Getting strong like bull - like pimpin - ain't easy

[Root]

5/4/2012 - C2W4 - Press and Deadlift

Weight 222

Press 60 x 5, 75 x 5, 90 x 5
Cleaned these to my shoulders, and tried really hard to clean them with perfect form. Guess it was too perfect, because I smacked myself right in the adams apple with 60 lbs. Ow. It still hurts an hour later.

Deadlift 155 x 5, 195 x 5, 235 x 5

Chins 3,3,3 between press sets
Dips 8,8,8 between dead sets

[DV]

I've smacked myself in the chin with a clean (165 I think it was or something stupid) so hard, that I split it open. My brother still laughs about it to this day, as he was there to witness it.

That's a nice setup for deload day, with the dips/chins. I think I will do something very similar when I deload next week.

[Root]

5/7/2012 - C3W1 - Bench

Back at it! Went over lunchtime.

Weight 221

BP 147.5 x 5, 170 x 5, 192.5 x 8
Would have gone for 9 if I had had a spotter. Think I would have gotten it.

Incline DB Bench - 50s x 3 x 10
Chins - 5, 5, 4
Tricep Ext - 20 + 55 x 2 x 10
DB Row 70 x 2 x 10

Once circuit per 10 minutes. Dropped the last two sets for time and exhaustion. Triceps are absolutely blasted after this, as even chins and DB rows feel like they hit the triceps hard. Maybe I should sub curls into this to give the triceps a break.

[Root]

5/8/2012 - C3W1 - Squat

Weight 221

SQ 225 x 5, 255 x 5, 287.5 x 4
Fuck me. The 255s felt heavy and slow, and obviously the top set was a disaster. Totally lost form and bar speed on the 4th rep and quit. My eating and sleeping habits have not been good lately. I don't know whether to blame that or only squatting once a week, but my squat has seriously regressed.

SQ 155 x 4 x 10
BE BW x 3 x 10

Was going for 5 of each, but was completely dead after the 4th BbB squat set. Completely lost form with 155 and figured it was best not to continue.

Don't know whether to chalk this up as an off day and squat on, or do something about it. Add something like 265x3x5 on deadlift day to get some non-light volume in? Reset the squat? I don't know. Gonna just keep on with the plan and see how next week's squats go.

[DV]

I'd treat it as an off-day. Even the best programmes out there can't make up for shitty sleep and diet.

That said 5/3/1 is supposed to be more forgiving in this aspect than other programmes, so maybe something is wrong. I've seen several people coming off squatting every workout run into trouble on 5/3/1.

If you have 2ed of the book, you'll know that Wendler seems to be moving towards squatting twice per week. 5/3/1 squats on "squat" day and then assistance squats on Deadlift day. There's also the "fullbody" version of the programme, which has you squatting every workout.

I'll look forward to seeing how you handle this, as the low squatting frequency is one of the things I worry about with 5/3/1 as well.

[Root]

Yeah, I'm wondering if it would help to keep the BbB on Squat day, and do some moderate weight, moderate volume squats on DL day. Something like 265x3x5. Seems like every Squat day, it's like I forgot what having a heavy bar on the back feels like. Maybe doing that moderate weight might keep my brain 'in the game'. Just brainstorming, really.

[DV]

What I see Wendler do is just switch them around, i.e.: 5/3/1 squat + DL BBB and 5/3/1 DL + Squat BBB. But many roads lead to Rome.

[Root]

5/10/2012 - C3W1 - Press

Super hung over, no sleep.

Weight 224

Press 100 x 5, 115 x 5, 130 x 8

Dips BW x 5 x 9
Chins BW x 5,5,5,4,4

[Root]

5/12/2012 - C3W1 - Deadlift

My sleeping and partying habits have been terrible lately.

Weight 222

DL 260 x 5, 300 x 5, 340 x 5
Went fine.

Assistance ADD

Chins BW x 2 x 5
Shrugs 60s(?) x 2 x 20
Curls 25 x 2 x 8
Bunch of lat pulls

[Root]

5/14/2012 - C3W2 - Bench Press

Weight 221

BP - 160 x 3, 185 x 3, 205 x 6
Probably would have gotten 7, but didn't have a spotter.

Incline DB BP - 50s x 5 x 10
DB Row - 65 x 5 x 10

Assistance was pretty hard on the last sets. I'll keep the weights here for now.