I’m 21 y.o., getting bigger and stronger.
Current maxes:
Squat 310x1
Bench 175x5x2 >:(
Deadlift 365x1
Short term goals:
Squat 350x1
Bench 250x1
DL 405x1
FSDL* 275x8
outgrow medium t-shirts
fix crappy posture (hips)
Long term goals:
600+ DL
Scare children
*See below
My program looks like
Monday
Back Ext
Abs
Single leg or machine squat
Farmer’s Walk
Tues
Bench 5’s
DB Incl Press
TBar Row
Curlz
Face Pulls
Abs
Thurs
Squat (Jim Wendler’s) 5/3/1
FSDL*
Shrugs 1x20-40 (Kroc style)
Abs
Fri
Lat PD
DB Bench
Cable Row
DB press
Abs
If it’s not labelled, it’s 3-4 sets for 10-12 reps.
Once school starts, I will be running the four day 5/3/1 template over three days/week.
*Stands for “Full of Suck DeadLift”. It could be also be called a top-down, snatch grip, deficit pull.
Squat
175x5
200x5
225x3
I am working off a training max of 250, so this was quite easy. This was the 3-rep day, but I had a brain fart and did 5’s for my first two sets. I decided just to hit my reps for the last set and make up for it with deadlifts.
FSDL
185x10
205x10
225x10 +20lbs
At this point, I wanted to puke, so I did the following with lots of rest.
Reverse Crunch
4x12
DB Row
50x12
55x8
60x10
done very strict
Lat PD
worked up to 120x12
Did these with a wide grip, where I’m weakest (I can do 150x8 with a neutral grip), and focused on feeling my lats working
DB Bench
45x12
55x12
60x8
60x9
Usually I do these with a neutral grip, but I did them the normal way today, I’m weaker in that position
Cable Row
120x12
130x12
140x8
120x12 strict
1-arm DB press
25x12
35x10x2
35x9
Cable Crunch and Pallof Press
some x some
I like the pallof press, I can really feel my core working to stabilize the weight.
Back Extension
BWx12
+10x12
+25x12
+35x12
Weighted Sit-ups
BWx16
+10x16
+25x16 (on chest)
+10x16 (behind head)
Hack Sq Machine
worked up to
3 plates x12x2
Sled
4 plates x 35m x 4
Forgot to do Farmer’s walks, dragged a sled instead
Football Bar Floor Press
100x8 (bar is 100lbs)
120x5
150x5
170x5
180x5
190x5
210x3
Did these instead of bench because my shoulder and low back felt really jacked up.
Also because Tuesday is National Bench Day pt 2, and there were no flat benches free.
DB Incline Press (neutral grip)
30x12
35x12x2
40x11
TBar Row
50x3x8 (neutral grip)
25x20 (very wide grip)
We have an EFS tbar row machine, which has an insanely long lever arm.
One of the powerlifters I train with suggested I do these for 8 sets of 3 with 30-45s of rest, then do one all out rep set at my weakest grip.
I am extremely happy to be training with lifters much bigger and stronger than I am.
DB Curlz
25x10
30x8x2
25x12
Made sure to do these in front of the mirror.
Face pulls
27x15
32x15
37x16
32x15
Ab Wheel from knees
idr x idk
Did 30 total reps, going as low as possible with a slow, controlled eccentric. Didn’t do more than 5 reps per set.
I forgot to mention, I try to spend a little bit of time every morning riding my bike, and sometimes Defanco’s Agile 8.
http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask_joe/archives/ask_joe_08-10-03.html
I only remembered to mention this because it was raining too hard this morning to take a decent ride, and the seat on my stationary bike is exceptionally uncomfortable, so I skipped it.
Yesterday:
Squat
190x5
215x3
240x9
Did these with the giant cambered bar because I was squatting with my training partners. Since I don’t know what the bar weighs, exactly, all the weights are a guess.
FSDL
185x10
225x10
275x8
Goal accomplished! 315x8 is next
Cable Crunch
90x15
100x12
80x20x2
Usually do accessory days at home on Fridays, went to the gym today just because. I was not 100% today.
“Speed” Bench with chains
95x3x7
95x6
IDK how much chain weight… a lot. The guys I lift with during the week were doing speed bench, so I hopped in because I’ve never benched with chains before. This was more triceps work than speed work for me.
DB Bench
30x20
50x12
55x10
50x10
Felt very weak
LYTPs
5x10x3
These were spread out between sets of various other movements
Kegelcizer?
I can’t even guess at what this machine is really called. It’s like a high row, I guess, but it uses air pressure for resistance. You set it pretty low, about 100 lbs, then row it back and hold it, squeezing your shoulder blades together, while holding down the + button to increase the resistance until you can’t hold it anymore.
Then on the last set, you hold the - button and do as many reps as you can, even if they’re partials. I hit 265, 335, and 270, then about 8 reps.
Triceps Pushdown
45x12
52x12
57x12x2
Lat PD
100x12
120x10
140x8
140x5
160x5 very slow eccentric
Not a bad day considering I stayed up way too late drinking the last two nights, which is completely out of character for me.
This week is my deload, and yesterday was my lower body assistance.
I did back extensions, farmers walks, situps, and kettlebell swings, then some stretching. In and out in 30 minutes.
deload
DB Floor Press
worked up to
70x8,5
TBar Row
52.5x3x7
35x12
‘Kroc’ Shrugs
80x20
then i did 100 reps of band triceps and curls with an empty ez curl bar
Lookin good man. I am deloading this week, then testing classic lifts next week. 85-87 snatch, 107 C&J hopefully.
Thanks for stopping by, I was starting to wonder if anyone read this log.
I hate deloading every fourth week, and it probably shows - I haven’t been reducing volume at all, just “getting the bar out of my hands and off my back,” as Ford says.
I’m actually testing maxes next week too. I don’t expect any huge jumps, but I want to start my next training cycle with everyone else. At the very least, I will actually squat 3 plates instead of 310… might even pull 4. Sadly, I will be quite happy with any bench over 200. My technique is absolute shit, and my upper body just isn’t strong enough to make up for it.
more deload goodness
Step Ups
65x6
115x6
160x6 too much cheating
140x6x2
Did these with safety squat bar. Belted up for the last two sets since my back was bothering me
Then I messed around on the hack squat and leg extension machines, I probably did three work sets between the two.
Pallof Press
4x12
Kroc Rows
75x10x4
Did these rest pause ish, 30s rest between sets.
Next week I’m maxing out. The week after that, I’m starting a full cycle of 5/3/1, it will be a four day template, but I will only be training 3 days a week to accommodate a full time job + classes + research. Deloads will still be a week long, so a training cycle will be 5 weeks.
What?
More goals.
Why?
I need more meat on my back.
How?
Press 5/3/1
other press (db bench, db press, db incline, pushups)
mid back (Tbar, Kroc rows, Lat PD)
arms
Deadlift 5/3/1
hams (Leg curls, GHR)
quads (leg press, lunges, hack sq)
upper back
abs
Bench 5/3/1
other press
mid back
arms
Squat 5/3/1
low back (back ext, reverse hyper, gm)
quads
upper Back
abs
This is almost straight from the 5/3/1 manual except that i’m hitting my back every day
assistance work will be cycled as needed, some movements (that is, kroc rows) I can’t do more than 3-4 weeks without getting beat up.
Skipping my deload upper assistance day, going hiking with my friend on his birfday instead.
Yes, that is how birfday is spelled.
Going to max either squat or deadlift Tuesday, maybe military if I’m not too worn out. I plan to hit 325 squat or a 385 deadlift (with straps, since I can’t get used to over-under and I’m not planning on competing atm).
Today was a good day.
Squat
warmup
285x1
315x1
330x1 PR
335x0
20lb PR in 8 weeks. This 5/3/1 shit works, even with an 80% training max.
Rack Lockouts
455x10s
495x10s
If I thought 335 felt heavy…
Cable Stiff Leg
some x10x3
Leg Press (one leg)
2 plates x10x3
Bridge on hands
4 plates x2
5 plates
Training partner drops plates on back one at a time, lets them sit for 10 seconds, then slowly removes them. Killer.
Thursday is bench, Saturday is pulls and military. I’m training early saturday bc my training partner is getting married. That’s dedication right there, pulling singles on your wedding day.
EDIT: Forgot about rack lockouts
Nice work dude. Im running 5/3/1 as well and think its great.
Nice job on the squat PR, only 20 more pounds.
Thanks for dropping in. 5/3/1 is definitely good stuff, I’m looking forward to using it for my bench… and I’m definitely looking forward to pulling on the regular again.
Yeah, 20 more pounds… then on to a 400lb squat
Bench
bar x5x2
95x5
135x3
155x2
185x1
205x1
225x1 ← Word.
185x5
I was extremely surprised, I thought I was only good for 215… my technique is still terrible, so my training max for the next cycle is still going to be 180. 80% seemed to work well on squats, so we’ll see how it works for benching.
Kegelcizer
somex20x2 + hold
Band Tris
3x40-50
Started with 2 bands, then dropped to 1 to finish the set. Awesome pump.
DB Shrug Drop Set
100x20
90x20
80x20
As I type this, I’m munching a burrito. Training partner had to work late, so we didn’t get out of the gym until 2130, which is much too late to cook dinner.
Max pulls early Saturday morning, and I’ll be maxing out on military press as well, dunno if my training partners will, but I’m curious to know what I can press, I’m going to hit 135 then go from there.
I haven’t decided what I want to pull yet. My best is 365, so I’ll hit 375 first, then move on… I think I can hit 385, then I want 405 to get that 2/3/4plates.
Weasel, if you’re reading this, is your best pull still 385? I’d like to beat that 