Bulldog: Leaning out the Old Dog

Same to you and your family hope everything went well.

dumb%20dog

Did a bunch to warm up lower back before hand,

Trap Bar: 450 x 8 ā€¦well ignored the pre planned rep cap
Block pull : 5 x 3 @ 405ā€¦ lets see if I pay for it
DB rows: 40/4 @ SW TR 42ā€¦ Going ahead and taking steps to cut back on unnecessary volume on the lower back.
K rows: 45/3 @ Sw
Seated Band Hamstring curls: 50 total reps
Bench sit ups: 5 x 10 @ SW

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ugh

I have concluded that MR Wendlers 7th week protocol is NOT a viable good option for myself . I find I am better off just doing a full deload come the 7 th week.

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Any particular reason? Iā€™ve followed your log and you seem plenty strong and experienced.
Iā€™ve used 531 for about 7+ years now , and the 7th week since the last book came out. I follow the principles but have made some changes that work for me.

  1. Almost never go past 6-8 reps on the main 4 movements on the 95% or 1+ week.
  2. If Iā€™m feeling strong that week hit ā€œ jokersā€ of 1-3 reps, not just more reps at 95%.
  3. Try to keep my TM so I can almost always hit 3-5 reps at 95% -TM, no problem.
  4. Donā€™t waste energy on the warm up sets. Focus on the top set .
    So hitting 5s on my DL warm up sets is out , 3s then 5 singles on the top set. But 5s are good for me on my press warmup. Everyone is different.
  5. When I do use the 7th week ( which isnā€™t often as I know I can hit 3-5 on my 95% week) just work up to the top set with 1-3s as warm up, like a meet.
  6. 1 movement a training session, none of the programs he designed, which I think are for younger or still developing lifters, or ā€œenhanced ā€œ trainers, with greater recovery ability. Add a good second movement of 3-5x8-10 or some FSL, then fill in with the push, pull, core stuff.
  7. I rarely deload, but train every other day and usually 2 days off after a wave.

I would be real interested in your thoughts given your strength, experience and training.

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Yeah I jumped on it when it first came out for awhile I got away from it for awhile.I decided to jump back on board when he ironed out a few bugs I preconceived with it.

  1. pretty much the same
  2. currently Im not using Jokers at the moment
  3. Yeah thats pretty much the same for myself. On good days I can double the reps of the called for base line rep target .
    4.Pretty much I keep my true ā€œwarm upsā€ between 3-5 reps depending on how I feel from 40% at 10% increments up to what I consider work sets .
  4. so far I have only used the 7th week to work up to a single with my TM and thats it. Havent as yet used it as a testing week for my TM.
  5. Currently Im running FSL for 3 x5 (except on pulls) on supplemental stuff ( except squats since I prefer not to use any supplemental movement)ā€¦ after which I throw in some stuff I need to address .

Here some other things that I do that probably different but falls under the frame work of the program itself.

My training doesnā€™t fall under the normal 7 day frame work ā€¦ I lift MWF and I rotate the main lifts. So lets say I bench on a Monday I wont Bench again until the following Wednesday.

Im running 3/5/1 on everything but squats at the moment. On squats currently just running the Pro 5 protocol at the moment at a low TM.

Thing with me I find Im good for 6-8 weeks of hard lifting ( regardless of the program) that I need to back off for a week from the intensity. I think on my end it is somewhat a combination of physical and mental fatigue.

I think we have some similar training styles.
I train 351
I found 5 progression pretty boring.
I do 3s, maybe a joker set for 1-3 if I feel good, but rarely and not much past my TM.
5s week - I go easier on volume and intensity.
1+ week- I go 5@75,3@85,then 3-6 ( usually 5-6)@ 95%. More than 6 reps just leaves me fried a few days later. No jokers this week, just a good 5-6 reps.
For DL just 3s to warm up, then either 3-5 singles for the top set. NO REPS for me. If Iā€™m feeling good add more weight.
For 2nd or as Wendler calls it supplemental movement- I like 3-5x8-10. I try to get some variety here and mix in exercises I like. Iā€™ve used
Squatsā€” FSL, my shoulders started to feel beat up, Zerchers, front squats, good mornings
BP- CG, DBBP, inc bench
DL- good mornings,SLDL
Press- BTN
Throw in some curls , triceps, ā€œcoreā€
I do face pulls on squat day, pull-up/ chins , lat pull down on BP day, rows on DL day, cable rows and maybe pull-ups on press day.
Pushups on squat and DL day for the push. 25-50 total reps in multiple sets as a circuit at the end.
I try to train so I donā€™t need to deload, obviously that keeps the intensity and volume down. Iā€™m training for strength, health and importantly to me longevity of training. Nobody cares what a 60 year old man can squat or bench or pull. I train because, Iā€™ve always lifted and I like it.
I use the so called 7th week 2-3 a year to see where I am at to set up my training plan. But really itā€™s just to hit a hard max of 1-3, non of the multiple 5s warming up. 5 reps at a true 85% for me will definitely impact my top
set.
Good luck, and I would appreciate any thoughts on your experience with 531

I would say pretty much soā€¦

It is ā€¦ but it keeps me in check on my squat volume at the moment. Since Im focusing more on bring up my pulling.

I have yet figured a good way to optimize it for for peaking. But that is on me since The whole new leader and anchor set up should help.

evil%20BD

Ok ā€¦got a wild hair today ! Thanks to @clee78 talk of Joker sets and decided to do some if I was feeling good once I got warmed and and depending on how the last working set felt.

Seated Behind the Neck Press: 195 x 6 ā€¦ Hit the pre planned cap, had tons still in the tank.
Joker sets: 225 x 3ā€¦ damn easy
250 x 6ā€¦ lost my freaking mind ( had my oldest video)

Decided that was good for todayā€¦

Swiss bar close grip Bench: 5 x 5 @ 230

Felt a little gassed at this point

Pulldowns : 50/5 @ SW TR 43
Curls: 25/3 @ SW TR 26
Pushdowns: 40/3 @ SW TR 45

Well going on a limb and saying that I might have my TM set pretty low.

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Beast

Thanksā€¦ I am pretty happy considering my age and the work I have had done on my shoulders.

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Yer nice work there bulldog

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Thanks man!

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Too bad you donā€™t know anything about biomechanics :roll_eyes:

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Killing it my man!!!
Who let the big dog out

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Great lifts, and an inspiring attitude. I will definitely be following.

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dumb%20dog

Well you put the wild hair in my rearā€¦ since I dont do jokers too often if at all.

Not going to guarantee quality on this forum!

Good to hear.
A little psych never hurt anyone. I try to pump myself, recapture a little of the youth in the weight room. Blast the tunes and go.
I think when most of us were younger and pushing it, it wasnā€™t reps but weight on the bar. Now with some grey, reps burn me out, but a top set of 1-3, 5 max, makes me feel good and I can recover- to train again.
I save the reps for the ā€œ supplemental ā€œ work with less weight.
Mustā€™ve been the new hair cut!!!

Those reps all looked super easy. Beastly stuff.

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After yesterday It might be time to tweak some things on my end slightly.

Oh im feeling them today in certain areasā€¦