Skinny Guy Tries Not to Die Under Empty Bar

Training Logs
1

So I’m 5’10"/136lbs guy that wants to become bigger. I will run something similar to 5/3/1 for beginners.

A
Back squat - 5/3/1, FSL
Bench press - 5/3/1, FSL
Snatch grip high pulls - 3-5x3-5
Pull ups - x50
Push ups - x100

B
Snatch grip deadlift - 5/3/1, FSL, maybe RDLs
Overhead press - 5/3/1, FSL
Split squat variation/goblet squat (alternate) - x50 (maybe front squats later)
DB rows - x100
Dips - x50

Week 1: A B A
Week 2: B A B

Maybe after main workout I will have enthusiasm to do some core work, calf raises and wrist curls.

OHP TM 40 kg
Back squat TM 70 kg
Bench press TM 60 kg
SG deadlift TM 65 kg

I don’t think that I will run this kind of program (A/B/A B/A/B) for a long time because progression is faster than usual 5/3/1.

2

yo!

I personally think this exercise sucks balls for building muscle (the time under tension is like 0.1 seconds per rep), but if you like 'em then do 'em.

Regular curls would be a MUCH more productive use of your time than wrist curls. I cannot stress this enough.

1 Like
3

Yeah, I like to do them and also Paul Kelso recommends them (not necessary snatch grip) in his “Powerlifting: Texas Style”. But maybe it’s just because old powerlifters were under influence of olympic weightlifting.

4

A1

kg x reps or kg x sets x reps

Back squat
45x5
52.5x5
60x8
45x5x5

Snatch grip high pulls
40x3x5

Bench press
40x5
45x5
50x10
40x5x5 (first two reps of each set are paused at bottom)

bench press was supersetted with 50 pull ups, 5 per set

10x10 push ups and some band pull aparts between sets

5

“Snatch grip high pulls - 3-5x3-5
I personally think this exercise sucks balls for building muscle (the time under tension is like 0.1 seconds per rep), but if you like 'em then do 'em.”

With respect, an explosive exercise is a necessary part of a physical culturist’s training.
It gives explosive and athletic power, so important in life unless you are willing to limit yourself to only looking good.
You just have to look at the backs of male and female olympic lifters (u-tubes) to see what a fetching look they achieve.
When a muscle system has to explode its power in a fraction of a second, you can be sure the fast twitch fibres are fully engaged, and they give the most size.

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6

I was a similar height and weight when I started out, don’t underestimate the power of good food. All your work will for nothing if you get that wrong. Good luck.

7

Tried conditioning with 16 kg kettlebell.

14 minutes EMOM:
6 snatches
6 push presses

Switch hand every minute, so 7 sets per hand.

8

B1

kg x reps or kg x sets x reps

OHP
25x5
30x5
35x8
25x4x8
all suppersetted with 20 kg DB rows, 10 reps with each hand per set

Snatch grip deadlift (+ 5 reps of 20 kg DB rows + 10 reps of bodyweight dips, so kinda giant sets)
42.5x5
47.5x5
55x8
42.5x3x5

Finished doing 100 DB rows and 70 dips.

Goblet squat (with dumbbell)
20x10
22x10
24x10
26x10
28x10

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9

A2

kg x reps or kg x sets x reps

Snatch grip high pulls
40x4x5

Bench press (supersetted with 5 pull ups)
42.5x3
47.5x3
55x8
42.5x4x5 (first two reps of each set are paused at bottom)

did 25 pull ups bodyweight and 25 with 5 kg, 50 total

Back squat (supersetted with push ups)
50x3
55x3
62.5x7
50x4x5

did 3x20 and 4x10 push ups

2 Likes
10

Conditioning with 16 kg kettlebell.

15 minutes EMOM:
10 swings
8 push ups

11

B2

kg x reps or kg x sets x reps

OHP (supersetted with rows, 10 per set)
27.5x3
32.5x3
35x9
27.5x4x6

did 60 rows with 18 kg dumbbells and 40 cable rows with 25-35 kg

Snatch grip deadlift (supersetted with dips, 10 per set)
45x3
52.5x3
57.5x6
45x3x5

did 20 bodyweight dips and 30 with 5 kg

Goblet squat (with dumbbell)
22x10
24x10
26x10
28x10
30x10

12

Conditioning with 16 kg kettlebell.

14 minutes EMOM:
7 snatches
7 push presses

Switch hand every minute.

That was hard for me, push presses suck.

13

A3

kg x reps or kg x sets x reps

Bench press (supersetted with 8 pull ups per set)
45x5
50x3
57.5x8
45x3x5 (first two reps of each set are paused at bottom)

did 64 pull ups (8x8)

Back squat
52.5x5
60x3
65x6 (true) + 2 reps after several heavy breathes
52.5x3x5
40x1x10

Bunch of posterior chain exercises (hypers, 20 kg KB snatches, 20 kg KB swings) supersetted with 100 push ups

14

B3

kg x reps or kg x sets x reps

OHP (supersetted with cable rows, 10 per set)
27.5x5
32.5x3
37.5x8
30x4x6

did 100 cable rows with 25-45 kg

Snatch grip deadlift
47.5x5
55x3
60x6
47.5x3x5

(KB clean + KB press) x4 + (KB clean + KB push press) x4 with 16 kg kettlebell alternating with
(KB clean + KB press) x2 + (KB clean + KB push press) x2 with 20 kg kettlebell
I lost the count =) Something like 4 or 5 of this supersetts.

20 kg KB overhead walks - 2 gym lengths with one hand and 2 with opposite.

Weighted planks 10x2x45s

15

For next cycle I’ll move all push ups to conditioning workouts.

A
Back squat - 5/3/1, FSL
Bench press - 5/3/1, FSL
Rows - x50
Dips - x50 or something like 3-4x8-15
Hyperextensions - 3x15

B
Snatch grip deadlift - 5/3/1, FSL
Overhead press - 5/3/1, FSL
Split squat variation - 4x8-10
Pull ups - x50
KB clean and press and push press complexes - 4-5x(2-6)+(2-6)
KB overhead walks - 1-2x2 gyms

Some core work in the end.

OHP TM 42.5 kg
Back squat TM 75 kg
Bench press TM is 62.5 kg
SG deadlift TM 70 kg

5’s
OHP 27.5, 32.5, 35
Back squat 47.5, 55, 62.5
Bench press 40, 47.5, 52.5
SG deadlift 45, 52.5, 60

3’s
OHP 30, 35, 37.5
Back squat 52.5, 60, 67.5
Bench press 45, 50, 55
SG deadlift 50, 55, 62.5

5/3/1’s
OHP 30, 35, 40
Back squat 55, 62.5, 70
Bench press 45, 52.5, 60
SG deadlift 52.5, 60, 65

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16

Conditioning with 16 kg kettlebell.

15 minutes EMOM:
12 swings
10 push ups

I must do more because I don’t hate my conditioning.

17

A4

kg x reps or kg x sets x reps

Back squat
Empty Bar 5 reps 5 minutes EMOM
40x2x3
47.5x5
55x5
62.5x8
Felt very good so also did
70x5 (1 rep in tank)
47.5x4x8

Goal for 5/3/1 AMRAP set on A6 workout is 70 kg 8 reps.

Bench press (supersetted with cable rows, 50 total reps)
Empty Bar 5 reps 5 minutes EMOM
40x5
47.5x5
52.5x12
40x4x8 (first three reps of each set are paused at bottom)

Bench press is always feels heavy for me. When I unrack the bar I feel like the weight is too heavy, even if it 40 kg. Also today I had bad grip and superstretched my right wrist under the bar so got pain. I will try to use closer grip next time. In worst scenario I will ditch regular barbell bench press for some time and substitute it with some other lift (like closed grip bench press, DB bench press, weighted dips…).
I also don’t like cable rows, I feel DB rows much better on my back. But last time I did them I felt pain in lower back (maybe because I didn’t warm up lower body before), so decided to ditch them for some time.

45 degree hyperextensions/weighted planks superset
bodyweight x3x15/10kg x3x30s

Dips
bodyweight x3x15

Some calf raises and rear delts work.

18

Conditioning with 16 kg kettlebell.

15 minutes EMOM:
15 swings
8 push ups

19

B4

kg x reps or kg x sets x reps

OHP (supersetted with pull ups, 5 per set)
27.5x5
31.25x5
36.25x6
27.5x4x8

Today I did strange thing.
The smallest plate in my gym is 1.25 kg, so the smallest weight I can add to bar is 2.5 kg.
“But it will be great if I could lift today 31.25 kg and 36.25 kg instead of planned 32.5 kg and 35 kg!”
And I found out how to do this!
“Let’s just grab chain and hang 1.25 kg plate in the middle of the bar!”
Ofcourse I realized that this plate can hit a little my face or head when I perform OHP, but I decided that I will be able to move bar slowly around my head so the plate will not swing or disturb somehow the motion of the bar or touch my face.
Set with 31.25 kg was OK.
But set with 36.25 kg was terrible. Swinging plate slapped my face when the bar moved up.
“That’s all right”.
Swinging plate slapped my head when the bar moved down.
“Ow, that’s OK”.
Swinging plate slapped my face when the bar moved up.
“Nothing wrong”.
Swinging plate slapped my head when the bar moved down.
“I will simply move the bar slower”.
And when I lifted the bar to the level of top of the head the plate started to swing and it become hard to stabilize it.
I finished with six reps and decided not to do this shit anymore. I expected that someone in the gym will smile or ask me “What the fuck is it” and I prepared to answer something like “Oh, it’s special Torokhtiy’s Skull Crusher Presses, you know, for better balance…” but everything was OK.
imklokov

Pull ups - bodyweight x5x5, 5 kg x5, 10 kg x4x5

Snatch grip deadlift
45x5
52.5x5
60x6
45x3x8

KB clean and press supersetted with hanging leg raises
16 kg x5x5 + 5x5
Sixth set AMRAP, did 10 presses with each hand and 8 leg raises.
Will do 5x8 of KB clean and presses next time.

Bulgarian split squats
12x3x8 + 12x1x12 (AMRAP set)
Used lighter weight than previous workout because I had problems with balance.

I started feel more left elbow bicep pain (had it before gym). Maybe that’s because of lot of upper body pulling volume. I want to make my back work in this manner for some time:
A: pull ups - x50, band pull aparts - x100
B: shrugs - 3-5x10-20, bicep curls - 3x30 or something other
C: Rows - x50, band pull aparts - x100

Maybe also will do DB bench presses instead of dips.

1 Like
20

A5

kg x reps / sets

Warm up: 3 circles of

  • 16 kg KB swings x 12
  • hanging leg raises x 5
  • 45 deg. hypers x 10

Back squat
Empty Bar 5 reps 5 minutes EMOM
40x3/2
52.5x3
60x3
67.5x6
52.5x5/5

Weighted dips
15x10
10x8
5x8
BWx8/2

Weighted 45 deg. hypers
5x15/3

30 deg. incline DB press
14x12/3

DB power shrugs
16x20
18x20
20x20
20x20

DB curls
6x30/3