If that doesn't fix it, switch to sumo.

Stance has been wider than normal on the block pulls recently, not sure if I have been pointing my toes out all that much more than previously though. Will focus more thinking about pushing legs into the floor rather than just removing slack from the bar.


Thanks for the link and the tips loco. I will give these a shot and hopefully dodge sumo for now.

Tuesday November 21 – 139.6 lbs

Rest day
41:52 walk, 2.25 miles, +25lbs

1879 cal/186 carb/57 fat/165 protein/33 fibre

Another little march through slush, snow and puddles, mostly off road.

Wednesday November 22 – 139.8 lbs
5/3/1 BBB W2

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

OHP (TM 85) – 2x5x45lbs, 5x55, 5x65, 9x70, 5x65, 15x55
Fat grip chins – 1x5, Fat grip pull-ups – 1x5
NG Chins – 5x6 +25lbs

Bench – 10x45lbs, 5x55, 5x10x65

OHP – 3x65lbs, 3x70, 7x75, 12x60

I was wide awake at 5:15am and couldn’t turn my brain off to get back to sleep so eventually decided to get up and knock a session off before going to work. I only decided to start 5/3/1 after my OHP session last week so had not done week 1 OHP which was fine and I was going to just jump to week 2 this week but I only remembered that plan after completing the week 1 lifts this morning. No biggie, I figured I’d just have OHP lag a week behind everything else but then I changed my mind while benching and tacked on the week 2 OHP rep scheme after everything was done. It seemed like a good idea at the time. So now I’m caught up and feel like total rubbish. I slipped some chins in between the initial OHP sets and did my core work in between the bench sets.

9x70 was a little conservative. You had a reasonably comfortable 10th, maybe more.

Yeah, I think so too. I think I had a 10th with the only question being form. Don't think I would have more beyond a 10th though. Probably left 1 - 1.7 reps in the tank.

Wednesday macros - 2273 cal/167 carb/76 fat/242 protein/41 fibre

Thursday November 23 – 139.0 lbs
5/3/1 BBB W2

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

Squats (TM 220) – 10xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x95, 5x115, 3x135, 3x155, 3x175, 8x200 , 3x175, 18x155
RDL – 2x8x45lbs, 2x8x95
Block Pulls – 5x95lbs, 5x10x115
Hanging Knee Raises – 5x13

Over a week and a half back up to somewhere near maintenance cals and weight keeps ticking down. The last time I switched from cutting to maintenance the exact same thing happened as I continued to drop a couple pounds before levelling out. That phenomenon caused me to overcompensate and blast into rapid weight gain in the form of something very definitely other than LBM so I am attempting to just chill about it this time. Looks like there is a chance I will log an average weight for a week in the Ant Division after all.

I believe that I managed to actually mostly follow the 5/3/1 rep and weight scheme for this workout although I am doing hanging knee raises instead of leg raises so Jimmy W is probably still wishing gonorrhea upon me. I took the day off today to attend some parent teacher interviews in the morning and deal with some bathroom renovation stuff in the afternoon so I got to slip in a workout late in the morning. Squats felt generally okay but my AMRAP set was disappointing. I should have been good for 10 reps and had lots left in my legs but was losing the bar down my back on the last few reps and hung it up after 8. I am still messing with the grip to help alleviate elbow pain but losing the bar has happened before while playing around with the grip. I managed a few extra reps on the final back-off set but that just left me wanting a couple more for an even 20. 5x10 gives lots of practice on getting tight on block pulls but I am still not a fan of the reps above 7 or 8 on that lift. They seemed to go a bit better in later sets but the number of cues I’m scrolling through is getting to be comical – chest up, armpits squeeze, feet push, remove slack, shins, elbows, neck, did I miss one? go! Combo of breakdown and/or lower back fatigue still an issue on reps 9 and 10.

2376 cal/233 carb/74 fat/209 protein/47 fibre

Try racking the bar a little higher. Looks low for low bar even. And squeeze the elbows in to create an upper back shelf. Squeeze it extra hard as you descend and it will help with overall stability.

As for the laundry list of cues, it's ludicrous to expect to be able to use them all at the same time. Concentrate on just a couple of them at a time. You won't be able to pull well until most of them are unconscious, anyway.

Yar, will do on racking higher. Cues are mostly fine when I do not try to specifically think about them all.

Friday November 24 – 140.0 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff
43:28 walk, 2.4 miles, +25lbs

2191 cal/140 carb/94 fat/208 protein/39 fibre

I went back for another appointment with the physiotherapist who now wants me to treat the next 6 weeks as a rehab block for the bench press. He didn’t seem to mind the bbb 5x10 for bench but wants me to stick with lighter weights and go 5x5 on bench day rather than the 5/3/1 prescribed reps and weights. Meh. I will certainly be taking it a bit easy on bench but I don’t know my exact plan just yet. I don't like the thought of another 6 weeks essentially off of bench but I would like to reel this tendon issue in. Time for magical reverse curls a la snitch. #olds

Saturday November 25 – 139.1 lbs
5/3/1 BBB W2D3 - Bench Rehab

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

With Trainer:
Bench – 2x10x45lbs, 12x85, 10x85
DL – 5x90lbs, 10x90, 12x90, 13x110, 10x110
OHP – 5x45lbs, 8x45, 12x45, 10x45

25 mins later at home:
Bench – 5x8x85lbs
DB Hammer Curls – 2x15x20lbs
DB Curls – 2x15x20lbs
OHP – 4x10x45lbs

2304 cal/204 carb/83 fat/215 protein/48 fibre

Worked on bench, DL and OHP today with the trainer. Main focus on bench was working on finding a comfortable foot position to get some leg drive with as well a bit of work on wrists and bar position. Worked on getting my hips a bit lower, back a bit tighter and more of the initial lift off the floor on DL with leg drive and then transition to my back. On OHP I am compressing my lower back a bit and need to work on locking my core tighter, keeping my rib cage down, less shrug, more extension at lock out. Lower back was sore this morning and all three lifts irritated it to varying degrees, DL lower than expected and OHP much higher than expected.

I drove home from the gym and then did a bit more upper body stuff. I went with 5x8 instead of 5x5 but did keep the weight very light. Even at backed off weights that may have been a bit much for my elbow as it was starting to get a bit sore towards the end but I won’t really know until tomorrow. I did some magic snitch reverse curls as well. Seem to be fending off another disease tracked into the house by my kids.

Sunday November 26 – 140.0 lbs

15 mins mobility and dynamic stretching stuff
40:54 walk, 2.1 miles, +25lbs

2243 cal/195 carb/91 fat/186 protein/40 fibre

Nov 20 – Nov 26 Daily Averages: 139.5 lbs/15.0% bf/2157 cal/177 carb/78 fat/204 protein/7:30 sleep

Lower back was bugging me overnight and was very sore and tight in the morning. Tied to loosen it up a bit but never came close to considering actually working out. Looks like I have round 2 of a cold developing too which isn’t helping either. Was supposed to be a DL day today but it is getting pushed off. Will see how my back and cold2 are doing tomorrow.

Officially snuck an average week into the books in the Ant Division. I have been targeting 2150 cals for a couple weeks looking for maintenance and will try to stay around there for another week or two. Weight has slipped down a little since putting a cease to cutting but no change in bf%. I would like weight to stabilize and bf% to continue downward or weight to creep upwards and bf% to hold steady. Not entirely certain if I am going to try for a slow lean bulk or just recomp. Probably the latter first and then the former. Or something like that.

I am loving 5/3/1 and the Boring But Big accessory scheme. A bit bummed to be sidelined on bench and with the temporary back niggles but really looking forward to getting some cycles under my belt, acclimatizing to the volume and eventually sliding some more accessories in.

Monday November 27 – 140.9 lbs

Rest day
15 mins core stuff

1907 cal/176 carb/58 fat/188 protein/40 fibre

My back was feeling quite a bit better today but the rest of me was feeling like crap. Taking a pass on working out again, going to bed early and hope to get back at it soon.

Tuesday November 28 – 140.7 lbs
5/3/1 BBB W2D4 – DL TM 230

RDL – 2x8x45lbs, 8x95
Block Pulls – 5x95lbs, 5x125, 3x145, 3x160, 3x185, 6x205
Squats – 10xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 5x95, 5x10x110

1969 cal/170 carb/68 fat/190 protein/44 fibre

I figured that I would finally knock off my week 2 DL day that should have been done on Sunday. I wasn’t feeling good but thought that if I scraped off some of the volume that I’d be fine so didn’t do any back-off sets and stuck to just DL and Squats. My back felt fine heading in to the workout but was a bit sketchy during. Waiting to see if there are any lingering issues following.

I have respect for anyone who can keep up 5/3/1 BBB for any length of time. I was so wrecked from that program, even on my off days. I probably lost a ton of money in poker during that time period due to pure exhaustion.

I almost made it through week two without my body forcing a deload via illness. I scraped away almost all assistance work and set TM's at pretty conservative weights so I don't think it is 5/3/1 BBB but rather kid-borne illness that is kicking my ass but I guess I'll find out.

I've been sick for two weeks and managed to work around it; take an extra day of rest between work days or something and keep lifting. Do less weight if you have to. Just keep going!

Yar, so far so good here. I was sick just a couple weeks ago and managed to work around it by juggling rest days. Trying to do the same on this go around. Today is my usual day 1 and I managed to sneak my workout in with some volume scrapped. So as of now I am on schedule for this week but I plan to take a rest day tomorrow and will have to play catch up again. My run good carried me from February or so to November where I have hit back to back cold/flu combos.

This random musing has nothing to do with fitness.

When I see your name Im compelled to sing Sloppy Joe by Adam Sandler



Of course it goes FLoppy J, flop floppy j now...FloppyJ, flop floppy J now

^
Awesome, I have an anthem!


Wednesday November 29 – 140.0 lbs
5/3/1 BBB W3D1 – OHP TM 85

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

OHP – 2x5x45lbs, 3x55, 5x65, 3x70, 5x80, 3x5x65
NG Chins – 3x6 +25lbs
Bench – 10x45lbs, 5x55, 5x10x65

2148 cal/112 carb/107 fat/218 protein/35 fibre

I was in bed before 7pm last night and snagged over 10 hours sleep according to my fitbit. Was up for a bit around 10pm and grabbed a bite but was still light on cals for the day. Looks like today is going to be a little bit light as well. 5/3/1 books arrived today so I can confuse myself with 5/3/1 Forever shortly.

Pulls look fine. Keep pulling more reps after you think you're done pulling reps. You probably had 5 more clean ones there at least.

Also, maybe experiment with psyching yourself up for lifts. It's going to have a lot more value in a program like this where so much rides on that top set. Pace around like a madman during the rest before the set instead of sitting. Think about terrible, hateful, even murderous things. Listen to metal, whatever it takes. You and ibavly look like you're on quaaludes when attempting to pull a new deadlift weight for a rep PR.

It really works, watch Renton before a squat, he gets all pissed like he want to kill a bunch of cockroaches and then stomps the hell out of them as he sets his feet under the bar.

More like I ****ing hate unracking a lowbar and want to get it over with as quickly as possible.

Thanks. Rep 3 felt good and the rest were various degrees of playing around with stuff. I was definitely being cautious with my back that day. It felt terrible two days previous, felt okay at beginning of that session but not good at all during. OHP and bench (any attempt at arch) were bugging my lower back quite a bit last night too.

Thinking terrible, hateful, murderous things only works for me when my kids are busting up the place on the other side of the garage door. I intentionally try to ratchet that down pretty quickly so as not to actually commit hateful, murderous acts. I haven't tried listening to clips from Krunic's log, that could help. I have done the happy version of the psych up from time to time with varying degrees of success. "Okay Bar, You gonna move now! Let's go! Yay!". ibavly obviously uses a version of quaalude that makes one stronger. Will have to play around with channeling various energies.



I'll just sing instead:
Floppy J, flop floppy j LIFT...FloppyJ, flop floppy J LIFT IT NOW
Anthem will add pounds quickly.

Thursday November 30 – 140.5 lbs

Rest day
15 mins core stuff

2169 cal/179 carb/74 fat/192 protein/37 fibre

Crap sleep last night as a follow up to the 10+ hour sleep night so I am maintaining good balance in my life. Still sick. Lower back is still sore, or sore again.