My legs were still sore from the lunges + 20 rep squat but this session made me feel better
Squat
5x80
5x92
5x104
The reps felt slow ahah I feel much better now though
Then I supersetted the DL with the Press (both are 5’s Pro too)
DL main sets
5x91
5x104
5x117
Press main sets
5x37
5x42
5x48
Assistance
100 face pulls (first time doing these), 100 triceps push downs. I did 10 dips but I felt like my elbows were not liking it so I stopped
5 min EMOM farmer’s walk with 36 kg DB, 20-25s walk, 35s rest. I’m liking this exercice, i’ll increase the weight each time as long as I’m fast enough.
Because of the volume of barbell work on the other days Jim recommends doing light assistance like push ups/dips/triceps stuff, and face pulls/band apart. edit: these workouts are full body hence there is already a big pull movement in there, either the DL, or rows or pull ups)
Press
Main sets
5x10x37
Not gonna lie that was tough but with 2 min rest I was fine, I wanted to just take 60 sec but that was not gonna happen.
Squat
Main set
1x20x80
This was easier than last time (no lunges beforehand aha) I started to take an extra breath after the 12th rep.
Assistance
Kroc rows 25x30kg on both arms, I paused at 22 for the left arm for a few seconds and banged out the last 3. Fair amount of body English. My grip was fine but my arms and upper back were fried.
1x20x14kg strict Db row to finish off
5x10 ab wheel from knees, got a bit of a pain at the bottom of my abs, not sure what that is. I did them before Kroc rows so it’s not from them.
3x15 push ups
Had a bit of lower back pain in the last two days, definitely from the body English in kroc rows. I’m going to be smart and leave this exercice for a bit ahah If I do them again this cycle I’ll put my knee on the bench to avoid using my hips.
C10W2D1, 5’s week
Close-grip Bench, BBB
5x10x49
Great pump in th triceps, kinda similar to dips (which I can’t do) so that’s great!
SS with pull ups 5x10
Squat
1x20x75
This felt better and faster than with 80kg from last week.
Assistance
5x10 barbell rows, 3 with 40kg, 2 with 50kg, focusing on squeezing my upper back and lats
5 min EMOMS farmers walk with 38kg in each hand. Walk 20s, rest 40s
Grip fried up
Weight: they moved the balance at the gym… couldn’t find it.
I did train yesterday just did not have time to log!
C10W2D2
Sq
5x75
5x87
5x98
SS with 5x10 chin ups
DL
5x85
5x98
5x110
SS with OHP:
OHP
5x35
5x40
5x35
3x8 FSL for the push movement
Assistance
3x15 hyperextensions (back raises machine is back! I was tired and had to go so I didn’t want to try to hard)
Weight: 81.3kg THIS surprised me. I have been eating more and haven’t doin much cardio as thi is the final week to hand in my dissertation. Granted I haven’t weighted myself last week, I still find that weird. Looks like the 20 rep sets are taking more out of me than I thought!
Squat
1x20x75
Felt a bit slow, my legs are definitely tired!
I’m going home on saturday, switching to two workouts a week will be a good break!
My next workout will probably be on monday.
Assistance
BB rows, 2x5x60, 10x60, 5x70, 5x80, 3x90
Kroc rows with one knee and one hand on a bench to avoid too much body english like last week
20 reps on right side, 17 with left side with 30kg. Didn’t really give it my all cause I’m kinda scared about my lower back.
Squat 5s pro and widow maker
Too set 110, then 20x80. Everything felt heavy as I’ve been cycling a lot and nutrition is not as on point as when I was in uni. Trying to resolve this just now.
Bench 5s pro and BBB at FSL. Top set at 72kg and BBB with 57,5 kg, I’m still sore aha
5x20 pull ups
I did t have much time so that’s it. The gym is closed until next Thursday for work. I’ll go and do DL and OHP.
Weight 81,5kg I’m trying to avoid losing weight with all the cycling.
End of cycle 10
Changed the Bbb weight for the OHP, feeling a bit weak but no wonder given the cardio I’m doing. I haven’t lost body weight which is good. I’m away for another week before getting back to training seriously.
OHP
5’s pro
5x40
5x45
5x50 feeling a bit slow.
5x10x36
DL
5x100
5x110
5x125 feeling good
5x5FSL snatch grip upper back fried up
Assistance
100 Chins total
5x10 rear elevated lunge with a 20 kg kettle belt
I’m still on holidays and I’ll start looking for a job (civil engineering) in two weeks. I’ll be working in construction from then so we’ll see how my training responds.
My next cycle I’m keeping the same AB structure for two workouts with lower TM, then finishing with full body. The anchor will be PR sets with widow makers which should be fun.
Depending on how I respond to widow makers for all lifts, I’ll do 5x5/3/1 with either widow makers OR BBS, three workouts a week, to either focus on hyper trophy or strength.
Sorry for not keeping up with the logs but I will when I’m back, I hope everybody is progressing and having fun!
I’ve had time to read in depth the 531 forever book and I’ve decided to use a program using PR sets and widow makers on a 4 day a week split. I alternate
Squat/bench with DL/press with different parameters. The anchor will be the original 531 with AB workouts. I wanted to simplify things a bit, and having PRs and widow makers help focusing on just a few sets and be done.
I’m using low TM as I’m feeling weaker after a 3 week break and going 4 days a week.
Bench 70
Press 50
Squat 110
DL 125
C11W1D1
Squat
95x12
I could have done two more but I wanted to take it easy.
Bench
64x10 similarly left two in the tank.
Widow maker
50x14-7-3
I’m doing the widow makers
In the press and bench as a rest pause, that’s pretty tough.
I was super setting chins ups to about 40 at this point.
The I did 5x10 back raises, 5x5 chins and 5x10 push ups. The whole workout took me an hour which is good.
5x5x50, slow negative and focusing on bar speed on the way up
Everything SS with chins ups at this point so around 60.
Circuit - 5 rounds of
10 bent over row with 40kg
10 ab wheel roll outs from knees
10 push ups
1 min rest between each
Done in 11:10.
The whole workout was done in around 50min.
Weight 81.5kg
My chest and legs are sore but not too bad. I think it’s from getting back to weight training, the rest pause on the bench and the lunges are a killer.
If recovery becomes an issue I’ll switcc to one lift a day with PR sets and widowmaker, which is essentially the same thing, instead of separating the PR sets and the widowmaker for each lift. I just like the idea of full body, especially this one as I can be done pretty quickly.
C11W1D4
DL, PR set
15x107.5, very happy with this. When I did my widowmaker at the start of the week with the deadlift, my form was a bit out of whack, using my legs too much so they burned out. This time I managed to use my back better. I think this is a PR, my best has been 120x10 so far.
OHP, widowmaker
32x16-5-4 (rest-pause)
All sets up until here supersetted with chins so about 50.
Assistance
5x10 lunges with a 20kg kettlebelt
I’ve been enjoying the rest pause sets, they really kick ass! I really enjoy going to the gym ad focusing on one or two main sets.
Edit: just realised I forgot to do the PR set on the OHP… sad times aha
I couldn’t go yesterday because I was working and the gym was opened just 2 hours…
I ran 20 min on the treadmill thursday and felt totally fine, so i went for an hour long run on friday… bad idea! It band back in both knees, not excrutiating pain though so I’m ok. I’ll do much shorter run, I got my warning.
C11W2D1, 3’s week
Squat, PR set
12x100, I did 12x95 last week so I wanted to get the same number, I’m glad I did ! I had one, maybe two grinders left but stopped there.
Bench, PR set
10x67, same as the squat, I wanted to hit the same number.
Widowmaker, rest-pause
52kg: 15-5-3
Last week: 50: 14-7-3
Almost got the same number of reps with 2 extra kg and a heavier PR set beforehand!
I like this idea of trying to beat the logbook!
Assistance, circuit 5 times
10 rows with 40kg
10 ab wheel roll outs from knees
10 push ups (killer after the rest pause on the bench)
1 min rest
done in 11:11
Weight: 81.0kg
Training has been taking less of a priority at the moment as I’m at home, training at a small gym, and looking for a job; With the flexibility of 531 I managed to find a program I like and still allows me to train and progress, which is great.
Exactly, when I was in uni I was staying for 1 to 2 hours sometimes, wasting a lot of time by chatting etc. Yes I was doing tons of volume but I just can’t take as much just now.
Now I just go in, do my PR set and or widowmaker or my 5x5 and I’m done.
I adjust the assistance depending on time and energy!
12x105, I was aiming for 10 and it felt good doing two more! This is my new 12RM!
SS with 5x10 pull ups
Bench
10x72.5 very happy with this, I was aiming for 8. This is touch and go but my leg drive was on point which helped I think.
Widowmaker
57.5: 16-4-2, the first rest-pause felt tough, I thought I would get 5!
Assistance
Circuit; 5 times
10 rows with 40kg
10 ab wheel roll outs from knees
10 push ups
I decided to try to less than a minute rest and did it in 8:38… Apparently i do better when I take some rest!
Weight: 81.6kg
I am glad to get such numbers on my 1’s week. This means my TM’s were chosen properly and the weights allow me to progress.
I feel that the widowmakers are helping me on the heavier sets, when I need to reach 8-12 reps. I’m getting used to the time under tension. I’m curious to see how this will translate in even heavier weights. I have another cycle of PR sets and Widomakers, and the anchor will be the original 531, either on a A/B format on a 3day split or simply 1 lift/day on a 4 day split.