4A. Goblet Squat 50/15 x 5
4B. Push Ups +10*/10 x 5
4C. Chin Ups +10*/5 x 5
4D. Plate Raise 25/10 x 5
4E. Good Mornings 65/10 x 5
w/ weighted vest
A couple notes from today. I tried squatting barefoot for the first time. Felt different; as with everything else, will take time getting used to (but didn’t seem to hinder performance at all). I also made some modifications to the accessory work to try and improve lower back strength and shoulder mobility (super setted face pulls in between work sets to help with this as well).
Wednesday, February 14, 2004 (Cycle 9, Workout A3)
Box Jumps 3x5
BB Squat
170/5
195/5
220/5 (felt much smoother than last cycle)
170/5 x 5
Flat BB Bench Press
140/5
160/5
175/4 (PR, just couldn’t hit that 5th rep)
140/5 x 5
4A. Goblet Squat 50/15 x 5
4B. Push Ups +10*/10 x 5
4C. Chin Ups +10*/5 x 5
4D. Plate Raise 25/10 x 5
4E. Good Mornings 65/10 x 5
w/ weighted vest
Notes:
Good all around session. Squat felt real smooth this time around, so I’ll increase the TM for next cycle. Couldn’t get the last rep on Bench, so I’ll reset my TM for next cycle and start going for AMRAP on my top sets. 175 for 4 was still a PR for me, so I’ll take it!
4A. KB Swing 50/15 x 5
4B. Dips +10/10 x 5
4C. Pull Ups +10/5 x 5
4D. Plate Raise 25/10 x 5
4E. Pallof Press 20/10 x 5
Notes:
Bodyweight is up to 142.8 lbs. Waist creeped up a bit, so I’ll continue keeping an eye on that.
Not only did I hit a PR on Deadlifts, but it felt easy. TM will be increasing another 10 lbs. Deadlifting barefoot just feels right.
I thought Military Press form improved slightly today. At least, my warm-ups and initial work sets looked better on video. I really tried focusing on starting with the bar on my upper chest/clavicle, tilting my head back, pressing up and pushing head forward. This, along with some of the accessory work, seems to be helping. My top set of 105 lbs still felt like a struggle though. Not sure if Military Press will always suffer with my current routine, since it’s worked on same day as Deadlift, so lower back takes a beating. I’ll probably go another cycle, maybe keep TM the same. Also considering switching to a seated military press, just to try something different.
Presses looked pretty good to me. Back was pretty stable and bar path was consistent. Seems awkward to do that side step because of the ceiling joist though.
I’ve almost always done presses and deadlifts the same day, but presses first. Abs and low back always seemed more fatigued the other way around.
As the weights get heavier, that side stepping is making the lift that much more difficult. I’ve been considering rearranging the equipment to fix this issue.
I like the idea of pressing first, might give that a try next cycle. But agreed, I definitely felt more comfortable pressing today.
4A. Goblet Squat 50/20 x 5
4B. Push Ups +10*/10 x 5
4C. Chin Ups +10*/5 x 5
4D. Plate Raise 25/10 x 5
4E. Good Mornings 70/10 x 5
w/ weighted vest
Notes:
Bodyweight is back down to 140.8, but waist increased a bit. Not good. I did notice I felt bloated this morning when waking up. Not sure if it’s due to a pre-bed snack I’ve added into my diet recently. Will have to keep an eye on that.
I’m enjoying the AMRAP sets. Didn’t expect to bench 145 for 15 reps. I can still remember the days when going for 5 reps was a challenge, which gets me thinking…
I’ve been running Wendler’s beginner program since October (so ~ 5 months). I’ve enjoyed the program and have definitely seen my strength increase. I don’t want to completely abandon 531, but would love to add some bodybuilding-style training as my accessory work. I came across a 5/3/1 & Bodybuilding routine on Jim’s blog. Considering the transition to that for next cycle.
@ChickenLittle@SvenG Thank you! I forgot about the Hardgainer routine, that’s another good one. I’ll plan on cycling through both of them over the course of the next few months. Thanks again!
4A. KB Swing 50/15 x 5
4B. Dips +10/10 x 5
4C. Pull Ups +10/5 x 5
4D. Plate Raise 25/10 x 5
4E. Pallof Press 30/10 x 5
Notes:
Weight stayed relatively flat at 140.6 lbs. Need to eat more. I’m obviously being overly conservative with my eating, and probably eating too clean as well. Though I will say, something’s off with my stomach, not sure if it’s digestion related. I have no issue while eating, but shortly after my larger meals, I notice my stomach starts cramping. Not painful, but more of an annoyance. Bowel movements are normal, but maybe I’m a little more gassy? Didn’t mean to get too personal, but figured if anyone reading my log has experienced something similar, it’d be great to hear how you dealt with it. Not sure if I’m at the point of starting to eliminate certain foods to see if there’s an insensitivity, but it’s something I’ll continue to monitor.
Training-wise, this was a great session. Hit a rep PR on the press and a weight PR on the DL.
Plan forward is to take a deload next week (eat around maintenance just to see if things settle down) and then start 5/3/1 Hardgainers. I’ll run that for 2 cycles (so 6 weeks). My goal is to gain 5 lbs of bodyweight over those 6 weeks. Definitely achievable, though given how much I’ve gained since the beginning of the year, it’ll still be a challenge. Just means I need to eat more!
