5 Weeks Out

5 weeks out from Virtualmeet in August. I never count meet week.

The past couple of weeks, I've still been using 5/3/1 to train. I have also been testing my maxes and seeing where I stand. This past week I maxed out at 215 in the bench press and 210 in the incline bench press: not bad, but I lifted around the same the week before if formula was considered, so time to find different lifts to work on. And it's a little too late to reset for 5/3/1.

I also topped off at 255 this past week in the 13" SSB box squat after having hit 275a couple of weeks before. I'm not going to reset that, either. Rather, time to switch to the free squat with a straight bar. I'll still use the 13" box but only as a depth checker. Once I so much as tap the box, I'm popping up.

Lately, I've been contemplating messing around with a few things from Joe Defranco's Built Like A Badass Program. Mostly, because NAVY PRT time is coming and I wanted to get back in shape. I'll probably use the percentages for the heavy movement since I could use the same movement, the 4th week is a peak week, and week 5 is a deload week.

This past week was Navy drill weekend. Saturday, and I managed to deadlift a 5RM with 335 and a 2RM with 365 (BTW, using Brzycki's formula, they both equate to a 375 lbs max). I also did 5 sets of GHR for max reps, and 3 sets of 3 for raw chinups (w/kipping). One of my unit mates joined me for a workout and we did a superset of Db Bench Presses and Reverse Curls (3 sets of max reps with 50 and 40 pounds respectively); Pec Deck for 3 sets of max reps. Then we tried a complex from Defranco's book: deadlift, barbell row, hang clean, push press, back squat. It was the first time for both of us so we did the first set with 95 pounds for 6 reps of each. We both got served, it felt as if we had just sprinted down a block. After 90 seconds, we tried it for 3 sets of 10 and were so burnt that we didn't finish the push presses and we dropped the squats. We both remarked that this would be added to our arsenal for fat burning. You will start to see them as a finisher to some workouts.

Considering Saturdays workout, I took some movements out and this was my workout for today. All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets:

Close Grip Bench Press: 65x5, 85x5, 105x5, 125x5, 145x8, 155x6, 165x5 (Rep Out Set). The other Bench Press day will use the 2-Board Press: maybe these two movements will move my bench forward. Percentages for the three work sets of week 1 are: 72.5% 1RM for 8 reps, 77.5% 1RM for 6 reps, 82.5% 1RM for 4+ reps.

Assisted Chinups (Light Band): 5 sets of 2. The bands allow me to do perfect reps to the top from a deadhang and NO kipping.

Barbell Rows (Elbows Out): 135x2x5

During the rest periods, I did: 4 sets of 20 with regular grippers, 3 sets of 9 pronation/supination with the Strength Bar, 25 pound HEX DB Holds for 3 20-second holds, and the Wrist Roller for 3 sets of 1 with 12.5 pounds.