[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
…
P.S. There is no way I’m shaving my head.[/quote]
Not even just a little part?
Excellent work Kimba! I’ve gotta take a look at this 5/3/1, see what all the fuss is. But seeing all your awesome PRs makes me think that there is a method to the madness.
ps. your internal monologue! hilarious.
^5 and a chest bump from me(and maybe a butt smack?)!! teehee
[quote]arachne12 wrote:
Holy crap Kimba. Way to set the bar high for 5/3/1 for the rest of us starting in 2010. Nice reps!
[/quote]
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
x2 on the holy crap. Back to school for me![/quote]
Thanks Arachne and Cal! I think you’ll both do similarly well in the initial stages of 5/3/1. If we set our maxes low enough, the first two months should be very do-able. It does get harder to hit PRs over time, as I discovered when trying out this template on my deadlifts last month. But I like that the point of this program is to start too light so that you can make progress over a longer period of time.
[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
…
P.S. There is no way I’m shaving my head.[/quote]
Not even just a little part?[/quote]
Each little strand has been expensively colored, highlighted and brazilian-keratin-straightened to within an inch of its life. So, nope!
[quote]Mascherano wrote:
Excellent work Kimba! I’ve gotta take a look at this 5/3/1, see what all the fuss is. But seeing all your awesome PRs makes me think that there is a method to the madness.
ps. your internal monologue! hilarious.[/quote]
Thanks Mascherano! I do think 5/3/1 is a good strength building program with which many people have had success. If building strength is your goal, it might be right for you too. Early PRs notwithstanding, it remains to be seen whether it will work for me.
[quote]mom-in-MD wrote:
^5 and a chest bump from me(and maybe a butt smack?)!! teehee
[/quote]
Thanks MIM! I’ve not got much chest to bump with, but butt smacking is always good. 
saammmaaaaaack! right on your nice toosh!
so-do you think hitting 20 means the weight was slightly low? or is that about right so you can continue making progress. 20 is awesome but i would have thought it too high. of course, i’m asking so the 5/3/1 goddesses can answer.
as you saw with my MP yesterday, i’m kinda certain that only hitting 5+1 on the last is not ideal and i recognize i should have dropped the starting weight by 5 lbs.
thoughts?
oh yeah, brazilin-keratin-straightened hair…you are too funny.
and oh yeah yeah, i hope you didn’t think i meant you were a newb when i said ‘new to lifting.’ it’s all relative (time wise) but you come across as such a seasoned lifter (compliment) shit, i don’t think i’m making a good point here. just wanted to clarify i wasn’t calling you a newb.
however, Masch, girlfriend…with 6 months in you are a newb and the best thing about that is new lifters can make HYUUUUUGE progress very quickly. so 5/3/1 would probably do amazing things for you in the strength dept.
[quote]talenaah wrote:
saammmaaaaaack! right on your nice toosh!
so-do you think hitting 20 means the weight was slightly low? or is that about right so you can continue making progress. 20 is awesome but i would have thought it too high. of course, i’m asking so the 5/3/1 goddesses can answer.
as you saw with my MP yesterday, i’m kinda certain that only hitting 5+1 on the last is not ideal and i recognize i should have dropped the starting weight by 5 lbs.
thoughts?
[/quote]
I didn’t think there was that much flexibility on setting your max. I mean, a max is a a max, right? Kimba, are you sandbagging?? 
[quote]talenaah wrote:
saammmaaaaaack! right on your nice toosh![/quote]
Why, thank you m’dear.
[quote]oh yeah, brazilin-keratin-straightened hair…you are too funny.
and oh yeah yeah, i hope you didn’t think i meant you were a newb when i said ‘new to lifting.’ it’s all relative (time wise) but you come across as such a seasoned lifter (compliment) shit, i don’t think i’m making a good point here. just wanted to clarify i wasn’t calling you a newb. [/quote]
I totally did not think that. In fact, I am new enough to lifting so that I am still in the “big progress” stage. Especially considering that I’ve been squatting and deadlifting CORRECTLY for only a few months.
T and Arachne:
I think that “setting your max” for 5/3/1 is more of an art than just a raw “what is the most I’ve ever pulled/squatted/pressed”? In setting my own maxes, I tried to be a bit conservative but I think the numbers are defensible. Here is my thought process in detail:
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Military presses. This was easy because I ACTUALLY have a 1 rep MAX. I know that I recently could press 60, but only for 1 rep. The second time I tried for 60, I couldn’t even do one. Thus, 90% of my true 1 rep max of 60 = 55 lbs.
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Deadlifts: The most I’ve ever pulled is 160 for 2. Using the rep max calculator in the book, I come up with a 1 rep max of 170. 90% of that = 155 lbs.
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Bench press: The most I’ve ever benched is 80 for 3 reps. The rep max calculator comes out to 87.99 and 90% of that = 80 lbs.
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Squat: I’ve squatted 120 for 5 reps to 4 risers plus a step, but I decided not to use this one because (a) it wasn’t low enough and (b) this was done under mental circumstances that I haven’t yet (nor might not want to) repeat. The most I’ve squatted to 3 risers plus a step is 110 for 3 reps. So, the rep calculator calculated my 1 rep max at 120 (interesting!) and 90% of that = 110 lbs.
Another Tnation member (upon my swearing that I had purchased the ebook which I have) shared an Excel spreadsheet with me for 5/3/1. One reason I embraced these low working maxes was because if you follow them out for, say four months, the numbers start to get quite big. For example, in May I am scheduled to MP 75 lbs for 1+, pull 190 lbs for 1+, bench 95 for 1+ and squat an amazing 145 for 1+. Unimaginable at this moment. And no reason to set my maxes higher!
Yup. On 5/3/1 setting your starting maxes low is better, because you build the base strength better. As time goes on it doesn’t feel any more difficult, but you will have increased your working maxes significantly, enabled by that base you built at the beginning.
Yea 5/3/1 has worked amazing for me so far. Using 90% of 1RM to program is genius. I felt like I was working with really light weights at first, which was refershing. It got heavy surprisingly quickly and I am continuing to set PRs each time I hit the gym, so yeah, 5/3/1 is basically magic, at least for me
I’m glad to see your similarly satisfied so far. Great job on your new squat PR!! 95lbs for 20 reps is amazing progress. I bet your 1RM is significantly higher than when you last tested it.
MAY?! FUCKING MAY?!
I don’t understand people like you. I know that you exist, and that you probably don’t understand me, either, but… MAY!
that’s all. dont mind my tourettical outbursts too much.
I wouldn’t think about/calc your numbers too far out. It’s easy to get sick or injured or just plain tired and fall behind the ‘schedule’. Then, when you hit that date short of those numbers you feel like you failed. I’ve seen it happen many, many times. Better to focus on what’s in arm’s reach and not what’s across the room, down the hallway and out in the parking lot 
Trust me, my dears. I didn’t calculate out my “May schedule” on purpose. I innocently typed in my maxes into this monster spreadsheet, and before I could say bob’s me uncle, the thing cranked out 12 months worth of training.
It actually scared the living crap out of me.
I kind of like having the long term goals but I only take them so seriously.
Nice work kimba! I’m starting to understand this 5/3/1 - great explanation on how you came up with your maxes.
Joe, I think long-term goals are important to keep focus. I mean, if you and I are in the gym to build strength, it helps to have some idea of what “success” at that goal is. But specifically hitting a target weight months away…that feels alot too much like work to me.
Masherano, I’m really glad you are finding my experiences helpful in some way!
Today’s training was:
Off the 5/3/1 Reservation Day
Back squats to 3 risers plus step
Bar 1 x 10 warmup
75# 1 x 10 easy as pie and looked purty
95# 1 x 10 had lots of confidence at this weight knowing I had done 20 reps this weekend. Better on knee cave
105# 1 x 10 <–Rep PR at this depth +5 reps
115# 1 x 10 ← PR at this depth +10 lbs
65# 1 x 30 <–Rep PR +3 reps
Despite a shitty nights sleep (I am an experienced insomniac) when I hit 10 reps @ 105 I knew that with a bit of rest between sets I could blast up bigger weight. I was happy with this, but will also be happy to jump back onto the 5/3/1 squat bus this weekend. I really feel that volume at lower weights is super helpful to my squat strength, and that is what 5/3/1 with my current max dishes up.
Bench Press
85# 1 x 1 ← PR +5 lbs. New one rep max! Yay!
75# 1 x 8 <–failed to control rep #9 at the top
65# 1 x 15 <–Rep PR +3 reps
I was happy with this, but again I’ll be happy to get back to 5/3/1 this weekend and work sub-maximally.
HS Pull Downs (independent handle, neutral grip)
35# 1 x 22
Walking lunges
25s 3/4 way around the gym and then I LOST MY FUCKING GRIP. grrr. Someone please give me a plan to increase my grip strength. Please?
Dips
BW 1 x 20
My forearms were toast from the grip issue on the previous exercise. Alas.
Cable Hip Adductions/Abductions
12.5 # 3 x 10 reps each leg
Decline sit-ups
10# weight behind head 10/7/5
Good day at the gym. Looking forward to Friday’s training already!
Nice PRs, especially a true weight PR!
Re grip: Krock rows. Pick a weight that is about your 10RM and figure out a way to do it for 30 reps. Angle the weight so it rests against your arm, pause, use sloppy form, keep going till the weight starts pulling out of your fingers and drops, then pick it back up and keep going till you hit 30 reps with each arm. Also, farmers walks as far and as heavy as you can stand. Then repeat 3 times. These two exercises will cure any issues you have with your grip.
the bench is your bitch now kimba! bet you have more than 85 if you don’t do so many right before the attempt.
and the rep pr’s are a real confidence builder.
nice bp kimba!
i second the heavy kroc/farmers walk suggestions for the grip. maybe some towel pull ups too since they’re fun and different.
are u using db’s or plates for those walking lunges?
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
Nice PRs, especially a true weight PR!
Re grip: Krock rows. Pick a weight that is about your 10RM and figure out a way to do it for 30 reps. Angle the weight so it rests against your arm, pause, use sloppy form, keep going till the weight starts pulling out of your fingers and drops, then pick it back up and keep going till you hit 30 reps with each arm. Also, farmers walks as far and as heavy as you can stand. Then repeat 3 times. These two exercises will cure any issues you have with your grip. [/quote]
Thanks Jack. Those are awesome suggestions. I love the kroc rows for themselves, but I’m happy to use them for grip duty too.
Farmer’s walks: I can pick up two heavy dumbbells and walk the length of the weight room and back. Will that do? My wimp-ass gym has nothing else that seems suitable.
[quote]soldog wrote:
the bench is your bitch now kimba! bet you have more than 85 if you don’t do so many right before the attempt.
and the rep pr’s are a real confidence builder.[/quote]
George, thanks for the encouragement! My leg drive still really sucks on bench, but I’m working on it.
One of the best things about 5/3/1 is the rep PRs. I don’t usually think of that as I go for weight PRs.
[quote]dejavued wrote:
nice bp kimba!
i second the heavy kroc/farmers walk suggestions for the grip. maybe some towel pull ups too since they’re fun and different.
are u using db’s or plates for those walking lunges? [/quote]
Deja, thanks for weighing in on grip. Towel pull-ups are so bad-ass, but I can’t even do one!
I was using dbs for the walking lunges. I can hold onto a 25# plate easier, but there are no plates in the part of my gym which is good for walking around. WTF???