famendoza's 5/3/1 training log

[famendoza]

I should note the new training maxes for Cycle 2 are
Press 145 (+5)
Deadlift 366 (+10)
Bench 194 (+5)
Squat 303 (+10)

I'm basing the increments on the advice of Jim. I figure these are fair increments, although I do see a projected increase in the press that may be unsustainable without using 2.5 increments for the training max within the next 4 cycles.

Press
45x10
65x5
85x5
108x5
116x5
123x6

5x10 45° back extension

BBB press
65x4x10
65x1x8

Felt a little stiff today. The all-out top set was tougher than it should have been, but still got the reps in. 45° back extensions were a nice diversion before the BBB portion. The back extensions felt more 'hammy' than back though - it probably was the angle. The addition of 5lbs for the BBB portion was far too tough - I'll scale it down to 2.5lbs.

I also did a bit of golf ball rolling under my feet, and tennis ball rolling on my back and quads. Unfortunately I probably did not accomplish a lot with this.

Deadlifts are next. Hope the gym is open as in Ontario, we have family day this coming Monday.

[famendoza]

Warm up - P.Clean
45x4 (P.clean, full clean, full clean, full snatch)
95x1
135x1
155x1
185x0
185x1 (+ jerk)
185x1 (slow on the elbows)

Deads
225x5

274x5
292x5
311x8
311x4 (after 1 min rest)

BBB
162.5x5x10

Situps (nearly horizontal)
BWx10
BWx10
BWx5
BWx5
BWx3 (felt really swollen/deadwood)

Warm-ups were wisely chosen, as I felt uncharacteristically stiff. My hands were pretty chilly coming in so this helped. The all-out set could have been done with 9 reps, I suppose - I don't know how much of a recovery 1 min rest gives, but apparently it was enough to get 4 reps on a secondary set, so an additional one in the previous set shouldn't have been out of the picture. Next time.

BBB was a pain in the ass as usual. It's the rainmaker (cause I sweat like a hog when I do it). One thing I am noticing when performing any set is that as the set goes on near the later reps (7-10), my left arm at the elbow joint starts flexing. I have to think about making it straight. This does not seem to happen at heavy weights/low volume. It's like it wants to lift the bar with the elbow, where as my right arm does not.

Abs were definately in use for either the 5/3/1 or the BBB, cause situps were unusually hard. 5x10 should not have been a problem, felt like someones hands were on my traps keeping me from coming up - oh well, time to inch my way back up.

Bench on Thursday (hopefully!).

[famendoza]

Warmup

Snatch, CJ with bar x4
Snatch x 95 x 3
CJ x 135 x 2

Bench
95x5
135x3
146x5
155x5
165x8

DB Rows (Kroc) both arms
70x20
70x10
70x5

Given that I'm working more and more nocturnally, I made a deal with my coworkers to get to the gym in the morning - to make sure I wasn't slacking I removed BBB for today. I think doing warmups with snatching and CJ with empty bar is probably a better thing than just cardio rowing. Loosens me up.

Like many things, sometimes I focus on one aspect of a movement at the exclusion of other beneficial aspects. I only realize I had omitted something important AFTER I complete the task. In this case, in the bench I focused on getting the scapular retraction (remedying bad movement after noticing shoulder drift upwards on previous weeks), but didn't focus much on driving heels to the ground, and only focused on "no" explosive bounce at the top (which tends to bring my shoulders forward) on my all-out set. Although sufficient to get a good number of reps, I need a cue to focus on all three aspects. I may have left some reps on the bench rack, so to speak.

Rows should probably move up in weight - I don't think I should wait till I get 30 reps on the darn thing.

Squats tomorrow.

[famendoza]

Warmup
Snatch
45x4
65x1
65x1
85x1
85x1
95x1
95x1

Squats
135x5
185x3
227x5
242x5
257x8

Chinups
BWx4,3,2,1,4,2,2,1,1

Squats were tough today, almost like they indicated something weird going on. The last (8th) rep was not easy for some reason. We'll see how next week goes. Also, I concentrated on toughness on the grip, but it's just weird going from rack to rack and getting the correct grip. I'm just odd. I'll make this better.

Chinups I tried a ladder approach, but the wrong way. I'll do it 1,2,3,4, style next time.

Wayy too much Miley Cyrus country music playing - makes her sound like a 40-50 year old.

Wave 1 done for Cycle 2, onto Wave 2!

[famendoza]

12 hill runs

walk for 25 mins

jogging 400m x 5

walk back home for 25 mins

The hill runs were still at a fairly slow pace, but the slowness allowed me to squeeze in two runs before I needed a break. Maybe I can develop a pattern increase the hill runs? We'll see.

[famendoza]

warmup
Rowing machine 5 mins
Power clean - 65, 95, 135, 155

Press
95x3
116x3
123x3
130x3
130x1

45 degree backextensions
1x10

Over the weekend I developed a stomach flu that I think is starting to fade away. I ate some chili that did not agree with me and had 2 bouts of explosive vomiting. Between now and Saturday night, the only solid food I had was an apple. I also seemingly have lost a bit of weight (187lbs if my scale is to be believed). Either way the training session today was way more of a challenge than it should have been. Basically all I did was the prescribed reps. The 45 degree backextensions I did for like a single set, then I said 'screw it' and left the gym.

I feel very achy right now. Sucks.

[famendoza]

Warmup
Rowing for 5 mins
P.Clean to 185x1

Deadlift
225x3 (OH)
275x3 (OH) **PR**

292x3
311x3
329x5

The "Nothing" today. I think I'm gonna leave P.Cleans for warmups on dead days as I feel more pooped out than yesterday for P.Cleans. I got a PR on the double overhand deadlift (no hook) with 275x3 which is cool. No Rep PR but got my requisite reps (3) plus a few more.

Feeling a little better than yesterday. Will increase eating gradually as of today.

Bench is next.

[famendoza]

Some new useful info.
Framed from the perspective of recovery within a workout, what Shaf describes about long rest times seems to coincide with what I've experienced as well, the rest times between the squat+bench being the biggest flag that I'm 'going down':
http://startingstrength.com/resource...2&postcount=21

Definately very insightful. I'll have to consider this given my benching+pressing seems to be heading towards the circular basket, and I have no excuse at 190+lbs.

[famendoza]

Warmup
Rowing 5 mins
Press
45x5
95x5

Bench
95x5
135x3

155x3
165x3
175x5
175x4

Push press
95x3x2
115x3x3
135x3x2

Today I pressed for volume. Looking over at what I think should be a focus is the pressing movements since my upper body grows at a much slower rate than I think it should. The bench was good. I loaded the Push Press cautiously mostly because I wanted to practice form and push something challenging - I may need to work on technique cause 135 for 2 triples went up pretty unstable. I think I was on my toes for a couple.

[famendoza]

Warmup
Snatch 45,65,95

Squats
135x5
185x3
225x3

242x3
257x3
272x4 (way sleepy)
272x5
272x3 (wayyyyyy sleepy)

Chinups
3,3,3,3,2 (much better rest between <1 min)

Friday I was wayyy sleepy with the work I've been doing. I thought I could get away with it but the day of reckoning came today - After doing the 1st top set, after rep four I started to slowly close my eyes. On the last attempt at a decent top set (note I technically did all my reps for the day so it was just to see if I could get a rep PR) I nearly dozed off on my last rep. If the bar had been a pillow, I would have gone straight to sleep.

Thankfully this did not affect the chinups. Something I've realized is that I like chinups with a slightly wider grip than shoulder width - I can get my chin over the bar easier that way.

Today I got a great night's sleep. And I have to think of how I'll accomplish cardio in today's snow storm.

Wave 2 is done, onto Wave 3.