I’ve done the opposite. Grabbed a love handle, compared it to a pack of butter. Realised how much longer a deficit would need to be sustained.
These workout are much more important that the easy, I feel great, weight just move quickly workouts.
The grindy ones where its an effort just to be there. They build consistency and discipline. And teach you this is not easy.
3 Likes
Bench
65% 97.5 1 5
75% 112.5 1 5
85% 127.5 1 5+ (13 reps)
65% 97.5 5 5
Front squat
65% 90 1 5
75% 105 1 5
85% 120 1 5+ (18 reps)
65% 90 5 5
Assistance
Skull crushers: ~47.5 lbs 6x10
DB rows: 35 lbs - 4x18
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you’ve mentioned feeling off several times, normal for things to start going stale with a linear setup like this.
-Move on to a more proven template like Beyond 1.1/Beach Body Challenge or do something totally different for a month or two like Doggcrapp or Thib program etc
I don’t think this is a great suggestion for a rookie. Some Thib programs, certainly.
Structural 2 from Pendulum Bodybuilding maybe.
Super Hero Program
Power Building
I mean this is no way shape or form as an insult to Digity but he’s 140lbs and lifts pretty light weights. He’s making solid progress on 531, I think he’s best off sticking to a 531 (maybe switch to a different version of 531 if necessary) and keeping his eyes on a 1lb a week gain for months on end.
Switching program might enthuse him afresh but he’s no where near milked 531 yet, he is still very high reps on AMRAP top sets - which is great and means there is many more months of gains to come, to cut it off now would be a less than ideal.
3 Likes
Totally but if he was to change I just think DC is a bad suggestion. I opted for programs that I think are more appropriate for beginners but he’d have to add some pounds to the bar to actually get in the right rep range that much is true.
Well yeah. I get your point. Rookie numbers but he’s been training on and off and been on this site for 13 years.
He needs to nut up and hit it hard. Despite all this diligence, his progress in terms of goals of bodyweight and adding muscle has been really mediocre.
I do commend him for his consistency tho and prob has earned a week off/deload to refresh.
Like I said another 5/3/1 template fine and prob preferable
Then maybe the 7th week protocol would fit the bill.
FWIW, with regards to Doggcrapp I think everyone pondering it should to this to themselves first,
Doggcrapp: This is how I show someone the intensity they should be putting into every exercise
and it really opens some eyes up quickly in the people I train. Either next quad workout or next
time you dont feel like doing your normal leg workout, be true to yourself and take the number of
plates you load up on the leg press for a hardcore 10 reps deep —cut it exactly in half and do one
set of 50 reps deep. So if your bragging to everyone that you can do 12 plates on each side for
10 then guess what your going to be doing - 6 a side for 50. And you know what-- everyone
reading this can do the 50 reps, it just comes down to who has the most balls or not. You cannot
lock your knees the whole set and you cannot rest your hands on your knees either. I try to get 25
first and then pause at the top (with knees slightly bent) and take 5 deep breaths and then get 10
more (5 deep breaths) and 5 more.(im at 40 now)…then the last 10 reps is pure tortuous hell…i
usually do 3 reps (take 3 breaths)3 more reps, 3 more breaths, then 2 reps (3 deep breaths) and
finally the last 2 reps=50 reps. Your legs will be absolutely destroyed and you better start
stretching or walking the next day is going to be an adventure. My best ever was about 3 years
ago I got 7 plates a side for 50 and i go deep (knees to armpits deep). The people that I have
seen who cannot make it to 50 are people who dont have the mental fortitude to take pain and
get pissed off or someone who starts to cramp. But youll learn alot from that one set, you will
learn the intensity it takes to approach every set on every other bodypart and exercise you do.
5/3/1 rest pause could split the difference.
2 Likes
Front squat
70% 97.5 1 3
80% 112.5 1 3
90% 125 1 3+ (16 reps)
70% 97.5 5 5
Bench
70% 105 1 3
80% 120 1 3
90% 135 1 3+ (10 reps)
70% 105 5 5
Assistance work:
Dips (body weight): 20,17,15,15,15
Plate high pull: 45 lbs - 2x25
When I started this program I made it a goal to be able to do 10 reps of 135 on my bench. I was never able to do this before but did it today. Probably doesn’t seem like a big deal but since I failed to reach this goal with all my previous attempts to lift it felt like a big deal to me. I think my next bench goal will be to one rep max 200 lbs.
7 Likes
Absolutely awesome work my dude.
Really enjoying watching your progress here.
2 Likes
I’ve been lurking on here for a while now.
This sums up my thoughts about your log and progress:
1 Like
FUCK YEAH DUDE!! Funny how things work out when you trust the process and work your ass off. Keep going. And maybe start thinking of strength goals for the other main lifts. Your deadlift is really good for your size, I’d be interested to see what your 1RM for it would be.
You’ll need to put on some weight to get to a 1RM bench of 200, so keep eating good food and eating more of it.
Again, awesome work.
Congrats, such a great feeling when you hit a long term goal! As @Garagerocker13 said trust the process keep plugging away and those gains will keep coming!
Yeah, my plan is to stick to 5/3/1. I’m actually a bit more reluctant now to switch since I’m seeing progress on a per cycle basis. I’m afraid if I switch that might stop or like you said, might as well milk it for as much as I can.
3 Likes
Thanks! I think I need to add 20 lbs to my bench, since it currently estimates my 1 rep max as 180 lbs. I think for deadlift I’d like to eventually be able to do 400 lbs. I assume my 1 rep max is probably around 335 lbs. For press I’d like to get to 115 x 10. I haven’t given the squatting too much thought. I’m wondering if/when I should switch to back squats. I think with squats I just want to get comfortable with heavy weights.
1 Like
Deadlifts
70% 172.5 1 3
80% 195 1 3
90% 220 1 3+ (17 reps)
70% 172.5 5 5
Press
70% 85 1 3
80% 97.5 1 3
90% 110 1 3+ (9 reps)
70% 85 5 5
Assistance
Incline BB bench: 85 lbs - 3x12,10,9,8
Pushups: 3x25
…
June 26 - 140.3
July 3 - 140.1
July 10 - 140.6
July 17 - 142.2
July 24 - 142.4
Only gained 0.2 lbs. Need to eat increase calories again…but I did jump almost 2 lbs from 10th to 17th…so maybe not bad.
2 Likes
Sorry man, somehow I missed your reply to my post. Deadlift, I think you might be beyond 335 with the amount of reps you’re hitting now. Just keep pushing bench hard and you’ll hit your goals.
Press will likely be the hardest to achieve, so you’ll have to push your + sets and your food hard to get it, but it’s totally attainable for you. Just be patient and work hard.
I think you’re ready to switch to back squats, but when you do, you should do a training max test to set your TM. Whatever your estimated 1RM is, take 80% of that for your TM. As always, video your sets and do your own analysis, and post on here if you want extra help.
Bench
70% 105 1 3
80% 120 1 3
90% 135 1 3+ (10 reps)
70% 105 5 5
Front squat
70% 97.5 1 3
80% 112.5 1 3
90% 125 1 3+ (16 reps)
70% 97.5 5 5
Assistance
Skull crushers: ~47.5 lbs 5x12,1x6
DB rows: 40 lbs - 5x8,1x10
Did FSL 5x5 as back squats to start incorporating them slowly into my workouts. Just working on form, etc.