ 105 lbs
Assistance supersetted between main work/supplemental:
60 ring pull ups
50 Hanging lege raise
(also 20 med ball throws)
Time: only 27 minutes
Notes:
This is the first time I’ve done pull ups in a few weeks. My elbow felt fine and I could barely notice any pain. I almost tacked on more work on the end (sprints, push ups, etc…) but thought better of it.
11/03/2020
Switching things up, and using “Letter to Young Jim Wendler” as the basis for this template.
Doing straight sets though for a change.
Front Squat: 4 x 6 @170 lbs
Bench: 4x6 @ 215 lbs
Circuit, 3 rounds of:
40 push ups
15 pull ups
20 sit ups
Total time (including 8 min to do warm up sets): 48 min.
Notes: You’d think I’d have learned by now, but every time I do a new template at the outset I think “this will be too easy/fast, so I’ll probably add some type of finisher”. Then, 45 min or so later, I finish it with barely the muscle strength to open the fridge and eat lunch.
11/04/2020
Track workout. First one I’ve done since my injury. Went hard but kept it within reason.
Warm up: 0.5 mile jog, a few striders, mobility.
Workout:
400m x 1
200m x 2
100m x 3
Cool down:
0.5 mile jog
Notes: I spent about 25 minutes on the track total. It felt pretty good overall, but I certainly am slower than I used to be. My foot is nearly fully back, but is still numb across the top which may or may not ever go away. This means it feels a bit different, but didn’t seem to affect my running.
11/05/2020
I just got Pavel’s Simple and Sinister book and a 28 kg kettlebell. Can you guess what type of workout I did today?
Following the program, using 2-handed swings.
Warm up (which was hard)
3 rounds of:
5 KB goblet squats. Each squat involves sitting at the bottom and forcing knees apart, then doing 3 KB curls. I used a 35 lb bell for this.
5 KB halos.
10 bridges.
(took 13 minutes)
Workout.
10 x 10 KB swings with 28 kg (63 lb)
10x1 (5e) KB get ups (35 lbs)
Total time ~40 min.
Notes: Deceptively tough. I thought I would feel like I needed to add more, but I underestimated the warm up. Per Pavel, I would walk around after each set and allow myself to fully recover. I’m in reasonable shape, so was never winded. But I wanted to be able to attack each set with full effort.
I had fun with it! The prescription is to do this near daily, so I’ll see how long it will hold my interest.
11/07/2020
Warm up: goblet squats, halos, and bridges.
Workout:
28 kg KB swings 5x10e arm. Couldn’t help myself and did 50 hands-release push ups (total) between sets.
16 kg KB get ups. 5x1e arm.
Total time ~40 min.
How did you do your plyo push-ups? Reaching a fatigue state or not? Seems like a lot!
No, I just did sets of 5 “hands release” push ups immediately following the swings. So 10x5. I should probably cut them out and do the basic, prescribed program for at least a while before adding (but I couldn’t help it). It’s just mentally hard to not do my staples.
Interestingly, I find the warm up to be a reasonable amount of work. The paused goblet squats where you squirm around at the bottom of each, and then do 3 curls in this position, certainly gets the blood going.
These Goblet squats look fun, nice iso hold at the bottom ahah!
Probably you should stick to the program until you complete it. Hand release push-up have very little impact on muscle, but necessitate quite the CNS recovery.
I feel you honestly. I’m barely being able now to do programs that don’t involve too much volume, and sticking to it without adding stuff, without fearing I might lose muscle or strength. Hint: it doesn’t, and I’m pretty sure it was one of the things holding me back
11/08/2020
Kinda boring, same thing (one arm swing day):
Warm up: goblet squats, halos, and bridges.
Workout:
28 kg KB swings 5x10e arm.
16 kg KB get ups. 5x1e arm.
Total time ~33 min.
Notes: This time I made sure to finish each segment (warm ups, swings, get ups) within 10 minutes. Wasn’t really too hard to do. No extra work this time, but I think I will add some “grease the groove” work through out the day of push ups (in sets of 20) and pull ups (in sets of 8), staying way below failure.
Also, need to find a better spot to do get ups. My knees are getting rug burn. The 16 kg for the get ups isn’t too challenging, so I may try to start doing one set with the 28 kg bell (if I can handle that).
11/10/2020
Warm up: goblet squats, halos, and bridges.
Workout:
28 kg KB swings 5x10e arm.
16 kg KB get ups. 4x1e arm. 28 kg get up 1x1 each arm. (kinda failed on my left side)
(This part took 20 min, not counting the warm up)
3x20 ring dips
3x12 reverse curls with Fat Gripz
Total time (with warm up) ~ 42 min
Notes: Okay, so just doing swings and get ups is nice goal, but I just feel I need some extra work. Especially upper body pressing, hence the dips. My thoughts I can use the Simple & Sinister protocol (100 swings / 10 get ups) as a bit of a conditioning/assistance hybrid which would count for my lower body/core. I expect that some days (for now) I’ll do just swings/get ups, but most days try to add in an upper body push and upper body pull.
Yeah I think adding some pressing might be a good thing indeed!
Definitely. I really wanted to run the swings / get ups as a standalone program for a while, but I think that would really see my chest and shoulders diminish.
I’m sorry if I missed an update, but how is this nerve thing coming along?
Thanks for asking. I’m due for an update:
Very quick recap: Drop foot suddenly ~Feb 10 or so while overseas. Came on so quick, with a loss of feeling across the top of my foot and the inability to dorsiflex. Visited Dr. the day after returning to the US, and drop foot was confirmed. Sent to a neurologist and PT, but after 8 weeks or so absolutely no progress (just got worse). Doing PT virtually, she (my PT) was worried about lack of any progress, and pushed me to get an MRI. This found a ganglion cyst pushing on the peroneal nerve on the side of my knee. Surgery removed that on ~April 14 or so. Was told 6 months to see progress.
Progress: After about 2 months, I had considerable function back. Has continued to get stronger, and now I can run (even sprint) and dorsiflex to maybe 90-95% or so of normal. Can almost walk on my heels again (not that I do that, but it’s a test of dorsiflex strength). Still numb, though, which may or may not go away.
Consequences/strategies: I have been taking Lion’s Mane (pharmaceutical grade from the Netherlands) for nerve growth benefits. I really like this, and will continue to take it. Also, I even did two sessions of acupuncture. This was interesting, and the acupuncturist was very good. I would consider this again, but at $120 a session I won’t be a regular there. I haven’t worn a brace for several months now. So, overall I’m pretty happy about everything. I was worried my days of sports were over when there was just no response after a couple of months.
11/11/2020
Warm up: goblet squats, halos, and bridges.
Workout:
28 kg KB swings 10x10. Took 5:45.
16 kg KB get ups. 4x1e arm. 28 kg get up 1x1 each arm. (got both this time). Took about 9 min.
Extra work:
50 total reps OHP (worked up to 10 x125 lbs; and 20 x 95 lbs)
50 pull ups (supersetted between OHP sets)
Total time (with warm up) ~ 42 min