Squats & Headspins

Training Logs
21

10/18/17

Strength:
BB Complex
175lbs for 5 Rounds
60 sec rest between rounds

Power Clean x 5
Push Press x 5
Back Squat x 8
Front Squat x 5
Rows x 10
RDL x 10

Looks like for a week this is how it’ll be. Lots of work at the office. I bboy Sun/Mon/Wed/Thu nights, so will get my cardio in then.

I absolutely love complexes. I think for anyone that only lifts 2 or 3 days a week having 1 day where you do a complex and try to add reps and weights to it over time is huge. Everything will hurt and be sort originally. Nice way to condition as well.

2 Likes
22

10/19/17

Strength:
Military Press - 135x10, 155x8, 180x3, 180x2, 165x5, 135x10, 135x10, 135x8
Pull Ups - 8x10
Hanging Leg Raises - 8x12

I love these shorter sessions. I’ve been looking into programming and it looks like I do 5/3/1 Triumvirate but 6 days a week vs 4. It’s crazy how similar programs are.

3 Likes
23

10/23/17

Took a few days off to let my body just heal. I never take deloads, but I’ll take a few days off here and there when my body is pissed off at me.

So now after being on T-Nation for a bit of time, I think I actually have some concrete goals.

500 - Back Squat (150lbs away)
315 - Bench Press (75lbs away)
315 - Barbell Row (75lbs away)

I was thinking it would be a fun to finally a try a different program since I’ve been doing the same thing for a quite a bit of time.

So based on what I’ve seen here and read about 5/3/1 seems like it would be fun to try. I’ve read the 2nd edition or whatever (found a pdf online) and I seem to understand the concepts of the program and how it works.

@MarkKO, @T3hPwnisher, @littlesleeper
You guys seem to know how to operate 5/3/1 very well. If I want to specify in those 3 lifts, how would you setup a layout?

I was thinking along these lines:

Monday
Back Squat 5/3/1
*Assistance (Abs, Front Squat, RDL)

Tuesday
Bench Press 5x5
BB Row 5/3/1
*Assistance (Military Press, Chin Ups, Curls, Band Pull Aparts)

Thursday
Back Squat 5x5
*Assistance (Abs, Lunges, GHR)

Friday
Bench Press 5/3/1
BB Row 5x10
*Assistance (Pull Ups, Dips, Lateral Raises, Band Pull Aparts)

What do you guys think?

24

I’m going to give the unsatisfying answer that I wouldn’t modify 5/3/1 to train the row and would just run it as is. I don’t see a great benefit in specializing in high weight rows, because the movement tends to change significantly once weight is added to the point it tends to become a RDL with the weight out in front of you. I use rows, chins and other back work in 5/3/1 as assistance work for the 4 primary exercises, which in turn seems to make the whole body strong.

1 Like
25

Thank you man for the response. I’ve never had an issue rowing and it’s added a lot density to my entire back so I like doing them. But I always place them back on the ground so they come to a “dead-stop” every rep. I’ve tried the way where you “hang” and my body goes all over the place lol.

So I really want to focus on my squat. As my squat goes up my DL shoots up as well so I don’t mind not DLing as much. I went once 5 weeks without doing a DL and when I came back to it I hit a PR haha.

Any templates you say that are good for improving your squat mainly? I think I should put most of my energy towards the lift I want to improve the most. Something about a 500lb squat just sounds awesome to me.

26

The thing to keep in mind with 5/3/1 is that you’re going to cycle through programs frequently. 5/3/1 is a training system rather than just 1 master program, and within that system there are many programs that work together to achieve a whole. You might do something like the prowler challenge and not think it’s doing anything for your squat until you go do BBB and find out your conditioning is so much better now that you can accumulate greater volume and training density. It all just builds on itself.

They’ll all help in some way to build your squat. I’d pick 2-4 programs and cycle through them. For things you can get available online/your book, I’d look at BBB, 5/3/1 for Hardgainers, the Dave Tate Periodization Bible Plan and Building the Monolith.

3 Likes
27

Never thought of it like that. Great information man, I appreciate it.

Sounds great man. I’ll look at few and start with one. Thanks!

28

I think @T3hPwnisher covered it pretty well. I agree that running 5/3/1 for rows is something I wouldn’t do. You’re going to row for assistance a bunch anyway, so just make sure BB rows are a large part of that and push them a little harder than you might otherwise do.

1 Like
29

Sounds good to me. Are there any specific 531 programs that you are a big proponent of? I like the look of building the monolith, BBB, and honestly I even like the Triumvirate because it resembles what I do now pretty well.

30

I agree with the gents above.

If I were doing 5/3/1 for the first time I would probably just do the Triumvirate (it will be an easy transition for you as it does resemble your current training) or start the Beyond 1.1 (found on TNation).

BBB is a good way to pound extra volume into your main lifts, but leaves a little less time/energy for assistance while Building the Monolith will really push your limits (might have to take your bboying to 1 day/week or a break completely, for recovery).

Each template has it’s advantages depending on your goals and how the rest of your life looks at that point in time. I ran the bodyweight assistance template when I was playing sports more frequently and was feeling beat up from my previous training cycle. Hardgainer’s Template (also on TNation) was also a fun template. Depends how hard you’re going to be pushing your bboying and other physical activities while running the program. They are all great, you just want to make sure recovery isn’t sacrificed in your choice.

Hopefully that was somewhat helpful? That seemed like a lot of words for not much information…

1 Like
31

I like BBB and Triumvirate a lot too. I also like multiple FSL sets from Beyond (First Set Last for 3x5-8) for everything except deadlift combined with Triumvirate just to get extra main lift volume in.

1 Like
32

How does this look to you guys?

MONDAY
Back Squat 5/3/1 + FSL 3x5-8
Lunges, RDL, Abs

TUESDAY
Overhead Press 5/3/1 + FSL 3x5-8
Chin Ups, Dips, BB Rows, Lateral Raises

THURSDAY
Deadlift 5/3/1 + FSL 3x5-8
Front Squat, GHR, Abs

FRIDAY
Bench Press 5/3/1 + FSL 3x5-8
BB Rows, DB Bench Press, Pull Ups, Curls

3 Likes
33

Looks fine to me.

1 Like
34

Word of advice as well, you may not respond well to 531 immediately as you are used to training almost everyday. Give a couple of weeks and it will start feeling better.

5 Likes
35

Ok guys, I looked through a bunch of 5/3/1 programs and understand how the training system is supposed to work and logically it makes sense to me.

So with that being said as of today, I picked my goal. My goal is to just pick a program as it is, but I’m only allowed one change.

With that being said I decided I’m going to do Building The Monolith. The change I’m going to make is spread to it to 6 days instead of the 3. I can’t only train 3 days a week. I’d rather have smaller shorter sessions. My days will look like:

MONDAY
Back Squat - 5x5
Band Pull Aparts - 100 reps

TUESDAY
Press - 5/3/1, 1xAMRAP
Chin Ups - 100 reps
Dips - 100-200 reps

WEDNESDAY
Deadlift - 3x5
Curls - 100 reps

THURSDAY
Bench Press - 5x5
DB Rows - 5x10-20

FRIDAY
Squat - 5/3/1, 1x20
Band Pull Aparts - 100 reps
Shrugs - 100 reps

SATURDAY
Press - 10x5
Chin Ups - 5x5 Weighted

I get plenty of sleep, am pretty low stress, and will always have Sunday off so I’ll be good. I will eat an extra meal a day to meet the demands of this program. I’ll bboy 2-3x a week and that will be my only form of conditioning. I know this program says to run it for only 6 weeks, but I’m going to run it for 12 weeks.

That is why I’m spreading the program out to 6 days instead of the 3. I like shorter sessions anyway. I don’t like “going through the motions” on exercises and like intensity on each one.

1 Like
36

10/24/17

First Day of 531!

Strength:
Military Press - 135x5, 150x5, 165x9, 135x12
Chin Ups - 100 reps (13 sets)
Dips - 150 (10 sets)

Felt weird to do so little sets of Military Press. But it’s been a while since I’ve done this volume of dips and chin ups in one workout. I felt like my pecs, triceps, back, biceps were bulging from my shirt haha!

2 Likes
37

No PR sets on Monolith big dog. Save it for the AMRAP

1 Like
38

I know man, I realized that after I was done with the set haha. Working with percentages and different reps or sets like this is new to me.

I’m use to just picking a rep range (ex: 10x3) and saying I want to be able to do “X” weight in that range and will just keep working until I can and then add 10lbs once I do and go again haha.

But thanks for pointing that out man! Have to print out this program for the 6 weeks so I just know what to hit instead of using my calculator there.

39

No worries man, just pointing it out. I train somewhat similar to how you train so I get the 10x3 or 12x2, 15x1, 6x5, etc. Good luck with Monolith brother. I’m sure you’ll make good progress.

1 Like
40

Did you consider the conditioning work on Building the Monolith before you broke it up? It’s already a 6 day training program.

1 Like