Funnily enough, that guy doesn't use correct form - he doesn't use the bounce reflex at the bottom, making the curlz harder and worse (tension is lost in the 'cepts). Less funnily I think I made the same mistake, or at least didn't think consciously about it

2010-12-09


5/3/1 Iteration 1, Week 2 - Squats


Deadlift
Worked up to

7x117,5 kg (259 lbs)

Which was my target.


Good Mornings
5x10x50 kg

Discovered that I need to tighten everything here too, what a surprise. This made me feel it even more in the hamstrings, which felt completely destroyed afterwards.


Overhead lunges
4x8x30 kg

Alright, I can't do these after 5 sets of GMs. They're supposed to be quad assistance, but the hamstrings are so shot they're the limiting factor. I'll either just drop quad assistance on DL day, do leg presses (urk) or more front squats. I dunno.


Standing Pallof press (high cable)
5x10x"25 kg"

Wanted something other than endless planks. Liked these, will continue doing them. Too bad I don't have any stability balls or ab wheels in my gym. Barbell roll-outs are lol no way at this point.

I havent done a lot of palloffs, but I like them. You could try barbell rollouts with a limited ROM.

Yeah, you have to be tight for the GMs.

You could lighten the weight on the lunges after your hammies are fried. I did that with all my accessory work on that DL program I'm on.

Lighter than 30 kg? lol. I dunno, I just hate the entire thing - the 10 reps, the awkward balance issues (which would prob get better, but mostly due to fried hamstrings). Pretty sure I'm not too big a pussy in general wrt tolerating pain, but this takes the cake.

I can't help but think that leg presses with more (relative) effort for the quads would be a better accessory exercise. I dunno.

hell yes! Do the lunges with no weight if necessary. Those awkward balance issues are part of what is keeping your bigger lifts small. More so than your quad strength probably. Mike noticed I had those issues, which is why he gave me the mobility stuff that I do plus the single leg stuff I was doing. It works, but you have to keep doing it frequently.

I just said "F*ck it" today and did 5x10 squats as assistance for my squats.

Used just under 50% of my 5RM and I was f.u.c.k.e.d. tbh I felt more fatigue in my quads (and abs lol?) than hamstrings, but w/e. I'm gunna be doing SLDL as assistance for my deadlift, so that should pwn up my hammies anyway.

SLDLs or RDLs are excellent to do after squats imo. I like RDLs better because its less stress on the low back for me.

Hm. You just might have convinced me

Plus I'd prob be wise drop the overhead part of the lunges for now until I get a bit stronger.


Well I do 5x10 front squats as assistance for my squats, which is awesome assistance for quads (plus back). I feel pretty damn banged up after those too, like pretty much smoked.

I really do want to work in RDLs somewhere though, always wanted to do them.

On squat day, assistance is supposed to go:
5x10 quads (currently front squats)
5x10 low back (currently back extensions 3x10)
5x10 abs (currently planks)

And on DL day:
5x10 hamstrings (currently GMs)
5x10 quads (currently OH lunges)
5x10 abs (currently pallof presses)


Which means I'd have to drop GMs for RDLs I suppose? Or I could exchange back extensions for GMs, but there is no way I'd handle 5x10 GMs after 5/3/1 squatting and 5x10 front squats. I'd be ok with dropping GMs for RDLs though.

Too many options in this 5/3/1 sh*t. F*ck you Wendler, just tell us what to do. We are sheep of the Rippetoe flock.

I know right

We have a reverse hyper at my new gym. I use that after squats. It's very nice.

I want a reverse hyper. I dont even know how to find a gym with one around here.

My gym is pretty awesome, but no reverse hyper.

I do RH and then GHR most squat days so I can live out my Westside YO fantasy

Six Week Bench Press Cure, Week 3


Max Effort Day


Floor Press
Started with bar, moved up 5/10 kgs with 1 rep sets.

Worked up to
1x90 kg (198 lbs)


DB Extensions
3x5x22 kg (44 lbs, +4 lbs, -3 reps)


Rear-Delt Lateral Raise
3x12x12 kg (26 lbs. +4 lbs)


Kroc Rows
26/23 x 32 kg (70 lbs, -5/0 reps, +2 kg)
18/18 x 32 kg

Idiotically I didn't strap my right hand, prob would have had 4-5 reps more otherwise. Figured out I had to turn the strap around for these. I'm mechanically challenged.


Weight: 91 kg (200 lbs)


******* NIT ALERT *********** ************ SUBOPTIMAL ACTIONS BELOW ****************


I've prob put on 2-3 lbs extra due to nom noming some on candy and pastries in the last 3 months. It was worth it.



********************************************* END NIT ALERT ************************************************** ******

Bro, am I right in reading that you are trying to improve your bench but you haven't benched since 18 November...

Well the program calls for floor press and speed bench press as the main exercise for the first three weeks. So no, I haven't done a normal bench press in a while. After the speed benching on Tuesday there's one set of normal BP tho!

2010-12-12


5/3/1 Iteration 1, Week 3 - Squats

Weeks are kind of messed up since I've missed a couple of workouts.

Squat - 5/3/1
5x87.5 kg (192 lbs)
3x100 kg (215 lbs)
7x110 kg (242 lbs)

Pretty happy with this, one more rep than the goal. Last squat workout I typoed 7 reps when I did 6.


Front Squat
5x10x57.5 kg (126 lbs)


Barbell Rollouts
2x10
3x6

First two sets I didn't go all the way. Figured it was better to do fewer reps with proper form, managed to get 6 reps when I went all the way down (brother checked form). I like these.


Back Extensions
2x10 with BANDZ

Was in a hurry, but I like the bandz better than loading with a plate.

The important thing on the rollouts is dont let your midsection sag down. Its the opposite of doing a DL - you do not want your low back in extension, and its ok, even good, to round forward.

Ah right. I'll be sure to film next time to check. I kept my core tight as always but it's def possible form wasn't good enough.

2010-12-14

Six Week Bench Press Cure, Week 3



DE Bench Press
10x3x55 kg (121 lbs)


Close-grip Bench Press
Program says to "work up to the heaviest set of five you can do, using a close grip". I assumed he meant to work up using 5-10% increments like on max effort day, starting from the weight used for the DE sets.

So worked up to:
4x80 kg (176 lbs)

With 5 sets preceding + the 10x3 DE sets. My 3x5 regular BP 3 weeks ago was 80 kg, so I think it's a pretty good sign that I made 4x80 with a close grip after all that volume. Think it's a bit lame that you're not supposed to regular BP at all during the six weeks, but fine I won't special snowflake it and change it.


Barbell Curlz
4x8x27.5 kg

Bit better technique this time imo. Used a wide, clean-like grip since that is what Rip recommends in SS for flexible people for maximum bicepts work.

Yes, this applies to things like bird-dogs as well, and often missed.

5/3/1 Iteration 1, Week 3 - Deadlifts


Deadlift - 5/3/1
Worked up to
5x97.5 kg
3x112.5 kg
6x125 kg (275 lbs)

Sort of disappointed I didn't get the 7th rep. Not too surprising given that sleep has been absolute crap the last two days though.


Lunges
4x8x30 kg

Did them standard instead of overhead. Doing them this way and before hamstring assistance helped...a lot. No shaky legs or balance issues.


RDL
3x6x40 kg
2x8x50 kg
2x10x60 kg

Liked these better than good mornings. Will replace GMs with them. Took it easy on the weight this time, going up to a more proper weight next time. And def better with lunges --> hamstring assistance rather than the other way around.


Standing Pallof Presses
5x10x30 kg


Supposed to deload next week (or actually this Sunday and next Thursday for squats/DLs). Dunno, think perhaps I'll start on a new cycle instead and take it easy during Christmas week due to partying and lots of social events.

2010-12-19

Six Week Bench Press Cure, Week 3
Pretty heavy day. Got a cold and was too ****ed up yesterday to train, forced myself to the gym today.


Floor Press
5-rep sets with empty bar w 5-10% increases up to

5x80 kg (176 lbs, +10 since week 1)

+10 lbs is good, and I think I had 5 more lbs in me.


Incline Close Grip BP
2x8x60 kg
1x7x65 kg

First time doing these, so had to titrate some. 60 kg seemed good for 8 reps. Forgot to youtube these so form was probably meh.


Kroc Rows
22/23 x 36 kg (79 lbs, -3/-1 reps, +4 kg)
12/13 x 40 kg

These ****ed me up hard. Chest always gets hit harder for me during cold due to asthma, and high-rep stuff wasn't too good.

Good workout, although I felt really dizzy driving home...was almost worried for a sec.

2010-12-21


5/3/1 Iteration 2, Week 1 - Squats

5x80 kg
5x90 kg
8x105 kg (231 lbs, +0 lbs, +1 rep)

Probably at 70% or so of normal lung capacity with this cold. Dunno how much that affected it, my pulse was off the charts at the end.

I kept the weight the same for week 1, since I royally screwed up the calcs for iteration 1. Will mean +15 lbs for the 5/3/1 so I think it's ok.


Front Squats
5x10x60 kg (132 lbs, +5)

Had to take long breaks to recover.


Barbell Rollouts
5x7

A rare treat:
An official Soulman production: Barbell Rollouts OF DEATH!!!

First rep is sideways. Would appreciate feedback.


No deload week, since I'll be forced to sort of deload during Christmas anyway (gym closes).