Not really 5/3/1

dantes87

I've been browsing this board for a while now and decided it was time to put myself out there and be accountable. Also, I keep losing my logbooks so this is a back up! Been training properly since Jan/Feb 2010 stats then were:
height 5 9 weight ~73kg
bench ~70 x 5
squat ~100x3 very high, illegal quarter reps
dead lift ~140~3 had some prior experience in that lift

At present
height 5 9 weight ~80kg
Bench 105x1
squat 137x3 parallel, touching box for depth
dead lift 200x1

Current split is basically Lower/Upper/Lower/Upper...
Upper days are alternated between bench and military press, and follow 5/3/1.Lower days are alternated between squat for 3 reps, squat for 2 reps and dead lifts for 1rep. It’s simple but hard to articulate here.

Last night’s squat session:
Squat 137x 3 2 2 2 2
Partial squat 160x3 165x3 160x 3 (Hopefully improve dead lift strength off the floor)
Drops set of partials and some ab work.

Thanks for reading, feedback appreciated.

dantes87

Yesterday
Bench, work up to 1 rep max
80 x 3
90 x 1
100 x 1
107x1 PR
100x fail

Incline Dumbell Bench
27.7kgs 15, 12, 10

Barbell Row
80 x 5
90 x 5,5,5
Drop set 90,80,60

Single Dumbell Overhead Tricep Extension
25 kg, 20, 20, 15

cable pushdowns

Crappy enough session, the failure at 100kg bummed me a little but hit a PR so not too bad.

dantes87

This morning.
Squat
60x3
80x3
100x3
120x2
130x1 wore belt for the first time
140x1
145x1 PR
150x1 PR
155x1 PR
160x1 PR
165x1 PR

Leg Press
120 kg loads of reps various foot positions, 2 sets

Cable Ab crunch 3 sets

Pavel66

Amazing improvement in the squat! Well done

dantes87

Thanks,I appreciate that.
I think it's down to improving technique by doing more sets at near max weights. It was very surprised to hit 165 as I was hoping for 155, maybe. The belt is also mentally reassuring for me.

dantes87

Military Press
warm up
40x5
50x4
60x1
65x1
70x fail x fail


Push Press
70 x 4,5,2,4
I'm new to this exercise and overhead pressing in general needs a lot of work.
Did a few lateral and front raises for da pump

dantes87

Deadlifts
warm up
160x1
180x1 belt on. It was my first time dead lifting in a belt and didn't feel right
190x1 same as above uncomfortable but easy
200x1
205x1 PR
205x1 loosened the belt one notch, helped a bit
210x1 PR

weighted GHR
5,5,5

I don't know what to make of the belt for deads.
My torso feels tighter, but there seems to be huge pressure building up to the point where my chest is the sorest part after the lifts.
I suppose it will take practise to learn the belt.

dantes87

Yesterday
Bench 5 rep day
bar x 10
40x 10
60x 5
70x5
80x3
92x5 that was the target for today
100x1
105x miserable fail
80x5

Barbell Row
80x 5
100x 4
80x5

Tricep push down
fairly light x high reps

Need to work on set up on the bench. Trying to get my arch right but it's making it hard to unrack the bar sometimes.

dantes87

Yesterday

Squats
100 x 3
110 x 3
120 x 3
belt on
130 x 2
140 x 1
145 x 2,2,2,2,2

Partial squat belt off
140 x 3
160 x 3
170 x 3
140 x 11

Cable Crunches
3 sets

Wrecked after the set off 11, it really brings home how unfit I am.

dantes87

Monday
Military Press (5 rep week)
warm up
57 x 6

Push Press
60 x 1
70 x 5,5,4,3

Shrug
100 x 10
140 x 5
160 x 7

Pullups
12, 7, 6

Curls

I felt a twinge in upper back on the last set of push presses, thought nothing of it at the time. But once I got home it got painful to move my neck at all. Didn't sleep that night and very uncomfortable yesterday, unable to move much at all. Its not a muscular pain I think it could be a bit of pinched nerve or something. Bit better today, should be able to gym it up tomorrow.

dantes87

Decided I can't squat heavy every session so lower body work will now alternate between 1 heavy squats, 2 light squats and 3 deadlifts. The lighter session will be focused on the bottom part of the squat. Yesterday was a day to play around with lighter squat exercises.

Squat to low box 12" i think
100 x 3, 3
110 x 3, 3 uncomfortable with depth

Switched to high bar on same box
100 x 3, 3 easier to reach depth

Higher box about 14 inches(just below parallel) low bar
110 x 2 sit back with pause

Front squats
60 x 3
70 x 3
80 x 3
90 x 3
100 x 3 happy enough with that

GHR weighted
3 sets of 6

dantes87

Bench "3 rep max day"
Bar x 10
40 x 8
60 x 5
70 x 3
80 x 3
90 x 1
95 x 3, happy, i only got 2 reps 3 weeks ago

100 x 1
105 x 1
110 x miserable fail, should get it next week when I'm fresh

Wrecked at this stage from going out on a work night, so I did some flies and tricep extensions and called it a day

dantes87

Yesterday
Deadlift
60 x 5
100 x 3
140 x 3
160 x 1
170 x 1
180 x 1
belt on
190 x 1
200 x 1,1,1,1,1,1

Last two at 200 were tough, enjoyable though

Rach Pull
150 x 5
172.5 x 5,5,5

GHR
3 sets

Ab wheel
3 sets

dantes87

Military Press "3 rep day"
bar x 10
40 x 5
50 x 3
62 x 4

Push Press
70 x 5,5,5,3 last set was crap, moving up weight next week anyway

Face pulls
new to this, 3 sets trying to get rear delts working and keep some balance in shoulders

Shoulder lateral raises
4 sets high reps for pump

Curls
EZ bar
dumbells
few sets

dantes87

Squats to a slightly below parallel box for depth
60 x 5
100 x 3
110 x 3
belt on
120 x 2
130 x 2,2,2,2,2
This was a step down from the 145kg I did for same reps/sets and it feels bad to lower weight. But at least now I'm 100% I'm hitting good depth and have a solid goal to get back to 145.

Partial squats
140 x 3
160 x 1
175 x 3
Love this movement

TKE
3 x 12-15 on each leg.
On an aerobics step with with a band

Decline situps
5 kg behind head
3 sets of about 12

dantes87

Bench "1 rep max day"
bar x 10
40 x 8
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 3
90 x 1
100 x 1
110 x miserable fail about two inches of chest
60 x 1
70 x 1
80 x 1
90 x 1
100 x 1 struggle
105 x fail

Barbell Row
60 x 10
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 6
Drop set to 60

Over head dumbell extension
25 x 10
30 x 6
30 x 6
25 x about 6

Superset dumbell extension and incline chest flies/press

Tricep cable work
various pump work

Crap benching, didn't feel right at all.
Might reset 5/3/1 with new max and do paused bench
Possibly my accessory work is not up to scratch.

dantes87

Squat
60 x 5, 5
80 x 5
100 x 3
120 x 2
130 x 3,3,3,3

Front Squat
60 x 3
70 x 3
80 x 3
90 x 3
102 x 3

Decline Sit up
10,10, 10

dantes87

Military Press 1 rep max
bar x lots
30 x 10
40 x 5
50 x 3
60 x 1
65 x 1
70 x fail
60 x 1
65 x 1
70 x fail
70 x fail

Push Press
60 x 1
65 x 1
70 x 1
75 x 1
80 x 1
82 x fail
70 x 1
75 x 1
80 x 1
82 x 1 Thank **** I got that or the night would have been a waste

Pull ups
2 sets about 10

Overall a piss poor session, but better than nothing.

dantes87

Deadlift
60 x 10
100 x 3
100 x 3
140 x 3
160 x 3
170 x 1
belt on
180 x 1
190 x 1
205 x 1
205 x 1
205 x 1
205 x 1
205 x 1
205 x 1

Rack Pull
140 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 5


That took ages beleive it or not. Aiming for 3x BW deadlift early next year. Weighed 76kg today so 230-235 is the goal. 220 will be nice too, 5 plates a side.:)

dantes87

Bench reset 531 working of 100kg max
up to 85kg x 10

60 x 10 very wide grip
60 x 10 close grip
60 x 10 very wide
60 x 6 close
60 x 9 very wide

Incline dumbell
22.5 x 6 pain in shoulder stopped all pressing for the day

Pull ups
10 wide
10 narrow neutral
10 wide

Straight arm pull down
Few pump sets

dantes87

Squats
60 x 5
100 x 3
120 x 2
belt on
130 x 1
140 x 2, 2, 2, 2, 2

Partialsno belt
140 x 3
160 x 3
170 x 1
180 x 3

TKE
2 sets each leg

Cable Abs
3 sets 12

Partials are probably not great for the knees,but they are fantastic for the ego! 4 plates a side:rolleyes:
I'll keep them up until the new year anyway. Tempted to run Smolov then to try to bring my squat in line with my deadlift.

dantes87

Military Press "3 day"
Worked up to 60 x 5

Push Press/clean and press
60 x1
70 x 1
72 x 1
75 x 1
77 x 1
80 x 1, 1, 1

Shoulder raises
pumps sets

Face Pull
4 sets lots reps

Curls
3 sets EZ bar
lots of hammer curls

next

dantes87

Squat
130 x 3
135 x 3
135 x 3
135 x 3 tough
135 x 3 supposed to be the last set, but felt good so tried a few more
135 x 3
135 x 3

Cable Ab crunch
3 sets

GHR
3 sets

dantes87

Didn't have plan going in today, just winged it.
Deadlift
60 x 8
100 x 5
140 x 3 straps, couldn't find chalk
160 x 1 straps, couldn't find chalk
belt on
180 x 1 straps
195 x1 found some chalk, but had a lob sided bar should have been 200
210 x fail slipped above knee, due to lack of chalk and **** knurling

changed bar
220 x 1 PR.
nearly missed it. I let it go forward and the bar almost stopped just around knee level, but it slowly came up. With a better warm up and technique I should be able to hit this weight more comfortably.

Decided that I will play around more between now and new year.
Smolov starting first week in January

dantes87

Friday 17th
Bench 3 rep day
Up to 90 x 5 easy reps

Messed about with dumbell inclines tricep extensions and the like

Tuesday 21st
Squat
Work up to max
130 x 1
140 x 1
150 x 1
155 x 1
160 x 1
165 x Fail

dantes87

Last few weeks have been **** few sessions not worth logging

Today
Squat
105 x 9,10,9,9

Back in groove now I hope

Hanley

Did I see you hitting 147.5kg x5's in your log before? And you missed 165? Duuuuude. C'mon!!

You seemed to be balls to the wall every sesh from what I remember. Probably time to back down and come back up, which seems to be what you're doing!

dantes87

Hanley wrote: »

Did I see you hitting 147.5kg x5's in your log before? And you missed 165? Duuuuude. C'mon!!

You seemed to be balls to the wall every sesh from what I remember. Probably time to back down and come back up, which seems to be what you're doing!

No, I didn't get 147.5 x5's, maybe a few months ago when I was squatting sky high I might have! But I've slowly sorted out my depth and as a result lowered numbers.

I've been doing doubles and triples in 130's and 140's over the last while.

You are right, I need some higher rep training in there, at least sets of 5 anyway.

I will get 165 next time and then on to next target of 180.

Thanks for the input.

dantes87

Squats
112.5 x 7,7,7,7,7

Pull up
10
8
7
6
Chins
6
6
7 total 50

Face pulls
3x10

dantes87

Squat
120 x 5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Incline DB Bench
22 x10
27 x 5
32 x 5
37 x 5

Cable push down
3 sets many reps

pajomaginty

Hi Mate,
Massive gains all round there fair do's.
But it doesn't look anything like 5/3/1 which doesn't matter at all.
I was just wondering if you are you doing deload weeks at all?

dantes87

pajomaginty wrote: »

Hi Mate,
Massive gains all round there fair do's.
But it doesn't look anything like 5/3/1 which doesn't matter at all.
I was just wondering if you are you doing deload weeks at all?

Thanks.
Well as title says it's not really 5/3/1 at all.
I think there are some others on here doing 5/3/1 properly.

I didn't take a deload week as such, but if I stall or miss reps 2 cycles in a row I will reset. But only for the movement that stalls, so not a total deload.

Others in main section know far more than myself and could give you better advice.

dantes87

Squats
127 x 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3

DB Curls
Lot of sets, elbows in bits

Squats started out crap but 4th set I started feeling good. Most sets after that were felt tight and like speed squats.

pajomaginty

dantes87 wrote: »

Thanks.
Well as title says it's not really 5/3/1 at all.
I think there are some others on here doing 5/3/1 properly.

I didn't take a deload week as such, but if I stall or miss reps 2 cycles in a row I will reset. But only for the movement that stalls, so not a total deload.

Others in main section know far more than myself and could give you better advice.

Hey,
I've done 5/3/1 a few times now and found the deload week very boring but necessary to stay injury free and also to keep putting extra plates on the bar

Keep up the good work!!

dantes87

Squats
112.5 x 9,9,9,9

DB Row
35 x 10
42.5 x 5
47.5 x 6
47.5 x 6
35 x lots

dantes87

Squats
120 x 7,7,7,7,7

Push Press
60 x 3,3,3,3

Shoulder raises/ face pulls
lots x lots

Cable push down


Didn't have a box to squat to, so depth may have been questionable.
But everything felt tight and easy.

I was descending alot faster and getting a bit of a bounce out of the bottom, this proper squatting might not be so bad!

dantes87

Squats

130kg x 5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Ok, so I have to lose the box. I must learn to feel when I'm at depth, become one with the squat..

Starts tomorrow, elbow and hips in bits right now so I cant wait.

dantes87

Squat
137.5 kg x 3,3,3,3,3, 3,3,3,3,3

My body is in bits.

dantes87

Squat
117.5 x 9, 9, 9, 9

Hobble round gym with low back cramp. Should have belted up to deload the bar :rolleyes:

DB Curls
5 sets super setted with cable push downs.

dantes87

Squat
125 x 7, 7, 7, 7, 7

Curl/cable pushdown
3 supersets

All I had energy for really

dantes87

Squat
135 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Depth hit and miss apparently. Still getting used to full squats with heavier weight.

dantes87

Squat

142.5 kg x 3
142.5 kg x 3
142.5 kg x 3
142.5 kg x 3
142.5 kg x 3

142.5 kg x 3
142.5 kg x 3
142.5 kg x 3 Setup was **** from this point on, upper back fatigued
142.5 kg x 3
142.5 kg x 3 + 3 extra dodgy reps

Smolov base complete, albeit with a conservative working max.

Started out squatting to a box, but took some "expert" advice and ditched the box. Squatting much faster now and I think I'm getting good depth on most reps.
I still need more work to find a proper groove, as some reps are different than others

Will test max next week. Not sure what to expect as I've not maxed a free squat before.

dantes87

First non squatting day of 2011

Bench
90kg x 3
90kg x 3
90kg x 3
80kg x 5
80kg x 5
80kg x 5
70kg x 10

DB Row
40kg x10 each
50kg x 6 each
50kg x 6 each
50kg x 6 each

Chest supported Row
3 sets of blah

Cable push down
pump

dantes87

Annoying gym behaviour seems to be gone so I'll vent here.

Last week some half rep hero was squatting in rack beside me. The lad looked fairly light, but he waltzed in and loaded up to about 120kg.
The good half of me thought, maybe he's an oly lifter and will mash out something serious. The realistic side of me knew it would be carnage.:)

Once the bar was on his back he started shaking like a leaf, I genuinely feared he would fall into my rack if a gust of wind came in the door.
He proceeded to bend his knees about 10degrees, rack the bar and look around the gym in triumph.

Then today when I went to unrack the bar for my second set my right side was way off. Some dim wit thought my bar was a plate rack and but his 15 kg on the right side of my bar :mad:

Do people not consider safety or common sense at all in the gym.
There is a possibility to serious injury someone other than yourself.

These lads are walking timebombs, but they are probably the same ones that think deadlifts hurt your back and deep squats destroy your knees.:rolleyes:

Rant over..

grimloch

You're in Raw aren't you?

I know the lad you're on about. I don't really give a **** what other people do in the gym but if he fails a rep, he's honestly about three feet from the safeties and it's not going to end prettily.

dantes87

Yea, I'm in Raw, all in all it's a great gym.
I just try to avoid them lads like the plague!

There's probably someone out there complaining about me too:)
But someone putting weights on my bar!! I don't get the stupidness!:mad:

Wish is was bigger I could scare them off

dantes87

Switching week/day

Warm up
Jumps
Squatwith pause
60 x 3,3,3 took a while to get bar speed
80 x 3,3,3

DB shoulder press
20s x 10,10,10

Lateral raise
12s x 2 sets
7s x pump

Face pull
3 sets, lots of reps

dantes87

Squat
warm up
130 x 1
140 x 1
150 x 1
160 x 1
170 x 1
175 x 1 struggle
180 x 1 big struggle

Delighted with 180.
Big thanks to COH, wouldn't have got the 180 without him shouting at me

dantes87

Bench
92 x 3, 3, 3
82 x 5, 5, 3
70 x 11

Cable push downs
about 5 sets

EZ curl
3 sets

DB curl
2 sets

I'm not able to bench

the drifter

dantes87 wrote: »

Squat
warm up
130 x 1
140 x 1
150 x 1
160 x 1
170 x 1
175 x 1 struggle
180 x 1 big struggle

Delighted with 180.
Big thanks to COH, wouldn't have got the 180 without him shouting at me

1) nice squats! any vids?
2) yes people are stupid
3) when COH shouts the weight tries to run away from him...

dantes87

Deadlift
100 x 3
140 x 3
160 x 1
belt
180 x 1
190 x 1
200 x 1
loosen belt
200 x 1
210 x 1
220 x fail just above knee, fcuk

Got 220 a month ago feels like **** to miss it.
I'm crap at deadlifting with a belt I always feel like vomiting.

I also learned not try a max when you're feeling ****.

Objectively, I haven't done anything but squat for the last month. So I don't have my deadlift groove yet and my back strength has suffered. I never used to fail once I get bar moving. So my weakpoint has probably changed.

Rack pulls here I come.