caveman goes for 5/3/1 for 300/400/500

Well, I suppose it's time to promote myself up to an intermediate lifter. My original log is located here, http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=31962

About a month ago, I switched from an advanced novice/GSLP hybrid to madcow 5x5. Madcow isn't working out that great, as I'm losing reps from Friday on Monday's session. That happened two weeks in a row, and so I believe that's telling me I'm under-recovering. So, I'm going to give 5/3/1 a shot, or I guess more specifically, the version Karl has come up with on this forum a 5/1 (skipping weeks 2 and 4). I haven't decided on a 3 or 4 day split yet. I would like to do 4 days, but I'm not sure I'll be able to find that much time reliably each week.

For me, linear progression ended at the following at 5'8" and a bodyweight of 198 pounds:
squats 315 for 3 sets of 5
bench 227.5 for 3 sets of 5
deadlift 405 for 1 set of 5
overhead press 137.5 for 3 sets of 5

My primary goals are 300/405/500.

From Wednesday 10/30/13
Body weight 199.6

Overhead press - 90 for 5, 100 for 5, 115 for 9. Estimated 1RM = 148

Close grip bench press, CGBP from here on out. 135 for 5, 185 for 8, 8. First time ever doing these and so I had no idea on how much weight to use. 185 is probably a tad much as the last rep of the 2nd set was a real grinder. I had my hands placed just outside the smooth area of the bar. This might be a little too narrow, as my elbows were complaning ever so slightly about this. Also, my left thumb was hurting randomly at the top of the rep. Prolly, drop down to 175 next time and try to get 3 sets of 10. I'm not quite sure how to program the assistance stuff yet. I know what exercises I want to do, but I'm concerned about under recovering by doing too much.

Chin up. 5 sets of 5 bodyweight only. Each set started two minutes after the last one started. First set was way easy, last set was just barely completed.

Laying toe touches for 20. Haven't done these in a little while and it showed. The last couple were stupid hard.

This felt pretty good.

From Friday 11/1/13
Body weight 200'ish.

For not having lifted much this week, my lower back feels kinda off. Not in pain or anything, but like it is more prone to being injured for some reason.

Deadlifts - 250 for 5, 290 for 5, 325 for 7. Just trying to hit the target today. I had two more in the tank and I was lamenting not chalking up around rep 5. Lesson learned. The first rep continues to be MUCH slower than the next couple. It's really frustrating. It's going to make pulling a 1RM really difficult, as I *need* the first rep to be ready for the 1RM effort. Ugh. In any event, I'm going to try and recreate the setup of the 2nd rep, by slowly approaching the bar for the first rep like I have a loaded barbell in hand. Take my breath standing up and then just get into position and go. No more air humps, no more futzing with the grip, no more correcting head and back positions. If this works great, if not, then well back to the drawing board again. Maybe I'll switch over to deficit deads as the primary exercise and see if that fixes whatever problem I'm creating for myself.

Front squats. 135 for 5, 5, 5, 5. First time ever doing these with a loaded barbell. I think awkward is the best way to describe this experience. Barbell was rubbing up against my adams apple/throat making breathing difficult. Wrist flexilibility is atrocious. Video showed these to be more arse-to-grass than I had intended. The tops of my shoulders were sore the next day, actually they are still tender to the touch, I don't think there was any pain during the squats though. I'll keeping messing around with these for a while.

6 banded pull ups and that was that.

From today 11/4/13, 9:30PM (later than I'd like but still better than never)
Didn't step on the scale this morning

Squats - 240 for 5, 270 for 5, 305 for 5. Estimated 1RM = 343. The top set was hard. Reps 4 and 5 were grinders, but I was determined to get 5 even though technically 3 was the goal.

Front squats - 95 for 10, 10, 10. I think awkward is still the correct word for these. I'll continue to keep working at these.

Pull ups for 5, chins for 5, pull ups for 3, chins for 5. These felt pretty good. I'll keep working the banded pull ups and multiple sets of chins.

Decided to change the assistance programming around so that it's more like the boring but big model. So the alternative movement will follow the primary movement at low weights and sets of 10. Still planning to do the same exercises, just on different days.

During a very late lunch hour, 11/5/13
Body weight 199.6

Bench press - 175 for 5, 200 for 5, 225 for 7. Estimated 1RM = 270. The set at 200 was disappointingly hard. And though the set at 225 didn't seem to have that pop that I had last week, I put 7 up relatively easily. Number 7 wasn't a grinder, but it seemed questionable if 8 would have gone or not and for once I exercised some restraint and racked it.

CGBP 135 for 3 sets of 10. two minutes rest between sets. I thought this would be super light. By the last set, I knew in fact that this was not the case. Had quite the chest pump after these.

1 quick set of 10 of unloaded barbell curls. Had to get going...

Missed Thursday's session for a variety of reasons which aren't worth describing. I did the deadlift work during lunch today and will do the overhead pressing work after work this evening.
Body weight 200.4

I realized today that I did the rest of this weeks workouts incorrectly. I was doing 5 for my second workset instead of only 3. Not a biggie.

Deadlifts - 290 for 5, 325 for 3, 365 for 6. Estimated 1RM = 424. I tried my new setup of slowly approaching the bar, with my breath, and just gripping and ripping it. Up until 290, I would have said it worked awesome. Unfortunately, at 325 and 365, i would say that it was a negligible improvement. First rep at 365 was slow, the rest were faster. I'll try deadlifting with a belt on next time and see if that modulates the problem at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkK6J_Erujg

Sumo deadlifts - 185 for 10, 10, 10. No issues here. Probably just a tad light. Will load up 195 next time.

Presses scheduled for this evening.

Finished the session in the evening

Overhead presses - 100 for 5, 115 for 3 (or maybe I did 5 again by mistake, can't remember), 130 for 5. Estimated 1RM = 146. Tried for 6 but couldn't make it passed eye level. Followed up with 4 push presses at this weight without much rest.

An assortment of banded pull ups, chin ups, and laying toe touches. Also 2 sets of 10 clapping pushups.

From Monday 11/11/13
Body weight 202.2

My lower back had some significant DOMS over the weekend. That was suprising.

Squats - 215 for 5, 250 for 5, 280 for 8. Estimated 1RM = 348. I could have done 9 but it would have been fugly.

Front squats 95 for 10, 10, 10. First time these didn't feel awkward. Still not great, but getting used to this movement.

An assortment of pull ups and chin ups. Elbows still doing good, probably time to start going closer to failure on these. Or maybe not, I'm enjoying what I'm doing and my lats and arms sure feel it the next day.

Today 11/12/13 during lunch. 11/12/13 cool.
Body weight 201.4

Minor/moderate DOMS in my quads and hammies.

Bench - 155 for 5, 180 for 5, 205 for 10. Estimated 1RM = 273. These felt pretty good. First 8 went up easy and then all of a sudden I hit the wall. 9 was tough but fast enough that I thought I might get 10 which was my goal for today. Sweet!

CGBP - 135 for 10, 10, 10. Still surprised on how hard these get near the end of each set. I do enjoy the pump that comes as a result of these.

Today 11/14/13 after an early lunch
Body weight 203.2. Hmm, this way 200.4 yesterday, though I was hungry for most of the day yesterday and so ate more than usual.

Deadlifts - 255 for 5, 295 for 5, 335 for 7. Estimated 1RM = 402, though I probably could have done 2 more. I wasn't feeling that healthy today a bit of sorethroat and lethargic, so I stopped when it started getting hard.

I took some video to try and see what is going on. Honestly, I don't think it looks terrible, but it doesn't look textbook either. I've already posted in the technique forum for some pointers. Wearing the belt does seem to help with getting tight at the start of the lift, so I'll probably start wearing it for my top sets.

2nd workset, 295 for 5, DOH grip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWR5nYk46Nc
First time using a belt for deadlifting. It definitely seemed to facilitate getting tight at the bottom, or at least it felt that way anyways.

Top set of 335 for 7, mixed grip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1sBqWKrNcQ
Probably had 2 more in the tank, but I didn't feel like pushing it today.

Then after the fact, I did some reps at 225 trying to get very low in the start position. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6zNdLUp6Jc

It was late, for a lunch hour, and I was un-motivated to do any of the supplemental work.