The Flywheel Effect.

Since this is the first post on a new page, I'm going to lay out my big picture approach to 5/3/1 for the next several months. I bought the most recent book (5/3/1 Forever) and read through it yesterday. It's a pretty quick read if you've read through the previous books. The formatting was slightly improved, but still not great (How do you make a book like this without a table of contents???). I'm a little frustrated at the lack of clarity around Leaders and Anchors. The basic explanation is there, but then some of the templates don't clearly state whether they're leaders, anchors, or can be used as both. It IS clearly stated for some, but for others there's no mention of it at all. Just strange, and makes the program more difficult to use than is necessary. /Rant

Anyway, I'll be following this schedule for at least the next 3 months, probably 6 months, maybe longer:

[U]Leader[/U]
Week 1: Standard 5/3/1 with Boring But Big (5x10 @50 for Squats, Bench, and Press / 5x5 @80 for Deads)
Week 2: Standard 5/3/1 with Boring But Big (5x10 @50 for Squats, Bench, and Press / 5x5 @80 for Deads)
Week 3: Standard 5/3/1 with Boring But Big (5x10 @50 for Squats, Bench, and Press / 5x5 @80 for Deads)

[B]Increase TM[/B] (10lbs on Squats & Dead / 5lbs on Bench & Press)

[U]Leader[/U]
Week 4: Standard 5/3/1 with Boring But Big (5x10 @50 for Squats, Bench, and Press / 5x5 @80 for Deads)
Week 5: Standard 5/3/1 with Boring But Big (5x10 @50 for Squats, Bench, and Press / 5x5 @80 for Deads)
Week 6: Standard 5/3/1 with Boring But Big (5x10 @50 for Squats, Bench, and Press / 5x5 @80 for Deads)
Week 7: Deload (Undecided on the specific approach for the deload week)

[B]Increase TM[/B] (10lbs on Squats & Dead / 5lbs on Bench & Press)

[U]Anchor[/U]
Week 8: 5/3/1 with Jokers & First Set Last
Week 9: 5/3/1 with Jokers & First Set Last
Week 10: 5/3/1 with Jokers & First Set Last
Week 11: Deload

[B]Increase TM[/B] (10lbs on Squats & Dead / 5lbs on Bench & Press)

[B]Repeat from Week 1[/B]

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Squat Day[/U]
[B]Back Squat[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 8 (+ Set)
Squat form was much better today. I'm still feeling a bit tentative though. Need to keep working on it until it becomes second nature. The reps on the + set were very good. I stopped at the first hint of a slower bar speed.

[B]Deadlift[/B] (Boring But Big - 5x5 @80% of TM)
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5

[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
25 x 10
25 x 10
25 x 10

[B]Lat Pulldown[/B]
85 x 10
85 x 10
85 x 10

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 30
BW x 30
BW x 30


[B]Comments:[/B]
I'm trying to reign in the accessory work. I'll probably gradually ramp up both the weight and the reps as time goes on. For now I want to make sure I'm really fresh for the main work each day.

I stumbled upon this youtube channel about a week ago. Lots of solid content. I love how detailed he gets in some of the video's. Definitely recommend checking it out to anyone that's looking to improve their technique in the primary lifts. The video below didn't work better for me than what I was already doing, but it's a good example of the type of content on the channel. I'll probably start posting videos here occasionally, mostly for future reference when I inevitably forget where I saw or heard something that I found interesting or helpful.

[youtube]CUacGmz0BaA[/youtube]

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Bench Day[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
100 x 3
110 x 3
125 x 9 (+ Set)

[B]Overhead Press[/B] (Boring But Big)
45 x 10
45 x 10
45 x 10
45 x 10
45 x 10

[B]Pullup[/B] / [I]superset[/I] \ [B]Plank[/B]
BW x 8 _________ 25lbs x 60 seconds
BW x 6 _________ 25 x 60
BW x 5 _________ 25 x 60

[B]Kroc Row[/B] / [I]superset[/I] \ [B]Bulgarian Split Squat[/B]
40 x 10 ____________ 20 x 10
40 x 10 ____________ 20 x 10
40 x 10 ____________ 20 x 10


[B]Comments:[/B]
Bench and OHP went well. All of the reps were smooth and relatively easy. Final bench set was probably about a 7-8 RPE. After that my energy level kind of nose dived. I especially struggled on the pullups.
My glutes are feeling hammered the last two weeks. I've noticed it immediately after deadlifting. I must be doing something slightly differently that has me using my glutes more, which I imagine is a good thing. The split squats did a number on them again today. It's amazing that 20 pounds can completely destroy me on this exercise. Rest day tomorrow, and then back at it on Thursday.

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Deadlift Day[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
45 x 3 (WU)
95 x 3 (WU)
135 x 3 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
210 x 3
240 x 3
270 x 7 (+ Set)
Solid reps until the final one, where fatigue got to me.

[B]Squat[/B] (Boring But Big)
75 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10
Widened my stance slightly and I was able to get a bit deeper and still maintain solid form. I'll have to see if I can still do that with more weight on the bar, as I've typically struggled with my side to side balance with a wider stance. Felt good today anyway.

[B]Tricep Pushdown[/B] / [I]superset[/I] \ [B]Face Pull[/B]
27.5 x 15__________________27.5 x 15
27.5 x 15__________________27.5 x 15
27.5 x 15__________________27.5 x 15

[B]Isometric Farmers Walk[/B]
50lbs x 50 steps (both sides)
50 x 50
50 x 50


[B]Comments:[/B]
Nothing too noteworthy today. I'll be back with Press day tomorrow.

I really liked this video on Core Exercises I watched last week. I'll be incorporating some of these into my routine. Did Farmers Walk today. I had done it previously, and liked it, but haven't done it in a while. I tried out the one where you put your elbows on the ball and rotate at home a few days ago. I was only able to do it for about 20 seconds and I was done, lol. The Ab Rollout method seems really interesting. I'll definitely have to try it out sometime.

[youtube]tMiEiUPYiJQ[/youtube]

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Press Day[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 6 (WU)
65 x 3
75 x 3
85 x 6 (+ Set)
This felt really heavy today for some reason. Last set was probably an 8.5-9 RPE.

[B]Bench[/B] (Boring But Big)
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
I have trouble keeping my upper back in place with the weight this light. When I press, the force lifts my back slightly off the bench and I slide a bit. I assume I'm doing something wrong, so I'll have to continue working on it.

[B]T-Bar Row[/B]
55 x 15
55 x 15
55 x 15

[B]Lunge[/B]
30 x 10
30 x 10

[B]Pullup[/B]
BW x 5
BW x 5
BW x 6

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 30

[B]Glute/Ham Raise[/B]
BW x 10

[B]Comments:[/B]
I got a phone call when I was about halfway through bench notifying me that I needed to meet some people shortly. I supersetted the T-bar rows with my remaining bench sets, and then jumped between the remaining lifts as quickly as possible, just trying to get a little bit of additional work in. I was pretty fatigued for the pullups. Well...pretty fatigue for everything I guess, lol. It was a solid week overall. I'm looking forward to getting some rest and then getting back at it again next week.

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Squat Day[/U]
[B]Back Squat[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
115 x 5
135 x 3
145 x 6 (1+ Set)

[B]Deadlift [/B](Boring But Big - 5x5 @80% of TM)
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5

[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
20 x 12
20 x 12
20 x 12

[B]Pullup[/B] (Neutral Grip)
BW x 6
BW x 6
BW x 6

[B]Reverse Hyper[/B]
40 x 10
40 x 10
40 x 10


[B]Comments:[/B]
Lifted at the gym at my work because they have open gym for the next 2 weeks while the company sponsored fitness program is on hiatus. It's not the greatest, but gets the job done. They have a reverse hyper machine, which is pretty rare, and a couple of squat racks. Not really good for deadlifting though, because it's cement floor covered by carpet that's about 1/8th inch thick. Have to control the bar all the way to the floor. The temperature also seems to always be on the high side. I was pretty worn out after deadlifts, and feeling a little light headed. Went light on the remaining exercises. It was a decent day though.

Morning weight was about 167, which is right in line with where I've been to begin the week for the last 3 weeks or so.

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Bench Day[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
105 x 5
120 x 3
135 x 7 (1+ Set)
I felt pretty well locked in today. I've always liked using the bench in the gym at work because it provides a lot of grip. I never have problems with my back moving on the bench. All of the reps were really good. I left maybe 2 reps in reserve.

[B]Overhead Press[/B] (Boring But Big)
45 x 10
45 x 10
45 x 10
45 x 10
45 x 10

[B]Kroc Row[/B]
40 x 15
40 x 15
40 x 15

[B]Bulgarian Split Squat[/B]
25 x 10
25 x 10
I was planning to do 3 sets, but my legs were fried after the second.

[B]Plank[/B]
25lbs x 75 seconds
25 x 60
The first plank felt good (probably could've gone another 15-30 seconds). The second was a struggle, so I didn't do a third.

[B]Pullup[/B]
BW x 7
BW x 7
BW x 6

[B]Farmers Carry[/B] (Isometric)
50lbs x 50 steps
50 x 50
50 x 50
Forearms were burning by the time I was done. It's a good thing I have a rest day before doing deadlifts.


[B]Comments:[/B]
I did a little extra accessory work today since my energy level was higher and I had the time to do it. I adjusted the sets, reps, and weight on some of the accessories. In general, just tried to make sure it was challenging, but not too draining, and I think I accomplished that goal. Tomorrow will be a day of rest. Thursday is Deadlift day.

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Deadlift Day[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
135 x 5 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
225 x 5
255 x 3
285 x 4 (1+ Set)
First 2 reps on the + set were flawless and easy. On the next two I struggled to get tight and felt my hips shooting up. I should've taken another few seconds to set myself between reps, and I would've had a couple more reps. Lesson learned.

[B]Squat [/B](Boring But Big)
45 x 10 (WU)
75 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10
I did a little better job of sitting down between my legs today instead of feeling like I was collapsing my body on top of my quads. I don't know if that makes sense, and it's definitely an exaggeration, but it's the bets way I can explain it. I was able to do it without noticeably widening my stance either. I still have a lot of inconsistency with my movement on squats though. Work in progress.

[B]Rope Tricep Pushdown[/B]
60 x 15
60 x 15
60 x 15
Still lifting at my work gym. The weight doesn't really translate relative to the pulley machine I typically use.

[B]Face Pull[/B]
50 x 15
50 x 15
50 x 15

[B]Reverse Hyper[/B]
40 x 10
40 x 10
40 x 10
I'm going to take advantage of having access to this machine as much as I can. I'll most likely use it twice again next week.

[B]Comments:[/B]
Good week overall. I'm so used to lifting at my normal gym that I feel pretty uncomfortable working out somewhere else. There are certain things I really like about it, but the setup for Deadlifting and Benching is definitely not ideal. The biggest plus is that it saves me a bunch of time. I'm not having to drive in rush hour traffic, and not needing to drive the extra distance I usually do when I go lift. I'll probably be at my normal gym tomorrow since the one at work closes earlier on Friday, but then I be lifting at work again next week.

My training max's will all get bumped up next week. I'm curious (and eager) to see how it goes. I'm loving the program so far.

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Press Day[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 8 (WU)
70 x 5
80 x 3
90 x 5 (1+ Set)
I probably pushed the last set a little further than I should have. Not sure if I could've completed another rep.

[B]Bench [/B](Boring But Big)
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
I took video of one of my sets. I can't get it to show up on my computer for some reason, so I won't be posting it. It was helpful to watch though. I can see that I'm still unstable on a couple of fronts. My feet were still not quite under me, and needed to be pulled back more under my hips. My core and lats were not tight enough. I could see movement in those areas that shouldn't be happening. I was able to get my feet in a better position on the following set. The overall tightness is just a matter of focus, and I need to work on that a lot still on this lift. The weight felt quite light though, compared to the first time. That tells me I'm making [I]some[/I] improvements at least.

[B]Chest Supported Row[/B]
55 x 15
55 x 15
55 x 15
This was probably more weight than I should've used. The last set was a grind.

[B]Single Leg Curl[/B]
40 x 15
40 x 15
40 x 15

[B]Chinup[/B]
BW x 6
BW x 7
BW x 8
I was fatigued when starting these, having just completed supersetting the bench and row. My muscles grew fresher with each set.

[B]Plank[/B]
25lbs x 75 seconds
25 x 75
Second set was painful. It seems like with planks, a lot of it just comes down to how much I'm willing to suffer. I only recall 1 time where I was actually physically unable to go any longer. I probably need to suck it up and deal with the pain a bit longer.

[B]Comments:[/B]
Another week in the bag. I feel like I'm making solid progress so far. I'm pumped for the next training cycle starting on Monday with weight increases on all the primary lifts.

I'm only about halfway through this, but really enjoying this video so far. John Meadows seems like an intelligent and well spoken dude:
[youtube]zQBrtIRfeOE[/youtube]

[U]5/3/1 w/Boring But Big - Squat Day[/U]
[B]Back Squat[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 9 (5+ Set)
Probably left 2 or 3 reps in reserve. This was a Rep PR for this weight.

[B]Deadlift[/B] (Boring But Big - 5x5 @80% of TM)
95 x 5 (WU)
135 x 5 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
225 x 1 (WU)
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
Taking a moment to reset between each rep helped enormously. I still kind of ran out of steam near the end. I wouldn't have been able to complete another rep on the last set. I probably need to cut down the warmup a little.

[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
25 x 12
25 x 12
25 x 12
Felt pretty easy. I'll make it a bit more challenging next time.

[B]Pullup[/B] (Neutral Grip)
BW x 8
BW x 8
BW x 8
Had a good day here. This is the freshest I've felt on this exercise for a few weeks.

[B]Farmers Walk [/B](Isometric)
60lbs x 50 Steps
60 x 50
60 x 50

[B]Calves[/B]
3 sets on a calf machine (not even sure what the weight was)


[B]Comments:[/B]
Really good day today. That's all.

[U][B]5/3/1[/B][/U]


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
65 x 5 (WU)
95 x 5
110 x 5
125 x 11 (5+ Set)
I was locked in today. Finally got my foot placement right. Kept everything tight. This was 2 more reps than I did last time at this weight. Really encouraged with how it went today.


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 3 (WU)
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Kroc Row[/B]
40 x 12
40 x 12
40 x 12

[B]Bulgarian Split Squat[/B]
20 x 10
20 x 10
20 x 10
Still struggling enormously with these. It's definitely a weak point I need to continue working on.

[B]Pullup[/B]
BW x 7
BW x 7
BW x 7

[B]Reverse Hyper[/B]
40 x 10
40 x 10
40 x 10

[B]Calves[/B]
255 x 12
255 x 12
255 x 12


[B]Comments:[/B]
The day after Squats and Deads has been pretty rough so far. My hips and glutes are pretty fatigued. Doing reverse hyper's the day after has been pretty rough on my lower back. Moving forward, I'm going to be really careful with how much work I do on my lower back. The 5x5 on deadlifts is a killler. Still feeling pretty good though, and making good progress so far. I'll have a much needed rest day tomorrow.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
135 x 5 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
200 x 5
235 x 5
265 x 6 (5+ Set)
I was still feeling some muscle fatigue from Monday's workout, which definitely affected this lift today. I stopped immediately when my form felt like it was degrading slightly. As I mentioned in my last post, I'm going to need to be really careful about how much lower back work I'm doing, because it's affecting my performance negatively right now. I'm not concerned about it though. It will just require a small adjustment.

[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
Still trying to find my ideal stance. When I narrow it, I'm not able to go as deep as I want but I feel strong. When I widen it I can go to full depth, but feel significantly weaker and struggle with balance more. I do feel that I'm getting stronger overall though. I'll keep grinding away until I figure it out.

[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]French Press[/B]
40 x 15
40 x 15
40 x 15

[B]Face Pull[/B]
50 x 15
50 x 15
50 x 15

[B]Farmers Walk (Isometric)[/B]
60lbs x 50 steps
60 x 50
60 x 50


[B]Comments:[/B]
Another solid day overall. For some reason my appetite has increased noticeably over the last week or so. I've been having to eat more often, and larger quantities to feel like I have enough energy to function. Weight is staying relatively level. I weighed in at 166lbs this morning. I'm not really sure what's changed that's making me feel so much more hungry, and having less energy. I'm not too concerned about it at the moment since it doesn't seem to be having much impact.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 7 (WU)
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 7 (5+ Set)
I kind of wish I would've stopped 1 rep earlier. I thought I may be able to do a few more reps, but the last rep was about a 9 RPE.


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Bench[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
This was really easy. On the first week my bar speed started to slow slightly on some reps. No hint of that today. Still working on foot placement. I had 1 set where I got it perfect and my entire body was locked in tight. On the others it was just a bit off, and I was noticeably less stable.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]T-Bar Row[/B]
65 x 15
65 x 15
65 x 15

[B]Lunge[/B]
60 x 10
60 x 10
60 x 10
Lunges totally wipe me out. It didn't help that I was short of sleep after going to pick up my GF at the airport after midnight last night.

[B]Lat Pulldown[/B] - 115 x 10
[B]Chinup[/B] - BW x 8
[B]Lat Pulldown[/B] - 115 x 10
I was planning to do Chinups, but couldn't find an available chinup bar when it came time to do my first and last sets, so I settled for lat pulldowns.

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 20
BW x 20
BW x 20

[B]Comments:[/B]
Really not much else to comment on about today's session that I haven't already said. I'll be going to a party tomorrow night. Knowing the crowd, I'm expecting it to be a long night with exclusively unhealthy foods. I'll have to be on point with my diet for the rest of the weekend, and get as much rest as possible.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Back Squat[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
65 x 3 (WU)
95 x 3 (WU)
110 x 3
130 x 3
145 x 8 (3+ Set)
Today was a good day for squats. 145 felt easier this week than 135 did last week. I had a few reps in reserve when I stopped at 8. I'm super happy with my progress on this lift so far.

[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big (5x5 @80% of TM)
[B]Deadlift[/B]
135 x 5 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
225 x 1 (WU)
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
I removed one of the warmup sets, and felt fresher for the main work sets. All of the reps were solid. It was much, much better than last week. Feeling strong.

[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
25 x 15
25 x 15
25 x 15
I jumped from 12 to 15 reps per set. I'll probably repeat this next time, since the last couple reps of the last set were a hair slower than the others.

[B]Chinup[/B]
BW x 9
BW x 9
BW x 7

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 22
BW x 22
BW x 22
Added 2 reps on each set from last time. I'll keep increasing slowly.


[B]Comments:[/B]
I'm starting to get things dialed in. Making progress everywhere. :)

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
65 x 5 (WU)
100 x 3
115 x 3
130 x 8 (3+ Set)
Foot position still not right. Lacking stability today. Still not bad. I'm continuing to make progress.


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Kroc Row[/B]
45 x 12
45 x 12
45 x 12
Increased the weight by 5 pounds. I'll work up to 15 reps before increasing again.

[B]Bulgarian Split Squat[/B]
25 x 10
25 x 10
25 x 10
This finally felt a little more comfortable to me today. I should be able to increase the weight next time.

[B]Lat Pulldown[/B]
115 x 10
115 x 10
115 x 10

[B]Plank[/B]
25lbs x 90 seconds
25 x 90
God these suck, lol.


[B]Comments:[/B]
Another day. Same story. Making good progress on all lifts. I felt fresh and strong today.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
95 x 5 (WU)
135 x 3 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
215 x 3
250 x 5
280 x 6 (3+ Set)
I lost track of how many reps I did on the + set, lol. I think it was 7, but I'm marking it down as 6 since I'm not sure. I had at least 1 more rep in me (maybe more), but saw no reason to push it to the limit.

[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
I may have done 6 sets instead of 5. I lost track... It was just one of those days [facepalm]...
I realize the weight is really light, so it's not a great demonstration of form, but I was able to get some video today. I've already taken video from the side previously, so today I got two views from behind (one directly behind, and one at an angle). Been wanting to see how my side to side balance is. It's been feeling much improved, and looking good in the mirror, but I didn't know if I could totally trust that. It looks pretty good to me in the video's. I'm certainly open to feedback if anyone sees any areas for improvement, so feel free to chime in with feedback. I'll try to get some videos in the future with a heavier weight.

[youtube]IDIIgJBkU0I[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]French Press[/B]
45 x 10
45 x 10

[B]Face Pull[/B]
35 x 15
35 x 15

[B]Farmers Walk (Isometric)[/B]
65lbs x 50 steps
65 x 50
I was running behind schedule, so I eliminated some reps and sets on all of my accessory lifts today.


[B]Comments:[/B]
Another good day today. I feel like a broken record, but I guess that's a good thing. My body weight is still staying pretty steady (just over 166 pounds this morning). I'm hitting rep PR's every day, and doing it with ease. My supplemental lifts (Boring But Big) are all feeling significantly easier than they were when I first started. I think I've finally got the overall volume dialed in pretty well, because I'm feeling pretty fresh this week. All systems are 'go'.

Overhead Press day tomorrow.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 6 (3+ Set)
I was running really late today. As a result, I was going too fast and wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing. I was only supposed to do 3 reps on the first two work sets. I also pushed a bit too far on the final set. I had to really grind to get the sixth rep. Should've stopped at five. On the positive side, I haven't had any shoulder discomfort at all when doing these for quite a while now.


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
The weight feels extremely light. I'm still struggling with stability. I recorded a set today, and it looks like part of the issue is just that my shoulders are sliding on the bench. It could be partially because the weight is so light that as I do the rep my back comes off the bench, or maybe the bench is just too slippery. I have this issue to a lesser degree with more weight on the bar. Foot position looks okay to me (feet are under hips), but I can see that there's still an overall lack of tightness. I'm not really sure where to go from here. I guess I just keep working on it.

[youtube]wUV5JHMlqh4[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Chin Up[/B] - Supersetted with OHP
BW x 10
BW x 10

[B]Kroc Row[/B] - Supersetted with Bench
50 x 15
50 x 15

[B]Lunge[/B]
70 x 8
70 x 8

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 30
BW x 30
I reduced my overall volume on all of the accessory lifts again today.

[B]Comments:[/B]
I was pretty wiped out by the end of today's session. I've been short on sleep the last two days, along with having some long work days. My eating schedule was messed up today too, because of some meetings. I moved through the accessory lifts in particular at a pretty quick pace, which is probably a large part of the reason why I was tired. This was definitely my weakest workout of the week. It was still okay though, and I had a great week overall. I'm looking forward to a restful weekend.

[QUOTE=CW47;1548451731]

[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
The weight feels extremely light. I'm still struggling with stability. I recorded a set today, and it looks like part of the issue is just that my shoulders are sliding on the bench. It could be partially because the weight is so light that as I do the rep my back comes off the bench, or maybe the bench is just too slippery. I have this issue to a lesser degree with more weight on the bar. Foot position looks okay to me (feet are under hips), but I can see that there's still an overall lack of tightness. I'm not really sure where to go from here.[/QUOTE]

Try placing a towel the whole length of the bench. Helps keep you in position.
Also 3 cues to help get tight and stay there.
1. Shoulder blades back and down (Packed)
2. Glutes squeezed but pressed into the bench, starts with pressing your heels down.
3. Squeeze the bar as though you are pulling it apart. Activates the lats and promotes a consistent bar path.

Another thing worth doing is slowing down the negatibve portion of your reps and imagine placing the bar on your lower chest, you'll probably find that doing this keeps everything tight and you may notice your elbows become a little more tucked in as a result.

Best way to see if you have it right is to get in postion, setup and unrack an empty bar, the get your spotter to try and rock you side to side. If you move you arent tight enough!

[QUOTE=MynameisGregg;1548513341]Try placing a towel the whole length of the bench. Helps keep you in position.
Also 3 cues to help get tight and stay there.
1. Shoulder blades back and down (Packed)
2. Glutes squeezed but pressed into the bench, starts with pressing your heels down.
3. Squeeze the bar as though you are pulling it apart. Activates the lats and promotes a consistent bar path.

Another thing worth doing is slowing down the negatibve portion of your reps and imagine placing the bar on your lower chest, you'll probably find that doing this keeps everything tight and you may notice your elbows become a little more tucked in as a result.

Best way to see if you have it right is to get in postion, setup and unrack an empty bar, the get your spotter to try and rock you side to side. If you move you arent tight enough![/QUOTE]

The 3 cue's you've provided are things I'm aware of in general, but sometimes forget to focus on, so those are all great things for me to be mindful of. I really need the consistency from set to set.

Your comment about slowing the negative is spot on. I didn't even realize I was going as fast as I was. I'm much more aware of my bar speed with heavier sets, but again...I need to be consistent, performing every rep like it's important. I was in a hurry when performing the set in the video, and it really shows.

Putting a towel on the entire bench sounds like a great idea, and I'm definitely going to do that next time.

Thanks for checking out the video and providing good feedback. :)

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Back Squat[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
95 x 5 (WU)
120 x 5
135 x 3
150 x 7 (1+ Set)
Okay effort today. The weight went up a little slower than I'd like, but the reps were pretty solid. Despite the slower reps, I probably had 2-3 reps left in me.

[youtube]ZaoMWXUh1sY[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big (5x5 @80% of TM)
[B]Deadlift[/B]
135 x 5 (WU)
205 x 3 (WU)
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5
A bit inconsistent from set to set today. I actually got stronger as I went along. Below is the second set, which was my poorest set. I rushed a little, and didn't get as tight as I'd like. Picked up some things from the video that I can work on.

[youtube]fa1f-GWkm8s[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
30 x 12
30 x 12
30 x 12

[B]Chinup[/B]
BW x 9
BW x 8
BW x 9

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 25
BW x 25
BW x 25


[B]Comments:[/B]
Worked quickly today, but I felt fresh throughout. I'm making steady progress, and continuing to make good improvements on form all around. I've been eating a bit more, which has stopped my weight loss, but given me more energy for my workouts. I'm fine with that though. At some point soon I'll start cutting again and try to drop about another 10 pounds before summer. Then I had another maintenance period before cutting a little more. I'm not sure exactly what the timing will be. I'll make some adjustments to my programming to coincide with the obvious differences in energy. Just have to get it all planned out.

Looking forward to bench day tomorrow, where I'll work on tightening up more form some more.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
65 x 10 (WU)
95 x 5 (WU)
110 x 5
125 x 3
140 x 6 (1+ Set)
I did some extra warm up sets to play around with foot placement. They felt solid. My second and third working sets were really poor though. I'm not sure if it was because I changed my setup, or if it was just because I was having an off day. Here's video of the final set, which was pretty much a mess, as you'll be able to see, lol. I redid my setup 4 times before what you're seeing here, because it just didn't feel right. It's definitely helping to video my main lifts. Having a combination of visual and sensory feedback is much better than just going by feel.

[youtube]TYW8pyzIvKs[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Lat Pulldown[/B]
115 x 12
115 x 12
115 x 12

[B]Single Leg Curl[/B]
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10


[B]Comments:[/B]
Rough day today. It's the first one I've had in a while. I was up late last night helping my GF prep for her trip overseas, so I ended up really short of sleep. Energy level was decent, but I just felt off.
I cut out some accessories because I was pretty short on time. I'll probably have a short night again tonight, helping with last minute packing. Thank goodness I have an off day tomorrow, and hopefully I'll be able to get some more sleep before Thursday's deadlift session.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
135 x 5 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
235 x 5
265 x 3
295 x 4 (1+ Set)
The first two sets felt relatively easy. I struggled with my grip on the final set, and the weights felt unbalanced (even though I verified them afterward). I recorded the final two sets. I can see (especially on the final set) that I'm relying upon my lower back too much. My hips are raising up too quickly. This is my way of compensating for weak pushing muscles on this lift (lower body). I'm sure it'll affect how much I'm able to lift, but I'll be focusing on using my legs more for a while. It looks like I did a decent job of fixing one of the other issues I noticed in my last deadlift video, which was that I was leaning forward just before initiating the lift, which left my shoulders in front of the bar. That part looked better today.

[youtube]_9Zgmz9x-9Q[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Squat[/B]
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
Good, solid reps today. I focused on getting a bit more depth. It felt good, and looked pretty good in the recording (my phone started sliding, which is why you see movement in the video).

[youtube]AHETa23TYJI[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Tricep Rope Pushdown[/B]
6 x 15
6 x 15
6 x 15

[B]Face Pull[/B]
6 x 15
6 x 15
6 x 15
I have no idea what the 6 equates to in weight, but it felt reasonably challenging at 15 reps/set

[B]Farmers Walk (Isometric)[/B]
55lbs x 50 steps
55 x 50
55 x 50


[B]Comments:[/B]
I feel like I'm living in the twilight zone right now... I think Squats may actually be my best lift (form-wise) at the moment.

I really can't say enough about how helpful it's been to record my lifts over the last couple of weeks. What I've thought my lifts look like (based upon how they've felt) is much different than what they ACTUALLY look like. The visual is invaluable. It's great having areas to focus on for improvement. It really helps keep me focused on what I'm doing as I lift, rather than just going through the motions.

OHP day tomorrow.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 7 (WU)
75 x 5
85 x 3
95 x 5 (1+ Set)
I backed off on the warmup reps, and felt much fresher for the final set. I had to grind a little on the last set, but never felt I was in danger of missing the rep. I've made some good improvements in overall stability on this lift, which helps enormously when I get to the tougher reps. This is the first time I've recorder OHP. Looks decent enough I think...?

[B]95x5[/B]
[youtube]AGMMZFdFdSc[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - Boring But Big
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
I dun goofed. After the third set I was thinking to myself that I can't wait until I can start doing this with more weight, because it feels really easy right now. Then I was looking at my log sheet for the day and realized I had too much weight on the bar (was only supposed to be 70). I decided to just do the final two sets with the same weight. I had much better tightness/stability today. I realized that I was keeping my legs mostly tight, but wasn't carrying that up into my glutes, hips, and core. As I tightened those up I felt a big difference. I need to keep working on it, because even within sets I would notice myself relaxing part of my body (sometimes different parts of my body from one rep to the next).

[B]80x10[/B]
[youtube]2swnxUu9F-Y[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Kroc Row[/B] - Supersetted with Bench
50 x 15
50 x 15
50 x 15

[B]Chin Up[/B]
BW x 8
BW x 6
I did these slower, with a fuller range of motion today (just trying to be more controlled overall). It was much more difficult

[B]Lunge[/B]
50 x 10
50 x 10

[B]Hanging Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 8
BW x 6
This is the first time I've done [B]Hanging[/B] Leg Raises. Wow, much more difficult than I expected. Even with a minimal number of reps I was really feeling it, especially on the second set.


[B]Comments:[/B]
For the second week in a row, I ran out of steam on the Accessory lifts, and I only did 2 sets instead of 3. Could've been a number of factors that contributed to this. I had a few nights in a row where I was pretty short of sleep. It could also be that I'm feeling fatigued still the day after doing Deads/Squats. When it comes time to schedule my next cycle, I'll think about either changing up which accessories I'm doing each day, or reducing how much supplementary work I'm doing on Squats and Deadlifts. We'll see how it goes between now and then. I already have the next 5 weeks planned (Deload next week/Anchor Cycle for 3 weeks/Another Deload week), and then I'll figure out a plan for my next Leader Cycle.

Hey CW47, I really appreciate all the details you give about your workouts and your videos, they're awesome! I will be following this closely as I think about making adjustments to my own workout.

Hi CW. A very detailed log of your iron journey...
Can you post a progression from start to current for the big 6. Squat, Press, Deadlift, Bench, Row, Pull up / Chin up and what your objectives are for the next 3, 6 & 12 months.

[QUOTE=squesto;1549160051]Hey CW47, I really appreciate all the details you give about your workouts and your videos, they're awesome! I will be following this closely as I think about making adjustments to my own workout.[/QUOTE]
Hey squesto. Glad to have you following along. :)

[QUOTE=daawhitty;1549222061]Hi CW. A very detailed log of your iron journey...
Can you post a progression from start to current for the big 6. Squat, Press, Deadlift, Bench, Row, Pull up / Chin up and what your objectives are for the next 3, 6 & 12 months.[/QUOTE]
Hi daawhitty. Thanks for jumping in. The whole reason I started a log was so I'd have a history of my progress. It'll be nice to look back myself and see how far I've come (which goes back a bit beyond the beginning of this thread), because I haven't really done that in quite a while now. I'll put together a proper response either after posting up today's workout info, or sometime later.


[B][U]5/3/1 - Deload Week[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Back Squat[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
110 (70% of TM) x 5
130 (80%) x 3
145 (90%) x 1
160 (100%) x 1
I had about 14 inches of snow in the driveway today since I was too lazy to clean it up yesterday. It was so wet and heavy that my snowblower wouldn't work, so I got to shovel instead. I was still pretty worn out at workout time. The fatigue from tossing heavy snow for an hour had a clear impact on my workout today. The last two sets of singles were really good. The earlier sets...not so much.
Here's the 130x3 set. You can see a hint of what I've been struggling with since I started squatting. My left side is stronger than my right, and I find myself favoring it as I get fatigued. Being already fatigued before starting my squats, you can see my right leg caving in, and that I start moving my center of balance over towards my left leg slightly. It's much improved over what it was at one point, but still something I need to really focus one each time I squat.

[youtube]PL6wKqTzxOw[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - (First Set Last - 5x3)
[B]Deadlift[/B]
95 x 5 (WU)
135 x 5 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
215 x 5
215 x 5
215 x 5
Still working on not leaning forward when initiating reps, and also on getting full extension at the top of the lift. Some reps were really good, while others were a little sloppy. Again, I was pretty tired going into the workout. I had to really focus on what I was doing, and I think I did that reasonably well.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
30 x 12
30 x 12
30 x 12
I did these at a slower, more controlled pace than last time. I barely completed the last rep of the last set.

[B]Chinup[/B]
BW x 8
BW x 6
Also did these slower than I usually have. I'm trying to have the accessory lifts focused on building muscle, so I'm doing them with more control rather than trying to move the weight quickly. I'm not going to worry too much about how much weight I'm using (or how many reps I'm doing) on these lifts. I'm just trying to make sure I work the muscles thoroughly.

[B]Lat Pulldown[/B]
115 x 10

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 25

[B]Landmine 180[/B]
25lbs x 10
I struggled to get on the equipment I wanted, so I used what was available for both my 'Pull' and 'Core' lifts today. This was my first time doing this particular exercise. I may try it again, but it was pretty hard on my wrists, even with only 25 pounds on the bar. Here's a Landmine 180, for anyone who doesn't know what it is:

[youtube]YC7poHGaVFE[/youtube]


[B]Comments:[/B]
It's probably a good thing it's a deload week. I'm quite tired and sore right now. Tomorrow is another day. Bench day. :)

[QUOTE=daawhitty;1549222061]Hi CW. A very detailed log of your iron journey...
Can you post a progression from start to current for the big 6. Squat, Press, Deadlift, Bench, Row, Pull up / Chin up and what your objectives are for the next 3, 6 & 12 months.[/QUOTE]
At the very beginning, I started off doing primarily bodyweight exercises. I could do about 10 pushups. I was doing bodyweight squats, and those were a struggle too. After about 4 months of building up some strength and stamina, I finally got into some real training. What's listed below are the 1 rep maxes I started with when I started logging my workouts (around June 2016), compared to my current estimated 1 rep maxes:
Squat: 130 --> 185 (+[B]55lbs[/B])
Bench: 115 --> 170 (+[B]55lbs[/B])
Deadlift: 260 --> 335 (+[B]75lbs[/B])
Press: 95 --> 110 (+[B]15lbs[/B])
Bent Row: 150 --> ??? Replaced these with exercises that are less stressful on my lower back (Chest Supported Rows, Kroc Rows, etc.)
Pullup: 185 --> 220 (+[B]35lbs[/B])

I made really good progress initially (had a squat max of 200 at one point), but as I learned more I realized that my form was **** and needed to be fixed so I didn't hurt myself. Unfortunately, I did hurt myself a couple of times. Hurt my back deadlifting and took about a month to recover. Hurt my shoulder doing everything wrong, lol. That kept me from doing any pressing (and most pulling) for nearly 3 months. I was finally fully healthy again in the summer of 2017. At this point I had dropped most of my 1 rep maxes pretty significantly while I focused on making sure I was doing the lifts in a way that would be safe for my body. Things started out slowly from that point, but I started to hit my stride in the fall of 2017, and have been making steady progress since then, both in the amount of weight I'm lifting, and in how I'm performing the lifts. Recording myself and watching it back has been enormously helpful recently.

When it comes to lifting, my goals are admittedly kind of ambiguous and poorly defined. My longer term goals are the typical strength benchmarks that a lot of lifters have when they first start out (4 Plate Deadlift, 3 Plate Squat, 2 Plate Bench). Would love to Deadlift 500 someday, and I think that may be doable since it seems to be the lift I'm most suited to anatomically. My mid-term goals are simply to continue increasing my 1RM's (Squat to 200, Bench to 185, Deadlift to 350), though I don't really have any time frames tied into these goals. My short term goals are to improve my form every time I lift, and to hit PR's consistently (primarily rep PR's right now). Aesthetics is not something I'm really concerned about.

I have one goal that overrides everything else I've listed though - To feel and be healthy. I've been in pain just enough to know that it's not something I want to deal with on a daily basis. The muscle pain felt during and after exercise is nothing to me, and isn't the kind of pain I'm talking about. I want healthy joints and a healthy cardiovascular system. I don't want my body to prevent me from enjoying my life. This will always take precedence for me, even if at some point it means sacrificing the long term and short term goals I listed earlier. Health is my priority. The long term and short term goals are what light the fire in me that's necessary to maintain consistency in my diet and exercise, but they are negotiable while my ultimate goal of well-being is not.

[B][U]5/3/1 - Deload Week[/U][/B]
[B]Weight[/B] = 168.8 lbs
[B]Sleep[/B] = 7.5 Hours
[B]Energy[/B] = 5 - Started out high, but crashed hard about halfway through


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
65 x 5 (WU)
85 x 5 (WU)
100 (70%) x 5
115 (80%) x 3
130 (90%) x 1
145 (100%) x 1
Did some extra warm up sets again so I could work on my setup. Went back to pulling my feet further back under me, because I'm feeling more solid that way. I'm happy with how today went. I think this is a good foundation I can build on. I have two main things I want to work on improving now. First is refining the touch point at the bottom of the lift. I think it's too low at times, as can be seen in the first set in the video below. The two singles were much better. Next thing to work on is getting closer to the rack. I keep ending up lower on the bench than I want to be, which is making the unracking a little awkward.

[youtube]lyT9QNJj2Cs[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last (3 sets of 5)
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 10
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Pullup[/B] - Supersetted with OHP
BW x 8
BW x 8
BW x 6
I did a more traditional pullup today, as opposed to the neutral grip and chinups I've been doing most of the time. Ran out of steam on the final set.

[B]Kroc Row[/B]
55 x 12
55 x 12
55 x 12
Struggling to feel a muscle connection on the left side.

[B]Bulgarian Split Squat[/B]
25 x 10
25 x 10
25 x 10
I setup a bench so I had something to rest my off hand on to help keep my balance. This helped enormously.

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 25
BW x 25
BW x 25


[B]Comments:[/B]
Had the day off of work today, and ended up working out quite a bit earlier than I typically do. I'm not sure if it was because of that, but my energy level crashed about halfway through the workout today. It really didn't make much difference though, since I had already completed the main lifts for the day.

[B][U]5/3/1 - Deload Week[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B] (Pounds) ====== 167.8
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 8
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 55

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
95 x 5 (WU)
135 x 3 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
215 (70%) x 5
250 (80%) x 3
280 (90%) x 1
310 (100%) x 1
Still fighting a tendency to lean forward before the first rep of each set. I led with my hips too much on the final single, but nothing too terrible.

[youtube]kmX0C8p_pfs[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last (3 sets of 5)
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 6 (WU)
95 x 3 (WU)
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
Tinkering with minor adjustments on stance width, foot angle, and knee path. Pretty solid reps throughout.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Tricep Rope Pushdown[/B]
7 x 15
7 x 15
7 x 15
Bumped it up from 6 to 7. This was just about right, getting quite challenging toward the end, but not too close to failure.

[B]Face Pull[/B]
7 x 15
7 x 15
7 x 15
Probably a little too much weight. The last few reps were kind of sloppy. I'll reduce the weight next time (or the number of reps).

[B]Farmers Walk (Isometric)[/B]
60lbs x 50 steps
60 x 50
60 x 50


[B]Comments:[/B]
I worked at a steady pace, with my energy level staying steady throughout (which usually isn't the case on Deadlift day). Nothing really noteworthy today. Just a good, solid session. Overhead Press day tomorrow.

[B][U]5/3/1 - Deload Week[/U][/B]
[B]Weight[/B] (Pounds) ====== 167
[B]Sleep[/B] (Hours) ======== 7.5
[B]Energy[/B] (1-10) ======== 4
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 54

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
70 (70%) x 5
80 (80%) x 3
90 (90%) x 1
100 (100%) x 1
Bar speed slowed considerably on the final rep, but still moved smoothly.

[youtube]d60xhuqNyZ8[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last (3 sets of 5)
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
85 x 5 (WU)
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
Good improvements today. Lower body was tight. Upper body tight as well (one of my lats actually started cramping at one point). Touch point was a hair higher, and felt really good. This also helped with bar path. Still trying to get in the right position on the bench so that un-racking and re-racking is comfortable. I had it right on a couple of the sets today.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Bulgarian Split Squat[/B]
25 x 12
25 x 12
25 x 12
Increased by 2 reps per set. For some reason, the single leg movements destroy me to a degree that's matched only by deadlifts.

[B]Neutral Grip Pullup[/B]
BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 28
BW x 28
BW x 28
Increased by 3 reps on each set. Barely completed the final set.

[B]Comments:[/B]
I did the accessory lifts as a tri-set. I was feeling fabulous during the workout up until I did the first set of Split Squats. I had to take 4-5 minute rests between the final sets, because I was getting light headed and queasy.

I'll take the next two days off. Next week I start my Anchor Cycle. For the anchor cycle I'll be doing the First Set Last supplemental program, along with some Joker sets. My training max will increase by 5 pounds on Bench and Press, and by 10 pounds on Squats and Deadlifts. Should be fun.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
April 24th Workout:
[B]Weight[/B] (Pounds) ====== 169.6
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 4
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 53


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 6 (WU)
65 x 5 (WU)
95 x 3 (WU)
115 x 3
130 x 3
150 x 5 (3+ Set)
Right knee was bothering me for the first time in quite a while. I couldn't get comfortable at all, and my knee was cracking with every rep. On the fifth rep I shifted over to my left side significantly because I wasn't trusting my right knee to hold up. I stopped immediately. Wasn't able to get video today.


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last
[B]Deadlift[/B]
150 x 5 (WU)
195 x 5 (WU)
225 x 5
225 x 5
225 x 5
I had 195 marked as my working weight, and didn't realize until after doing a set at that weight that I actually should've been lifting 225, so 195 turned into a warmup set, lol.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
30 x 13
30 x 13
30 x 13
Added 1 rep to each set

[B]Pullup[/B]
BW x 8
BW x 7
BW x 6

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 25
BW x 25
BW x 25


[B]Comments:[/B]
I didn't lift on Monday because we had a birthday party for my GF's son. He turned 8 on Sunday. We had loads of fun at Chuck E Cheese's. I think I had more fun playing games than he did, lol.
I've been fighting off a cold or something for a few days. I had pizza, cake, and soda, which predictably made the scale reading jump up.

My energy level was extremely low for this workout. I got in and out as fast as possible.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight[/B] (Pounds) ====== 168.6
[B]Sleep[/B] (Hours) ======== 6.75
[B]Energy[/B] (1-10) ======== 6
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 52


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
85 x 5 (WU)
105 x 3
120 x 3
135 x 7 (3+ Set)
As can be seen in the video below, I'm still not getting totally locked in with my lower body. It's greatly improved, but I still have some work to be done. Final set was about an 8-8.5 RPE. It tied a rep PR at this weight. I haven't been noting PR's so far, but almost every + set over the last couple of weeks has been a Rep PR. I believe my squat workout this week is the only exception.
[youtube]tBSVJMj5CPM[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last
[B]Bench Press[/B]
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Pullup[/B] - Supersetted w/Bench Press
BW x 7
BW x 7
BW x 7

[B]Kroc Row[/B]
60 x 12
60 x 12
60 x 12

[B]Single Leg Curl[/B]
50 x 12
50 x 12
50 x 12

[B]Isometric Farmers Walk[/B]
60lbs x 50 steps
60 x 50
60 x 50


[B]Comments:[/B]
I did a minimum amount of work again today, still trying to conserve some energy since I'm not feeling great. It was a good solid session overall. I'll see how I feel tomorrow... May try to lift again if I'm feeling up to it.

Sorry for the late response I thought I had subbed your thread :)

I like your approach taking steps back to adjust and develop form without overreaching beyond your technique and hurting yourself. Shows good maturity in your lifting.

Keep referring to your plan and target the steps you need to take to get there. You’ve got good experience of programming use that to plan what you need to do each session/week/month to hit your short/medium and long term goals.

Btw Also make sure that you have time set aside for mobility and strength beyond barbell training as this was the cause of my recent injury..

Best of luck I’ll make sure I get that sub sorted out.

[QUOTE=daawhitty;1550128631]Sorry for the late response I thought I had subbed your thread :)

I like your approach taking steps back to adjust and develop form without overreaching beyond your technique and hurting yourself. Shows good maturity in your lifting.

Keep referring to your plan and target the steps you need to take to get there. You’ve got good experience of programming use that to plan what you need to do each session/week/month to hit your short/medium and long term goals.

Btw Also make sure that you have time set aside for mobility and strength beyond barbell training as this was the cause of my recent injury..

Best of luck I’ll make sure I get that sub sorted out.[/QUOTE]
I learned my lesson the hard way too when it comes to being smart about training. I was out because of a shoulder injury for 3 months, starting around this time last year. I had some minor injuries before that, but this one really made me realize the importance of prioritizing longevity over short term progress. I started weight training at a relatively late age, so I can't afford to miss training time. You don't go right from where you are to where you want to be in one fell swoop. It's a series of steps, one after another. I got into trouble by trying to to make giant leaps when I should have been making small steps. Lesson learned.

Thanks a lot for the advice. Mobility is an area I've tended to neglect. My available time for exercise is pretty limited, so I've tried to make sure I prioritize the things that are most important to me. Mobility hasn't been a major issue for me so far, so it's stayed somewhat low on my priority list. I realize it could become an issue if I don't dedicate some time towards it, but I haven't really done that (aside from when I was rehabbing my shoulder). I pretty much just do a small bit of stretching before and during my lifting sessions, and about 5 minutes of general stretching each day. I know I'll need to increase that at some point. Flexible joints and muscles are important for sure.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight[/B] (Pounds) ====== 167.8
[B]Sleep[/B] (Hours) ======== 6.75
[B]Energy[/B] (1-10) ======== 6
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 50

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
135 x 5 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
225 x 3
255 x 3
290 x 6 (3+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
315 x 1 (Joker)
330 x 1 (Joker)
Decent reps. Small improvement in a couple of areas. Still focusing on the same issues I've mentioned the last couple of deadlift sessions. Here's video of the 3+ set:

[youtube]JOFNZ6-p-wI[/youtube]


[u]Supplemental Lift[/u] - First Set Last (5 sets of 5)
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
85 x 3 (WU)
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
Still feeling a little off today, with my right knee not feeling quite right. Narrowed my stance slightly, and that helped enormously. I think I've been going a bit too wide lately, in an attempt to improve my depth. I think I overdid it. Amazing how much difference an inch or so can make.

[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
Skipped accessory work today


[B]Comments:[/B]
I was tired all day, and didn't feel up to lifting today. Ended up going for a walk through the neighborhood with the kids and came back feeling energized, so I decided to go lift (about 2 hours later than I typically do). I was able to take more time between sets since I wasn't on such a strict time schedule. This helped a ton, since deadlifts are always draining. It was pretty late when I got through with squats, so I skipped the accessory work.

Strong Deads man.. having time pressures definitely affects workout performance- it’s another stresser..

Back to mobility it’s being strong in all positions of the movement for example how long can you stay in the bottoms of the squat the start of the pull in deads or keeping scapula retractment in Bench we can all work on that to avoid form breakdown..

Nice session.

[QUOTE=daawhitty;1550162141]Strong Deads man.. having time pressures definitely affects workout performance- it’s another stresser..

Back to mobility it’s being strong in all positions of the movement for example how long can you stay in the bottoms of the squat the start of the pull in deads or keeping scapula retractment in Bench we can all work on that to avoid form breakdown..

Nice session.[/QUOTE]
I hear you on all of that :ThumbsUp:
I should be able to fit in some kind of extra physical work on the weekends, whether that's going for a long walk, bike ride, swimming, or doing some stretching work. It's something I've been thinking about for a while actually. Continuing existing habits is easy. Creating new habits is the opposite of easy. It will be done though.


[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 167.8
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 6.75
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 5
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 60

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
75 x 3
85 x 3
95 x 4 (3+ Set)
4 Reps is not what I was expecting after doing 5 at this weight two weeks ago. It's undoubtedly the result of a combination of factors this week. Poor sleep, feeling under the weather, missing Monday and then lifting 4 days in a row. I don't think I've had a session in the last 2 months where my energy level was under a 7 (maybe a 6), and all of my sessions this week were below that. It was a real struggle just to get to 4. Thought I may not make it for a moment. On the positive side, the reps were all really solid. No form breakdown at all, even as I struggled with the final rep. Wasn't able to get video footage today because there were people surrounding me and I didn't like the idea of putting my phone on the ground near them while they were lifting, lol.


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last (5 sets of 5)
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Neutral Grip Pullup[/B]
BW x 9
BW x 9
BW x 9

[B]Bulgarian Split Squat[/B]
25 x 15
25 x 15
25 x 15
Starting to make some progress here, slowly. Setting up so I have something to assist with balance is enormously helpful. I did 3 reps more on each set than last time. I'll probably bump it up to 30lbs next time.

[B]Hanging Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 7
BW x 7
BW x 7


[B]Comments:[/B]
I survived a difficult week. There's not much more I can say than that. I'll hopefully get some good rest this weekend, and be ready to hit it hard again on Monday.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 168.0
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 65


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
85 x 5 (WU)
105 x 5
125 x 5
140 x 10 (5+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
As mentioned last week, I narrowed my stance slightly today. It felt really good. I'm definitely stronger this way. Form is not perfect (I had at least one rep where I felt the bar drift forward), but I'll keep working on it. Took video from the side so I could see what my depth looked like. Looks acceptable, and it doesn't matter much anyway since I have no thought about ever competing. Just wanted to verify that I wasn't doing half squats, lol.

[youtube]YrA5l96pd8E[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last
[B]Deadlift[/B]
135 x 3 (WU)
185 x 3 (WU)
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
30 x 14
30 x 14
30 x 14
Added 1 rep to each set

[B]Lat Pulldown[/B]
115 x 12
115 x 12
115 x 12

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 25
BW x 25
BW x 25

[B]Incline Bench Press[/B]
45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5


[B]Comments:[/B]
Couldn't get in a rack or on a bench, so I fiddled around for a while at the beginning. Went through my accessory lifts first, and then did some Incline Bench work for the first time in over a year. I've stayed away from it because I think it's one of the lifts that contributed to me injuring my shoulder. If felt really good today.

I'm starting to get some joint soreness over the last two weeks. It's probably partially because my weight has increased just slightly (I know that as soon as I get over 170 I start having problems), but I'm starting to think that some of it may be from repetitive motion. I'm feeling discomfort in my shoulders and knees on certain movements. I was feeling it in my knees when doing deadlifts today, which is something I've never felt before. Thinking I may change up some (or all) of my main lifts when I start my next Leader cycle. I'm probably going to start cutting again too, so it would be a good way for me to continue getting stronger by working on weak points.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 168.0
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 6
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 53


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
75 x 5 (WU)
100 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 9 (5+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
I was maybe slightly fatigued from the light incline work I did yesterday, but I don't think it had much effect. I'm still too loose, especially my lower body. Final rep was an 8.5-9 RPE.

[youtube]f-KYRKhv76M[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last
[B]Bench Press[/B]
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Kroc Row[/B]
60 x 13
60 x 13
60 x 13
1 Rep increase on all sets

[B]Single Leg Curl[/B]
50 x 15
50 x 15

[B]Face Pull[/B]
42.5 x 12
42.5 x 12
Just did 2 sets of the last two accessory lifts since I was strapped for time.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 168.2
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 6.75
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 64

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
95 x 5 / 135 x 5 / 185 x 3 (Warmups)
210 x 5
240 x 5
270 x 9 (5+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
I changed my warmup a little bit, and I felt better going into the work sets, so I'll probably try it again next time. I did a combination of traditional and Sumo in my warmups. The Sumo lifts helped loosen up my hips. I'm still leaning forward too much on the work sets, getting my shoulders in front of the bar. I may take video of one of my earlier sets next time, to see if I'm doing the same thing at lighter weights. My final rep was not good. It probably shouldn't be counted, but I'm the judge so it's getting counted, lol. I should've taken another second to catch my breath and I would've hit it cleanly.

[youtube]QwX0wP01sK4[/youtube]


[u]Supplemental Lift[/u] - First Set Last (5 sets of 5)
[B]Squat[/B]
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5
All of the reps were super easy today. Here's the final set:

[youtube]NZkfUXfUE0I[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Tricep Rope Pushdown[/B]
42.5 x 15
42.5 x 15
42.5 x 15
Got extremely challenging near the end of the sets. I'll repeat at this weight.

[B]Face Pull[/B]
37.5 x 15
37.5 x 15
37.5 x 12
I'll repeat with the same weight next time and try to add a few more reps to the total.

[B]Farmers Walk[/B]
110 pounds x 100 steps
110 x 100
I was pretty much holding onto the dumbbells with 2 fingers at the end of the second walk. My grip was totally exhausted. I'll probably either keep the weight the same, or reduce it slightly, and work towards 3 walks of 100 steps.


[B]Comments:[/B]
Feeling totally back to normal after a rough patch. I felt pretty strong, and maintained a good energy level throughout the workout, which usually isn't the case on Deadlift day.

I went out for dinner with my parents last night. Salad, spaghetti, and some kind of glazed cake. Weight went up a pound as a result. I'm kind of itching to start a cut since I'm a little uncomfortable physically. I'm going to try to hold off a little longer though, and then do about a 10-15 pound cut.

I've been dropping the ball on the sleep aspect lately. Under 7 hours almost every night. I tend to struggle anytime I get less than eight. I'm basically a zombie by the end of the week when I have consecutive days under 7 hours like I have recently. I really don't even have an excuse for it. I worked 2nd shift hours for years, and just enjoy being awake late. I enjoy the time alone, and the silence. I also tend to have more energy late in the day, so I feel exhausted most of the day and then feel energized when I should be getting ready to sleep. I need to just force myself to rest though. I know it's hurting me right now, in several aspects of life.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to killing it tomorrow on Press day.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 167.2
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 55

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 8 (5+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
The weight flew up today. Final rep was probably around a 8.5 RPE. My previous best at this weight was 6 reps.

[youtube]MOdwgr3ByWw[/youtube]

[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last (5 sets of 5)
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
Bar speed was great. The sets actually got easier as I went along.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Pullup[/B] - Supersetted with OHP
BW x 8
BW x 7
BW x 6

[B]Lunge[/B]
30 x 10
30 x 10
30 x 10

[B]Chest Supported Row[/B]
60 x 12
60 x 12
60 x 12

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 25
BW x 25
BW x 25


[B]Comments:[/B]
I'm really happy with how OHP went today. Everything actually went well, aside from the lunges, which kick my ass every time. I strung together 4 solid workouts this week. Next week will be the 5/3/1 week. I'll mix in some Joker sets on the days I'm feeling good.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 169.2
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 6.5
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 75


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 7 (WU)
85 x 5 (WU)
105 x 3 (WU)
125 x 5
140 x 3
155 x 6 (1+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
165 x 3 (Joker)
175 x 1 (Joker)
It took me a little bit longer than normal to get loosened up today. Once I was properly warmed up, the squats felt really good today. I got my feet in a poor position on the 1+ set, and resulted in some discomfort. Ended up adjusting before the third rep, and felt strong from that point. The extra bit of energy used to work through poor positioning on the first couple of reps probably cost me a rep or two on my total. I had at least 1 or 2 left in me, but I stopped when the bar speed started to slow slightly. I also left some in the tank on the joker sets. Feeling really good with this lift right now. I'm hoping I can keep this momentum going for a long time now.

[youtube]rlVJe3zWVsU[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last (5 x 5)
[B]Deadlift[/B]
115 x 4 (WU)
165 x 4 (WU)
215 x 2 (WU)
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5
Weird day on deads today. I typically start out with good form and it starts to degrade from that point. Today was the other way around. My last set, and actually the last 3 reps, were the best. It's been a while since I've really nailed every rep on deadlifts. I need to get more focused.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
30 x 14
30 x 14
30 x 14

[B]Neutral Grip Pullup[/B] (hands slightly wider than shoulder width)
BW x 7
BW x 6

[B]Lat Pulldown[/B]
130 x 10
Didn't have access to a pullup bar, so I did pulldowns instead of waiting.

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 30
BW x 30
BW x 30


[B]Comments:[/B]
I was out to eat Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so bodyweight was a little high today. I'm going to experiment a little bit with time restricted eating this week. I'll be eating the same amount of food, but compressing the time period in which I eat it. I usually start with coffee around 7:30AM, and eat something right before I sleep around 11PM. Today I didn't have anything except water until 9:15AM, and finished my eating at 7:15PM. I'll keep a similar schedule all week and see what happens.

Workout was good today. The 5x5 on deadlifts was a killer after squats, so I extended my rest times. The squats and deads alone took about an hour. The workout ended up being 15-20 minutes longer than it typically has, but is was worth the extra time to make sure I was fresh enough.

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 167.6
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 60


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench Press[/B]
45 x 10 (WU)
85 x 5 (WU)
115 x 5
130 x 3
145 x 6 (1+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
155 x 3 (Joker)
160 x 1 (Joker)
Really poor bench day. I felt okay up until I got to the + set, where things went downhill (as you can see in the video below). It wasn't anything catastrophic, but was really sloppy. I setup too close to the hooks. I knew I was too close, and should've reset but I didn't. Instead, I adjusted my touch point and bar path slightly. Stupid. I was pretty much at a 9 RPE on the final rep, and hit the hooks on the way up.

I started with a sore left elbow (probably from squatting yesterday (I've had issues with this in the past). It affected my bench, and I ended up making some other small adjustments as a result, widening my grip slightly. I ended up with sore shoulders by the time I was done. I basically just made a bunch of small adjustments (or failed to make adjustments I should have), which put me in bad positions for benching. To compound the stupidity, I did joker sets. I really should've just quit after the + set. Oh well, I guess doing stupid stuff is a good way to learn what not to do, lol. Hopefully I be smarter next time I'm in a similar situation.

[youtube]OUp67hZoOkw[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last
[B]Bench Press[/B]115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Kroc Row[/B] - Supersetted with Bench
60 x 14
60 x 14
60 x 14
1 Rep increase on all sets. I'm nearing a stalling point on this lift. I definitely couldn't have completed another rep on each set today.

[B]Pullup[/B]
BW x 5
As I mentioned above, I had sore shoulders after benching. I felt some distinct discomfort almost right away on the pullups, so I just stopped.

[B]Single Leg Curl[/B]
50 x 12
50 x 12
50 x 12

[B]Farmers Walk[/B]
110 pounds x 100 steps
110 x 100
110 x 100


[B]Comments:[/B]
I came away form today's session mostly just irritated by my bench press performance. My shoulders are feeling perfectly okay at the moment, so I'm confident I didn't hurt myself, but I certainly could've. Anyway, I've bitched about it enough. The rest of the workout was decent enough.

This is the last week of my anchor cycle. I'll do a deload next week, following the 7th Week , Training Max Test Protocol. I'll be testing TM's for some new lifts. I really don't want to delay my progress on the main lifts, since I'm going in a good direction on all of them. I'm looking to implement some alternative lifts though, to hopefully easy some joint stress I've been feeling the effects of recently. So most likely I'll start doing alternate exercises for all of my Supplemental lifts. Front Squats, Sumo Deadlift, and I haven't decided on what I'll do for Bench and Press yet. In addition, I'm going to change several of my Accessory lifts. I've been using primarily the same ones for 3-6 months now, and am getting close to stalling on several of them. It'll be nice to mix in some new stuff.

The first day of time restricted eating had surprisingly good results, dropping 1.6 pounds. I'm going to assume that was an anomaly, because that would be insane if simply changing the timing of meals without changing the amount of calories made that much of a difference (I'd typically drop 0.6-1 pound per day at this calorie level, so this basically doubled that). We'll see how the next few days go...

Tomorrow is a day of rest (much needed).

[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 167.4
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 6.5
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 6
[B]Workout Time [/B](Minutes) = 30

[u]Primary Lift[/u]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
125 x 3 / 205 x 3 (Warmups)
240 x 5
270 x 3
305 x 4 (1+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
I'm still reverting to poor form, removing some of the load from my legs and forcing my lower back to do the majority of the work. I need to work on my weak points or I'm just going to continue doing this since it's the path of least resistance for my body. Hoping to make some improvements on this by implementing different supplemental lifts in my next cycle. I think Sumo Deadlifts and Front Squats should help me build more strength in my quads and hips, and prevent me from relying on my lower back strength. Should be a positive in the long run.

I was on a really tight schedule today, so I didn't do a thorough warmup. I could tell the difference. No video today since I didn't have a spare minute to setup my phone.


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last (5 sets of 5)
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 6 / 95 x 3 (Warmups)
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
I actually did squats first today since I was able to get in a squat rack, but wasn't able to get on a platform for deadlifts right away. I worked through all of the reps pretty effortlessly, with rest times of 1 minute or less between the sets. Felt some discomfort in my right knee initially, and thought I may need to cut it short, but it got better as I went along, and I wasn't feeling any discomfort at all after the second set. I know 125 pounds is basically nothing for most lifters, but for me I'm really happy that I'm able to lift this much relatively easily now for 5x5. I've really started hitting my stride.


[B]Comments:[/B]
No accessories today. No time to do them.

The weigh in on Tuesday must have been an anomaly. I weighed in at over 168 on Wednesday, and then today I was back to about the same weight as Tuesday. My rate of weight loss during the week is basically falling in line with what it's typically been, so it appears there's not much impact when keeping my calorie intake the same but shortening my eating window from about 15 hours down to about 10 hours. I may continue this for another week just to satisfy my curiosity.

[QUOTE=CW47;1551265581][B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 167.4
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 6.5
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 6
[B]Workout Time [/B](Minutes) = 30

[u]Primary Lift[/u]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
125 x 3 / 205 x 3 (Warmups)
240 x 5
270 x 3
305 x 4 (1+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
I'm still reverting to poor form, removing some of the load from my legs and forcing my lower back to do the majority of the work. I need to work on my weak points or I'm just going to continue doing this since it's the path of least resistance for my body. Hoping to make some improvements on this by implementing different supplemental lifts in my next cycle. I think Sumo Deadlifts and Front Squats should help me build more strength in my quads and hips, and prevent me from relying on my lower back strength. Should be a positive in the long run.
[/QUOTE]

Nothing worse than feeling like your form is off.
I looked back at the last deadlift video you posted and noticed that before the bar leaves the floor your hips pop up. Could be a few things causing it:

1. Bar not touching your shins.
2. Bar not directly below your shoulder blades.
3. Lack of core tightness.
4. Lack of lat activation.

Run through your setup, check points 1 & 2 are good and video your warm up sets. If the problem doesnt exist on these sets then it is very likely down to points 3, 4 or both combined.
Core tightness to maintain a neutral spine is tough as weight gets heavier.
I find a very good mental note for lat activation is to try and pull the bar apart, same applies on bench press aswell. This will also take the slack out of the bar so that when you begin the lift your back angle should not change until the bar gets to your knees.

Only things you can do to improve this is work on core exercises like planks, farmers walk, hanging leg raises etc which require constant tightness throughout your whole torso. You will also likely improve your squat and bench form in unison.

Also have you ever performed RDLs?

[QUOTE=MynameisGregg;1551284561]Nothing worse than feeling like your form is off.
I looked back at the last deadlift video you posted and noticed that before the bar leaves the floor your hips pop up. Could be a few things causing it:

1. Bar not touching your shins.
2. Bar not directly below your shoulder blades.
3. Lack of core tightness.
4. Lack of lat activation.

Run through your setup, check points 1 & 2 are good and video your warm up sets. If the problem doesnt exist on these sets then it is very likely down to points 3, 4 or both combined.
Core tightness to maintain a neutral spine is tough as weight gets heavier.
I find a very good mental note for lat activation is to try and pull the bar apart, same applies on bench press aswell. This will also take the slack out of the bar so that when you begin the lift your back angle should not change until the bar gets to your knees.

Only things you can do to improve this is work on core exercises like planks, farmers walk, hanging leg raises etc which require constant tightness throughout your whole torso. You will also likely improve your squat and bench form in unison.

Also have you ever performed RDLs?[/QUOTE]
Great post! Thank you.

I think all of your points are pretty spot on. The issue happens with lighter sets sometimes, when I'm unfocused, but is much less pronounced. On the heavier sets it's not an issue of focus. It's just that I'm resorting to lifting in the only way that will allow me to get the weight up. I've commented on leg weakness because I [I]feel[/I] like I'm able to get my core and lats tight enough on the heavier sets, but as soon as I begin trying to push with my legs I can tell that I don't have the strength to get the bar off the ground. Whereas I can typically get it off the ground if I force my lower back to do the majority of the work. So part of this is just the fact that I'm purposely allowing myself to use improper form. I should probably take a step back and allow my weak points to limit the amount of weight I'm able to lift, rather than compensating for them and lifting with improper form.

In addition, I obviously need to continue building up my weak points. Core and Lats are definitely included in the list of weaker muscles that are holding me back and contributing to imbalances in my form. I've been pretty consistent in doing exercises to help build up these areas. Leg Raises, Planks, and Farmers Walks have been a part of my routine regularly. I'm making slow progress with all of them, and will definitely continue to work on them.

To look at this in reverse, my problem on this lift isn't so much my weak points - It's that my lower back is so much stronger than every other part of my body. The contrast in strength between my lower back and everything else just really stands out when doing deadlifts. Since I couldn't (and wouldn't want to) weaken my strong point in order to achieve proper form, I just need to continue working on building everything else up.

I did RDL's for several months before I ever attempted a traditional deadlift. It may actually be a small part of the reason I tend to straighten out my legs at the beginning of deadlifts, because that's the position I first learned and got comfortable with. It's a lift (and position) that I feel really comfortable and strong on. It's also part of the reason I've stopped doing them, as I've gradually shifted my focus towards my weak points.

Thanks again Greg. Great feedback. I'm going to refocus on doing the lift the correct way, and stop worrying about PR's for now.

It sounds like it is just a case of your muscle firing sequence being slightly out. Your posterior chain is clearly strong enough given your acceleration through to lockout is good.

I don't know if its true for others but Ive always felt like my back (Mainly lats and traps) is the first thing to fire after Ive took a huge belly of air and braced against my belt. Then I just press my feet into the floor and drive my glutes through once the bar is clearing my knees.

From your video it looks like your lower half (Low back and hips) are ready. Your top half isn't. I'll try and dig out a form vid of mine for reference.

[QUOTE=MynameisGregg;1551323181]It sounds like it is just a case of your muscle firing sequence being slightly out. Your posterior chain is clearly strong enough given your acceleration through to lockout is good.

I don't know if its true for others but Ive always felt like my back (Mainly lats and traps) is the first thing to fire after Ive took a huge belly of air and braced against my belt. Then I just press my feet into the floor and drive my glutes through once the bar is clearing my knees.

From your video it looks like your lower half (Low back and hips) are ready. Your top half isn't. I'll try and dig out a form vid of mine for reference.[/QUOTE]

I understand what you're saying now. I'll pay close attention to this next time around. Thank you sir. :)


[B][U]5/3/1[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 168
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 70

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
45 x 5 / 65 x 3 (Warmups)
80 x 5
90 x 3
100 x 4 (1+ Set) [B]Rep PR[/B]
105 x 1 (Joker)
110 x 1 (Joker) [B]PR[/B]
115 x 1 (Joker) [B]PR[/B]
Everything moved pretty smoothly here, with the exception of the final rep at 115. I didn't have any doubt about completing it after the single at 110 went up pretty easily, but I just barely got it up. Good press day though. Hit a rep PR on the + set, and weight PR's on each of the last two sets. The video below shows the sets at 100, 110, and 115.

[youtube]-XV4X5zsyRQ[/youtube]


[U]Supplemental Lift[/U] - First Set Last (5 sets of 5)
[B]Overhead Press[/B]
80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Pullup [/B]- Supersetted with OHP
BW x 7
BW x 7
BW x 7

[B]Lunge[/B]
30 x 11
30 x 11
30 x 11
Added 1 rep to each set. Completed easier than last time, even with the additional reps.

[B]T-Bar Row[/B] (Close Grip)
70 x 13
70 x 13
70 x 13

[B]Hanging Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 7
BW x 7
BW x 7
I've said this before, but I definitely need to do these more often. I've usually done Leg Raises where my arms and back are supported by pads. The difference is enormous. The hanging raises are much more difficult, and clearly utilize a lot more muscles.


[B]Comments:[/B]
After rushing yesterday, I took my sweet time today. It was a good way to end the week.

Following up on my bodyweight... I'm pretty surprised that my weight jumped up again. The only explanation I can come up with is that during the times where I used to eat but am not right now, I'm drinking a lot more water. Possibly I'm holding more water weight?...

I'll be deloading next week. I'll use the week to test out training maxes for the new lifts I want to implement in my upcoming cycle. As I've already mentioned, the new cycle will bring new supplemental and accessory lifts. Primary lifts will remain the same. I'm planning to begin a cut next week also. It makes sense to begin it on a deload week, and then continue it into the new cycle where I'll be doing some new lifts. I should be able to continue making strength gains on the new lifts while on a cut. That's my hope anyway. We shall see. Goal is to get down to at least 160 pounds. I may go down to 155. I ultimately can probably go lower than that since I'm still carrying a fair amount of bodyfat, but I prefer to do it in stages rather than doing one big cut. It's easier for me to stick to diet adjustments when I know they're for shorter periods. This cut will go at least through the end of my next cycle, which consists of my deload next week, 6 weeks of the Leader Cycle, followed by another Deload week.

[B]Weight[/B] = 166.6 pounds
[B]Sleep[/B] = 11.5 hours

Weight is fluctuating more than normal. Sleep schedule is pretty typical for me. I'm always short of sleep during the week, and then sleep 10-12 hours on the the weekends and get refreshed.


Here's a short video of Ed Coan. His mental approach is what really set him apart. He always seemed to prioritize long term results over the short term. He oozes honesty and integrity. I never get tired of listening to him talk.

[youtube]n1z74yqy8Og[/youtube]