It's a Good Day to... restart 5/3/1

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These are some pictures from a 8 week transformation thing I did at a local gym last year. Since then Iā€™ve gotten bigger then cut down again to about the same kind of lean-ness as the pictures on the right, just with another 5 lbs of size. I think most of that is in the legs and shoulders.

first 531 workout good.
Remember you put your money in the main lift.
If you do CGBP as your supplemental lift, you shouldnā€™t be doing pyramid or FSL work.

I think your TM is a bit to high, when I start out a cycle of 531 Iā€™m getting way over 10 reps on the 5ā€™s week.
You have to get at least 5 reps on the 531 week. If youā€™d like to follow Jims most recent advises.

Hey mort. Iā€™ll keep that in mind. I will try these weights for the rest of the cycle and if I donā€™t get 5 reps on the 5/3/1 week Iā€™ll keep the same TMs for those lifts

Yesterday evening was football from 9-10pm. Lost 6-4 but never mind. Only my third game of the year. The first one was in January after which the injury flared up again so I didnā€™t play again until last week then again this week.

Today is a little more tender in the old injury area (groin / lower abdomen) but nothing major and I expected it. As long as it subsided within 24-48 hours then Iā€™ll know I did just the right amount of work at football.

According to the Apple Watch I burnt 800+ cals in the hour so even though I managed to cram in 3100 cals yesterday that would put me at net under the target I have of 2600 cals.

Even so my weight was up to 148.8lbs this morning (I reckon itā€™s because I drank a lot of liquid after finishing football at 10pm) and my waist was actually about 0.5cm tighter than last week. So not too bad.

Iā€™ll weigh in for each of the next 3 days to see how much of the 148.8lbs I actually hold on to.

What is your goal weight that you are trying to get to?

Long term I want to be 170lbs at the current level of leanness (I posted some pictures a few posts back).

Thatā€™s 20+ lbs of muscle I need to addā€¦

I should add this is the first time Iā€™ve been relatively lean with the sole target to add muscle. Previously when I was lean I was training for half marathons (not conducive to muscle building) or I got injured. So Iā€™m hopeful / confident I should be able to add the size I want. Provided I stay injury free.

I pretty much only use fractional plates for OHP, everything else the smallest plates I use are 5 lb. If youā€™re consistent for the next 9 months you can totally be hitting that. I use a spreadsheet that lets me set the smallest possible increase in weight used, and rounds the numbers for me.

5/3/1 SST; Cycle 1; Week 1; Squat day

WARM UP:
My own stretching routine which lasts about 8-10 minutes.
Warm up squat sets with band pull aparts in between.

Back squat:
42.5kg x5, 50kg x5, 55kg x10

SLDL:
42.5kg x10, 52.5kg x10, 60kg x10
Superset with
SIT UPS:
BW x25, BW x25, BW x25

LYING HAM CURL:
30kg x17, 30kg x16, 30kg x13
Superset with
HYPER-EXTENSION:
12kg x14, 12kg x14, 12kg x12

CALF RAISE on leg press:
50kg x15, 50kg x15, 50kg x15
Superset with
CABLE TWIST:
10kg x12, 10kg x12, 10kg x10

CONDITIONING:
ASSAULT TREADMILL:
10-15s sprint / 60-90s recovery x5 rounds
ASSAULT (AIRDYNE) BIKE:
15-20s sprint / 90-120s recovery x5 rounds

NOTES:
Squat went ok - I read the tips in the 5/3/1 book (driving elbows under the bar, placing hands as close to your body as possible on the bar, etc) and it seemed to work - I felt more solid than usual. I was actually meant to do 57.5kg for the PR set but I decided to go at 55kg so I could work on form a bit more.

All of the other lifts were pretty standard - nothing special to write home about.

The conditioning though - that was intense. The Assault Treadmill is one of those curved ones where the belt moves by you running, not by motor. So you can easily work up to sprinting rather than waiting for the belt to speed up like you do with a traditional treadmill. I much prefer sprinting outside, may I lack the coordination for that treadmill!

The Assault Bike is probably the toughest piece of cardio equipment Iā€™ve used! Perhaps using it after the sprints magnified the effects, but I almost puked on the last 3 sprints. Iā€™ll be back on both of them next week!

Weigh in this morning was strange - 150lbs, so 1.2lbs up from yesterday and about 4lbs up on 10 days ago. This is bizarre as the scales have gone down during the prior 2 weeks.

The weigh ins have looked like this:
21 Feb 146.8lbs
24 Feb 148.8lbs
3 Mar 147.2lbs
10 Mar 145.5lbs
16 Mar 147.4lbs
21 Mar 148.8lbs
22 Mar 150lbs

I have no clue what is going on!

5/3/1 SST; Cycle 1; Week 1; Bench day

WARM UP:
My own stretching routine which lasts about 8-10 minutes.
Warm up squat sets with band pull aparts in between.

FLAT BENCH:
50kg x5
57.5kg x5
65kg x10

INCLINE BENCH:
32.5kg x10, 37.5kg x10, 45kg x10

BEHIND NECK PRESS:
20kg x17, 20kg x16, 20kg x16
Superset with
FACE PULL:
15kg x15, 15kg x15, 15kg x15

DB ROW:
22.5kg x20, 22.5kg x20, 22.5kg x17

DB UPRIGHT ROW:
8kg x20, 8kg x17, 8kg x16

EZ SKULLCRUSHER:
EZ+15kg x18, EZ+15kg x16, EZ+15kg x14
Superset with
DB CURL:
10kg x18, 10kg x16, 10kg x14

CONDITIONING:
PROWLER PUSH:
70kg on the prowler x 30m x 2 rounds
80kg on the prowler x 30m x 3 rounds
95kg on the prowler x 30m x 2 rounds
2 minutes rest between rounds

NOTES:
End of the first week of 5/3/1 and its been enjoyable. I think bench today and deadlift are the ones where I got into the zone for the main lift. Since Iā€™ve been training Iā€™ve always found that my 2nd lift is my most productive, not the first lift I do. Perhaps with the deadlift day and bench day in this 5/3/1 I did more warm up sets and that took the time to get me in the right mind set for the work sets.

Prowler was hellish following on from squat and legs yesterday. My legs felt genuinely heavy.

Iā€™ve added in conditioning work after each workout so far because Iā€™ve had the time to do it and they donā€™t seem to have interfered with the lifting. I think I will keep it in for now, perhaps when weights get heavier Iā€™ll reconsider but right now its fine. Plus Iā€™d rather do it this way which adds up to about 60-70 minutes of conditioning work during the week (plus 60 minutes of football once a week) rather than waking up early to do it on my non-lifting days.

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5/3/1 SST; Cycle 1; Week 2; Deadlift day

WARM UP:
My own stretching routine which lasts about 8-10 minutes.
Band pull aparts between warm up sets

DEADLIFT:
82.5kg x3
92.5kg x3
105kg x8
Joker set: 115kg x1

FRONT SQUAT:
37.5kg x10, 42.5kg x10, 50kg x10
Superset with
HANGING LEG RAISE:
BW x17, BW x15, BW x14

SEATED HAM CURLS (5 second negative):
47.5kg x15, 42.5kg x15, 35kg x15
Superset with
GHR BACK RAISE:
BW x13, BW x12, BW x12

GLUTE THRUST (3 second negative):
60kg x12, 60kg x12, 60kg x12

PALLOF PRESS:
10kg x15 each side, 10kg x12 each side, 10kg x10 each side

CONDITIONING:
ROWING MACHINE SPRINTS:
30s on / 60s off for 5 rounds

Loving deadlifting again. Its been a while since I did it properly. When I did it in the last 2 years I always tried progressing the weights too fast, used shocking form and usually ended up tweaking my back. This feels much better - progressing patiently. Reps 7 and 8 on the final set were done with good form - I stopped dead, reset then went for them. The first 6 were more touch and go reps.

I also felt I had a bit more in me so I did a 115kg joker which felt pretty easy.

Next weekā€™s final work set is meant to be 110kg, but I already did 115kg today. So should I still stick to 110kg? I think so, would be good to do that and get 5 reps.

Loving it so far but I do think I can handle a bit more volume, especially as I donā€™t have football for the next 4 weeks. Maybe Iā€™ll throw in a set of walking lunge to failure or perhaps a 20 rep set of leg press or hack squat at the end.

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5/3/1 SST; Cycle 1; Week 2; OHP day

WARM UP:
My own stretching routine which lasts about 8-10 minutes.
Warm up OHP sets with band pull aparts in between.

OHP:
37.5kg x3
42.5kg x3
47.5kg x7

CGBP:
35kg x8, 42.5kg x9, 47.5kg x8
Superset with
LAT PULLDOWN:
47.5kg x16, 45kg x15, 42.5kg x15

DIPS:
BW x14, BW x12, BW x10
Superset with
FRONT RAISE TO OVERHEAD:
7kg x20, 7kg x20, 7kg x20

REAR DELT RAISE:
5kg x20, 5kg x18, 5kg x16
Superset with
LAT RAISE:
6kg x15, 6kg x15, 6kg x13

EZ BAR CURL:
EZ+17.5kg x16, EZ+17.5kg x14, EZ+17.5kg x11

CONDITIONING:
KB SWINGS
24kg
150 swings total

NOTES:
OHP was much easier this week than last. Got the same number of reps at 47.5kg this week as I did at 45kg last week.

I forgot yesterday that the second exercise (front squats) were meant to be done for x8, x8, x6 reps this week - I did all 3 sets at 10 reps each yesterday. Today I went to do the CGBP at the 8,8,6 but I felt I could do more so I did. I will keep it that way; Iā€™m not going to failure on any set but I will go for max reps on the last set of the second assistance exercise as well as the main lift. No one ever got weaker or smaller by doing more work.

I was pushed for time today so I didnā€™t do farmers walks for conditioning; too much messing about with plates on, plates off, chalk, etc. I just grabbed a KB and started swinging. I do love KB swings; perhaps I ought to film myself to check I am holding good form and hinging correctly.

Out for the wifeā€™s birthday this evening!

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Iā€™ve not posted for a few days - Wednesday was a rest day, yesterday was squat day and today was bench day. Workouts to follow

5/3/1 SST; Cycle 1; Week 2; Squat day

WARM UP:
My own stretching routine which lasts about 8-10 minutes.
Warm up squat sets with band pull aparts in between.

BACK SQUAT:
47.5kg x3
52.5kg x3
60kg x6

SLDL:
52.5kg x8, 60kg x8, 70kg x7
Superset with
SIT UPS:
BW x30, BW x28, BW x27

LYING HAM CURL:
32.5kg x16, 32.5kg x16, 32.5kg x13
Superset with
HYPER-EXTENSION:
12kg x15, 12kg x14, 12kg x12

CALF RAISE on leg press:
55kg x15, 55kg x15, 55kg x15
Superset with
CABLE TWIST:
10kg x15, 10kg x14, 10kg x10

LEG PRESS (triple rest pause):
100kg x18+6+4+3

CONDITIONING:
INCLINE TREADMILL WALK:
10 minutes @ 12 incline 4.5kph

NOTES:
Worst day of the 5/3/1 so far; donā€™t know why - even with the rest day on Wednesday ahead of this it didnā€™t go well. Of the 4 main lifts in 5/3/1 squat is my least favourite - not because its legs or hard to do or whatever. Its just I donā€™t have the form down; I got a trainer to watch my on the last work set and he said my glutes just arenā€™t contributing at all to the movement. Thatā€™s probably why the weight is so low. I need to figure this out.

I added in a single set of rest pause leg presses as a finisher. Conditioning was an easy walk rather than the sprints I did last week!

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5/3/1 SST; Cycle 1; Week 2; Bench day

WARM UP:
My own stretching routine which lasts about 8-10 minutes.
Warm up squat sets with band pull aparts in between.

FLAT BENCH:
52.5kg x3
60kg x3
67.5kg x8
Joker set: 72.5kg x2
Joker set: 75kg x1

INCLINE BENCH:
37.5kg x8, 45kg x8, 50kg x8

BEHIND NECK PRESS:
25kg x14, 25kg x13, 25kg x13
Superset with
FACE PULL:
15kg x16, 15kg x16, 15kg x16

DB ROW:
25kg x20, 25kg x18, 25kg x15

UPRIGHT ROW:
25kg x15, 25kg x15, 25kg x15

EZ SKULLCRUSHER:
EZ+15kg x20, EZ+15kg x18, EZ+15kg x16
Superset with
DB CURL:
12.5kg x13, 10kg x15, 10kg x14

CONDITIONING:
PROWLER PUSH:
80kg on the prowler x 30m x 5 rounds
100kg on the prowler x 30m x 1 rounds
2 minutes rest between rounds

NOTES:
Bench felt good today. The first 2 work sets were light but I was focused on form. The final work set went well; could have squeezed another rep really but I didnā€™t have a spotter just in case. Then I went for a couple of jokers. Again I couldā€™ve got another rep on each joker but no spotter so no point in over doing it.

Rest of the workout followed on nicely; no complaints from me.

I like the use of joker sets in the 3x3 week; I did it on deadlifts and bench and both days I lifted more than I am meant to lift in the final set of the 5/3/1 week and it felt easy. That sets me up nicely, mentally, for the 5/3/1 week. I should be able to knock out the reps on the top set easily.

You asked if you should be upping the weight on the last week on DL because you joker was heavier.
NO NO NO.

Stay the course, follow the principles, itā€™s a long term game youā€™ve entered. Trust it.

If you do jokers, and as Steve does itā€™s wise to do them on the 3ā€™s week. Keep them there and only do them if you feel strong.
And itā€™s 3ā€™s week so the joker should be an easy 3 repper, not a single or a double. If youā€™re in doubt thinking I canā€™t get 3 reps with that weight. Move on.

Youā€™re doing a great job man, youā€™ve just started itā€™ll get heavy. Remember the real goal is to get the 5 reps on the 531 week.

I would advise you to do 2 full cycles and during the deload, think careful about if you want to add volume.
If youā€™re getting stronger and feeling good, no need to add anything, then the damn thing works.
If you feel good, and donā€™t feel youā€™ve gotten stronger, You could add a amrap set of FSL.
But remember stronger is getting more or the same count of reps with a heavier weight.
And OHP, at least for me is a bitch to get stronger at. So if youā€™re struggling a bit there do a amrap FSL or 2 sets of 5 with FSL.

5/3/1 SST; Cycle 1; Week 3; Deadlift day

WARM UP:
My own stretching routine which lasts about 8-10 minutes.
Band pull aparts between warm up sets

DEADLIFT:
87.5kg x5
100kg x3
110kg x6
Joker set: 120kg x1

FRONT SQUAT:
40kg x5, 45kg x5, 52.5kg x5
Superset with
HANGING LEG RAISE:
BW x20, BW x16, BW x14

SEATED HAM CURLS (5 second negative):
50kg x15, 45kg x15, 37.5kg x15
Superset with
GHR BACK RAISE:
BW x17, BW x14, BW x14

GLUTE THRUST (3 second negative):
62.5kg x12, 62.5kg x10, 62.5kg x10

PALLOF PRESS:
12.5kg x10 each side, 12.5kg x10 each side, 12.5kg x10 each side

WALKING LUNGES:
BW x 100 non stop

CONDITIONING:
NONE!

First week of the 5/3/1 sets and I managed 6 reps on the top set. My deadlifts on the top sets have been 9 reps on week 1, 8 reps week 2 and 6 reps on week 3. I think I will increase the training max by 7.5kg instead of 5kg.

Front squat felt strong on the last set, mid section felt secure and paused at the bottom on each set.

I didnā€™t bother with cardio today. Spent the yesterday shovelling 5 tonnes of top soil around so didnā€™t need any extra cardio today.

Deadlift video for comments on formā€¦