Thoughts for the next cycles:
I might do two more cycles of Leader, exactly the same thing I’ve been doing. Then anchor as original 531 and PR sets.
Next I want to do a strength block, hence sets of 5. I’m not keen on repeating 10x5 on all lifts… I might do Spinal tap with 5’s pro as in the book, 1 lift per day and assistance supersetted with the main work.
I’ll do 2 Leaders and 1 Anchor as a “peak” where I’ll do PR sets and Jokers.
C11W3D4
Dl
11x120, PR! I did 10 reps at the end of my last anchor.
OHP
48x9, my best was 50x10, so still OK after the DL.
Widowmaker
38: 13 5 3
This felt heavy but I managed to get more reps on the last two sets.
I’m starting to get an elbow niggle again… This was expected so I’m switching to 1 lift per day after the deload.
Deload after cycle 11
Squat worked up to my TM: 1x115 paused then paused 1x130 too and it moved pretty well.
Similarly for the bench worked up to 1x80 which is my new TM but I didn’t want to go heavier as I’m resting my elbows.
5x10 Chins
5x10 DB rows with 30kg
Deload workout 2
Worked up to singles at 130 and 52,5 for the DL and OHP respectively.
5x10 lunges
5x10 Chins
I had 20 min to spare so I worked up to a new 1RM in the front squat: 120kg, very happy with it. I think mobility work helped a lot for the clean grip which makes it “comfortable”.
Start of cycle 12
C12W1D1
Squat
5x75
5x85
15x97,5 this ties my estimated max from the last cycle. I had a few more left for sure which is great.
20x75 felt easy.
I had time so did a lot of assistance
100 face pulls
5x10 DB rows with 30kg
5x10 SLDL 40kg
10 EMOMS farmers walk 36kg each hand, first 5 walked 30s, last 5 walked 15. Grip fried up.
My abs are still sore from that front squat 1RM…
C12W1D2
Bench dayyy
13x68 which is a PR and beats by 3 reps the 3s week of the last cycle.
WM
52,5: 16-5-3 which beats my 52: 15-5-3
Assistance
5x10 rear elevated lunges 20kg
5x10 DB rows with 20kg
Bench was supersetted with chins so maybe 25
No elbow pain which is great.
Notes: PR sets and widowmaker take a lot out of you. I’m looking forward my 5’s PRO Spinal Tap, sets of 5 seems like a breeze now!! The anchor is 3’s PRO, which will be very interesting. This is also a good change from full body.
C12W1D3
DL
14x110, matches my last cycles PRs
WM
20x85, widowmakers after PR sets on the lower body lifts are NOT fun. But then you feel good about yourself.
Assistance
6x5 pull ups, just wasn’t feeling like pulling up today.
5x20 ab wheel roll outs from knees, ab wheel PR woo!
Front squat: 2x2x80, 1x100, all paused
I felt like changing up my assitance a bit so went ahead with front squats. @MarkKO, you like doing these after a hard DL workout… what’s wrong with you ? ahahah that was hard.
Because I have 1 lift/day, I’m doing lunges on upper body days and I’ll do FS after DL. The two doubles and one single come from one article from Dan John.
They work. That’s about the only thing I like about them. It’s enough though.
C12W1D4
I felt pretty tired today but still managed to do well!
OHP
13x45, which is one more rep than last cycle. It was a grinder and felt my upper back tightening like crazy but got it!!
WM
35: 17-5-3 which is 3 more reps than last cycle!
Assistance
OHP SS with Chins 5x10
Rear elevated lunges with 5x10 SS with DB rows with 20kg 5x10
I couldn’t go to the gym yesterday as it was closed. One more day of rest to get my PR today in the squat! I’m aiming for 105x13.
Training is going well, I feel strong. I’m still working in construction at the moment, if I get a job in engineering I most likely will have to move. Hopefully this should not translate into a long break. (Anybody hiring a graduate structural engineer ? aha)
I have this cycle of PR and widowmakers to finish (two weeks to go), probably a deload and then a cycle of original 531 with PR sets only.
The next program is Spinal Tap 5’s pro, 2 leaders like that followed by an Anchor of 3’s Pro spinal tap. By the end of this I’ll try new maxes, which I am very excited about. This brings us to January at least.
By then, I’m not sure. I’m VERY tempted by a few programs in the new book. One of them is the Morning Star, which focuses on power clean (or such), squat and press. I believe the beach body challenge would be a good program to do just before that: it allows to work on the hang clean and keep the DL. The Morning Star does not include the DL or bench…This could be a nice change of pace, we’ll see. I might change my mind completely after Spinal Tap!
C12W2D1
Squat
5x80
5x92.5
13x105, wasn’t easy but form was still good.
20x80 feel good.
Assistance circuit 5 times:
10 barbell rows with 40 kgs
10 av wheel rows
10 push ups
For the anchor I will use the 351 progression to match my PRs on the 3s week, get required reps on the 5s week and get new PRs in the 1s week.
No PR set ever is. Nice work.
Thanks Mark !
PR sets take a lot out of me, I really feel like the need of the deload at the end of a cycle, whereas doing volume with BBS and 5s pro doesn’t get me as much. It’s a good change of pace but definitely not sustainable for a long period without “choosing your battles”.
It’s been one year already that I picked up strength training ! Mid December will be one year on 531!
C12W2D2
Bench
5x57.5
5x65
11x72.5, I got one more rep than last cycle! I expected the last rep to be a grinder but it felt fine!
WM
57.5:18-2-2, I actually got help and got 3-3 for the last three sets but I won’t count them.
I was completel fried up after the 18 reps, last tme I got 16-4-2 so that’s the same number of total reps.
This is my new 18 RM ahah
Assistance
5x10 rear elevated lunges, SS with DB rows 5x10 with 20kg.
Weight; 82.8kg
C12W2D3
Worked all day, back fried up but it’s DL day!
DL
12x117,5 which was my aim for the day
WM
16x90, I thought I could get to 20 but my back was getting too tight.
Assistance
Front squat 5x2 82,5kg
Done
Finished work late so I’ll go tomorrow to the gym.
Some thoughts about this cycle:
-PR sets and widowmakers on the DL suck! I like them on the squat though.
-For my next program, strength focus, I’ll use 5’s pro with or without 5x5 FSL on the DL, depending on how I organize my training days. I want to focus on squat/bench/press. Doing Spinal tap on the DL would hurt a lot I think. Even with a low TM, I think I prefer to work on technique again.
-I’m enjoying the rest pause on the upper body lifts.
-I have done zero conditioning in the last two weeks, I’m scared of getting IT band pain again if I run.
-Because I live at home again, and work in construction, I haven’t managed to put on weight. Maybe it’s a good thing I haven’t run much!
I’d suggest keeping PR sets for DL, but definitely dropping the 5x5 FSL. One thing I found useful was 3x3 with a variation hitting my weak point. Something like opposite stance paused at the weak point, for instance.
I did 5s Pro and honestly, I wasn’t impressed.
Thanks for keeping up Mark.
See I’m not familiar AT ALL with sumo. I just find it weird. I’m not sure it’s worth implemeting if the weight I use is much lower than my conventional.
Deficit pulls could be an idea as I know once it’s about my knees I can lock it out.
Tbh I think that at my level I just need to do normal DL, but play around with the loading and rep scheme strategy from program to program.
PR sets are an option but along doing spinal tap for the squat, I’m not sure I could push as much. I just don’t think it lands itself well during the leader. I’ll definitely do them during the anchor though!
I could also do PR sets and “choose my battles” but when I do that I feel like I’m sandbagging as there’s a lot more room to not push yourself. I find sets of 5 much easier to hit mentally. Then when I get to three weeks of PR sets I’m ready to go and kill it.
I pulled 120x10 in August after doing only 5’s PRO for two cycles, and now after two cycles of PR sets + widowmakers I’ve added just one rep to it. I think fatigue from the widowmakers + work has an impact of course, but I think I prefer having 6 weeks of 5’s PRO, set PRs in the anchor and then try to beat them after 2 other leaders.
This is just for the DL, where I think doing the minimum amount of volume to still progress is a good idea as it seems to work for me.
You’ve obviously put a lot of thought into it, and your logic is sound.
Here are some variations that might be useful
Snatch grip
Deficit snatch grip
Conventional paused just off the floor
Conventional paused mid shin
Conventional paused at knees
Snatch grip paused at any point as above
I try to optimize as much as possible using the ideas from Forever and this forum… I try to not overthink but that’s how I learn!!
Thanks for reminding me about snatch grip, if I do FSL I’ll use that as I remember liking it! I’ll try pausing it if it’s not an overkill.
Edit: TM’s for my next cycle
OHP 55kg
Bench 82.5kg
SQ 120kg
DL 135kg
Goals for the 1’s week to beat my rep PRs projections
OHP 52.5x9 (I did 50x10 at the start of august)
Bench 80x8 (was my 1RM in April)
SQ 115x10 (was my 1RM in April)
DL 130x8 (was 1RM in April)
The OHP is the least likely that I’ll reach. The others I’m confident.