I wasnt present for it. But I went back and read alphas log. Dude was a beast.
Your body will adjust to the volume. As stated the 4x6 after 10x3 is what brought me to reality! I plan to ride it out. But also know some adjustments are coming. Thanks for stopping in.
Thanks for getting back to me and sharing some of the knowledge that you have gained, Iām the opposite to yourself ie I reckon Iām not to bad at deadlifting but my bench is lacking 
I will be following along to see how your training goes it sounds as though you know what your doing and what makes it interesting is the little adjustments you make as you go along to make the program work for you.
Sounds good. For bench I reccomend building your form first. Getting tight as possible for every set and rep. Then that will allow you to always bench the same and therefore 2ndly build your groove. From there being on a consistent progressive overload program will build strength. I feel 5x5 thru several resets builds a concrete base. I found that 5/3/1 really worked as a peaking program for me .
I repped out on last set each weekā¦ but not until failure but rather the last slow rep that my form broke down on. My assistance was paused closegrip afterward @ 80 percent of the top set of the day for 2 sets amrap w.o failure. I believe this formula would work for most people if they gave it the time.
Monday 1-6-14
Deadlift 10x3 @ 275
Stiff legged deadlift 4x6 @225
Squats Olympic highbar atg 3x5 @200
Weighed 222 no belt no shoes- 4day weekend here. And it shows. Used a cple personal days and here in michigan we have sever cold weather -25 wind chill and bout 15 inches of snow fell.
Deads felt good. No real struggle. Mixed grip after 3rd set of
Stiff legged- unsure if exact name is correct. I keep legs straight as possible. Maybe very slight bend at times vs. Complete lockout. Back tight. upper back upp w. Thoracic extension. Hinges at hips only. Pause each rep on floor.I also go from a deficit.
Squats feel so much easier after deadlifting!
You know Iām in on this! Stay warm brotha itās hovering around -10 here
Wednesday 1-8-14
Bench 10x3 @285
Closegrip paused bench 4x6 @225
Chins 10x3 @ b.w
supersetted w. Planks
Bench felt great all reps seemed fast . Felt like 275 did to meā¦
Closegrip felt great as well. Full pauseā¦explodd up.3 sec paused last set.
Chins- supposed to be b.w +5 pounds but due to my bodyweight exceeding 5 pounds over where it should be I went .b.w. will still look to go +10 next week as I head back to work and get back on schedule this xtra weight should come right bCk off. Weighed 225.
[quote]barbedwired wrote:
Sounds good. For bench I reccomend building your form first. Getting tight as possible for every set and rep. Then that will allow you to always bench the same and therefore 2ndly build your groove. From there being on a consistent progressive overload program will build strength. I feel 5x5 thru several resets builds a concrete base. I found that 5/3/1 really worked as a peaking program for me .
I repped out on last set each weekā¦ but not until failure but rather the last slow rep that my form broke down on. My assistance was paused closegrip afterward @ 80 percent of the top set of the day for 2 sets amrap w.o failure. I believe this formula would work for most people if they gave it the time.[/quote]
Thanks for the bench tips at the moment I bench twice a week once regular flat bench and once close grip bench.
I did a couple of cycles of Wendlers BBB but I didnāt make any gains on my bench although looking back on it I reckon I didnāt follow it properly, Iām on my second cycle of my 5x5 program after making some reasonable gains on the first cycle.
Ya. I benched 5x5 once a week. Say monday. Then friday closegrip 5x5.2 min rests. I use all 1 minute rests nowadays. This is where my bench began to really accelerate. Giving me the base I have today. Heaviest 5x5 I got was 305 w. Timed 2 min. Rest. N 265 closegrip w. Timed 2 min rest.
Friday 1-10-14
Incline bench paused 5x3 @240
Paused squats highbar 10x3 @225
Barbell rows off the floor 4x6 @170
Incline felt good .3 sec paused last set
Best squat day for me in a while ! 2nd week of haveing aprevious squat session. I just felt stronger outta the holeā¦finally. stretched quads between each setā¦this helped too. Highbar olympic style really emphasises my quads and the bottom of my quad at the top of my knee fatigues quite a bit by the 7th set onā¦
Rows froma 3 inch defficit . Pretty easy weight here. Finish by droppin to135 and doin a set of 10 w. Afull 1 sec hang just off tha floor
1 min timed rests. Weighed 219 no belt no shoes.
Great week. Best week overall.
Monday 1-13-14
Heavy week of cycle. Drop assistance and go from 1 to 2 min timed rests.
Deadlift 10x3 @285
Squat 3x5 @205
Shrugs
This week only ill be more detailed on my logs. I enjoy the simplicity butthis shows a bit more
Preworkout- bannana n Rockstar XDurance
-static stretching
-agile 8 /squat type of warmup. Not exact by any means.just the idea.
Deads
-135x6 from 3" def
-135x3 powerclean from 3" def
-225x3 3" def
-255x3 3" def
-285 10x3 add belt. Mix grip
felt rock heavy today. 1. Squatted fridayā¦worked 11.5 hours afterā¦slept 3 hoursā¦worked 8.5 more saturday.woke up sunday feeling completely unrecovered. I hotshowered and stretched thru sunday n sunday night but knew my recovery was not adequate. Boomā¦wakeup monday to deadlift. Then forgot to switch to 2 min rests the first two sets- got on track after set 3. More of a grind than it shoulda been but as I got warmed up and focused on form it got better
Shrugs
-285x6
-275x9
-225x13
-225x7 snatchgrip
-feltgood- didntnplan these. I just like doin them.
Squats
-155x5
-185x5
-205x5
-205x5
-205x10
Last two reps on last set form broke down. My first time programming in a 2nd day of squats went well. Squatting after deadlifting feels amazingly easier . Same highbar close stance atg as usual. Only nonpause this day.
Post workout-
30 grams protien via whey
couple cups of almonds or a greek yogurt
2 tblespoons of natural honey
fish oil
stretch a bitā¦hotshower.
2hours after il have my biggest meal of the day before heading to work
Just wanted to drop in and say Iāve switched from 3x3 paused benches to 80% close grips on āyour programā lol gains are still coming. Deficit deads and paused squats are still the main assistance and will always be. Thanks for sharing that template with the Nation!
No doubt. Pry the best thing ive ever put out there lol!!! Excellent gains on both ideas. On the closegrip just focuson getin as many good form reps as you canā¦when a rep slows to a grind or forces you out of the groove rack it. If you wanna burn out save it for the 2nd set. After a couple cyclez I recomend pausing these. Its the next level of advancement. Stickin w. This has made my closegrip better than allot of guys reg bench. Doing closegrip fresh on its own days to hit pr.s = 315x1 nonpause. 275x8 nonpause and 265x8 paused.
Wednesday 1-15-14
Heavyweek 2 min rests no accessory
Bench 10x3 @295
Chinups b.w 217.5 +10
-planks
After work last night- hotshower n some stretching
Wake- 1 bannana 1 Rockstar XDurance
-static stretching
Bench-
135x6 paused
225x3 pause first rep
265x3 pause first rep
295 10x3 all fast as possible. Last rep felt slower expecially last 3 sets
Chinups+10 -
These felt slow but very doable. B.w alon e starting to feel explosive
Planks plus 10 felt decent -70 seconds was longest I got.
B.w monday no shoes or belt was 222. Today 217.5. Fasting the first half of non workout days drop weight easy for me.
Post workout-
30 grams protein whey
fishoil
1tblespn honey
Couplecups of almondsnorgreek yogurt
2 hours from now ill eat my biggest meal of day n head to workby 4.pm
I.e today-my wifes homemade ghoulash and 2 peanut buttered bread.
I really like the advice Anytime gave to Chobs. I too would like to get my squat to decent levels. Given my current program any ideas how to truly program a 2nd squat day in? Days. Sets reps.npercentages? Id like it to work within the realm of my 10x3 schedule. This run you see I did squats after deads and they really felt greatā¦depending on programming tho ( I literally guessed and played it safe) doing 10x3 deads followed by 4x6 stiff legged deads seems like a squat session after could eventually be a bit much.???
I could move some things around. Searchin for somethin ā¦as this weekend ill program my whole next 4 weeks and once thats done ill run it.as always. Heres my must haves* cus im committed to the 10x3 for now. N accesories could be changed or moved.
MONDAY - must deadlift 10x3
Wednesday- must bench 10x3
Friday- must squat 10x3. I chose pause squats to really start buildin a base and it works my core hard.
-incline bench. Kinda a must as my only other press movement
-acessory barbell row offthe floor. Pulling accesory. Really my only other pull besides chins.
Hey big guy, good stuff going on around here. I myself really like front squating after deadlifting, it seems to go togeather like bread and butter, for me anyway. So on the above template, Iād do my deads, and follow that with my front squats, like 5x5, not killing yourself, but putting some hard work in, then your stiffieās and shrugs after that.
On Friday when you squat, I like to take my squats as heavy as I can, in your case 10x3, then drag out a box ( parelle, or 2inch above-play around) This allows me to get used to heavier weights on my back. I donāt use them like Louie does, I use them as a mental tool. I donāt sit or stop on the box, I just barely touch it and explode back up, with same form as reg squats. Iāve found over the years of training kids, that alot of times with the squat, itās more mental, than anything else, thereās a fear of dropping down in the hole with heavy weight on your back.
I know thereās alot of debate with box squating for raw lifterās, but were not using it as a training tool, but a mental tool. If your used to getting 10x3@315, then you get 3-5x3@ 365 with the box version, afterwards, your mind acepts it. This is what Iāve found training kids over the years, with the kids I train, and before long theyāre willing to try the 365 for a free squat, because theyāve built up confidence.
These are the only two changes I would make, your getting lots of volume already, so the front squats really help, as an acsessory lift, building core, and quads, and the explosive box squats, help your mind acept bigger weights, you can even do a set before your 10x3, if you want. Warm up, get one set of box squats at 365, then go back and get your 10x3 at 315, it will feel real light, confidence builder, just make sure the bulk of your workout is free squats, with 3-5 sets with the box sprinkled in, as a way to trick your body. To maney sets can change your groove, thats not what you want. Anyway Iāve found these things to work real well, if you want to give them a shot. Goodluck
First off thanks for your time
Ive been gettn advice and soakin up info online this week in prep for writing next cycle.
Instantly you hit a cpl things
-i lift at home off a Marcy Monster bench. Its adjustable for incline high incline and seated overhesd and has a squat lift off but no safeties or pins. So once im lifted offā¦ I have no safety if I failā¦id have to dumpit.HUGE MENTAL BARRIER.
Ok so. I like the box idea and actually may use that prior to my friday 10x3 as a primer. Heavier weights 3x5 to a box. Then drop down to @10x3.
-other ideas im considering
First off thanks for your time
Ive been gettn advice and soakin up info online this week in prep for writing next cycle.
Instantly you hit a cpl things
-i lift at home off a Marcy Monster bench. Its adjustable for incline high incline and seated overhesd and has a squat lift off but no safeties or pins. So once im lifted offā¦ I have no safety if I failā¦id have to dumpit.HUGE MENTAL BARRIER.
Ok so. I like the box idea and actually may use that prior to my friday 10x3 as a primer. Heavier weights 3x5 to a box. Then drop down to @10x3.
-other ideas im considering
I f your doing oly squats, thereās not much point doing front squats as well, I usually have my kids do one or the other, depending on what theyāre comfortable with, a little more core work from front squats, but itās negligable. As far as multiple squat sessions a week, I think thats a great idea, back in Sept I did a version of Smolov jr, where I adjusted the volume a bit, to match up with Priplenās chart, and it worked awesome. Iām not sure if you were following my log back then, but I got almost 100lbs in 6-8weeks.
Now Iām comming back, gaining strength for the second time, so this might explain some of the gains, but it blew my mind either way. Started at 315x5, and ended with a 405x8 belted, I didnāt use the belt for the initial 315, if that matterās or not. Iāll go back this afternoon, and try to find the program, and how I adjusted it, and try to paste it over here. If I remember right, I was doing a different version of the squat each time -free squat----front squat----low box----high box, I think thats how I ran it, but Iāll look back and see. Either way it worked wonderās for me, and I would highly recomend. Iāll check back in latter, just finished workout, and got to get daughter from bus. Latter
Thanks.
Leanin towards
MONDAY
bench10x3
Squats prelipin
WEDNESDAY
deads10x3
stifflegged
FRIDAY
3x3 to a box squat
10x3 squats afterward
Incline bench
Working my lower body 3 days a week. Which is my weak point. Vs. My upperbodyā¦
Alrighty, I know you have a plan in place, and it looks good, but I promised Iād dig around my log, and locate when, and how I ran Smolov. It looks like I started Smolov (my version) on page 5 of my log, and ran it for 9 weeks (3 cycleās, of 3 weeks), and finished on page 10. I set it, in the begining with a 350 1RM as my base for %, but ended up getting 405x8 on final workout. Itās hard to believe how much progress I made in those 9 weeks, and I forgot how hard I had worked, but went from 315x5 to 405x8, so all the suffering was worth while. Hereās the program I used
day 1, squat 5x6ā70%----245, Bench, and assitanceā suposed to be 6 sets
day2, off
day 3, squat 5x5ā75%----265, cleans, and assitanceā suposed to be 7 sets
day4, off
day 5, squat 5x4ā80%----275, military, and assitance-- suposed to be 8 sets
day 6, off
day 7, Squat day, squats 10x3ā85%ā 300, Deads if Iām up to it
day 8, off
Then Iād add 10lbs to my 1RM at the end off the week,( if I got all the reps, on day 7) to change all the percentages ( 5lbs will work) and reset and run the next week.I never did get around to doing deads, after day 7 workout, and the cleans were half assād, thats the day Iād remove, if you wanted to run this on 3 day program.
Day 3, I think you could get by without it, and still make great gains
Might be somthing here you can use, or learn somthing from, in some part or as a whole at some point. I dropped the volume a bit from original Smolov, with Priplinās chart, so Iād have enough energy to train upper body after squat sets.
After going back and reading some back pages of my log, I donāt know how anyone followās it, as Iām completely all over the place. I didnāt realize how crazy I sounded, until I read some old entryās today Good times, hope some of this helps. Good luck !