5/3/1: Week 2 Squat

12" SSB Close Stance Box Squat: 90x3, 120x3, 150x3, 180x3, 210x3, 240x3, 285x3. Was in line for a while for a haircut, and had a lot of errands to run and dinner to cook so this was all I had time for. Since I didn't get it done last week, I felt like going for a 3-rep max. 285 was good for the 3RM even with a pause at the bottom. It didn't feel heavy when I racked it and went up smoother and faster than the 275 triple I had just over a week ago with the straight bar, so the arched back good mornings and leg presses may be paying off dividends.

5/3/1: Week 2 Bench Press

Dead Benches w/1-Pr Chains (185) (clustered, 20 seconds between reps): 75x3, 95x3, 115x3, 135x3, 160x3x4

1-Board Press (230)(Adjusted Max 215): 175x3, 185x3, 195x5 (Rep Out Set)

T-Bar Row (155)(Adjusted Max 140): 45x5, 60x5, 70x5, 85x3, 100x2, 115x3, 120x3, 130x5 (Rep Out Set)

Rack Pulls 2" Below The Knees (345): 225x4x5 Done at 65% of 1RM.

Biceps Curls (100): 50x15x3

5/3/1: Week 2 Deadlift

Hoist Roc-It Seated Leg Curls (193): worked up to a 167 lbs 6RM, or 193 pounds calculated. Will test on Nautilus leg curls next week, see which one gives me the better feel.

Arched Back GM (Straight Bar)(215 max)(195 adjusted max): 60x5, 80x5, 100x5, 120x3, 140x2, 155x3, 165x3, 175x5 (Rep Out Set). Since I was at the gym on base, could not use the SSB.

Hoist Leg Press (741 max)(667 adjusted max): 205x5, 270x5, 335x5, 405x3, 470x2, 540x3, 570x3, 605x5 (Rep Out Set).

Seated Calf Raises: 35x15x3

Superset:
Lying Leg Thrusts: 11, 9, 7, 5, 5 reps
Assisted Decline Situps: 11, 9, 7, 5, 5 reps

Did this workout today, got off early because we got hit by a bad snowstorm the day before along with high winds and low temps. Was more concerned with getting home yesterday than the gym.

5/3/1: Week 2 Military Press

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets

Nautilus Nitro Laterals (115): 60x15x3

Hoist Military Press (139)(Adjusted Max: 130): 40x5, 55x5, 65x5, 80x3, 95x2, 105x3, 115x3, 120x5 (Rep Out Set).

Hoist Roc-It Pulldown (139): 120x5x5

Nautilus Nitro Close Grip Pulldown (145): 125x5x5

Deadlifts w/35s (305): 185x4x5. This represented 60% of my 1RM.

EZ-Bar Reverse Curls (70): 35x15x3

5/3/1: Week 1 Squat

12" Close Stance Box Squat (Test): 95x5, 125x5, 155x5, 185x5, 215x5, 245x5, 275x3 (3RM). This calculates to a 295 max. Funny, I could have just made this round 2 of 5/3/1 from a month or so before and started from the same place. Oh well.

Superset:
Lying Leg Lifts: 10, 8, 6, 4, 3 reps
Assisted Decline Situps (Average Bands): 10, 8, 6, 4, 3 reps.

5/3/1: Week 1 Bench Press

Dead Benches w/1-Pr Chains (185) (clustered, 15 seconds between reps): 75x3, 95x3, 115x3, 135x3x5.

1-Board Press (230)(Adjusted Max 215): 165x5, 175x5, 185x6 (Rep Out Set)

T-Bar Row (155)(Adjusted Max 140): 45x5, 60x5, 70x5, 85x3, 100x2, 105x5, 115x5, 120x7 (Rep Out Set)

Rack Pulls 2" Below The Knees (345): 215x4x5. Done at 62% of 1RM. Smooth.

Biceps Curls (100): 85x5x5

5/3/1: Week 1 Deadlift

SSB Arched Back GM (210): Bar x 5, 100x5, 120x5, 140x5, 160x5, 180x5, 200x3 (3RM). I was going to use the straight bar but have had good experience using the SSB for this: it really helped me out of the hole in the squat. Since my last test was with a straight bar, I tested with this. 200x3 equates to about a 210 single.

Hoist Leg Press (741)(Adjusted Max 667): 200x5, 265x5, 330x5, 395x3, 460x2, 500x5, 530x5, 565x7 (Rep Out Set)

Assisted GHR (Light Band): 5 sets of 8.

5/3/1: Week 1 Military Press

It was a busy weekend. I failed Navy PRT for the first time in years (I'll explain later) but I still ran it. The day before that, I played a racquetball court version of soccer. So I PTd a lot.

I started 5/3/1/ again proper yesterday. I will be doing the 3 days a week thing, to allow me to use the other 4 days for conditioning. So when you see me write "week" it really is 4 workouts every 8 days.

I wanted to focus more on my squats, so I took the deadlift day out. Actually, I replaced it with the arched back good morning: I feel that if I'm going to try to start squatting bigger that I need to bring up my erector strength more and this movement does it better than the deadlift. Since, however, I did not want to lose my DL, I'm using deficit deadlifts and rack pulls as trap movements on upper body days: I just train them submaximally, and focus more on form rather than PRs, so as to not overtrain.

The notation on my logs will still be weight x reps x sets. But I will start putting parentheses to indicate the max I'm basing my calculations on. If it is the main 5/3/1 movement, there will be another period for the adjusted max. This would make my blog easier to follow.

Nautilus Laterals (115). From 40 pounds, I worked up to a 5RM in 15 pound increments. I hit 100x5, computed that out to a 115 max.

Hoist Military Press (139)(Adjusted Max: 130): 40x5, 55x5, 65x5, 80x3, 95x2, 100x5, 105x5, 115x6 (Rep Out Set)

Hoist Roc-It Pulldown (139): 85x10x4

Nautilus Nitro Close Grip Pulldown (145): 85x10x4

Deadlifts w/35s (305): 210x4x5. This represented 69% of my 1RM. The reps were really smooth and my lower back didn't feel tired much afterwards. I'm using the Prilepin Cycle from Kris Lindqvist's Tsampa.org site, percentages reduced by 20%, optimal total reps on the worksets between 20 and 25.

EZ-Bar Reverse Curls (70): 40x10x4

You Know What this Was

Today I tested on the Incline Bench Press, my goal being to smash last week's 225 PR. After last week's max and Sunday's workout and Monday's max, I should have known what was coming.

I couldn't do it.

The weight felt heavy, even in the beginning. 185 pounds moved slow, slow enough to make me call it quits. I'm satisfied with this past week of work. Time to get my workout restarted.

Some Random Workout

T-Bar Rows: 50x5, 65x5, 80x5, 95x3, 110x2, 125x3, 140x4

Flat Bench Press: 145x1, 165x1, 185x1, 205x1, 225x1, 235x1.  It started with me messing around between my son's workout.  I kept on because every rep felt light and quick, even the 225.  235 was a little tougher but I got that, too.  

Bench and Test

Dead Benches w/1-pr chains (clustered, 30 seconds between reps): 85x3, 105x3, 125x3, 145x2, 165x2x4.

2-Board Press: 185x5, 205x3, 225x4 (Rep Out Set).

12" Close Stance Box Squat: 135x5, 165x5, 195x5, 225x3, 255x2, 275x2 (2RM). Good for about a 285 single.

Test & a New PR

Sumo Deadlift: 135x3, 165x3, 195x3, 225x3, 255x3, 285x3, 315x1. Not the best that it has been, but I can work with it. Am trying to adjust my workout. Don't know how just yet, but I will think of something.

Incline Bench Press: 85x5, 105x5, 125x5, 145x3, 165x2, 185x1, 205x1, 225x1 (PR). 205 went up so clean that I decided to go for the 5-pound PR. So I had someone from work spot me and give me a handoff. I launched it quick and hit my sticking point but just kept pushing until it moved again. I think I could now say that the dead benches with the chains are gold. Or, I could just show the numbers:

1.) September 20: Incline Bench 195x3 (about 206-210 calculated max)
2.) October 5: started doing the dead bench presses w/1-pr of chains
3.) October 13: Incline Bench 220x1
4.) October 28: Incline Bench 225x1

EZ Bar Curls: 80x5x4

I have makeup Navy PRT next weekend so I probably won't go for it. But if I do, I will probably do another dead bench workout (maybe Saturday) and do a test on Wednesday on Inclines with 230. I don't have doubts that it works but if I nail this then I will be absolutely convinced.

Shoulders

Sunday:

Dead Benches w/1-pr chains (clustered, 25 seconds between reps): 80x3, 100x3, 120x3, 140x2, 160x2x5.

Monday:
Hoist Roc-It Shoulder Presses: Worked up to 126x4. If I decide to go with this movement for a while, will do 90% of the calculated max and 5/3/1 it.

Hoist Roc-It Lat Pulldowns: 86x10x4

Hoist Assisted Pullups: 85x10x4

Pushups w/Feet Raised 4": 17, 14, 11, 11 reps

Superset:
DB Shrugs: 50x10x3
Reverse Curls: 60x4x3

ME Bench

Incline Bench Press: 65x5, 85x5, 105x5, 125x3, 145x2, 165x3, 175x3, 185x3 (Rep Out Set). Not really a rep out set. My upper body was tired, at the highest weights I could barely hold it and I had no pop when I pressed it. If I had to take a guess, Jacob's Ladder tired my upper body out the day before.

Nautilus Nitro Close Grip Pulldown: Worked up to a 140 double. May stick to movements closer to chins. This did not feel natural at all.

Hoist Assisted Dips (Weight shown is after assistance): 124.5 x 15 x 3

Behind The Back Shrug: 85x15x3

EZ Bar Curls: 70x7x3, 70x6

Played basketball for an hour.

ME Squat/DL

Tuesday evening: Elliptical, 30 minutes, level 7 hill profile.

Today:
I had just dropped my son off at driver's ed and felt that I would rather drive fast to get to the base and work out than drive 15 minutes to home, rush a workout, get him, and do aerobics later. Since I didn't have the sled, I used the Jacob's Ladder as a finisher. This workout turned out to be pretty good for me.

Arched Back Good Morning: 45x8, 65x5, 85x5, 105x5, 125x3, 145x2, 165x3, 185x3, 205x3, 225x1. The 205 triple was really clean and the 225 less so: I almost lost my arch and I almost descended into a squat at the bottom and had to right myself fast. So if I had to use this as an accessory movement, I would compute the numbers based on the triple (about 217-220 pounds).

Hoist Leg Press: 210x10, 280x8, 350x6, 420x4, 490x3, 560x3, 630x3, 700x3 (3RM)

Superset:
Lying Leg Raises: 14, 10, 8, 6 reps
Assisted Situps on a Slant Board (Light Bands): 10, 8, 6, 4 reps.

Finisher:
Jacob's Ladder: 18 minutes (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off)

DE Bench Press

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets

Dead Benches w/1-pr chains (clustered, 20 seconds between reps): 75x3, 95x3, 115x3, 135x3, 150x3x4

2-Board Bench Press: 175x3, 185x3, 195x7 (Rep Out Set). Expected 5 reps tops at 195, did not see 7 coming.

T-Bar Rows: 45x5, 60x5, 75x5, 90x3, 105x2, 115x3, 120x3, 125x5 (Rep Out Set)

DB Shrugs: 50x9x4

EZ-Bar Reverse Curls: 50x7x4

Heavy Bag Work for 30 minutes

DE Squat

Banded Jumps (Light Bands): 5 sets of 3. Choked a band around the left and right sides of a power rack and put my weight belt through it, then put the belt on really tight. I then jumped as high as I could. Since I'm trying to get conditioned/be less of a fat ass, I'm gonna be doing more and having a bar on my back too much was gonna be taxing. I wasn't keen on doing singles on deadlifts, either, but deficit deads are just like speed deads but better. So there!

Deadlifts w/35s: 115x5, 135x5, 155x5, 175x3, 195x2, 205x5, 220x5, 230x7 (Rep Out Set)

Backwards Sled Drags (Includes Sled Weight): 115 pounds for 6 trips of 40+ yards

Lying Leg Raises: 4 sets of 13, 9, 8, 7 reps

Assisted Situps (Light Bands): 4 sets of 20, 15, 11, 8 reps

Incline Bench Press PR

Incline bench Press: 60x5, 80x5, 100x5, 120x3, 140x2, 160x1, 180x1, 200x1, 220x1 (PR), 170x5, 160x5, 150x5. The original intention was to do the 5 part of 5/3/1 based on a 210 max. But I havent done inclines in 2 weeks and was curious, and all my reps were flying. I was jumping up and down on the inside, because I have never inclined over 210. It's too early to call but I think the dead benches may be helping here, too, because even with a slight pause I'm getting better movement out of the bottom. To keep with the original intention, I did the 5 part at the end and dropped the triceps accessory movement.

Hoist Roc-It Lat Pulldown: 86x10x4

Hoist Assisted Neutral Grip Chinup (weight shown is after assistance deducted): 84x10x4

Behind the Back Shrug: 105x10x3

EZ Bar Curls: 70x6x3

12 minutes on Jacob's Ladder, 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off. Think of a Versaclimber fused with a Stairclimber, but with a ladder. 30 seconds on was about all I could handle at a stretch, partly because of the leg burn.

Lower Body Workout

12" Close Stance Box Squat: 80x5, 105x5, 130x5, 160x3, 185x2, 195x5, 210x5, 225x8 (Rep Out Set)

Forward Sled Drags: 80 pounds for 6 trips of 40+ yards

Assisted GHR (Light Bands): 5 sets of 8

Lying Leg Raises: 4 sets of 15

Assised Situps (Light Bands): 23, 15, 11, and 8 reps

Mowed the lawn;)

Upper Body Work

Dead Benches w/1-pr chains (clustered, 15 seconds between reps): 75x3, 95x3, 115x3, 140x3x5

2-Board Bench Press: 165x5, 175x5, 185x7 (Rep Out Set)

Barbell Rows: 45x5, 55x5, 65x5, 75x3, 90x2, 95x5, 100x5, 110x7 (Rep Out Set)

Assisted Chinups (Average Band): 5 sets of 5

Barbell Push Press: 95x10, 8, 6, 5, 4 reps.

Barbell Reverse Curls: 40x10x4

Heavy Bag Work for 30 minutes