After spending pretty much all of yesterday in the hot tub drinking beer, my foot seemed to be miraculously cured afterwards, with much of the bruising disappearing. Very wild. I was crazy drunk last night and got up late today, but I got into the garage gym and knocked out today’s workout. Including a weight pr and a Widowmaker pr! I followed it up with a bike ride around the neighborhood.
Squat 235x5, 265x3, 295x5
Squat Widowmaker 235x20
Ab Circuit (bicycles, sit ups, leg raises) 25 each x2
First workout back at my gym. It was good. Got a great pump. It was my first deload workout and I always find deloads to be boring. Just getting the work done basically.
I actually concocted kind of a crazy idea on my car ride home this weekend… should I try a 5/3/1 -Fortitude Training hybrid? Use the 5/3/1 system for the heavy loading sets accompanied by the pump sets on Monday and Wednesday, then the Muscle Rounds on Friday and Saturday. Fortitude has just been calling my name lately, as it’s really been catching on around the forum. I like to think I had something to do with that, and it feels good. This must be how @T3hPwnisher feels about how many people he’s gotten into Deep Water by spreading its good word lol!
Bench 115x5, 145x5, 175x5
Bench 175 5x10
Chin Ups 5x10
Db curls 3x10
Db Tricep Extension 3x10
Face Pulls 3x10
I’m not going to say “no” but I think you will find your training sessions will be north of 2 hours if following 5/3/1 loading sets as prescribed in combination with the everyday pump sets.
I think using 5/3/1 exercise selection for your loading sets could work fine, I just don’t see the volume panning out in your favor (IMO!)… perhaps a middle-ground in volume would suit better? You’re gonna have to eat like crazy to keep up with the demand of this, if it’s anything like I’m imagining though.
Curious if the assistance work prescribed in 5/3/1 is suitable as “pump work”. It’s a pretty common belief that going for “the pump” is rather ineffective at actually building muscle/gaining strength, but I think it is justified by Scott due to progressive overload + pump stimulus - rather than pump stimulus alone. To me, it seems like the application of pump sets to the assistance work prescribed in 5/3/1 might be misplaced, considering assistance work is meant to strengthen weak points and pump work does very little to make muscles stronger - but I very well could be wrong here.
Do you have a plan you’re thinking of following here, or was this moreso thinking out loud?
Just thinking out loud. I thought if I get to the point where actually was 100% on it, I would write out a practical example. I love the way 5/3/1 programs Strength work better than any program I’ve ever done because of the pre planned nature. However, since I’ve described my idea, I think I’ll display examples for how it would look, because you could very well be right that the volume and time would be excessive. However, I will counter that Pump work is effective at Hypertrophy because the research shoes that high rep and lighter load Training when taken to failure, is just as productive as heavy load, lower rep training, so I do think it could be effective as assistance work. However, it doesn’t really make you stronger, so it’s likely better than no assistance, but also doesn’t make a ton of sense in that context either. If you were to follow this program in this way, you are breaking free from more conventional thinking, although it could mean slower progress on 5/3/1 sets. Also, most of the 5/3/1 work is centered on day 1, so it’s a little imbalanced.
Monday Upper Load/Lower Pump week 1
Deadlift 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5+
Weighted Chins 1-2 sets (6-10 reps)
Bench 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5+
Incline dumbbell Flyes 1-2 sets (6-10 reps)
Overhead Press 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5+
Scott Raises 1-2 sets (6-10 reps)
Nautilus Leg Press 1-2 sets Fives into the hole
Nautilus Toe Press 1-2 sets Fives into the hole
Glute-Ham Raises 1-2 sets(15-30 reps)
Wednesday Lower Load/Upper Pump
Squat 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5+
Leg Extension 1-2 Sets (6-10 reps)
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 1-2 sets (6-10 reps)
Cable Adductors Rest Pause
Flyes/Rack Chins 1-2 sets (15-25 reps)
Machine Shoulder Press 1 set (15-25 reps)
Crunches
Lateral Raises 1 set (15-25 reps) or Reverse 21s
Db curls 1-2 sets Reverse 21s
Db Overhead Tricep Extension 1-2 sets Reverse 21s
It really doesn’t look much different from my standard Fortitude Sessions, which I pulled from earlier in my log to form this workout. I would probably also lower my training max to 80-85% rather than 90%. It’s fairly high volume for loading sets. So definitely start with 1 set for the “auxiliary lifts” and work your way up to 2 for the end of your blast.
Agree, I meant that pump work by itself is what helps gym bros look better than the average dude, but then never get any bigger past their 6 month mark (because they’ve never increased weight/motor unit recruitment). I think pump work, by itself, is minimally useful for muscle growth; but when combined with increased motor unit recruitment (via progressive overload), it can be a strong method to squeeze in some extra growth.
Agree, which is why I find the concept interesting… I wonder if assistance work may be better suited as it’s own day of the week, and worked in some form of Rest-Pause fashion (just thinking out loud here). I’m not sure how I would go about scheduling it into the week, but this could allow regular pump work recommended by Scott during the standard training sessions - as well as direct assistance work (non-pump methods).
Bastardized training is a favorite past time of mine so I find this subject very interesting… I’ve always been the person to read a program, take what I consider to be it’s “best” part, and incorporate it into my own regimen. I don’t know if programs get much better than 5/3/1 and Fortitude, so combining the two could make for one hell of a training program.
I like to think of it as two great tastes that taste great together lol. After this past week, I know for a fact DC and 5/3/1 work together seamlessly, and you can see my log from last week to see how that looked. It was beautiful. It was amazing in my head and worked perfectly in execution. Jim actually has it as a template in his books, which proves he thinks the same way.
Combining it with Fortitude takes some planning, especially considering Fortitude takes quite a bit of planning anyway. It helps that I ran it for almost half a year last year.
Last night’s workout certainly didn’t feel the best. After absolutely crushing the workout Friday, this deload workout just felt like crap. The weight felt heavy and my Osgood-Schlaughter riddled right knee was in hell. Wrestling and jiu jitsu really brought back the knee pain associated with it that I hadn’t felt since I was a teenager, and my knee has been hurting since then, especially on squat, but not enough to stop me. Only a major injury would do that.
Squat 125x5, 155x5, 185x5
Squat BBB 185 5x10
Hanging Leg Raises 5x10
I know this is my training log, but I just wanted to quickly say that my softball season just started last night and the very first pitch of my first at bat, I launched for a home run! I haven’t even swung a bat since the Halloween tournament. I’ve also almost finished my substitute teacher training, so I’m extremely excited about that.
Workout was actually a lot of fun because I got an awesome pump despite being tired and hungry from the softball game.
Military Press 65x5, 80x5, 100x5
Military BBB 100 5x10
Db Rows 90 5x10
Db curls 3x10
Overhead Tricep Ext 3x10
Got a solid ass workout in today. Everything was just feeling right. The weight felt light and the pump was insane. I have been truly putting on the mass lately. I’m so extremely satisfied with the gains that I’ve been making on this BBB Challenge!
I replaced my normal Tricep Extension with the modified French Press that Coach Thibs mentioned in one of today’s articles. It felt awesome. My triceps and delts were totally blown up after todays workout. The modified French Press actually feels a bit more elbow friendly than a typical Tricep Extension. I will go heavier on it next time.
Bench 190x5, 220x5, 250x5
Military Press 120 5x10
Db Rows 95 5x10
Barbell Curl 3x10
Modified French Press 3x10
Face Pulls 3x10
Today was one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done in my life, up there with the first day of Deep Water. The 70% of my training max for deadlifts after squats was just so brutally hard, I was beside myself. It felt so heavy and even one set of 10 felt hard, duplicating it 4 more times almost felt impossible. Especially after squats. I was absolutely dying at the end. I’m so happy I made it through it, but good Lord.
Squats 210x5, 240x5, 270x5
Deadlift 310 5x10
Hanging Leg Raises 5x10
Good job! Them deadlifts… For how long do you rest between the sets?
I can imagine how you felt, but can only compare with my 6x4 Fortitude Training cluster set deadlifts, with a similar weight (I thought I was getting a heart attack or stroke on the last two mini-sets). We do love to push the limits, don’t we?
Oh yes absolutely. I wanted to quit so badly. It was so hard, but I did not dare. I rested about 2-3 minutes between sets. I would do my deadlifts, go straight to the hanging leg raises, then start resting. Trying to get my heart rate below 140 bpm before starting again.
Todays workout went perfectly. Kind of surprising considering I only got about 5 hours of sleep and just spent my first day as a substitute teacher! The weight moved like it should, the pump was immense, and I had fun. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Military Press 110x5, 125x5, 140x5
Bench 205 5x10
Chin Ups 5x10
Modified French Press 3x10
Dumbbell Curls 3x10
Face Pulls 3x10
Today’s workout felt great after a long day of teaching. I’ve been so tired, it felt nice to do something that didn’t have me feeling like a zombie. The pump was truly diabolical. Did all of my assistance on the cable machine today which felt really great.
Bench 205x3, 235x3, 265x3
Military Press 120 5x10
Db Rows 5x10
Single Arm Cable Curl 3x10
Overhead Cable Tricep Extension 3x10
Face Pulls 3x10
Got today’s squat workout in during the planning period/lunch. I had a bit of a lightbulb moment with my squats today. I did a close stance squat with my feet pointing forward, more Olympic style and I felt SO much stronger from that position, and oddly, it felt way better on my Osgood-Schlaughter knee as well. I’m so pleased with how this workout turned out!
Squat 225x3, 255x3, 290x3
Squat 225 5x10
Hanging Leg Raises 5x10
I am really starting to get ran into the dirt. I am sore all over and so tired. I had to take a nap after getting back from the gym after subbing today. It’s like I’ve been hit by a train. It’s the final stretch of the BBB Challenge and hitting 70% of the TM for 5 sets of 10 is just an absolute monster. I’ve been eating like a sumo wrestler to compensate for how hard I’ve been training. The eating is almost as exhausting haha! I am loving this program and the feeling of overcoming it every day. I’m becoming stronger physically and mentally.
On a side note, I tried squatting Cable concentration curls as my curl exercise today after seeing it a few times on Paul Carter’s Instagram. It felt great! Love the resistance curve!
Military Press 120x3, 135x 3, 155x3
Bench 205 5x10
Chin Ups 5x10
Modified French Press 3x10
Cable Concentration Curls 3x10
Face Pulls 3x10
Brutal Deadlift session today. Basically doing a first set last of 5x10 after the heavy main work is absolutely killer and high on the list of bad ideas to get you massive and strong. My hand busted open on my fourth set. The gym’s ac hasn’t been running and it’s just so hot and humid, I’m sweating like crazy and it’s super hard to grip the bar. I had one set left and my hand was killing me. My options were to quit the workout like a pansy or keep going like a man. Finish the work and reap the gains. I think you can guess which option I picked. I grabbed a paper towel and put it between my hand and the bar and knocked out the final set.
Additionally, On these lower body days the last few weeks, I don’t track it, but I do some low weight, high rep movements with bands or dumbbells for 15-20 reps for delts, rear delts, biceps, and triceps. Just some extra volume for those body parts, trying to get some sarcoplasmic hypertrophy going. Some nucleus overload. Might as well. It’s very low fatigue work.
Deadlift 310x3, 355x3, 400x3
Deadlift BBB 310 5x10
Decline Sit Ups 5x10
You’ve always got a fan in me dude. You’re the silent sentinel here. No drama, just crushing it and getting results.
Do you have straps? If not, they’d be well worth investing in.
Thank you brother, I really appreciate that! The same can definitely be said of you. You’re an inspiration to me. I love your no nonsense, no excuses approach. It’s something that really resonates with me. Your approach of not always asking questions, but going in and busting your ass to find the answers in the actual gym resonates with me too. It’s easy to get caught up in minutiae, especially on the internet. But I like that you try to free people of that by encouraging them to just follow a plan, stick to it, and use what you’ve learned from that to inform future decisions. I could go on all day about the good you do for online fitness, setting people straight, as well as un-blackpilling people that believe they have bad genetics it can’t accomplish anything. The world needs more like you.
My gym actually does have straps and I used to use them. I think this was the wake up call I needed to get back to using them! I thank you for the recommendation, because that does seem to be the best solution!
Manpower! Test of wills! Call it what you want, but nevertheless a thick skull to persist with deadlifts without straps. It’s appearant you ain’t got time to bleed! 
Me, I quickly realized my grip was the limiting factor in deadlifts. Solution: Do the warmup without straps, and only the working sets with straps!
The force is strong here…
