5/3/1 Log Not Too Strong Yet

Training Logs
1

Hey all,
I will start my log here as well. Some prior lifting experience, but more like on off.
It will be in kg, I am too lazy to change everything to lbs :wink:

19 years old
71 kg
175 cm

I just started my 2nd cycle of 5/3/1, have been training for ~ 6 weeks now.

calculated 1rm before 1st cycle:
Squat 70kg
Benchpress 69kg
Deadlift 105kg
OHP 43 kg

I train 4 times a week:

1.Week (just AMRAP sets)
Squat: 52.511
BP: 52.510
Deadlift: 8012
OHP: 32.512

2.Week
Squat: 57.58
BP: 558
Deadlift: 859
OHP: 3510

3.Week
Squat: 608
BP: 606
Deadlift: 908 (+ 120kg1)
OHP: 37.5*8

No deload week, because i couldnt train for a week in between w1 and w2.

2.cyle
1.week
Squat: 62.5 * 10 (kind of fixed breathing issues, very happy with the results)

Today:
Benchpress : 42.5 *5, 50 *5, 57.5 *7 (i am still trying to find my benchpressā€¦ does not really feel solid, first reps are kind of easy but then from one rep to the other I lose my strength, gotta to some reading I guess)

DB incline bp : 20 *10|10|8
db rows : 30 * 10|10 ; 28 * 10 (felt the biceps starting to take over much of the work, so I dropped the weight a bit)

standing db press 16* 8|8 ; 14 * 6 (used to do them one arm at a time with 18, I am gonna have to drop the weight a bit more though, feels kind of weird)

triceps cable extension 40 * 12|12|12

Till end of march at least, I dont want to have to set weights back. We will see how it goes. I am definitely highly motivated. I am trying to eat a lot, but it is kind of hard on my mind to always eat an other serving, even if I am not even hungry anymore. I always make to much food anyway.

short term goals:
work on benchpress technique

long term:
2x BW Deadlift 1. jan
other 3 lifts, I will first have to see how they develop

2

Deadlifts:
70kg *5
80kg *5
90kg *10|5|5
60kg *8

Leg Press:
124kg 20|20|20

Superset hanging lag raise| Hyperextensions
5|15 5|15 5|15

Decent day, but not too happy. My DL technique kind of sucked today, felt that one side of the barbell sometimes touched the floor first and somehow felt it more in the right side of my back. usually never happens. I wont worry too much though, as I did not really feel too fresh today (sore hamstrings from RDL). Will still concentrate on that next time.

Well, Leg Press develops really Well. Started out with 88kg 3*20 and now on 124 (struggling with the last reps)

Hyperextensions feel really good, tried first time to squeeze the glutes at the top position.

Leg raises kind of weak today.

I am wondering if I need more breaks or should do the accessory lift with less intensity, as I am quite tight at the moment (especially upper back)

I am gonna buy a foam roll soon, have made some good experience with that.

looking forward to saturday.

3

16.11.13

Press
30kg *5
32.5kg *5
37.5kg * 8 (failure on 9thā€¦)
30kg *5

Incline DB Benchpress
20kg 7|7|7

Triceps
tried some stuff, most comfortable still the cable. dont really like the DB stuff for triceps

Chinups
6|5|5 (I am a bit heavier than I used to be. Need to improve those)

All in all, I am going to have to do more for recovery and try to avoid failed reps more. I dont really plan them, but I push myself too hard, too often. Especially my upper back is tight all the time.

Less is more I guess :slight_smile:
Meal size is increasing again.

4

17/11/2013

Squats
40* 5
50* 3
60* 3
65* 8 (might have been able to get one more, but trying to not go too far during AMRAP sets atm)

Hyperextensions (with glute squeeze at the top)
5 kg 12/12/12

Leg Press
124Kg* 20/20
133kg* 20

Superset Hanging Leg Raise Sitting Calves @ 30kg
7/12 7/12 7/12

Went better than expected today, felt the very top of my quads (dont actually know if its still quads) during the warm up squats sets, but did not bother me at all with weight)
Got told not to go below parallel and to have a narrow and feet parallel stance during squats, because below is bad for your knees, :smiley:

Squat feels actually much better after I started to use a wider stance (not much wider than shoulders) and a slight outward angle with my feet.

5

19/11/2013

Prior to today I reread Starting Strength benchpress (will do the same for the other lifts)
because I was unhappy with my benchpress.

Felt much more stable and strong, also gripped the bar a bit wider. Feels very good.

50kg* 5
60kg* 6/5
50kg* 8/8

I also realized that I have problems keeping my right upper back/shoulder tight ā†’ when I rack the bar after the set, sometimes it reaches the pins earlier on the left side.

At least I know now what to work on :slight_smile:

Chin Ups/ Dips Superset
BW 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5
I have gotten really weak in those. Dip station is really shit at this placeā€¦ Very wide and you always nearly touch the floor with you knees in the low position

DB Press
14kg* 8/8/8

Started doing those maybe 2 weeks ago, always felt weird at the lock out. Today I realized that it is much more comfortable keeping the DB at 180ƂĀ° (one line with torso) than hammer grip.

All in all quite happy with the training today, felt quite strong, regeneration is getting better and I start to see/feel flaws in my technique.

6

21/11/2013
Deadlift

main set: 95kg * 6
some sets with 60kg

(noticed that I keep the hips much to high in the starting position, with by back pretty much horizontalā€¦ Good thing I reread Starting Strength, I didnt even notice before and thought that my technique was pretty good. Weird that it feels more difficult now, with the back in a better angle with more leg inclusion. Will work on that)

Leg Press
124lg * 15/15/15
Went easy on the Leg Press today.

Hanging Leg Raise
7/7/7
(starting to get higher)

Hyperextension
+10kg 12/12/12

Not really a strong training todayā€¦ not every day is perfect :slight_smile:

Protein finally got hereā€¦ :smiley:

7

22/11/2013

Press
20kg* 8
30kg* 4
35kg* 3
40kg* 6
35kg* 8/8

very very happy with the press. Changed some things and feels so much more stable and strong!!

Incline DB BP
20kg 8/8/8

Superset Hammergrip Pullups/ Dips
5/6 5/6 5/7

After a rather shitty day in gym yesterday an awesome day today :slight_smile:

8

24/11/2013

Squats
40kg* 5
50kg* 5
62.5kg 3
70kg 10

Changed some things. Little bit wider stance, little bit wider grip, lower bar position. concentrated on breathing and tension. Felt incredibly strong and stable. I thought I would get like 3 or 4 repsā€¦ Might have even be able to get 2 more. Awesome!!
(Have to keep in mind, that I did not go as deep as before, as I realized that my back rounds (too much) that way. But still lower than parallel I think. Will ask for someone to watch next time.

Superset Hanging Leg Raise/Hyperextension @ 10
10/15 10/15 8/15

Leg Press
133Kg 12/12

That shows that I did a lot right in the Squat today. Usually I was still very strong on the Leg Press even though I did squats before. Did not go all out though.

Squats felt really awesome, also in the upper body. Never felt that tight, like every single muscle was tense :slight_smile:

Awesome day! Now I gotta start writing the paper haha

9

26/11/2013
Benchpress
52.5kg * 5
57.5kg * 3
62.5kg * 7
50kg * 8/8

DB incline BP
20kg * 10/10/8

DB Row
28kg * 8/8/8

Triceps Extension
45kg* 12/12/12

28/11/2013

Deadlift
60kg* 8
80kg* 3
90kg* 3
100kg* 6
80kg* 8
60kg* 8

Improving my technique. Hips lower, have to really concentrate to start by bending the knees, am always hitting my shins with the bar.

Leg Press
133kg 20/20/20

HLR superset Hyper @ 15 kg
10/12 10/12 10/12(without weight)

10

30/11/13

Press
32.5kg* 5
37.5kg* 3
42.5kg* 6
37.5kg* 8/5

awesome! finally getting stronger again. some technique improvements which really pay off. Need to work on my support position though , cant seem to get the barbell on my shoulders correctly.

ChinUps/Dips
6/9 7/8 4/7

DB Press
14kg 7/7/7

I also bought a foam roll now, because the one in the gym is crap. much too soft. regeneration is already getting better, but the foam roll will still help me a lot to get rid of the tightness.

11

30/11/13
Zercher Squat
40kg* 8
50kg* 5
60kg* 5/5
50kg* 8

Squat Rack was occupied, no time to wait

2/12/13
Benchpress
40kg* 8
50* 5
62.5* 8
50* 10/8

Went nicely, technique improving a lot.

DB Rows
28kg* 12/10/10

Inv DB BP
20kg* 10/10/9

Triceps Cable Extensions
40kg* 12/12

5/12/13
Deadlift
60kg* 8
75* 5
85* 5
97.5* 10

Also happier with technique. I seem to ā€œbrakeā€ during the eccentric movement somehow with my arms against my legs. Gotta check that next time.

Squat
40* 5
60* /8/8

Just wanted to do some reps, as I could not on sunday. Technique getting better here as well.

HL Raise
10/10/10

Leg Curl
49kg* 15/15/15

It is going quite nicely in general. Technique and strength is improving across the board, and everything feels fine. I also like the foam roll a lot.
Now I should concentrate a bit more on nutrition again. Wasnā€™t too good lately :smiley:

Cheers

12

7/12/13

Press
32.5* 5
37.5* 3
42.5* 7
37.5 *7

Incline DB Press
22* 10/8/7

PullUp
5/5/5

Dips
8/8/7

8/12/13

Squat
50* 5
57.5* 3
67.5* 3
75* 12/8

Hyperextensions
15kg* 12
10* 12
0* 12