mr.sauerkraut's 531

So, this is my first log, I’m 22 years old, 186 cm/96 kg. I’ve been training for about 5 years now, first years were pretty good, then I started trying out a lot of different programs with almost no progress, then last year I started 531, wish I would have done that earlier!!!

Started 531 on 24.12.12.
1RMs then (performed, not calculated):

Deadlift: 195 kg
Front Squat*: 107,5 kg
Press: 70 kg
Bench: 122,5 kg

1 RMs Goals:

Deadlift 217,5 kg
Back Squat: 172,5 kg
Press: 87,5 kg
Bench: 130 kg

After I hit these I will start some sort of martial art, while hitting the gym just twice a week, probably still 531, but with a much more minimalistic approach.

I won’t be updating this log daily, just once a month or so. I will only write down the last working set of the 4 basic movements, not including Deload Week. Also the selection of assistance exercises but without any weights and reps.

  1. month:

exercise selection:

Mo: Front Squat*, Leg Press, Leg Curls (machine)
Tu: Bench, incline DB Press, Pull Over*, DB Rows
Th: Deadlift, Good Mornings, Leg Raises, Seated Calf Raises
Fr: Press, Dips, Lat Pull Down* (standing, straight arms), Chins, Delt Triad (Dr Clay Hyght, article here on T)

531 movements:

Front Squat: 9x82,5 kg; 10x87,5 kg; 8x92,5 kg
Bench: 8x95 kg; 6x100 kg; 4x105 kg
Deadlift: 15x150 kg; 13x157,5 kg; 12x167,5 kg
Press: 12x52,5 kg; 9x57,5 kg; 9x60 kg

*Why Front Squats? My Back Squat form was really bad and I read Front Squats could help you learn the proper form, more on that later on.
*Why Pull Over and Lat Pull Down? I had an injured biceps tendon, this was just to pre-fatigue my lats, so I could spare my biceps a bit of work.

Next 3 months will follow soon…

2.month

exercise selection:

same as 1.month

531 movements:

Front Squat: 11x87,5 kg; 10x92,5 kg; 9x97,5 kg
Bench: 10x95 kg; 6x102,5 kg; 4x107,5kg
Deadlift: 17x152,5 kg; 14x162,5 kg; 12x172,5 kg
Press: 12x55 kg; 10x60 kg; 8x62,5 kg

3.month

exercise selection:

Mo: Bench, DB Incline Press, Weighted Chins, DB Rows
Tu: Front Squats, Good Mornings, Bulgarian Split Squats
Th: Press, Killer Delt Komplex (Dr Clay Hyght, article here on T)
Fr: Deadlift, Mountain Dog Arms Routine (John Meadows, article here on T)

531 movements:

Front Squat: 13x90 kg; 9x97,5 kg; 5x102,5 kg
Bench: 11x97,5 kg; 8x105 kg; 6x110 kg
Deadlift: 14x157,5 kg; 14x167,5 kg; 13x175 kg
Press: 12x57,5 kg; 12x60 kg; 9x65 kg

4.month

exercise selection:

same as 3.month

531 movements:

Back Squat*: 1x150 kg(1RM test); 6x122,5 kg; 6x127,5 kg
Bench: 12x100 kg; 8x107,5 kg; 6x112,5 kg
Deadlift: 17x162,5 kg; 16x172,5 kg; 15x180 kg
Press: 13x60 kg; 12x62,5 kg; 11x67,5 kg

*Switched from Front Squat to Back Squat. Considering I performed my last Back Squat more than 1 year ago, doing 5x100 kg with really bad form, my new performed 1RM of 150 kg with good form is quite an improvement. I think starting with Front Squats was a good move, as it forces you to keep your upper body erect at any time of the movement. I wasn’t able to do that before I started doing Front Squats.

Right now I’m in the 5.month of 531, will post that when I’m done.

5.month

exercise selection:

same as 3.month

531 movements:

Back Squat: 10x120 kg; 9x125 kg; 7x132,5 kg
Bench: 12x102,5 kg; 9x107,5 kg; 7x115 kg
Deadlift: 18x165 kg; 16x175 kg; had to skip due to injury
Press: 13x62,5 kg; 11x65 kg; 8x70 kg