531 Deadlift and Bench - C2W3

Deadlift: 102.5x5, 115x5, 130x3 (failed 4th rep)
Bench Press: 55x5, 62.5x5, 67.5x5x5
Pull ups: 40 reps total (5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 3, 3, 2, 2) maybe 11-12 minutes
Push ups: 10 minute EMOM - 10 per minute (last 3 minutes, I didn't go on the minute, but finished with 4 seconds left)
Plank: 1:30



I guess squeezing in these last 2 weeks of the 2nd cycle of 531 wasn't a good idea. The set at 115 felt hard. I've also forgotten my setup a little, I did a hybrid SS/new set up and just couldn't get tight. I need to hip hinge my way down, stay tight, then engage lats, and pull. I was hip hinging, then losing tightness, engaging lats, and pulling.

On a better note, bench felt really easy. I rested around 2:30 between sets and 5th set was maybe RPE 7.5

When I come back from holiday, I am not going to tweak 531 anymore. I will do it as written. I am going to do an anchor template of 5x531, try and set some PRs.

10/9 - Hotel room workout

12 rounds for time:
10 push ups
10 sit ups
10 air squats

14:37

Morning - Run

2.4k at 6:42. I wanted to run 5 or 6k but it was so hilly that I had to walk. And then my calves were burning so I cut it short

Hotel workout

100 push ups for time
8:31

531 Squat - C3W1

Squat: 80x5, 90x5, 100x5, 112.5x3
Bench Press: 52.5x5x5
Strict HSPU: 40 reps supersetted throughout (started with 5s, ended with 2s)
Ring Rows: 8x10
Hollow Rocks: 4x15





This is the beginning of the anchor cycle of 5x531. Squats called for TM x 3-5 reps. I stopped at 3 thinking it was RPE 8.5. When I watched the video, I realized I could have probably done 6-8 reps at that weight.

Before going on holiday, I sent my squat video to an old PT of mine, and he said everything looked good except I needed to have my upper back tighter and really squeeze my shoulder blades together. I did that today, and the set of 5 at 100 looks like my best ever set form wise. I slacked off a bit at 112.5, but that seems to have fixed my form.

Run

11k run at 5:50

I need to stop running the day after squats

531 OHP - C3W1

OHP: 40x5, 45x5, 50x5, 55x5
Deadlift: 92.5x5x5
Incline DB Press: 18sx10, 20sx10x3, 18x10
Seated Row: 45x10, 50x10x4
Hollow Rocks: 3x20

My all time best is 55x6 for OHP. The final set called for 55x3-5. I did 5 and it was RPE 8.5, so I have a shot at 55x7. Week 3 is the AMRAP set. The light deadlifts were really good. I had a chance to really work on technique. I filmed the first set and noticed the bar was again getting away from me, so I kept it close after that.

A month ago, when I injured my lat, I had a look at my excel spreadsheet with my workouts and realized I wasn't taking enough days off. At the time of the injury, I had taken 1 day off in 15 days and some of the days were doubles. I came up with a plan since then, that should work in the long run.

It consists of 3 days on and 1 day off. 1 block is 2 of these chunks, so my week is essentially an 8 day week.

Currently, the plan in a block is to do:
3-3.5 strength
3.5-4 cardio
1 crossfit
1 weightlifting

I can tweak this as my goals change (2.5 strength, 5 cardio when I am more focussed on running for example). But this forces me to have 2 rest days in 8 days and will be good for longevity and injury prevention.

Crossfit

10 minutes ring muscle up practice
I tried a couple of strict ring muscle ups, but failed. The angle is all wrong, I'm doing a ring pull up and not able to get my body over the rings. I definitely have the strength for it.

Max ring muscle ups: 4 (PR!)

I did 3 ages ago. I failed the 5th rep. I think I have 6 or 7 in me if I can dedicate some time to learning how to link them like I did with bar muscle ups. My legs are all over the place and I am losing tightness.

15 minute AMRAP:
200m run
15 "No Slam" Slam Balls (9kg)
10 false grip ring rows

I did 5+208
First 2 rounds: 2 ring muscle ups instead of ring rows
Next 3 rounds: 5 chin ups

531 Bench Press - C3W1

Bench Press: 52.5x5, 60x5, 67.5x5, 75x5
Squats: 80x5x5
Face Pull: 5x10 (super setted with squats)
Tricep Pushdown: 60 reps at 15
Hammer Curl: 10sx10x3
Plank: 2x1:30 (1:30 rest, 2nd set really hard)



Bench called for 75x3-5 reps. I did 5 and I think it was RPE 8. My all time PR is 75x7, so I really really want 75x8 in 2 weeks. I think it might be doable.

I took it easy on the accessories because of crossfit yesterday and weightlifting tomorrow.

Run

6.5k run at 5:43 pace

Weightlifting

Hang Snatch: 45x2x4
Hang Clean and Jerk: 60x2, 65x2x3

When I do stuff from the hang, I tend to bend my arms early. I need to stop doing that. The session was great though. These weights felt way lighter than they have before.

I haven't read your log in a while so I just saw the 130x3 video. I think you'd get a lot more deadlift reps if you'd just get the set over with. I find that the longer I stay bent over between reps, the more I psych myself out of the next one. Which is I think what happened in your case cause your last rep was fast off the floor and you didn't even try to grind that failed rep. You're clearly still working out your cues, but I'd focus on that more for your lighter sets and just try to rip the bar for your top set instead of thinking so much.

531 Deadlift - C3W1

Deadlift: 90x5, 105x3, 120x2, 132.5x3, 145
OHP: 40x5x5
Pull ups: 30 reps (10, 5, 5, 4, 3, 3)
Incline DB Press: 20sx10x5
Leg Raise: 5x15





I'm doing a different anchor template for deadlifts (Beyond, FSL), which calls for working up to my TM (132.5) in sets of 1-5 in 10% increments and the option of joker sets. I chose this because it lets me regulate my volume which is nice due to lower back issues.

I am really struggling to get tight. 145 was really hard, and it doesn't look like I could have done 15kgs more. I think somewhere along the line I have forgotten the chest up cue.

You're definitely right. On the rep at 145, this post entered my mind and I just pulled hard after all the faffing about.

Run

5k run at 5:50

Half marathon on Sunday. I haven't trained specifically for it and the crossfit open starts 3 weeks from now, so I'm going to just aim for sub 2 hours and enjoy the atmosphere.

531 Squat - C3W2

Squat: 72.5x5, 85x5, 95x5x5
Comp Bench: 50x5x5
Seated Row: 45x10x5 (super setted with bench)
Dips: 50 reps (10, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6)
Hammer Curl: 12sx8x3
Hollow Rocks: 5x15



I realized when squatting that my weight is on my left foot. This could be a reason for my lower back pain on the left side. I focussed on evening out my weight distribution.

531 OHP - C3W2

OHP: 35x5, 42.5x5, 47.5x5x5
Pull ups: 35 reps (10, 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3)
Incline DB Bench: 22sx10x5
Seated Row: 45x15x2
Russian Twist: 7x30x1, 10x30x2

Run

2k run at 5:44 pace

So yesterday, I had a huge aha moment with deadlifts. When I changed my setup, I FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. I stopped arching my lower back, and instead just engaged my lats. I need to do both. So for the last 6 weeks, I have been deadlifting without a straight and solid lower back. That's why it has been ridiculously sore, maybe even bordering on injured. I skipped 92.5x5x5 deadlifts today because of that. I'm really happy I figured it out finally. I am such an idiot.

The 2k shakout before my half on Sunday was not good. I felt my calves a bit, probably from my aborted hilly run on holiday. I also weigh 74.5 now. It's been a year since I've been bulking. I weighed 67 in September 2018. Sub 2 might actually not be an easy jog and I may have to work for it. I just don't want to get injured.

Half Marathon

Mini TR!

I have averaged 13km a week for the last 8 weeks, not the best training. I am also at my heaviest weight post-chubiness at 74.5, up from 67 a year ago. The crossfit open starts in 2 weeks and is my number 1 training motivation.

Given these 3 truths, I decided to just go for sub 2 hours and enjoy the run and atmosphere (7k+ runners I think) and hopefully not get injured.

KMs 1-5:
I felt a bit sluggish at the start, which is pretty on par for me. I didn't notice any niggles though, so that was good. The crowd was amazing, I gave a lot of high 5s, and took chocolates/candys that were being handed out. It felt like a long way to go, but this stretch was nothing unexpected. The 5th kilometer had a mini hill (22m of elevation), but it wasn't too bad
Split - 27:53 (27 seconds ahead of 2:00 pace)

KMs 6-10:
These actually flew by. I loosened up a bit and everything felt great. I thought I was a lock to get under 2 hours and started debating if I should go quicker and maybe try sub 1:55. I decided against it and just plodded along.
Split - 27:40 (67 seconds ahead of 2:00 pace)

KMs 11-15:
My longest training run was 15k, and longest run was a 16k race. My legs usually start feeling heavy after 12 or 13k. Mentally, I just wanted to get to 16k, and then everything after that would be a distance PR. My legs started feeling heavy during this stretch and my pace slowed a bit. I was constantly doing running math to calculate what pace I could go in the remaining time and still get sub 2.
Split: 28:05 (82 seconds ahead of 2:00 pace)

KMs 16-20:
I hit 16k and thought it was very cool that this was now my longest run. About 20 seconds later, I felt a really sharp pain in my right calf and stumbled a bit. It then went away, but I was really worried that it would return with every step I took. It came back again half a kilometer later and went away. It felt like cramp, and not an injury, but the pain was really sharp. Around 18k, the pain hadn't come for a while, and I did a quick body assessment. I was not even close to being out of breath, but my legs were gone and my right calf was iffy. I decided to up my pace, it was only 3k left after all. 1 minute later, pain in right calf, followed by the same thing in the other calf. I cut my pace back and started hobbling as fast as I could. It probably looked pretty ugly. I saw my girlfriend and dog twice during this stretch which was nice.
Split: 29:04 (38 seconds ahead of 2:00 pace)

KMs 21-end:
I was just running/hobbling as fast as I could and hating life. At least I never walked at all. I crossed the finish line at 1:59:30. My last 2 km splits were 6:07 and 6:06 trying to go pretty fast. Fun times.

I'm going to stretch a lot now and take at least 2 days off. Although I didn't want to race it, I don't think I would have gone any faster if I did try and race it. My lungs were fine, I was not out of breath at all after crossing the finish line, but my body couldn't handle the distance. It was a cool experience though and I'm glad I did it.

531 Bench Press - C3W2

Bench Press: 50x5, 60x5, 65x5x5
Squats: 72.5x5x5
Seated Row: 50x12x4, 40x10
Push ups: 30 (PR), 15, 10 (90s rest, close to max effort)
Hollow Rocks: 20, 15, 15

I had a cold on Monday and it finally seems to be going away. If you told me I was to have a 4 day cold, I couldn't have picked a better time for it. It was the day after my half marathon, after which I had anyway planned on taking 2 rest days. I just took 3 instead. It also didn't affect my half or my holiday or the crossfit open.

My legs seem completely fine, which is a nice surprise.

Crossfit

Snatch Complex (On the 1:30 x 5 Sets)
1 Hang Snatch High Pull
1 Hang Squat Snatch
1 Snatch High Pull
1 Squat Snatch

35, 37.5, 40, 40, 40

On the 5:00 x 4 Rounds:
20 Single Arm Dumbbell Snatches (22.5 kg)
40 Air Squats
20 cal row

Scaled to 15kg and 30 air squats and finished all rounds between 3:10 and 3:40

I scaled heavily in the metcon because of my cold. I was pretty out of breath just from the weightlifting portion. It felt good to sweat though.

531 Deadlift - C3W2

Deadlift: 90x5, 105x3, 120x2, 120, 132.5x2
OHP: 35x5x5
Pull ups: 5x6 (super setted with OHP)
DB Incline Bench: 20sx12x4, 20x10
Chin ups: 5x2 (super setted with DB Incline Bench)
Strict toes to bar: 6, 8, 8

I'm 90% recovered from my cold. My legs felt pretty heavy going into today, possibly from the half marathon. I wanted 3 reps at deadlifts, but it just felt really heavy.

Next week is PR week! I want PRs in everything except deadlifts. I am the heaviest I have been, so I better be the strongest. Deadlifts just feel a bit off, so I don't think I will push it.

I'm coming to the end of a leader and anchor cycle and for the next time, I definitely want more PR sets than just 1 in a 11 week cycle. I will choose the next program to reflect that. I also followed this anchor exactly how Wendler wrote it and I already feel stronger. I haven't skipped accessories and have done everything.

Run

4k run at 6:05 pace.
The legs felt heavy, but fine. I didn't enjoy the run though. I usually have a period of no motivation after a race, so I may row more in the next month or so for my cardio

Mobility Update

My GOWOD test went from 61% to 62%. I expected this since I didn't do any mobility for the week I was on holiday and for the week where I had a cold. The way the test works is that it gives you points for hitting certain positions. In my previous test, I JUST about hit 2 or 3 positions (one of them being hands touching the floor while bending over). The next position was way out of reach (back of hands on floor). So I expect my score to stagnate a bit. However, I have sort of progressed in some of them, despite not getting a better score.

I have also mostly fixed my APT, which is the only reason I have done my longest bulk ever. I no longer think I look fat, because my posture is better. I've been doing some daily exercises to fix my rounded upper back and even that's looking better.

Nice race bro, that's impressive on donk weekly mileage.

Thanks!

Weightlifting

Snatch: 40xf (wtf), 40x3x3
Clean and Jerk: 60x3x3

My snatches were the worst they ever felt. The bar got stuck around my knee. I think I misused one of the cues from last time, which was to stay over the bar longer. I set up over the bar, instead of sitting back and staying over the bar. My timing was all off, and even the 3 sets at 40 were really ugly. My coach spent the last 5 minutes fixing that with a 7.5kg training bar (I may need to find a new crossfit gym to train at, my ego). I need to sit back and stay over the bar. My hips were way too high during my main set (overcompensated).

Clean and jerks were okay.

531 Squat - C3W3

Squat: 80x5, 90x5, 100x5, 112.5x7 (PR!)
Comp. Bench: 52.5x5x5
Chin ups: 3x5 (super setted with above)
Single Arm DB Row: 20x15, 24x10x2
Dips (60s rest): 60 reps (12, 10, 7, 6, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5)
Sit ups: 2x20

I was looking forward to the PR set for a while and would have been really really disappointed if I didn't hit a PR. My previous best was 110x7. Note, this wasn't an AMRAP, it was a PR set (The idea is to stop when you reach your target). Why does every stupid rep on heavy squats feel like RPE 9? I thought my 3rd rep and every one since was RPE 9. Now, I think I could have probably done 2 more grinders without failing. Strength is going up!

Bench was too easy. I'll adjust it for the next cycle. Last week was the first time I've done chin ups (they cause pain in my elbows), so I'm slowly increasing the volume when there is no pain.

I felt a knot beginning my 3rd set of sit ups. That's standard for me when doing ab exercises. Whatever, squat PR.