OHP
11x48, 2 more reps than last cycle! I thought it’d be hard to get 10 but the last two reps were OK speed-wise.
WM
38: 16 4 2, last cycle was 13 5 3, so PR!
Assitance
5x10 chins
5x10 rear elevated lunges SS with 5x10 DB rows 20kg
Weight 82.6kg
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C12W3D1
Squat
11x110
WM
87,5x20
Both are rep maxes but the PR set doesn’t beat my 105x13
Squats SS with 5x10 chins
Assistance
5x10: barbell rows with 40kg, ab wheel from knees and push ups
Weight 82,8kg
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C12W3D2
Bench
8x77.5, I was aiming for 9 and probably had a last grinder in me but saw no point in pushing too hard. The end of the WM sets this week will allow for more recovey and beat that in the anchor.
WM - rest pause
60:16/5/5, VERY happy with this probably the best rest pause set I have done on the bench.
Assistance
5x20 band pull aparts
5x10 DB rows with 20 kg SS with 5x10 rear elevated lunges with 20kg
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@MarkKO, again I’m asking you cause your experience is relevant!
I might do Krypteia for my next hypertrophy block. There is no OHP day apart from the prep phase (2 cycles out of 5).
How do you feel about that ? There is a lot of pressing assistance on the squat and DL day, but never overhead.
I know you dropped OHP for close grip, and your experience has obviously been positive.
It takes me a long time to progress (like many) on the OHP so that’s why I’m a bit worried about dropping it. But at the same time, the program is highly recommended by Jim so I want to give it a shot.
There are 3 cycles without the OHP, then I would go back to a strength oriented program, OHP included. I want to get to a BW press so I don’t want to drop it long-term.
I’m also trying to understand why Jim dropped it. I understand that one can use more weight with the bench hence get more hypertrophy. Then the pressing assistance allows to do a lot of volume without impacting too much on recovery. What do you think ?
Thanks as always!
Obviously I’m not Mark but I’ve gone through a similar thought process starting WS4SB where I’m only overhead pressing two out of eight weeks. The way I see it and got it explained to me was that you’ll not be as skilled at the lift and may lift slightly less because of it in that regard. However if you’re still doing lots of pressing you will get stronger and then once you pick the technique back up, which won’t be too difficult, you’ll be ahead of where you were. I’m pretty sure my OHP is tougher for my triceps and upper back than my shoulders anyway and those always get lots of work.
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Thanks for keeping up too !
Yes I’ve read about this too, I’m sure skill can get picked up fast enough, it’s not like this is a snatch or clean and jerk aha
I’m just more worried about shoulder health/balance etc. Jim recommends doing tons of pull aparts during that program, that’s probably why.
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If a big press is one of your main goals, don’t drop the press. I only stopped pressing as a main movement because benching once a week wasn’t enough to drive my bench. I still press once a week, just as assistance. My understanding is that Krypteia is designed to put mass on adolescents quickly. I’m sure it does that. Whether it will help you do what you want is another matter. What I can tell you is that when I decide to make my press go up, I won’t be dropping the press.
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Thanks for your answer !
That’s what I think too, specificity is important. In my case I know I need to put on muscle mass, which in turn will help me move more weight. The other advantage is its a 3 day a week program when the press is dropped.
I’ll consider the pros and cons and think more during my next program, i have 4 cycles to go before making that decision.
Thanks again !
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If you want more mass, I honestly think BBB is hard to ignore, or Building the Monolith.
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Krypteia is basically BBB for squat bench DL with assistance movements supersetted with the main lift so I’m definitely not forgetting BBB!
My best mass gains were actually during BTM, but I’m just coming out of 9 weeks of widowmakers on the squat and I can’t see myself starting again in 4 cycles ahah
edit: or I can’t stop being a wimp and do what works
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You’ll only be missing out on about 3 months of OHP. That’s nothing in the grand scheme of things. Why not give it a shot and see how it goes?
For what it’s worth, I didn’t do any pressing most of the summer and it took me 1 workout to get my technique back in order (not that I’m moving big weights in this department anyway lol).
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But in a 12 months lifting career, 3 months is a lot ahah
I’ll see how I feel by the end of the next program. Jim swears by this program and I don’t see why I shouldn’t trust him as my progress using 531 properly has been amazing.
Thanks you three for your answers!
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True, but in a 5 year career it’s a flash in the pan!
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C12W3D3
DL
5x102.5
3x115
8x125, I was aiming for 8 and I had two more in me.
When I saw I had to do a widowmaker with 102.5 I got cold feet. After a day doing construction work I just didn’t feel like doing that at all. So I did 3x5 FSL
3x5x102.5, reps felt fast.
Front squat
5x2x85, felt good
Assistance
Squats SS with chins 5x10
Weight 83.1 kg
Tomorrow or Friday will be OHP day, ending the second leader of this program. The anchor is the original 531, with assistance similar to Triumvirate.
C12W3D4, end of the second leader
OHP
5x40
3x45
10x50, which matches my PR from August. I tried for the 11th and missed half way up.
WM
40: 15-4-2, very happy with this. I started the first leader with 32:16-5-4.
Assistance
Chins 5x10
DB SLDL with 20kg in eachn hand 5x10
DIPS (I KNOW RIGHT!!) 5x5, I wanted to see whether I could do them without pain building up. Left elbow got a bit tight but no pain whatsoever. I really controlled the eccentric and tried to go up without swinging etc.
Weight: 82.9kg
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Deload
Squat
Worked up to 125kg (TM for next cycle is 120… I was sure it was 125 aha)
Dips 5x5
Chins 5x10
I ran on the treadmill on Thursday, and today too for just 20 min on the incline. No IT band pain.
Plan for the next program: spinal tap 5s pro or squat and bench, 5s pro and BBS for the press, 5s pro and 5x5 FSL for the DL.
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Deload for the bench
Worked up to 82,5kg for a single.
Supersetted some sets with pull aparts, the rest with DB SLDL 5x10 with 20kg in each hand.
Assistance
5x15 DB bench with 18kg DBs
5x10 DB rows with 28kg
It feels amazing to not go to failure !! (No rest pause)
Mild left elbow niggle… Looks like I need to ban dips of my training.
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Deload for the OHP
The DL platform was taken by some crossfiter…
Worked up to 55 for a single and was slower than I would have liked.
Did the Krypteia assistance to try it out, I felt good.
Ran 15 min on the treadmill
Deload for the DL.
Worked up to a single at 135kg which felt good, upper back rounded a bit but grip felt totally find, whereas I remember the bar slipping and rolling with 130 in April ( double overhand )
3x10 pulls ups
5x10 incline bench with 18kg
3x20 hammer curls with 8kg
Explanations of the day: was down in a trench today and on the jackhammer this afternoon. That does not help my elbow at all and started getting pain during the chins. So I did hammer curls for a bit of rehab.
I’m off on holidays for a week so I won’t be working, I’ll still go to the gym. Depending on how my elbow feel i will eliminate my pressing assistance for shoulder raises which has done wonders for me before.
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@hypem74 - Read through your whole log. Great detail in your preparation and in presenting your training to us.
I am very interested in your progress as I will be starting my first go with 5/3/1 next week.
I’ve had previous experience lifting but have been out a while.
You’ve come a long way already just a year into your lifting career. Keep up the great work and I’m definitely checking in on your log!
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