No doubt about that! That’s a good plan. As far as addictions go the fym and healthy food are the best ones, but I still think its better to be in control…even good addictions can short circuit gains lol. good luck with your exams!
8-22-2016
C4W1D4 - SQ
5@45, 5@95, 3@135
5@170
5@200
7@230 RPE 9
BBB 5X10@135
BPA’S 5X20, LEG EXT 5X10, LEG CURL 5X10, CRUNCHES 4X25 Superset with vacuums, 3x10.
Ow, ow, ow!!! My legs were shaking after the BBB sets. I felt better after my assistance work.
Disappointed with my PR set, should have gotten more than seven. I didn’t work out yesterday because of DOMS, which was surprising. I guess I underestimated the volume. But still, I was well rested and well fed from yesterday (despite working out fasted), I should have gotten more than seven reps.
I’m probably going to have to adjust my IF routine so that I eat before lifting. Not sure how I will do that, but if I am going to get stronger, I think I need to be fed before lifting.
But, I also need to watch my blood sugar, which IF helps, so I have some work to do.
Especially with BBB. That’ll chew you up and spit you out without eating enough. How many days do you fast? I used to do two per week and just didn’t train on those days.
I’ve gone back to Time Restricted Feeding where I eat in an eight hour window. I’m going back to work in a few weeks and that means I will usually be training around 4:30 AM, so If I eat before, I have to finish eating by four in the afternoon which obviously jacks up family dinner.
I have been eating from noon to eight, but then I have to move my workout to after work which means I’m not home when my kids get home - they’re twelve and ten, so it’s not that big of a tragedy. I just like the 12-8 and training in the morning, but I can tell, that ain’t gonna work with the BBB - I have quite a bit of soreness from squatting today and I’m losing weight. I’m not tracking calories right now so i think I have to go back to that.
Situation Normal, All F@cked Up.
Either BBB has to go, or IF has to go. Maybe I will just try the IF thing on off days and make sure I take three off.
I’ll figure it out.
This sounds like a better option.
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8-23-2016
C4W2D1 - OHP
5@45, 5@65, 3@85
3@100
3@115
7@130 PR RPE 10
5X10@70
Lat PD’s 5x10, CGBP 5x10, Curls 5x10 Superset with laterals 5x10
Seventh rep on the PR set was a grinder.
Woke up at one this morning when my wife came to bed and I couldn’t get back to sleep so I got up. Had some coffee and went down to the man cave and foam rolled and did some other stuff until 3:30 and went to the gym. I’m hoping I can DL tomorrow but I’m pretty sore from squatting. I’ll try some more foam rolling this PM and maybe tomorrow morning and go to the gym late tomorrow, then take Thursday off, BP Friday, SQ Saturday, W3 on Monday. I kind of want to get back on schedule.
Debating whether or not to take a deload this cycle. I’m due to reset after the next cycle but I’m considering recalculating TM during the deload this cycle (7th week protocol?). I don’t want to go three back, but … I have time to stew about it.
The strength of the program is that you can ratchet back, but start a new scheme, while your training max and the “balance” of the program keep you on track.
So instead of moving back, and doing the same stuff lighter, you move back and try some new stuff. 5’s Pro with First Set Last as a Rest Pause PR set. Or 5/3/1 PR sets, with 5’s Pro on secondary exercises, or building the monolith, whatever you want.
If you ratchet “3 back” and run a new scheme for 2-3 cycles, you will then rotate back to the “scheme” or “template” you are using right now. Conveniently, at that time your Training Maxes will be 3 cycles forward, or right exactly where you are about to leave off, right now. Only you will have developed new strengths, AND be fresher than you are right now.
Then, in 5 cycles, it will be time to come back 3. At that time, you switch back, to the scheme or template you are about to switch to now. And conveniently, when you adjust back, you will be right back where you left off(theoretically, 2 cycles from right now). Only then, you’ll be stronger, bigger, and fresher.
Use the program to never stall. Don’t program stalls!
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Yeah, I’m beginning to learn about periodization and the importance of deloading and resetting.
I started with BBB before switching to SS, and then when I stalled on SS, I went to Triumvirate. I do love the different templates, being able to switch things up without program hopping. @MarkKO has gotten me hooked on Band Pull Aparts between sets, and adding in Face Pulls. I didn’t know what either of these were before he suggested them to me and I believe they are integral to staying up with my increasing TM, not to mention, starting to get yoked…okay, just a little.
Yes, but, that doesn’t get me to a three plate squat tomorrow, now does it? But I have learned to be comfortable with that, I know it’s going to take time. I’ve been goofing around with Wilks scores and the McCullough coefficient, and have looked at Kilgore’s strength standards, and feel somewhat validated. While I’m no stud, my lifts are respectable for my age and weight. Of course, I would rather be above average, and am sure that I will be, I just want it to be tomorrow and not in 2020.
What do you know about the 7th week protocol? Jim always says it’s in a thread on this forum, but I haven’t been able to find it. I suspect it’s just figuring out your new TM by finding your 5RM after seven weeks -since 5RM is essentially 85% of a calculated 1RM - and then using that 5RM as your TM in your next cycle. Right, wrong? Totally fucking clueless, lol?
Thanks for weighing in. Anybody else with ideas, feel free to contribute.
Think of 5/3/1 with rep PR sets as “style 1.” Style 1, you lift a little bit lighter, and do more reps. Every week, you try to add more reps.
Then think of ramping to a top set of 5 as “style 2”. Style 2, you do fewer reps, so you lift heavier. Every week, you add weight, and do the same 5 reps.
Style 1 and style 2 both work. But they don’t work forever. So you do style 1 for 6 weeks. Then take your deload. I just stay out of the gym for a week. When you come back, you do style 2 for 6 weeks.
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Would this be SS? Cause I don’t get the “ramping” thing.
So 5/3//1 is undulating periodization because it includes variables of TM and a deload week (NSCA calls it unloading), and SS is linear because, well, because it is linear.
Lol, the whole periodization shit cracks me up these days. The NSCA text book describes it as specificity in training and breaks it down to preseason, transition one, season, transition two, off season. And, it gives three phases for preseason - hypertrophy, basic strength, and power - or some shit like that. Like @Aragorn said, don’t make it too complicated.
When I was in college I had a buddy that played defensive end for our football team. I went to a Pac 12 school (Pac 10 then, not so old that it was the Pac 8…but I do remember those days before UA and ASU). We sucked. O-11, 1-10, shit like that. He was 6’1" and 270 pounds, and because we sucked, he played 60-70 plays a game, and just got beat up. He went on to play five years or so in the NFL. I give you his history to put things into context.
I was sitting around with him one Sunday morning after a night of debauchery and he said, “See ya later, I gotta go lift.”
“Really man? We haven’t been to bed yet. You’re going to go lift?”
“I always lift. If I am depressed, I lift. If I am tired, I lift. if I am sick, I lift. If I was dying, I would lift.”
And it has taken me thirty years to realize what a genius he was.
So, WTF does that have to do with periodization you may ask.
Nothing. But, lifting is more important. Wendler calls it time under the bar, but it’s the same shit.
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And while I am at it, I’m a little hot.
My daughter is twelve, will be thirteen in three weeks. She has played soccer (football for you non-Americans) since she was three. She’s got great coordination, but, she’s a beast, and it’s the wrong sport for her. She may lean out in puberty, but she’s very muscular and very coordinated. She plays in a town where the high school has won the state tournament for the last three or four years. We don’t live in that town.
She first started on that travel (all star is the best way to describe it, but it’s not accurate for nine year olds) when she was nine. She didn’t try out so they put her on the “D” team. They had three better teams.
Now she’s twelve and playing on the “A” team for U14 (thirteen in three weeks, age appropriate) and the shit is hitting the fan. It’s now serious, not just show up when you want and play for fun. The shit is getting serious.
And, she is limping. She’s been complaining about pain in her foot for two years, but she will not do anything about it. I bought her a lacrosse ball to roll it, a foam roller, and an electric stim machine, but she will not use them. We have a pool she can use for cold water therapy, but she won’t use it. I show her Kelly Starrett videos about feet and ankles, but, no go.
Travel soccer is a two season ordeal, Fall and Spring. And, Winter conditioning.
And, she plays school soccer, school volleyball, and school lacrosse. She starts on every team.
I’m worried about repetitive stress injuries, particularly with her already tender foot. I told her to pick a season to take off - lacrosse, or volleyball.
My wife tells me she is just being dramatic (she is 12). My wife continues to insist she play all seasons (she thinks she’s going to get a scholarship - which might happen…if she ever starts throwing the shot.)
My daughter insists on playing all seasons.
I’m a dick.
Just saying.
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Example 1 of 1,375 of what I was telling you about NSCA complicating it just to complicate it. I mean, sure its pretty much accurate but unless you have a trainer that really knows how to get people STRONG all the sport specific phases and shit in the world isn’t going to save the athletes asses come game day.
I’ve run into a load of NSCA CSCS people who can’t fucking squat correctly let alone teach a group of athletes to squat. But damn if they don’t have a bajillion acronyms and names for their training cycles and programs.
I should note that there are just absolutley fucking brilliant CSCS people out there too. People I’d trust more than an Orthopedic surgeon to tell me what was wrong with me. I’m sshooting for being the latter rather than the former haha
Damn straight. Some geniuses can’t do “book work”, but they have it figured out in real terms. They’re right.
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Sounds more like you are a concerned parent. Good for you.
I’m big on kids playing multiple sports rsther than specializing into one at a very early age, but I agree focus needs to be on health first.
Maybe you force her to see an ortho doc and get x-rays. Data, data, data…you cannot make bricks without clay 
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Aight, bit of background. I was a PGA pro, one of 250 authorized instructors of The Golfing Machine (I’m credential queer).
There are roughly 3,785,436 ways to hit a golf ball correctly (just making the shit up right now) based on nineteen or so basics and all of the variables. But, they all work. You hit a fade, I hit a hook, they both work, neither is “correct” or “wrong.” Get the ball in the hole, that’s it.
But, if you want to, we can talk about a weak grip with using accumulator number four of the power package to deliver the clubhead into the aft inside quadrant of the golf ball.
Who can remember all of that shit?
If you are a swinger, I will teach you to swing without concern for the sequence of release of the power package.
If you are a hitter, I will teach you to hit without concern for the release of the power package.
If I want to sell you more lessons, I will make you better…whatever that takes.
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OK! It’s sort of like SS, only more strategic.
That first week of 5’s, you are not going to a “max 5.” You are going to a weight where you can hit 5 smooth reps, no problem, add weight next week, and still kill all 5 reps, Then, finally do it again the 3rd week. Three weeks in you take a little step back, and repeat.
You are not just shooting blind, you are selecting specific weights, that will result in productive workouts. And you plan to work in that “zone” for 6 weeks. The rep maxes you hit the previous “block” give you a real good idea of the weights you should use for your 5’s. You always lift weights you can lift without grinding. Then, 6 weeks of good training later, you switch back to the reps.
So a super primitive style would go;
Block 1
Week 1: 180 x10 reps
Week 2: 180x12 reps
Week3 : 180x15 reps
Week 4: 200x8 reps
Week 5: 200x11 reps
Week 6: 200x13 reps
Week 7: Deload
Block 2
Week 1: 220x5
Week 2: 230x5
Week 3: 240x5
Week 4: 230x5
Week 5: 240x5
Week 6: 250x5
Deload
Start all the way over, with Rep Pr’s with 190 or 200. 12 weeks later, Finish your second 5’s block with 270x5.
24 weeks of productive workouts, where you worked hard and moved forward, but never beat your head into the wall.
Yup!! Hit the nail on the head with that. That’s all that matters in the end.
Also…golf is one of the most fun sports in existence while simultaneously being the most bitterly disappointing haha.
08-25-2016
C4W2D2 - DL
PC 5@65, 3@95, 3@115
DL
3@190
3@215
7@240 RPE 8
5x10@125 BBB
BPA’s 5x20, GM’S 5X10, Crunches 4x25, vacuums 4x3
Was still wicked sore yesterday from squatting three days ago so I took it off. I was still a little sore/stiff today but it loosened up. I think instead of Boring But Big it should be Boring but Sore.
A guy was using the hyper bench so I substituted Good Mornings - I had never done them before and was a bit reticent but I think it might be a permanent switch now that I have done them. I think it will help keep my spine neutral when dead lifting.
I had at least one more rep in the tank on the PR set but wasn’t sure I could get it with good form, so I stopped at seven.
I created a spread sheet with a list of weights for each exercise and went back through my log and entered all of my PR’s for each weight. I notice that my rep pr’s go up the second or third time I lift that particular weight, which, of course, it should. But, I think it shows an increase in strength, which is encouraging because I am second guessing the three steps back. Three steps back puts me at the same weights as cycle two after five months of lifting and that doesn’t seem like much progress - unless you start looking at the number of reps in the PR sets.
I think I get it.
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Yes! If you lift those old weights again, you better get more reps!
When you play the course a second time, your score should improve!
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Reconciling more reps at lower weights with a desire to lift more weight creates a cognitive dissonance. I would very much like to hit a three plate squat on my birthday (ten days) but, it doesn’t really fit with the progression. My current TM for 5/3/1 is 265, and while I have a deload coming, if I take it, I really don’t see any way to justify trying a 1RM at 315 anytime soon. I like to do Joker Sets in 5/3/1 week, capping my AMRAP set, and I may give it a shot, but, I’m thinking it’s a bad idea. See above how slow my last Joker Set at 285 was. And, I just cannot eat enough (loser).
So, three back is a problem for me. I’m going to do it, but, it’s going to be a problem. I’m worried about cycle five, the weight is getting heavy. Which is, of course, why a reset is good. I will probably deload after this cycle, but won’t after cycle five when I am resetting.
As my buddy Joe would say, “Fuck it Bro, go lift!”
You’ve seen it happen to me dude, after a few cycles at least one lift will get heavy. Reset sooner rather than later, although for what it’s worth I think you’re about good for three plates now.
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