MikeD's 5/3/1 Training Log

[atypical1]

My chin ups have been pissing me off. I think I'm going to try Harry Selkow's method of improving chins, which entails keeping the reps constant across however number of sets you need to reach a certain total number of chins.

Meaning, say his first goal is 20 total for most. So if they can only do only 4 in sequential, he'll have them do 2 reps for 10 sets. If they can do around 7, he'll cut it down to 5 reps for 4 sets, etc. I'm a bit unclear on how it progresses, but you can google his name and "pull ups" and it should come up on elitefts.

That's a great way of improving pull ups. I think that aiming for a total number of reps instead of the elusive "to failure" is the way to go.

james

[MikeD]

Today, 10/12

Deadlifts

330 x 7

Was going for 8, that pissed me off. Oh well, this lift is still going better than the rest.

Front Squats
135 lbs
3x5
Keeping it easy for now, as not to screw my bench up the next day

Leg Extensions
Trying to make up for quad-neglect.
3x10 95

And I got a scale. I'm about 8 pounds lighter than I used to be (before the summer, meaning), which explains the decrease in some of the lifts. Going on boring but big for upper body stuff, and including some permutation of that in the squat/deadlifts day.


And some good news. I have a 2 week guest pass at a very serious gym, with a back area for powerlifters - they have a legit glute ham raise!
I plan to use it come Squat day, thursday.

[MikeD]

10/13

Bench
160 x 7
135 x 10
125 x 10
115 x 10
105 x 10
95 x 10
Pretty good, the new gym (yes, I've changed again, but probably just until the guest pass runs out). Bars were standard size, not like those needlessly thick bars that are everywhere in the one I've been going to.
A bit embarassing, that last set. Luckily the PL'ers weren't around

This was likely why the 2 upper lifts were failing; I couldn't grip the bar properly, but I suppose having equipment that's harder to work with will make the standard bar easier, no?

Chin ups
9 x 4

Had to split the last two sets up to keep the form good (chest going to bar). Makes a very big difference in how I feel. My back is getting more of the work, rather than the arms.

DB Rows
55 lbs
4 x 10

Going to DB row twice a week now. On bench days I'll do heavy (to me, anyway) sets of 10, OH press day I'll continue doing the high rep variations.

[MikeD]

Kind of unrelated to training specifically, but I finally got a job, and I may join this new gym.

The equipment's good, the staff is good, and they have everything; bumper plates, lifting platform, power racks, good bars, kettlebells, chalk, bands, chains, trap bar, and DB's that go over 150.
They also have a PL'ing team. They only DL and bench, but the atmosphere pushes you to not embarass yourself.

Training with them would conflict with my current setup (wendlers), but I only have it planned for another 3 cycles, and will consider training with them after that.

[atypical1]

Very cool about the job and the gym.

I would certainly relish the opportunity to train with a team as it means coaching and other people pushing you. That goes a long way and (in my not so humble opinion anyway) trumps almost any program.

james

[bkklift]

Fully agree with James. Not many opportunities come up where you get to train in an atmosphere like that. Take advantage of it, milk it for all it's worth, you can pick up 5/3/1 again anytime.

[MikeD]

Thursday, 10/15

Squat
135 x 5
175 x 5
200 x 9
This is embarassingly low compared to what it used to be, but oh well, work back up.
Good Mornings
Worked up to set of 120lbs x 10
Hanging ab raises
5 sets to failure, didn't log how many, didn't much care.

Friday 10/16
Press
85 x 3
100 x 3
115 x 6

95 x 7
85 x7
75 x 6
65 x 8

Getting a feel for where my set of 10 would be.

DB rows
45
21 each arm
15 right arm
11 left arm


On Monday I'm aiming to hit a set of 7 on deads at 345. I'm glad this lift always goes well, since it sets up a good feel for the week.

[MikeD]

Yesterday, 10/19

Deads

275 x 5
310 x 3
345 x 5

Felt awful yesterday, I'm beginning to see the usefullness of the deload week, which I'm actually looking forward to.

Front squats
135 lbs
7
5
5

[biomknx]

i'm also thinking about going for reps instead of failure on pullups. even though my total reps have definitely gone up, reps on my 1st set have been stuck between 10 and 12 for months. how did you determine how many sets and reps you should do? i know i've seen that posted somewhere, but i couldn't find it again in an admittedly somewhat perfunctory search.

[biomknx]

ok, it was a little late last night and apparently my mind didn't process everything. i just looked up harry selkow, thanks for posting that.

[MikeD]

Yesterday, Oct 22nd

Squat

150 x 3
185 x 3
210 x 8

My groove with this is back already; just like riding a bike. I notice that when my knees don't make freakish noises, my squat is mostly correct (meaning, knees out, sitting far back). Is there anything more satisfying than a perfect bounce out of the bottom of a squat?

Good mornings

Worked up to:
125lbs x 10

No ab stuff; getting lazy with it.

Today, 10/23
Went to gym again feeling like crap, my mind wandering.

Press
100 x 5
110 x 3
125 x utter suckage

I couldn't get it off my damn shoulders.
One, my assistance work was too high this week.
Also, I'm not used to the systemic fatigue full squats bring on...haven't done them consecutively in a long time.

At least, that's what I'm hoping Going to recalculate this lift. Thank god next week is a deload anyway.

[Buffalo150]

Mike-

With the Press...shit happens.

-Bflo

[MikeD]

Truth.


I'm at a bit of a crossroads though...I've started to believe that, with my strength having dropped, and my progress being a bit sketchy after 3 cycles, that I'd be better served switching back to a linear cycle until I get everything back to where it was, and then going back to this plan of attack.

It just doesn't feel like enought volume on the upper lifts. I know the BBB routine is in there, but I think at my work capacity, it's overkill, and I'd be better served working with less volume but working at a higher percentage of my max (so likely, Rippetoes).

But my DL is doing fine, so I'd like to keep that going. What I'm thinking (and I know this won't be rippetoes or Wendler's anymore), is doing 3x5 squats Mondays and Fridays (in conjunction with alternating upper body lifts), and having the DL once a week every wednesday, and have it be a rep-out.

Also, I'd likely to keep certain assistance lifts. Chin ups, GM's, and rows are likely to stay in the program. I'd also be cutting a full workout day, so the assistance lifts (there will only be one to compliment each of the big lifts) combined with the more frequent squats should be balanced by the extra day added in for recovery.

Also, I plant to get my weight back up to 165-170, at least.

So, maybe like this?

Monday
3x5 squats
Bench press 3x5
Gm's 5x10
Chin ups

Wednesday
DLs 1 x max
Overhead 3x5
Light squats, 3x5
DB Rows

Friday
Repeat monday, and next week alternate the upper lifts (you know how this goes)



Son of a bitch. Just when I thought things were going well.
Ah, live and learn. And I certainly learned a lot over the past 3 months from this program.

[LiftingNerd]

Why not just do TM?

[natew]

Hey Mike,

In the exact same boat as you. I lost about 10 lbs that I've yet to recover, down to about 180lbs now. This happened about a month and a half ago during moving to a different city. Since then I've been training regularly on the Wendler routine, but my strength hasn't really increased. I'm pretty far away from the maxes I acquired when doing a linear program (3x5 for awhile, and when the going got tough, tried 3x3s with some success). I'm going to switch back soon as well, and also change to more high-bar squats, as low-bar doesn't feel as natural + gives me sore knees sometimes. My numbers will be lower with high-bar, but it'll be more beneficial in the long run I'm sure. As for LN's advice with the texas method- not sure how much experience you have with it, but I found that the volume day on Monday quickly became overwhelming both mentally + physically and for me personally, it never really produced higher results on Friday's PR day. Keep up the good work.