Week 1:Bench Press Variant

For now, that's what I'll call it as I got my workouts started yesterday. My first target is the August Virtualmeet. I have 27 weeks until that. I also want my running and chinups to be better than it was before I went in for surgery and I want a higher total at a lighter weight than the last meet.

I wanted to do 5/3/1 but since I want to get back to where I was in everything, I didn't want to have to worry about deloading. This would give me 9 waves vice 6. That, and I wanted to squat and deadlift twice a week, and I wanted more variety this time around. Not a fault of the program, mind you, but with limited gear in Africa I did the same things a lot there and needed some variety.

1.) So right now the days are: Bench Press Variant, Back Squat Variant, Military Press Variant, Front Squat Variant. It's a 5/3/1 type setup but week one I work up to a 5 rep max, then weeks 2 and 3 are calculated using 90% of the calculated 1RM to compute the attempts. There is no deload: I just switch movements. The template for the assistance work will remain,as before, WSFSB III.

2.) Deadlifts will be right after squats, and I will drop the shrugs on upper body days. The deadlifts will be done using submaximal loads (Week 1: 72% for 4 sets of 5, week 2: 75% for 3 sets of 6, week 3: 63% for 5 sets of 5). I want my deadlift back, but I don't want to strain too much. I could put all my focus into form. Though for the first two waves, I will be doing this with squats since I want to test deadlifts.

3.) The rest will be tried and true stuff and as time goes on I'll add things. Right now, I'm gonna play it by ear.

So, without further ado . . . . .

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets

Flat Bench Press: 55x10, 75x8, 95x6, 115x5, 135x5, 155x5, 165x3. I should have stopped at 155x5 but I thought I had a slim chance at 165x5. No matter: next week I'll just do the 5s.

Triceps Death (2/3/4/5 Board Rep Out): 115x13/7/5/5 reps, 115x10/6/5/5 reps

Assisted Chinups (Average Bands): Rep out to 6 reps, then 4 sets of 5

DB Rows (Elbows Out): 50x4, then 35x9x3

Barbell Curls: 50x8x4