Five Three One (v2)

Training Logs
1

I am basically restarting 5/3/1 after finishing 2 cycles. I strained my hip flexor on the deadload week on cycle 2, and had nagging ankle pain most of the time. That plus some personal issues and lack of motivation left me pretty much ending 5/3/1 in the first wave of cycle 3, and then taking a week off. I have had 1 ART session for the hip flexor. Things feel a lot better. I am also doing a stretch that may be helping (I haven’t squatted yet, so I don’t know). I am restating with my original maxes due to the fact that I have pretty much been out of commission for 2 weeks, and lost about 5lbs.

Bench: 225 = 202.5
Squat: 265 = 238.5
Military: 135 = 121.5
Deadlift: 405 = 328.5

  • actually going with 80% on my deadlift because I suck at reps for deadlift, and I know my 405 isn’t pretty

Also, I did the BBB assistance for the first 2 cycles, but am going to do some unilateral work to try to correct some imbalances.

Here was today:

Cycle 1, Wave 1, Bench Day

warmup: DeFrancosGym.com - Joe DeFranco's Upper body warm-up routine - YouTube (except I can’t do everything as long as he recommends (30-45 secs), but I am working up to it)
barx5
85 (1x5 @ 40%)
105 (1x5 @ 50%)
125 (1x3 @ 60%)

5/3/1:
135x5
155x5
175x8

Back off Set:
125 (1x10 @ 60%)

DB Bench:
50x10
50x10
50x10
50x10

Kroc Row:
50x10
70x10
80x24

Face Pulls:
70x12
70x12

And then did 2x12 arm superset

Notes:
My setup on the last set of bench sucked. Right when I started to unrack I felt my wrist wraps loosen. I didn’t get much of an arch or leg drive.

As far as DB bench, I am trying to keep my rests 60-90 secs, and I am going as low as possible, and tucking my elbows, and touching my nipples with the DB’s.

Kroc Rows are good… I am using straps for the all out set.

Face pulls I am trying to squeeze for 1 sec at retraction, and then relax 1 sec before pulling again.

Arms are just 2 quick supersets 8-15 reps, doesn’t really matter weight or progression to me.

I am squatting tomorrow, and I have an ART session Thursday morning.

2

Cycle 1, Wave 1, Squat Day

warmup:
foam roll: it band, adductors, quads, gluts, hams
leg swings 8xside, 8xfront (per leg)
band walks 8xright, 8xleft
static hip flexor stretch
static squat stretch
wall ankle mobility
barx5
100 (1x5 @ 40%)
120 (1x5 @ 50%)
145 (1x3 @ 60%)

5/3/1:
160x5
180x5
205x6

Back Off Set:
145 (1x10 @ 60%)

Back Extensions:
bwx10
10x10
25x10
25x10

1-legged Leg Curls:
40x10
35x10
30x10

Ab Pulldowns:
100x15
110x15
115x12

Notes:
I was going to do DeFranco’s Agile 8 warmup, but couldn’t get it to load on my Blackberry at the gym. I have only foam rolled a few times, so I attempted my best do so and try to warm up properly.

My hip is a little sore from the ART, but not in the spot where I had the original pain… only in one of the areas he worked. Squatting today was pain free. I did widen my stance a bit and point my toes out more. I don’t feel as stable, but I feel like it is a better setup considering my bar position.

I am a little shitty I only got 205x6 (last cycle full cycle I did of 5/3/1 I got 230x6).

I kept the assistance work light to ease back into it.

On the leg curls, I am doing weaker side first (left), and a full 1 sec pause at the top.

Nothing much else to say.

3

I went to my ART session today. He did some more ART on my hip, and then checked my ankle. He said my ankle felt like it was ‘locked up’ which is odd, because at the first visit, he said there was nothing wrong with my ankle.

I feel pretty good. He had me do more bw squats into a wall. I naturally took a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance, and did it. He made me narrow my stance. Focus on sitting back and touching the wall with my ass. He kept saying I should only be using 1/3 knee flexion, the rest all glutes.

Anyways

Cycle 1, Wave 1, Military Press Day

warmup: DeFranco’s upper body warm up
barx5
50 (1x5 @ 40%)
65 (1x5 @ 50%)
75 (1x3 @ 60%)

5/3/1:
80x5
95x5
105x9

Back Off Set:
75 (1x10 @ 60%)

Neutral Grip DB Incline Bench:
40x10
40x10
40x10*
35x10*

Chins:
50 total reps
5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 1

Prone Trap Y Raises:
5x12
5x12

And then 2x12 Superset for arms

Notes:
I started too heavy on the DB Incline. With a Neutral grip, trying to keep short rests (60-90 secs), I should have done 35’s all the way through. The last 2 sets were to failure.

Chins kind of sucked. I started at 1 min rest and got up to 2 mins. After the set of 4 reps, I did a 3 min rest trying to get it done in 1 more set, only got 5, rest 10 secs, and did 1 more rep.

Did Y raises, quick arms, and out

4

Cycle 1, Wave 1, Deadlift Day

warmup:
foam roll: it band, adductors, hip flexors, quads, gluts, hams
leg swings 8xside, 8xfront (per leg)
band walks 8xright, 8xleft
static hip flexor stretch
static squat stretch
wall ankle mobility
135 (1x5 @ 40%)
165 (1x5 @ 50%)
200 (1x3 @ 60%)

5/3/1:
215x5
250x5
280x5

Back Off Set:
185 (1x8 @ 50%)

DB Bulgarian Split Squat:
bwx15/side
25x8/side
30x8/side
30x8/side

1-legged Leg Extensions:
40x10
40x10
40x10

Ab Pulldowns:
omited

Notes:
Deadlift fucking sucked. Squat sucked this week. I even reverted back to the weight I started with 2 cycles ago.

I did 1x8 @ 50% for the back off set. I had planned to use 60%, but didn’t.

I omitted abs because I had been in the gym too long. The warmup is taking me 30 mins to complete which is way too long. I need to try and get this down.

I don’t know what to do with the weights. Did I start back up too heavy? My bw is still down … was 183 today. However, today was the first time I actually had a full/normal appetite.

5

I want to get form check videos. I work out solo. I also don’t have a video camera. If anyone has any suggestions, please shoot them this way.

6

So I am going to do Warmup#2 from Cressey in Max Strength from here on out. Also, for the cycle, I am not going to ‘go for broke’ on lower body. I can just going to do the min. reps (5, 3, or 1) while I try to get my strength back. I have 1 more ART session Thursday and then I should be done.

7

Cycle 1, Wave 2, Bench Day

warmup:
foam rolling and tennis ball from EC Max Strength
scapular pushupx12
scapular wall slidesx12
trap stretch 12secs
barx5
85 (1x5 @ 40%)
105 (1x5 @ 50%)
125 (1x3 @ 60%)

5/3/1:
145x3
165x3
185x6

Back off Set:
125 (1x10 @ 60%)

DB Bench:
50x10
50x10
50x10
50x10

Kroc Row:
50x10
70x10
80x30

Face Pulls:
80x10
80x10

And then did 2x12 arm superset

Notes:
Warmup still took me like 30 mins and didn’t do any of the lower stretches/mobility work

Bench felt better.

DB Bench same.

Kroc Rows I got up to 30 with my right arm, and started struggling around 24 on my left arm, and had to really grind it out to match the 30.

Face pulls I did more weight, 2 reps less, but didn’t have as much of a pause at retraction.

2 sets of rope pushdowns and rope curls supersetted

8

[quote]gabex wrote:
I want to get form check videos. I work out solo. I also don’t have a video camera. If anyone has any suggestions, please shoot them this way.[/quote]

The best idea I have is either borrow a video camera from a friend, or shoot it on a camera phone.

Training is looking good btw, keep it up.

9

[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
gabex wrote:
I want to get form check videos. I work out solo. I also don’t have a video camera. If anyone has any suggestions, please shoot them this way.

The best idea I have is either borrow a video camera from a friend, or shoot it on a camera phone.

Training is looking good btw, keep it up.[/quote]

Thanks man. It just sucks, looking at the last log, about 3 mo ago I did 185x7, and only got 185x6 this time. Depending how well I do on the 5/3/1 day, I may reuse my upper maxes again.

10

Cycle 1, Wave 2, Squat Day

warmup:
EC Max Strength warmup 2 (minus upper body mobility)
barx5
100 (1x5 @ 40%)
120 (1x5 @ 50%)
145 (1x3 @ 60%)

5/3/1:
175x3
195x3
215x3

Back Off Set:
145 (1x10 @ 60%)

Back Extensions:
10x10
20x10
25x10
25x10

1-legged Leg Curls:
40x10
35x10
30x10

Ab Pulldowns:
100x15
110x15
115x12

Notes:
Blah.

Posted a vid in the Powerlifting section for critiques please and thank you.

11

[quote]gabex wrote:
BlackLabel wrote:
gabex wrote:
I want to get form check videos. I work out solo. I also don’t have a video camera. If anyone has any suggestions, please shoot them this way.

The best idea I have is either borrow a video camera from a friend, or shoot it on a camera phone.

Training is looking good btw, keep it up.

Thanks man. It just sucks, looking at the last log, about 3 mo ago I did 185x7, and only got 185x6 this time. Depending how well I do on the 5/3/1 day, I may reuse my upper maxes again.
[/quote]

I feel ya man. My bench has moved like 30 pounds in 2 years, tt sucks giant balls. Just keep eating sleeping and lifting hard, the gains will come.

12

Cycle 1, Wave 2, Military Press Day

warmup:
foam roll thoriac spine, lats, pecs
tennis ball i forget what its called right behind the armpit
scapular pushupx12
scapular wallsidex12
trap stretchx12sec
pec stretchx12sec

barx5
50 (1x5 @ 40%)
65 (1x5 @ 50%)
75 (1x3 @ 60%)

5/3/1:
90x3
100x3
110x8

Back Off Set:
75 (1x10 @ 60%)

Neutral Grip DB Incline Bench:
35x10
35x10
40x10
40x10

Chins:
50 total reps
5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Prone Trap Y Raises:
5x15
5x15

And then 2x12 Superset for arms

Notes:

Not a lot to say

Did 90sec rest on chins til the last 2 sets , which was 120secs

13

Cycle 1, Wave 2, Deadlift Day

warmup: EC Max Strength Warmup #2 (minus upper mobility)
135x5
165x5
200x3

5/3/1
230x3
265x3
300x3

Back Off Set:
185x8

Misc Assistance:
DB Split Squat 30x10/side
DB Reverse Lunge 45x10/side
Cable Zercher Squat 25x10, 30x10

1-leg Leg Extension:
50x10, 45x10, 40x10

Cable Ab Pulldowns:
100x20, 110x15, 115x12

Notes:
I tried to do pin squats zercher/front as per Meat, but without an adjustable rack, I couldn’t get the right bar height, so I experimented with cable zerchers. I kind of like 'em. I used the handle that’s like -^- and did a ATG reps, not every heavy, but definitely felt the movement.

14

Cycle 1, Wave 3, Bench Day

warmup: EC Max Strength Warmup #2 (minus lower mobility)
barx5
85x5
105x5
125x3

5/3/1:
155x5
175x3
195x4

Back Off Set:
125x10

DB Bench:
50x10x4

Kroc Row:
50x10
70x10
85x24

Face Pulls:
70x12x2

Tricep Pushdown/Rope Curl Superset:
70x15 / 80x12
70x15 / 80x12

Notes:
Still 1 rep short on Bench where I was when I started 5/3/1 in July.
Added weight to Kroc Rows, got less reps, but ok.
Dropped weight on Facepulls to go back to ‘feeling’ the movement.
Did arms. Out…

For the next cycle, I think I am going to drop my lower body maxes to 80%, and reuse my upper maxes again (maybe add 5 for military, not sure). My goal is 9 reps on 5 day, 7 reps on 3 day, and 5 reps on 1 day, which I think would be doable. I am contemplating whether I need to deload or not, since I didn’t really go balls to the wall on squat/deadlift, but I did push myself on bench/military, as pathetic as my numbers may be. I am just shitty that I am pretty much negative 3 months of progress.

15

Cycle 1, Wave 3, Squat Day

warmup: EC Max Strength warmup #2 (minus upper mobility)
100x5
120x5
145x3

5/3/1
180x5
205x3
235x1

Back Off Set:
145x10

Assisted GHR’s:
5, 5, 5

Cable Ab Pulldowns:
100x10, 110x20, 115x12

Notes:
Got another squat vid. I just really need to work on sitting back more.

I have down natural GHR’s where my feet are anchored and I do a push-up, but someone today showed me a way to rig a seated calf raise machine and a bosu ball and do GHR’s. Needless to say, I suck at 'em and I could only do assisted, and 3 sets of 5 killed me.

16

This was 215x3 last week

Feedback:

upper back not tight, I am not sure what happens right before the first rep, I like cave forward

knees drift forward a bit, need to work on sitting back more

Others noted to probably widen my grip. I tried on my warm up sets, and I couldn’t support the bar and it did not feel tight.

17

235x1 today

18

Cycle 1, Wave 3, Military Day

warmup: EC Max Strength warmup #2 (minus lower mobility, extra foam rolling on my hamms)
barx5
50x5
65x5
75x3

5/3/1:
95x5
105x3
120x4

Back Off Set:
75x10

Neutral Grip Incline DB Bench:
35x10x4

Chins:
10 sets of 5

Prone Trap Y Raises:
5x12
5x12

Rope Pushdown/Curl Superset:
70x15 / 80x12
70x12 / 80x12

Notes:

Once again, still weak from when I stated. I got 120x4 today, and when I started in July, I had 120x7. Bah.

Kept the Inclines light, but focused on speed.

Got all 10 sets of chins in 5 reps each.

Y raises, arms, done.

19

Cycle 1, Wave 3, Deadlift Day

warmup: EC Max Strength warmup #2 (minus upper mobility
135x5
165x5
200x3

5/3/1:
245x5
280x3
315x1

Back Off Set:
185x8

…

Notes:
My glut/hams were really sore from GHR’s on Squat day. I pulled 315, was real fast. Held it in lockout maybe 3-4 secs, and felt fine. Then in them middle of my back off set, my back started feeling weird.

I hurt my back kind of, like right where my lats start. Its really stiff and hurts to rotate right now. I did extra foam rolling… not too sure what happened.

20


Here’s where I’m at now. My back is still kinda sore, I am going to take Mon off, since its deload week, it won’t really matter. I think I’ll just do 3x10 @ 60% for the main lifts, and drop off 1 set of the accessory lifts each day.

I just ordered the VS Athletics Weightlifting shoe, should be here Thursday. I’m going to wear them for Bench, Squat, Military Press, and then switch to some Pumas for everything else. I’m either going to go barefoot or wear Chucks for now, and then look into deadlift slippers.