5/3/1 & Widowmakers - c6w3 - summary
TLDR: A kick-ass week and a kick-ass cycle. Lots to celebrate and lots more to be done!
So that was a tough week: started off high (crushed those squat sets!), attitude trending downward by week’s end (I still have a bad taste in my mouth from that bench WM), but came back strong with a time PR on Pwn’s Tower of Babel with 95-lbs thrusters.
I also hit rep PRs on all of the 1+ sets and—with the exception of the overhead press, which I’m not at all upset about—I got all 20 reps on the 75% FSL Widowmaker sets. It’s kinda funny, because you might think I’d be upset about the press, but I gave it my all, I know I gave it my all, and the video backs that up. I might actually be happiest about that WM, even though the squat set was somehow scarier to me.
Beyond that, I hit all of my other goals for the week. Food might have been a little carb-heavy, but pretty good carbs overall—Cheerios and granola, not cookies and cupcakes!
I thought I’d have more to say about the Widowmakers, but I don’t want to build it up and make it something it’s not. I can’t remember exactly when I decided to tackle this 5/3/1 & Widowmakers template, but it had to be 8 or 9 weeks ago, because I started practicing the WMs about 7 weeks ago, at the beginning of Cycle 5. In any case, I’m glad I did. They scared the crap out of me then and I didn’t know if I could muscle through. Now on the other side of it, they still scare the crap out of me but I know I can do it and I actually did do it.
The only other thing I’ll say is that I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished these past 7 weeks: I saw a problem (the Widowmakers), I came up with a plan of attack (the practice set progression), I executed that plan (the actual practice sets in Cycle 5), and I ended up prepared and ready for this anchor. Yes, I’ve still got work to do, but I’m proud of the work I’ve done.
This anchor was also the first cycle with PR sets since I committed to the 5/3/1 programming. Here’s where things stand:
I’m pumped about all of those and the progress they represent. Certainly I’m the strongest I’ve been in a long time, and quite possibly the strongest I ever been, period. And there’s no end in sight!
I’m also looking forward to the weeks and months ahead: I’ll be running Forever BBB for the next little while, and although I haven’t crunched the numbers yet, I’m pretty sure that as long as my TMs keep progressing, I’ll be entering territory where each cycle’s 1s week top sets will become 5-rep PRs.
I’m also pretty happy with how I’m looking these days. Here are some pictures from earlier this morning:
And here’s the progression since the end of June:
And finally, some flexed photos:
Because… anabolic lighting. And vascularity is cool. And my inner bodybuilder thinks it’s fun!
Anyway, I might not be as lean as I was back in September 2020 (leanest overall), or maybe not even as lean as back in March (leanest this year), but I’ve ditched the scale, I’ve stopped obsessing over food, I’m stronger than I was, I think I’m carrying more muscle, and I’m working harder than I’ve ever worked before—and I like it. All of it.
Most importantly, I am happy and my family is happy. That’s the part that matters.
So now I’m moving into another 7th Week Protocol, TM Testing to prep for Forever BBB. My goals for this week are:
- Complete all 4 lifting workouts to establish correct TMs
- Complete 3 days of easy conditioning
- Do 50 burpees + swings every day
- Continue to eat right
I’m also adding 2 kg to my weighted vest walks this week (so 28 kg total), and I will carry that forward into future easy conditioning workouts.
Finally, Tuesday marks 19 years of marriage to Mrs. SvenG and that’s pretty cool. We’re celebrating today, so I’ll be going way off menu for dinner, including an actual dessert.
So here’s to you, Mrs. SvenG! I love you and I’m looking forward to the next 19 years and beyond.