Conventional deadlift
135-2x5
185-3
207.5-3
232.5-3x3 Frank suggested that rather going for max reps, I just do several sets of 3. I like that a lot better. I feel like max reps on deadlift particularly if you’re fatigued is an injury waiting to happen.
Box pulls from 7" box
225-2x5
235-5
245-5
Good mornings
95-3x10
Bench tng
85-2x8
85-16
DB push press
32-2x10/side
turkish get up
10-5/side
I’d walked over 13 km before lunch and before training. I went out early and did my morning 6km. Normally I eat first but thought I’d try it on an empty stomach. I’m not into that. I was slower and it was a slog. When I got back I drove my daughter to work and then Frank and I walked the dog for another 7km; farther than I had planned. Walking hits my hamstrings and tightens my lower back. However, the weight is still coming down, the weather is lovely and I don’t have another meet until November so, although it’s impacting my lifts, it’s not really an issue during the summer.
The latest book I’ve been listening to on my walks is the Stand. I read it a couple times when I was young and am listening to the extended version. It includes the 400 pages cut from the initial publication. It’s interesting listening to (reading?) something published in 1978 about a future event in 1990 that is now long in our past.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt this way about 5/3/1. I’m learning to like it, and I usually will do a program if its benefitting me well despite if I like it or not, but the first month of 5/3/1 was irritating me as well because it had me doing 50 reps worth of assistance and I’m usually used to doing under 30 at most.
Thanks. I still love the floors but will still get them replaced at some point. I’m leaning towards light oak as opposed to the more popular dark ones.
I mostly just changed the warm up. I don’t know whether this is the program for me or not. I’ll give it a bit more time. I expect my disenchantment is partly coloured by the lower weights which are a result of cutting weight and walking so much.
Yea I had to be a bit patient to see how I fair with the amount of volume. It’s that assistance work that drains me more so than the working sets. Going into this second phase I realized it just takes getting accustomed to. But you’re on a deficit so I completely understand the struggle. How many cycles have you done of this? I’m trying to scroll and count but I keep losing track.
While none of the numbers set the world on fire, it all felt pretty good.
On my morning walks I’ve started rotating in a bit of jogging. This morning I went 5.5km. I walk 5 minutes and then jog 5 minutes. It’s a nice rotation. Walking fast tightens up my hamstrings and lower back. Jogging slams my knees. By alternating it gives them both a break and moves things along faster. Ultimately I find jogging a more natural movement than fast walking.
I spent most of the weekend painting my porch. It was hot and fiddly. This is a picture of the finished product.
Thanks. It’s a fair amount of work but quite satisfying. It’s worth the effort as real estate has gone up significantly in our city with so many people moving from Toronto for more affordable housing.
Per an earlier suggestion, we skipped the deload week and rolled right into the next cycle. Plus I lowered my training maxes on squat and deadlift.
Squat
bar-10
135-2x3
140-5
162.5-5
185-2x5
I’m not loving amrap every week so I opted for 2 top sets at 5 reps no belt
SSB squat
137.5-3x10
Step ups
127.5-3x10
Resistance band twists
3x10/side
This morning I did a 7.2km combined walk/jog: Walk 5 minutes/jog 5 minutes. I’m giving myself until August 15. I’m not sure whether I noted this anywhere else earlier. After the 15th I’m cutting down on the walking (and now jogging) as it’s impacting lifting too much. It might not be as much of a factor if I were 25 but I’m coming 53 and my energy reserves are far from inexhaustible. What I’m finding kind of interesting is that I’m enjoying the jogging. I can’t see doing it long term but for the summer it’s a nice change.
This morning was another walk/jog - 8km. What I find most amazing about this is that I can arrive home soaked in sweat and, within 15-20 minutes be pulled together and totally presentable for work.
This morning I did a 10km walk/jog. My left hip started kicking off so I think that’s a bit much. After Frank got up we took the dog out and after lunch the three of us walked downtown to see Spiderman. However, I got the movie times wrong and the next one was playing in a few hours so we walked home. That’s when we deadlifted. By the time we’d hit the basement, I’d already clocked 20km. After training, my daughter and I walked back downtown to see the later showing of Spiderman. I enjoyed it. It was entertaining and easy to watch.
Squat
45-10
135-2x3
155-3
175-3
And that was that. I had a painful pulling/tightness in my right groin once I hit 175. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the pain in my left hip. I had no intention of pushing through any of it. The last time I did that, I ended up with a year long shoulder injury.
I’m shutting down the jogging. As much as I’ve been enjoying it, it’s beating me up. I didn’t plan to do it long term so I just started doing it which was probably a bad idea. I’m carrying on with the walking for a bit more. This morning was 6km.
Did some squats with the empty bar and goblet squats. My hip and groin feel better but we’ll see how it is once I add weight.
bw today 126.5 and my knees are crunchy af. I think I’m ending my walking experiment tomorrow. I’ll still do my normal dog walking and daily life stuff but I’m getting achy and old feeling. I’m only a lb up from my goal and can cut that with water.
Conventional deadlift
135-2x5
185-3
205-3
First sets done from a 1" board deficit
230-2x3 add belt
Pause deadlift
185-3x8
Good mornings
105-3x10
Bench tng
95-2x5
95-12
DB push press
32-3x10/side
This morning I hit 125lbs. I’d been sitting around 127.5 for a few weeks with no movement. The timing was good because yesterday I decided to stop tracking my food and walking so much. I hit my goal of 57kg 125.5lbs. Deadlift felt better today than it has in a while.
I did a bit of light squatting, goblet and 105 to 135 to see how my groin was feeling. It was pretty good; no pain at all but then I didn’t have an issue until I hit 175 last week. Hopefully the problem is past though.
Squat
45-10
135-2x3
165-5
185-3
205-2,1
These were all pretty slow and tentative given last weeks problem with my hip and groin. They were all done beltless and were pain free in my hip/groin area. None of it was aggressive or envelope pushing though.
Since then, I’ve developed pain in my left knee and a bit in my right. They weren’t bad squatting since the weight was supported with both legs. Anything that involves one leg, like walking down stairs in particular, is painful. I was also very cautious walking the weight out and took very small steps going back with my left foot.
SSB squat
140-3x10
Step ups
120-1x10/side
Nope. This may have been okay because I dropped the weight but it felt too dodgy.
