Home Shed Gym 5/3/1 - Focusing on the Iron

Bench Press Day
Back stiff as fuck this morning, went training last night and did one jump in the lineout and went back to lifting after my back said nooooo. Also did some contact training which was fun.

Bench Press 77kg x3, 88kg x3
PR 99kg x3, wasn’t really feeling this as you can see
FSL 77kg 5x5, again on the plus side the 5x5 feels quite easy, tempted to go FSL AMRAP then 5x5 after just going for last set requisite number of reps for future cycles. Still waiting for appointment to come through for specialist but with the NHS clogged up I’m not holding much hope of it coming anytime soon.

Face Pull 75 reps in 4 sets
Speed Landmine Press 16.25kg + Band 7x3
Had programmed a 1 arm BB row but felt only right to swap in a meadows row for my training tribute to the great man. - 35kg 4x10-12 reps
DB Flys 15kg 4x15
KB towel curl, ok not strictly a towel curl as I thought I’d left a tatty old towel in the gym I’d been using to apply some anti rust stuff to my plates but couldn’t find it so tied a thick band around the grip. 2x15

Deadlift Day

High Pull 63kg x3, 72kg x3
PR 81kg x5
Last PR on last week of 531 cycle was 83kg x3!

Trap Bar Deadlift 159kg x3, 182kg x3
PR 204kg x6
Got to admit this one felt tough this morning training round my back pain
Speed Squats 7x2 90kg + Band - watched a couple back I’d recorded and not happy with bar speed so keeping weight the same
BB Calf Raises 25kg a side 5x15
Neck Plate Extensions - 5kg 4x12
Pallof Paused Press - 3x12-15 reps, super set with hanging leg raises

From a body comp side I’m down to 101kg/223lbs and eating often in range of 2700-2850kcals a day for week and a half and I haven’t murdered anyone in a fit of hangryness so I guess that’s good…

Good session this morning, felt comfortable with the weights.

Power clean 64kg x5, 72kg x3
PR 81kg x3

Squat 135kg x5, 153kg x3
PR 171kg x5, think I could have got another one with this but as per 531 teachings didn’t go for it as my last rep felt slow
FSL 135kg 5x5

Banded neck extension 3x25
Body weight calf raises 4 sets AMRAP = 113
Speed Trap Bar Deadlifts 109.5kg plus band 7x2
Banded pull through - 12, 14
Bodyweight split squats - 19, 20

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OHP Day

Decided to go to weighted chins as BW is stalling on getting the 50 reps
10kg Weighted Chins 4x8
OHP 54kg x5, 62kg x3
PR 69kg x6
FSL 54kg 5x5

Trap Bar Row 87kg 4x12
1 arm Incline Bench 30kg 25 reps in 4 sets
Tricep Band Pushdown 2x12

Deadlift Day

High Pull 68kg x5, 77kg x3
PR 86kg x4

Trap Bar Deadlift
170kg x5, 193kg x3,
PR 216kg x4
FSL 170kg 5x5
The first two sets starting to feel harder on the deadlifts now

BB Calf Raises 27.5kg a side - 5x15
Neck Plate Extensions 10kg 3x10
Speed Squats 90kg plus bands 7x2

Bench Day

Bench 82kg x5, 93kg x3
PR 104kg x3
FSL AMRAP 82kg x9
Speed Bench 60kg plus band 7x3

Face Pull 75 reps done in 3 sets
Meadows Row 35kg 4x12
DB Flys 17.5kg 4 sets between 12-15 reps
KB Towel Curl 16kg - 16, 17

Bench getting worse despite OHP improving, resetting based on today’s PR as seems to be ok on lighter weights. Got appointment with a sports specialist who I’m paying for out my own pocket as still no sign of the NHS appointment coming through. Backs been better this week overall as I’ve done no rugby training, won’t be playing or training until it’s sorted as if I can’t give 100% I’d be letting myself and my team down.

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Not long got back from my sports specialist appointment. The man did things to me. Seemed to think there was some nerves trapped so went in really DEEP, the pain was unreal so hopefully its worked. I’ve never felt muscle pain like it, my back feels like it’s been used as a welcoming mat for a herd of elephants. The guy seemed to think that my thoracic spine doesn’t activate enough when I squat and I’m quad dominant and my glutes aren’t getting much activation. In addition to exercises he’s given me he’s advised I do more glute isolation work. Told me to stop back squatting until the back pain fully subsides which I will do, also told me to lay of benching if I get pain with my strength imbalance. It’s quite noticeable I’ve got more muscle on my left side than my affected right side so hopeful that I’m gonna see some results from the treatment and advice.

So given the advice I got from an actual degree qualified sports specialist I’ve decided to change my program until I’m fully recovered. No more weighted squats until I’m pain free and then I’ll probably start off with some Zercher squats and progress back into back squats from there. Also going to do all upper pressing unilaterally until my strength imbalance has been resolved. On the plus side my backs feeling better than it has done in months and last 2 days there’s a lot less pins and needles in my right hand. Had my NHS appointment come through for the physio service, will book it and see what happens with that.

Rugby is on the back burner until these issues are resolved but absolutely/indescribably more importantly until my 7 YO daughters epilepsy has calmed down. She’s currently had 20 seizures in 3 months and we’re waiting to see a neurologist next month.

So will carry on doing the trap bar deadlifts, power cleans and high pulls using 5/3/1 method but pausing squats, OHP and bench for time being. Going to run a upper/lower hybrid split with 1st 2 days being the strength days and last 3 days higher reps going on lower,push,pull

Today was deadlifts:

Power clean 57kg x5, 66kg x5, 74kg x5
Couldn’t be arsed with a PR set

Trap bar deadlift 151kg x5, 174kg x5
PR 197kg x9
PR plus 1 from last time I tested this, up 4 from when I used this as a base for my maxes when starting 531

Bodyweight calf raises - 4 sets AMRAP 112
Dead stop lunges DB’s - 17.5kg 3x8
Hip thrust 70kg x10, 80kg 2x10

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Upper Body Day
Working in 6-8 rep range apart from BB rows and core

1 arm Landmine Press 35kg 4x8, increase weight next week
Weighted Chins 15kg 4 sets 6-7 reps each set
1 arm DB Bench 30kg 4x8, increase weight next week
Bent over BB Row 90kg 3x8
Banded Neck Curls - 3x20
Hanging leg raises - 38 reps in 3 sets
Banded side bends 3x20

Went a lot better than i anticipated, seems like my right shoulder is healing nicely after the physio session last week

Lower Body:
High Pull - 60kg x5, 69kg x5, 79kg x5
BB RDL - 127kg 5x10, using the 531 accessory progression model and going 65% of TM
DB Goblet Squats - 40kg, 4 sets between 12-15 reps
Unilateral Glute Kickback using band - 4x12
BB Calf Raises 30kg a side - 5 sets between 12-15 reps

Was going to do some hypers on flat bench but couldn’t set it up right to weigh myself down, will have another go Friday when I do a pull session

Upper Body Press

1 arm DB Incline Press 25kg - 4x12, lots easier than anticipated, looks like some of my strength is coming back on my right
DB Floor Press 25kg - 4 sets between 8-9 reps
Slingshot Pressup with band x2 AMRAP - 15,12
1 arm Tri Ext with band - 3 sets between 15-20 reps
DB Side Lateral Raise 10kg - 3 sets between 11-12 reps
Pallof Press with band - 4 sets between 12-15
Lying Leg Raises with Med Ball - 4 sets between 12-15

Upper Body Pull

1 arm BB Row 35kg 4x10-12
Trap Bar Shrugs 87kg 3x12
1 arm Band Lat Pulldown 3x15
Face Pull 3 set AMRAP - 75
DB Isolation Curls - 17.5kg plus Gripz, 3 sets between 10-12

Really miss not having access to a lat pulldown machine as using bands just doesn’t cut it

Lower body - Deadlift Day

Power clean 61kg x3, 70kg x3
PR 79kg x4
Feel like my form is getting better every week with these

Trap bar Deadlift 162kg x3, 186kg x3
PR 209kg x5
FSL 162kg 5x5
Struggled a little bit but didn’t sleep well and had few drinks last night

BW calf raises 4 sets AMRAP = 110
Hip thrust 85kg 4x12
DB dead stop lunges 17.5kg 3x8

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Upper body
Not much of a warmup and only a banana this morning as I was in a rush so we could get the kids out to the beach today

Unilateral Landmine press 40kg - 4 sets between 7-8 reps
Chins 15kg - 4x7
DB 1 arm bench 32.5kg - 4 sets between 6-7 reps
DB chest supported row 32,5kg 3x10
Band neck curls - 3 sets between 20-22 reps

Am going to switch the exercise order next week to start with DB press

Lower body day
Night before ate my bodyweight in Chinese at all you can eat buffet. Woke up with a food hangover.

High pull - 65kg x3, 74kg x3, 83kg x3
RDL - 137kg 5x8
DB goblet squat 42.5kg 3x15
Unilateral glute kickback 3 sets reps between 13-15
BB calf raises 80kg 4x15

Bought a safety squat bar so I can get back to squatting without having my lower back cause me issues

Upper body Push

1 arm DB incline bench 27.5kg - 4x12
DB 1 arm floor press 25kg - 4 sets between 9-10 reps
Banded Slingshot press-up 2 sets = 30 reps
DB side lateral raise 10kg - 3 sets between 13-15 reps
1 arm tri band ext - 3x20

Did a bit of core, unilateral approach to pressing seems to be working with the strength slowly coming back

Upper body pull
Pull-ups x1 AMRAP - 12
1 arm BB row 37.5kg - 4 sets between 10-12
Trap Bar shrugs 92kg - 3x12
1 arm band pull down - 3 sets between 16-18
Isolation curls 17.5kg with gripz - 3x12
Paused face pull with band - 3x15

Did lower body today, was hungover yesterday which will teach me to go drink for drink with my pals who regularly drink. Slept funny last night and back was sore this morning. Got a lot of foam rolling in and dynamic movements but should have gone with my head and done upper body instead:

Power Clean 66kg x5, 74kg x3
PR 83kg x3

Trap Bar Deadlift 174kg x5, 197kg x3
PR 220kg x2

Could feel the pain in my back restricting movement (hence lack of FSL volume) which is a shame as it’s been relatively good since the sports specialist violated it.

DB Dead Stop Lunges 17.5kg - 4x10
Band Pullthrough 3x15
BW Calf Raises AMRAP 4 sets = 117

Upper body
Running an lower/upper 4 day split due to time constraints this week

Flat 1 arm DB Bench 32.5kg 4x8
Weighted chins 15kg - 4 sets between 7-8 reps, more than last week
1 arm DB floor Press - 4 sets between 9-10 reps, more than last week
Chest Supported BB row 80kg - 4 sets between 8-9 reps
Side lateral raise 10kg 2x15
1 set of core

Will do some circuit conditioning tomorrow

Looking for another job got a couple of irons in the fire but further afield and will be on site roles 5 days a week so considering experimenting with a 6 day PPL split with 2-3 exercises per day after my reload next week

Gonna be getting a game in Saturday, had a chat with the mrs and she’s give it her blessing although knowing women I’m sure it will be a different story Saturday evening when I get home :joy:

Got some lower intensity full body in today

High Pull - 69kg x5, 79kg x3
PR 88kg x3

Safety Squat Bar Squats - 100kg 3x8
1 arm Landmine press - 40kg 3x8
Did this as a superset and was blowing out my arse, strengths coming back in my right nicely now on these
Hip Thrust - 100kg a set of 6, 2 sets of 8
1 arm DB incline bench press - 30kg 3x8
1 arm DB row - 40kg 3x12