BKKLift 5/3/1 Training Log with progress pics

[dylanamus]

19th Oct: Cycle 3, Week 1, Bench Press Day:
If your weight drops but your lifts remain the same, can you consider that as an improvement in strength ? Technically your lifts as a % of your bodyweight has increased...

After cutting, I am currently trying to work back up to my PRs set at up to 8kg heavier - and it's not like I have stopped weight lifting at all since I was heavier. So yes, I think it is fair to use bw ratio to measure overall improvements.

Although I don't think it's just about bw differences, but also the eating habbits one employs at different stages surrounding their weight, such as bulking (or just eating until full with protein emphasis) and deliberately cutting. I am restricting myself quite clinically now and it naturally impedes my lifting potential, as it would anyone's.

Interesting and well thought out log. I'm glad I caught onto it while it's still in its early days. Good work.

[bkklift]

Many ways to skin the cat when measuring performance...which is one of the beautiful things about 5/3/1, lots of ways to measure/motivate yourself.

True that BFlo. The final set is one of the many things I like about 5/3/1 and is a big tool for me to measure/motivate myself. I know perceived maxes aren't necessarily accurate but I like being able to compare each workout. Like Wendler recommends, I think of a target number to hit each final set. Often how good a workout is depends on if I hit the number.

Although I don't think it's just about bw differences, but also the eating habits one employs at different stages surrounding their weight, such as bulking (or just eating until full with protein emphasis) and deliberately cutting. I am restricting myself quite clinically now and it naturally impedes my lifting potential, as it would anyone's.

Excellent point dylanamus, I hadn't thought about it in that way. It hasn't been a goal to lower my weight but I think it has been a natural result of eating cleaner and just being a lot busier. At my "peak" when I set my PR's I was weighing close to 91kg, I weighed in @85kg this morning.

A side benefit is that I am seriously considering starting MMA as a hobby and entering a competition next year. If I was to compete I would have to do so @81kg.

Interesting and well thought out log. I'm glad I caught onto it while it's still in its early days. Good work.

Thanks for reading dylanamus. I hope to be able to glean some knowledge off you and hopefully get close to your bw to lifts ratio one day.

[bkklift]

21th Oct: Cycle 3, 1st Week, Squat Day

1) Squat:
225x5
245x5
270x10

2) Good Mornings: 4x10x115

3) Squats: 4x10x225

4) Cable ab curls: 3x12x42

5) Hanging leg raises: 1x15xbw

Workout time: 50 mins

Comments:

After my poor workout last time, I was determined come hell or high water to do better. My whole day was centered around having a decent gym session! The night before I prepared my workout log, deciding how many reps I was going to get final rep of squats. I ate my meals so I would be fully prepared for gym, like Goldilocks - not too full, not too empty. During work I was thinking about going to the gym. I took extra time doing my warmups and visualised myself squatting. Last cycle I managed 265x9 + 280x7 so I was determined to get 270x9 today...and I got 10 reps, whee! I even felt as if I had more in the tank but my form was slipping.

Did a bit of token ab work at the end, something I have been neglecting but was wiped from the squats.

It sounds a bit extreme but I was really disappointed with my bench workout, it was almost a case of you are only as good as your last workout! Feeling a lot better today

[tenkev]

I always find squat day to be the most satisfying day of the week. Much more satisfying than bench day.

[Buffalo150]

Bkk-

Way to regroup! That's a nice session on the Squat.

-Bflo

[guru]

Hey BKK, great squat day. Getting 10 reps against 5 in Cycle 3 definitely means you are getting stronger.

[bkklift]

Thanks Bflo, thanks Guru. It was nice to get a good workout under the belt.

And agreed, tenkev. Something about the heavy lift days (squats and deadlifts) that are extra satisfying. I'm still a sucker for those bench days though

[bkklift]

Running behind on the updates:

23rd Oct: Cycle 3, 1st Week, OHP Day

1) OHP:
100x5
115x5
130x8

2) Superset:
Dips: 4x8x50lbs +
Pull ups: 2x10
Neutral grip pull ups: 1x10
Chin ups: 1x10

3) MTS Pulldowns: 3x12x35

4) Cable chest press: 3x10x21

Workout time: 60 mins

Comments:
Don't let anybody tell you OHP is not a full body workout, I started getting cramps in my right thigh during my last few reps
I just did the final exercises as I had time left over at the gym and fancied a go on some machines. They look so shiny! Next week, I won't superset the dips/pull ups and go weighted on the pulls ups. Don't think I'll have any time left over then!

[bkklift]

24th Oct: Cycle 3, 1st Week, Deadlift Day

1) Deadlift:
260x5
295x5
335x6

2) Front Squats: 4x9x185

3) Deadlift: 3x8x225

Workout time: 50 mins

Comments:

I find deadlifts so difficult to do for reps. My grip starts giving out and my form becomes a liability. Having hexagonal plates at my gym doesn't make it any easier.
The front squats were tough. I'm beginning to be more comfortable with how unstable the set up feels compared to the back squat.
My workout was a bit short today, as was helping somebody out at the gym and spent far too much time chatting. Did feel good to be asked for advice, makes me feel like I'm not such a noob anymore!
One thing we came up with for anybody who struggles with pullups. Do them in the power rack facing out, and set up the bar so you can "hook" your legs behind you. It seems to work really well as in-between measure. He went from not being able to do a chin up, to cranking out a few of pull ups in a couple of weeks.

[bkklift]

26th Oct: Cycle 3, 2nd Week, Bench Press Day

1) Bench Press:
155x3
175x3
200x6
(225x1)

2) One arm DB Row:
1x10x90
1x10x100
1x9x105
1x8x105

3) Bench Press:
1x8x175
2x8x155
1x8x135

4) Chest Supported Row: 3x10x290

Workout time: 65 mins

Comments:
Have to fly this week for business and it's very unlikely I'll get the chance or the facilities to workout. Will try doing 100 press ups/50 bw squats a day in the hotel room and hopefully find a branch to do some pull ups. As a result of this, I've been squeezing the workouts in, without really getting adequate rest.
Feel like my bench is regressing (could be as a result of fatigue), so squeezed out a 225 just to prove to myself that I could. Perhaps wasn't the best idea after attempting a set to mini-failure!
The DB rows were tough The 105 DB's at my gym have a thicker grip and I couldn't believe how much more difficult this made it. My grip would give out after about 5 reps and I would have to continue as singles.
I'm liking the 4x8 rep range rather than the 5x10 as recommended by Wendler. 8 reps allows my to lift a weight that is challenging from the first rep, whereas with 10 the first few reps are far too easy. It's just a mental preference really. Plus, after doing SL anything above 5 reps feels like a marathon!

[bkklift]

28th Oct: Cycle 3, 2nd Week, Squat Day

1) Squats:
225x3
255x3
290x6

2) Accessory squats:
3x1x315
2x15x225

Workout time: 35 mins

Comments:
Didn't have much time but wanted to squeeze a workout in as I'm not likely to be near a gym for a few weeks.

Plan was just to do the minimum squats then get out of the gym. I was tired before I started but for some reason, squatting just woke me up and I wanted to do more! Attempted 3 plates, just to prove to myself I could. Surprisingly tough but I had good form and went below parallel. Still had some time so thought of doing 3x10x225lbs but when I got to ten, I just thought, "screw it" and kept on going. Want to see if I can hit 20 reps next time. Squatting was fun today!

[ProteinShake]

Background:

After about 12 months, I finally reached my goal of squatting 1.5 times my bodyweight and deadlifting twice my bodyweight. This is when I started stalling again. Squatting three times a week became too taxing on my body. I continued working out and working out hard, Stronglifts had ingrained that into me. I experimented with different rep ranges and exercises but my workouts lacked focus and goals. I didn’t feel like I was making much progress. And that’s when I stumbled across Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 programme, which is where we are now.

Hi BKK, thought I'd check up on your log and see how you're getting along. You seem to be making good progress. Just wondering, when you got to the end of SL, were you squatting 1.5xBW for 5x5 or had you switched to 3x5 by that point? Squatting 132kg seems like a long way off for me!

[atypical1]

That's some solid squatting! 15 reps after your work set is tough and shows a lot of mental fortitude. Looking forward to hearing about you getting to 20.

james

[bkklift]

Hi BKK, thought I'd check up on your log and see how you're getting along. You seem to be making good progress. Just wondering, when you got to the end of SL, were you squatting 1.5xBW for 5x5 or had you switched to 3x5 by that point? Squatting 132kg seems like a long way off for me!

Thanks ProteinShake. I actually switched from SL before I reached 1.5xbw as my working weight. When I got close, I attempted a few reps at 1.5xbw and managed to do them fine. I then felt confident enough to tweak my workout and changed to an upper/lower split 4 days a week. I basically split the SL workout into two parts. This worked better for me, as I found it easier to hit the gym 4 days a week for shorter sessions, than 3 long sessions. It was taking me over 1.5hours to complete my SL workouts near then end. Plus the squats were leaving very little in the tank for other exercises.

That's some solid squatting! 15 reps after your work set is tough and shows a lot of mental fortitude. Looking forward to hearing about you getting to 20.

james

That's what I enjoyed about it. The weight was challenging but not too heavy, it was more a case of mental toughness. If anything, I think it will be tougher next time as I'll have a goal in mind - 20 reps can seem a long way off when you start fatiguing after 5!!

[bkklift]

30th Oct: Cycle 3, 2nd Week, OHP Day

1) OHP:
110x3
125x3
140x5

2) Accessory OHP: 4x8x105

3) Pull ups: 30 reps + 15lbs (8/6/5/5/6) (90 sec rest)

4) Dips: 25 reps + 70lbs (8/7/6/4) (120 secs rest)

5) Cable chest press: 3x10x24.5 (8 reps on 3rd set)

Workout time: 55 mins

Comments:

I love me some weighted pullups/dips, they really make you feel like a beast! Not to mention it elicits some odd looks from people doing teh curlz
Was tying the weight to myself using a rope but it's not really cutting it and am going to try making a homemade dip belt when I can.