Maple Syrup Strength (littlesleeper)

Thanks man, I appreciate it!

I have a love hate relationship with it. I mean, on one hand, I love it because you really challenge yourself on your main lifts and then can tailor your assistance to your weaknesses or what you feel like doing that day which makes for an enjoyable workout.
On the other hand, Jim makes you do 20rep squats with 75% of your TM…

I really enjoy this template, although I can’t say I’ve run a 5/3/1 variation yet that I didn’t like, so I may be a little bias. I would say it is a top 3 variation with Building the Monolith and BBB. All programs that I think being in a calorie surplus is necessary, unless you trim some volume or cut some assistance.

I’m looking into what variation to run in the new year when I am in a calorie deficit. Thinking of Triumvirate or Beach Body, but time will tell, and I haven’t looked into it too much yet…

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Beach Body is pretty badass due to all the yoke work. I liked Triumvirate but I just got bored and found it hard to stick to just two exercises for each. Adding to thay, I’m with you with Hardgainers and definitely Monolith. I love those full body days.

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@oldbeancam - Thanks for the input, have you ran any variations in a caloric deficit? If you have, any suggestions on variation or modifications you made? I should also put this out to @RampantBadger as I know he is a 5/3/1 veteran.

Again, still haven’t really sat down to sift through them myself to make a decision, but any insight or input is always appreciated (and also saves me some leg work).

I don’t really count to be honest. I have a labor-esk job so I’m not around a microwave pr anything pf the like. Most of my food is on the go. I’m kind of an outlier because I don’t eat that much protein in a day and eat predominantly fats and.carbs honestly so I have no idea. I work between 8 and 11 hours a day and have school almost every night, so nutrition is always hit or miss. I’m probably in a deficit more times than not. Ha

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12/02/2016
5/3/1 Hardgainer’s Template
Week 3 Day 4
Agile 8 and Box Jumps

Strict OHP
135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 6 ← prescribed 5 (no extra) but I couldn’t help myself, 5 felt too easy to call my top set
135 x 5 x 5 ← no real difficulty on these

Axle Curls
95lbs x 10reps x 5sets

Axle Zercher Thoracic Extensions
95 x 15 x 5

Went outside and did a little finisher:

70yards waiters walk with 60lb DB right arm
70yards waiters walk with 60lb DB left arm
35yard walking lunges
35yard walk
35yards waiters walk with 60lb DB right arm
35yards waiters walk with 60lb DB left arm
35yard walking lunges
35yard walk
35yards waiters walk with 60lb DB right arm
35yards waiters walk with 60lb DB left arm
35yard walking lunges
35yard walk
35yards waiters walk with 60lb DB right arm
35yards waiters walk with 60lb DB left arm
35yard walking lunges ← these were getting SLOPPY, legs were feeling these
35yard walk

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yeah full body, like beach body will lean you out especially the hang clean work. I would keep calories at maintenance tho on training days and if need be small deficit the rest. If can be bothered, one off day a week I would do 45-60 mins hard HIIT/conditioning work to maximise fatloss also.

Personally, dont think 5/3/1 goes that well with calorie restriction or is necessary and would keep them at maintenance and follow some of the guidelines in this thread instead, especially a bucket load of greens…

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Thanks man, I appreciate the response. I’m thinking of running diet from ‘Burn the Fat: Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto’ which is mainly just clean eating approach with slight calorie restriction. I’ll consume slightly higher carbs on my training days. I have also found success using the 5/2 diet so I may use that at some point as well.

As for training, the book also provided a workout program that I might dabble with but I just hate walking away from 5/3/1!

12/03/2016

Today my strongman partner came over and did his ME Deadlift day before we went out to play with my new atlas stones.

His goal coming in was hitting 495 for a single. Worked his way up and failed his 495 rep, but his head wasn’t in it. I walked up to the bar, belt-less, and hit it for a quick single (no previous reps). This was enough to piss him off to give it another try and he was able to pull it! After that I hit it for a triple, because the weight was there and I was feeling it.
The belt-less single may have caused a slight burning sensation in the lower ab (hernia type feel). Fortunately very minor, and not too concerned with this healing up quickly.

We went out and played with the stones:

5 lifts with 145lb stone
5 lifts with 175lb stone
1 lift with 215lb stone

The 215 lb stone was tough to get up high on the chest so we didn’t bother attempting the 250lb stone.

After this I moved about 15 concrete patio stones from one corner of property to the other, and my lower back is toast…in a good way.

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12/05/2016
So last week I finished up my 3rd week of the 5/3/1 Hardgainer’s Template. Now would be the time to deload or begin a new program/cycle.
I decided to give CT’s Optimum Strength Training for the Natural Athlete a try (from his website) a try for a couple reasons:

  1. Increased training frequency vs Typical 5/3/1 (Training 3 on 1 off). Since I will be starting a cut come Jan 1st, the increased training frequency will hopefully aid in my fat loss efforts.
  2. CT’s unique intensification principles will hopefully aid in muscle retention while keeping volume lower than the assistance prescribed in many 5/3/1 variations.
  3. I’ve been doing 5/3/1 for awhile now, and would like a little change of pace for no specific reason. The program hopper in me needs a little change.

So here it begins…
1RM used for calculating strength lifts:
Squat: 485lbs
Deadlift: 575lbs
Bench: 350lbs

Optimum Strength Training for the Natural Athlete
Phase 1, Day 1

Squat
45 x 5
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
385 x 3
385 x 3
385 x 3

Barbell 1.5 Hack Squat
135 x 10
185 x 8
225 x 7

Slow Ecc. DB Hammer Curl
20 x 10
35 x 10
40 x 12

Axle Curls
75 x 10
105 x 8
105 x 4

It is going to take me a few weeks to nail down my weights for assistance using his 10-8-6 principle, but it felt good tonight. Nice and quick workout (~40mins), but enjoyable. 3 sets of 3 for 385lbs felt perfect, difficult, but no grinding and all were clean reps. Looking forward to feeling out the rest of this program.

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I shall be following this VERY closely

@MarkKO - Thanks man, glad to have you along for the ride! 5/3/1 is definitely going to be a program I revert back to as I have made great progress on it, but I have enjoyed CT’s programs in the past and figured I would give one of his strength oriented programs a try.

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12/06/2016
Phase 1, Week 1, Day 2

Bench Press
45 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 3
285 x 3 x 3

DB Incline Press
70 x 10
70 x 8
70 x 10

DB Sandwich Press
70lb (total) x 10
70 x 8
70 x 12

Plate Lat Raise
25 x 10
25 x 8
25 x 10

BB Skull Crusher
95 x 10
115 x 8
115 x 12

Band Triceps Pressdown
Red x 10
Blue x 10
Red + Blue x 12

Decent workout, nice pump. ~55mins. Nothing crazy to report here.

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I hope this does involve real sandwiches! I have never heard of an exercise with this name

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Haha I wish it did! I know they are called a few different things, but this name was in my head from THIS recent article.

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Looks a little dangerous but I can imagine that this would make for a good pump.

That exercise is a walk in the park compared to a lot of the stupid shit I do in the gym. But yes, makes for a great pump and keeps a constant tension (seemingly) on the inner pec. Kind of like holding the full contraction on a pec deck with some help from your triceps.

I’ve done these in the past, and they are a decent chest pump assistance move.

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12/07/2016
Phase 1, Week 1, Day 3

Deadlift
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
365 x 3
405 x 3
465 x 3 x 3 ← These were tougher than they should have been

RDL with Band pushing back on pelvis
135 x 10
185 x 8
215 x 12

Back Extensions
BW x 10
BW x 8
25lbs x 15

DB Pullovers
70lbs x 10
70 x 8
70 x 15

Rear Delt Raises (on incline bench) + Rear Delt Swings
15lbs x 10raises + 10 swings
15 x 8 + 8
15 x 20 + 20 ← it burrnnnssss

Chinups (supinated grip)
10, 8, 8 (very slow eccentric on last set)

DB Shrugs
70 x 10
70 x 8
70 x 15

Overall not bad workout. First workout I’ve done while taking dextrose intra-workout. I can’t say yet whether it made a difference (positive or negative). Will continue using it for awhile during my workouts and maybe ditch the pre-workout poptarts for now.

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I have no real issues with dextrose but I prefer waxy maize as I get a little bloated from dextrose

Thanks man, maybe I’ll get some after I’m through this dextrose. Although it was on a 2 for 1 deal and I ended up with 4.4lbs of it for like $6. So I was hoping that it didn’t cause any stomach issues! So far so good, but time will tell.

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Off day, but this just happened.

Mozzarella stuffed, bacon wrapped, venison meatloaf. Oh, it was good.

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