MikeD's 5/3/1 Training Log

[MikeD]

No, but it's hard to overcome that leverage except at very light weights. Especially since your low back really starts to take over at that point and it screws up your hamstring tension.

[MikeD]

Aug 27th, 2009

Overhead
90 x 5
100 x 3
115 x 1 + 4

I know I could do another rep or two, oddly lazy with this lift

Chin ups
13
7
5
5

Had to work out in jean shorts and a polo, felt like a frat boy douche bag . Today was the last day in my new gym, going to train in my friend's basement where I stashed all my weights upstate (where I'm moving back to).
He doesn't have a pull up bar or dip station, so I'll be using one of his trees outside. That oughta get a few looks from the neighbors.

Deload week starting sunday.

[rere]

Nice month on the cycle so far MikeD?. I notice you keep your assistance work brief. I think that's a good idea. Yes it will be nice to see where we are 6 months from now on this program. Trees are so much fun chinning on!

Peace.

[MikeD]

Enjoyed it, aside from the max box squats, good mornings, and dips, the month was pretty easy. And since I'm on the 4 week schedule, I didn't think it'd make sense to have too many assistance exercises. Just pick one and go pretty hard on it.

[rere]

I think that's the thing, keep assistance work brief. Main thing is to get the work on the main lifts. I'm going to whittle mine down to two assistance exercises at a time.
Great work MikeD.

[NotNowChief]

What do you think is going on with your OP? I notice the last couple of workouts on it you haven't really felt like you gave it your best. Just aren't liking the lift or...? I have decided to really focus on the days I OP now as I think it is one of my weakest lifts and I struggle to progress on it, I notice if I'm not psyched for it, it just goes nowhere.

[MikeD]

I enjoy it, but I think I settle for less once I get past the "baseline" goal for the workout. I think it's purely mental. I'll just have to push myself next cycle.

[rere]

IMHO I think you will re-asses your goal on the OP once you start a new cycle, I know you might of heard it before but the OP is a difficult lift to excel at. Just keep grinding away at it.
The gains wont be so great like a beginners would so you might want to take this into consideration. As long as it moves up weight during the subsequent cycles I think your doing pretty well.

Stay strong MikeD


Rere

[NotNowChief]

Not lifting lately?

[MikeD]

Phew, first time I've logged on in awhile...I've been training, but I've been busy with moving and school and hadn't had time to log.

I'm not going to transfer my written logs, but I'll update:

Press - hit 120 x 5, this time with much less lean back than I used to use, so I'll consider that a strength increase

Deadlifts - hit 320 by 7, tried to pull 335 for the 5/3/1 day and my skin ripped at the base of two fingers again. New gym doesn't allow chalk, but I'll sneak it in. This should fix it.

Squat - Was using too much "touch and go" with the box squat. Deloaded to 165, working up to a set of 5, adding 10-15 lbs a week until I get to where I was. Sort of like Starr's.

Bench. Progressing back up nicely, 170 x 5 would have been easier if some form issues would have been ironed out, but otherwise good.


A few changes -

- I'm ramping up to one "heavy" set of 10 for good mornings instead of 5 sets of 10 ACROSS. The volume is just not sustainable.

- I'm sticking with a 40lb DB with the kroc row until I get 30 reps with each arm. Then the weight goes up, and I'll repeat that

- Chin ups only on bench workout (hit 50 this past workout, was doing sets of 3 by the end of it...) Krock rows on overhead press. That way, the bench is a horizontal push balanced by a vertical pull, and vice versa for the row and press.

- Started doing weighted dips. Wendler recommends 50 if done weighted. It's too hard to tell how much weight to use doing sets of 10, so instead I'm doing 10 SETS of 5. These may be done every upper body workout, I'll see how it affects me. Weight will go up 2.5 lbs a workout, maybe a week.

Will try to resume this log if I have the chance, but the above was just to give others on 5/3/1 some ideas on how to tailor it to them specifically.

[MikeD]

I also had to join a new gym, and this one doesn't have an adjustable box like the last one (I didn't realize how much I lucked out with that place. Deadlifts, chalk, and sturdy boxes...oh my).

But, they DO have 100 lb plates, so I'm lugging those across the gym like a farmers walk and stacking them until I reach the right height. More odd looks Oh well. Good for my grip and traps.


I must say I also witnessed less funny shit in the last gym. In this new gym, I saw one guy loading up around 430 on the squat bar, and performing what may possibly be the only 1/16 squat I have ever seen. He said to his friend "Man, just taking it out of the rack is a workout!".


And has anyone ever seen this?! I saw a guy go over to the squat rack, lay the bar across the squat catch...and do bench dips on them. Bench dips. On a bar. In a squat rack. What is the lifting world coming to?

[pagangoddess]

Glad to see you're doing well and still progressing. Keep up the good work.

[guru]

Hey Mike,

Thanks for dropping by on my log. We have quite a few around on this program.

Seems like good progress so far. It's really unfortunate that you had to change the gyms. I did that, found quite a few problems at the new gym. Now I've gone back to my earlier gym, since leaving it made me realize how good it was in terms of facilities.

Good luck. Hope you find the time to log regularly in here.

[atypical1]

Good job so far on the program. It seems to be agreeing with you. Do you see yourself sticking with it for a while?

james

[MikeD]

Definitely. After reading a bit more about this or that, I realize that 5/3/1 is just an extremely simple form of periodization (weeks ramp in weight, decrease in reps, uses only 4 week cycles, each 1st weeks cycle starts with a little more than last week's. etc.), and that's why it works. I've seen it before but was apparently too dumb to implement it

My only problem is my bench form sucks. Always has. One of the few lifts I'd actually like a coach to help me with.