Do Meatheads Dream of Iron Sheep?

@DBasler Thanks. I think 650 might come in a few months if I can get back down into the 260’s or lower. Simply stated, my pulls and squats both feel bad right now with some more fluff back around my belly. I just can’t move as well. My bench has been taking off though. Still working on that upper-back tightness and seeing results!

Monday 1/9/17

BW 287

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - 3’s week

Squat - TM 450

135x5
225x5
315x3 set 1
365x3 set 2
405x6 set 3
315x6

Leg XT supersetted with Ham Curls

5 sets of 12

Seated Calf raises

3 sets of 12

Notes: No partner today. Squats felt better than they did last week. Plenty more strength left on my top set but I just didn’t have a lot of fight in me yesterday.

Monday 1/10/17

BW 286

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - 3’s week

Bench Press - TM 295

105x8
145x5
205x3 set 1
235x3 set 2
265x3 set 3
305x1
325x1 (10lb PR)
335x1 (New 10lb PR!)
235x13 (1 rep PR)
235x8

Cable Rows

3 sets of 12

Cable Circuit

Curls
Tricep Pushdowns
Facepulls

3 rounds no rest

Notes: Partner has been feeling poorly and dropped some weight and strength. But he made it in today! My bench has been feeling pretty strong, can’t complain about a 20lb PR followed by a rep PR. That doesn’t happen too often anymore.

Here’s 335

5 Likes

Congrats on the huge bench PR. 20 pds!

Really good work on staying tight. That allows you to maintain a good bar path even on a max press. Solid press right there.

Great bench PR! Squats, deads, now benches. Good meet material here.

Keep following DBasler’s advice.

Great push. 335 was my best ever wwwaaaaaayyyyyy back in college, some 27 years ago.

The last time I tested my max was back in March of last year where I benched 325. I’ve been setting up to test again next week - I gonna get that 335 back -and maybe more.

Chesticles? Jeez.

1 Like

Late to the party, but congrats again!

@DBasler That is very reassuring to hear. A lifter with 35 years experience filmed that press and said it looked better than 325 did. He told me it was obvious I treated my set-up more seriously and stayed tighter on the heavier attempt. It is starting to seem as though guys with 400lb benches and decades under the bar might actually know a thing or two about benching.

@biker. Fucking-A right. Chesticles.

@bigjeff68 Thank you! You will be right there before you know it! Crush it!

@ChickenLittle Thanks! I suppose it is fitting that you’re so late to comment on a bench press of mine, which was also quite late to the party. How many guys pull 600 before they bench press 315? I know of one…

Thursday 1/12/17

BW 286

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - 3’s week

Deadlift - TM 575

135x5
225x5
315x3
405x3 set 1
455x3 set 2
515x5 set 3
585x1

Leg Press

2 plates for 15
3 plates for 15
4 plates for 15
5 plates for 15

Kettlebell Swings - 88 pounder

5 sets of 20

Notes: Punching the clock. 585 was a breeze. I’m pretty confident saying I can pull six plates any-day, all-day. No partner tonight.

1 Like

Friday 1/13/17

BW 286

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - 3’s week

Press - TM 205

95x8
125x5
145x3 set 1
165x3 set 2
185x5 set 3
135x10

DB Incline

3 sets of 10 with the 55’s

Pull-ups

6 sets of 5

Circuit

Lat PD
Band pull-aparts
Lateral raises

3 rounds no rest.

Notes: Partner showed up today and hit 185 for 2 on his top set. His strength and weight have dropped a lot recently but he’s going to bounce back. I was cracking the whip and keeping us moving today, so not much rest either. This was all done in 45 minutes, including warm-up and changing.

Happy weekend everyone!

1 Like

Monday 1/16/17

BW 285

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - 1’s Week

Squat - TM 450

135x5
225x5
275x3
335x5 set 1
385x3 set 2
430x5 set 3
315x10
315x10

Leg Extension

3 sets of 12

Notes: No partner today. He’s just doing upper body stuff for a while and doing jiu jitsu on my lower days. So I just did some fast squatting. Got this done in about 25 minutes. My scale weight hasn’t dropped much in the last two weeks, but I’m feeling so much better with a really good diet and no alcohol. I’m down a notch on my belt too.

I’m dropping milk this week which should push me into a reasonable deficit. Let’s see what I can string together. Same approach as this time last year.

1 Like

Alcohol reduction = weight loss. Guaranteed.

2 Likes

That’s strong work for only 25 minutes in the gym.

@biker That’s how it always works with me.

@DBasler Thanks! Workout length is one measure of fitness that I haven’t ever recorded. I should start. My overall work capacity is a LOT higher than it was when I was starting out. I’m really trying to keep rest short and my heart rate up. As much as I love lifting with my partner, moving fast is one benefit of lifting alone. Today’s workout took about 50 minutes.

Tuesday 1/17/17

BW 284

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - 1’s week

Bench Press - TM 295

95x8
135x5
185x5
225x5 set 1
250x3 set 2
275x3 *
275x7 set 3
225x5
225x5
225x5
185x10
185x6

Kroc Row

100x20
100x20

Face Pulls

3 sets of 12

Cable curls SS with Cable tricep pushdowns

3 sets of 12

Kettlebell Swings - 88 pounder

30
25
20
15
10
5

Notes: No partner today.

*Both of our wonderful EliteFTS Competition Benches equipped with Texas Bench Bars were CROWDED today, so I benched in the power cage for the first time. I was doing fine until I set up too far back on my top set and the hooks were in my bar path. I just called a mulligan on that, adjusted and hit a good top set.

I think I’m good for 275x10 with the good equipment. It really feels great benching with that stuff as opposed to a mere Texas Power Bar on a narrower bench. I’m getting spoiled.

Thursday 1/19/17

BW 285

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - 1’s week

Deadlift - TM 570

135x5
225x5
315x3
425x5 set 1
485x3 set 2
545x4 set 3
585x1

Leg Press

Sets of 15

3 plates
4 plates
5 plates
6 plates

Kettlebell Swings - 88 pounder

10
20
20
20
20
10

Notes: No partner today. I worked up to my top set pretty fast, was still breathing heavy when I pulled and still managed 545x4. I’m pretty pleased with that. Some chit-chat drew this session out to about 45 minutes, but I kept my heart rate up most of that time. Feeling strong! Wondering when the scale will start moving down. I’m obviously eating too much, so some adjustments are clearly needed.

1 Like

Good work.

@biker Thank you. I set a little mini-goal for cycle 3 to firmly establish 585 as a free-throw weight for me. This is not the Wendler Way, but my brain has always been wired like that with deadlifts. 495 was that weight for me in my first and second years of lifting, then 545 for a long time. I’m now pleased to say I can pull 585 under any normal training conditions, including fatigued after a 5/3/1 top set. You never know when this can come in handy.

Friday 1/20/17

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - 1’s Week

Press - TM 205

95x5
115x5
135x3
155x5 set 1
175x3 set 2
195x2 set 3
155x8

Pull-Ups

5 sets of 5

Incline DB bench supersetted with Lat PD

3 sets of 10 each

Facepulls

5 sets of 10

Tricep Pushdowns

5 sets of 10

Cable curls with some strange bar attachment

3 sets of 12

Notes: No partner at all this week. He’s just doing jiu jitsu and letting his hip rest for now. Happy weekend everyone!

1 Like

One can never know how much strength is needed for pocket lint inspections.

1 Like

@2busy This is true, and dander girl seems to really, and I mean REALLY enjoy getting hoisted about during the inspection process. All those hours in the gym have finally paid off with a part-time bouncing gig at a bar with customers who demand to be frisked and tossed around.

Monday 1/23/17

BW 285

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - Deload week

Squat

135x5
225x10 paused

Leg curls supersetted with leg extensions

3 sets of 12

Seated Calf raises

3 sets of 12

Bench Press

105x10
145x10
195x10

DB Rows

3 sets of 100x10

DB Flyes

3 sets of 12

Facepulls

3 sets of 12

Tricep pushdowns

3 sets of 12

DB Curls

3 sets of 12

Lat PD’s

3 sets of 12

Notes: No partner. Flew through this session in just over 30 min.

1 Like

Forgot to log Wednesday’s workout

Wednesday 1/25/17

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - Deload week

Deadlift

135x5
225x5
315x5

Leg Press

Sets of 15 with

3 plates
4 plates
5 plates
6 plates

Press

95x5
115x5
135x5

Lat PD

3 sets of 12

DB Bench press

3 sets of 12

Band pull-aparts supersetted with DB raises

3 sets

Notes: 30 minutes. Worked up a good sweat.

Friday 1/27/17

BW 286

5/3/1 Cycle 3 - Deload week

Kettlebell Swings Super Setted With Goblet Squats - 88 pounder

10 swings
10 squats
15 swings
10 squats
20 swings
10 squats
15 swings

Standing 45 lb DB Press SS with Facepulls

3 sets of 12 each

Pull ups

4 sets of 5

More swings

20
15

Notes: This took 20 minutes.