Another 531 log

[davidM]

Hi all,
after 2 months off the gym (this summer was too hot to train) I started 5 3 1.
Two words to start: I just turned 46 (August) and I love lifting weights but I’ve come to a point where I don’t want to lift more and more and feeling a wreck the entire week. I tried Texas and was good, so good that I had tendonitis in both knees (there isn’t a de-load week there and I was going like a train, then, I stopped).
So the strength side is important to me but I do care about the aesthetics part of the game too.

So, 5 3 1 seems a reasonable approach.
The template I chose is the Periodization bible, which is very flexible, so here it goes:

Day 1 (Monday)
Press 5 3 1
Db’s seated press 5x10
BW Chins (spread between sets of press 5x10)
Triceps work (Press-down / extensions 3-5x20-30)

Day 2 (Wednesday)
Deadlift 5 3 1
Squat 5x10
Leg curl 5x10

Day 3 (Friday)
Bench 5 3 1
Incline Db’s press 5x10
Db row 3x20
EZ Curl 3x15-20

Day 4 (Monday)
Squat 5 3 1
RDL 5x10
Back extensions 3x20 (bw)

I’ll change the assistance exercises not before 8-12 weeks and I’ll go by feel with the sets/reps (3-5x10-20,5x8...) trying not to work too heavy (as Jim said: the first exercise train the movement, the assistance is “muscles”).
I will push for max reps on the last set, only when I feel it .

Since I was coming from such a long layoff I didn’t know exactly what my maxes were, my “old” ones didn’t count, so, I started out with weights I know for sure I can lift for 1 rep NOW:
Squat 180 – Deadlift 190 – Press 72.5 – Bench 105. Then of course I calculated the 90%.
My bench is low since I had problems with my shoulders and decided to drop it for a while (doing Press twice a week achieving a bw press + 2Kg - of 80Kg. - but that’s another story).
My first week is already over (well, today) and next week I will de -load (I won’t skip the de- load weeks). In this week I re-calculated the weights of my bench (which was too high) and didn’t go for max reps on the last set, also, starting to evaluate how the assistance work can be done after the main lifts (5x10 could be devastating for and elderly J). I managed to do it, so next week is the real beginning and I’ll start posting my training and everything (apart from the eating stuff: I eat pretty clean all year long and I don’t take any supplements of any kind).


Another 5 3 1 log. And I know I’ll enjoy the journey.

[phalzee]

How did this get past Rip?

[davidM]

There's life after Rip.
Kidding. I think 531 is just a mentality, it could be any different that any other training schemes. There's nothing magical in 531 and in starting strenght. You got to have some kind of progression in a strenght exercise then move to something different with lighter weights also for the fun of it. I had a very good linear progression then I moved to texas but as I said it was too demanding (finished last squat training with 167.5Kg. 5x5 '3 rest). So as I'm obviously aging and I don't compete in anything I thought about something very simple like this. A god strenght base and a portion of body building where I experiment these magical high reps work
Because it's not all about how much I lift but how I feel inside and outside the gym.
And I have to say that my back and knees are feeling awsome and my quads and hams worked and yesterday I had squat 152.5 x 6 (3-4 in the tank) when supposed to do 1 (it was my last week before my first deload) and RDL with 70Kg. 5x10 '2 rest (weight here is not the goal but stretch the hams yes).
Thanks to have stopped by.