starting strength gym
Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 35

Thread: Using 5/3/1 to Suck Less Log

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    35

    Default Using 5/3/1 to Suck Less Log

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    Back-story: I've been running 5/3/1 for a bit over a year now though not with the consistency I'd like. Patience and consistency are the two aspects I'm trying to focus on most. I'd started back lifting around 3 years ago (30 years old) and was lucky enough to find Starting Strength almost right away. I ran it straight for about 9 months then moved onto a Texas Method thing that warped into a Westside kinda thing and then 5/3/1.

    Which brings us to the present:

    6'3" - 300ish moving towards 275

    PRs:
    Press: 195x6
    Bench: 315x3
    Squat: 445x4
    Deadlift: 485x4

    Not mind-blowing numbers by any means. With a renewed focus on consistency, I hope to start sucking less and less.

    I'm on week 3 (singles week) of a 5/3/1 cycle. 7 weeks ago, I reset all my lifts to give myself a nice running start at a long stretch of consistent training.

    Last Workout:
    2010-10-05

    Powercleans: 135x3x3, 185x3x1
    Deadlift: 5x365, 3x405, 4x460
    Kroc Rows: 35x100

    Notes: I flat suck at deadlifting. It's pathetic. I'm just not anywhere near as strong as I need to be. Simple. Used the powercleans as a warmup essentially. Krocs: My gym dbs only go up to 100, so I'm stuck shooting for rep PRs with them. I decided I don't get nearly enough back work, so I try to squeeze some back stuff into every session.

    Next Up: Bench.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Mid-Atlantic
    Posts
    1,623

    Default

    sweet. Let's get strong

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    35

    Default

    2010-10-07

    Week 3 of 5/3/1 cycle

    Bench: 225x5, 250x3, 280x7

    DB bench: 10x50, 5x80, 5x90, 10x100

    Notes: I typically do 5 sets each of dips/chins on every upper day. Didn't eat enough before going so dips/chins just weren't happening. I did a few reps but nothing worth mentioning. Choose something where I just get to lay on my back some more. Yeah...one of those days.

    Question: Whats with guys who load up tons of 10s and 5s on top of a 45? I mean, who doesn't relish the opportunity to slap another big plate on?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    35

    Default

    2010-10-08

    Week 3 of 5/3/1 cycle

    Squat: 315x5, 385x3, 435x5

    (I think that last set was a pr, but nothing worthing soiling my undies over.)


    Lat pulldowns: 120x20, 140x20, 160x20
    Cable rows: 140x20, 160x10

    Notes: Squats felt strong. Started seeing stars on the last couple reps, so I shut it down. The gym was packed so I altered my plan and went with some high rep back work. I can always use more back work.

    Next up: Press, then deload. I'm still feeling pretty fresh, so I prob skip the full deload and just take a couple extra days. Carpe diem (which is latin for "you can deload when you are dead.")

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Finally got off my lazy ass and entered a powerlifting comp:

    Illinois Raw Power Challenge on Dec 5th

    This will be a day of firsts:
    1) my first powerlifting competition
    2) my first time wearing a singlet in public (well, I did wear one in some "low budget" films I was in back in California in 80s, but thats a story for another time...)

    I'm nervous but anxious to just get the first one on the books.

    On to the training:

    2010-10-09

    Week 3 of 5/3/1 cycle

    Press: 5x155, 3x165, 9x175 (pr)
    CS Rows: 20x45, 20x90, 15x135, 15x135, 15x90
    DB BP: 10x80, 10x90, 7x100
    Curls'n'crap: some

    Notes: So I head into an empty free-weight area, full of motivation from having signed up for a comp, preparing to wage all-out war against the press...to find one guy curling an empty bar in the one good rack. Like all-out cheat reps with 10sec negatives on an empty gd bar. Stereotypes exist for a reason.

    So I when he wandered off to do negatives on the preacher curl, I just took the rack. I figure the onus was on him to request the rack be given back and for what purpose. He left it alone...go figure.

    Since I hate benching heavy, I've put way more emphasis on driving my press up. But with the comp coming in a couple months, I'm going to focus some of my accessory work on bullet-proofing my bench. Id rather come out of the comp with uninjured shoulders than shoot for big PRs.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    15

    Default

    Curious about these low budget films you speak of.

    Stay motivated, December 5th will be here in no time.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    35

    Default

    @Amanda: I don't want to go too far into detail, but lets just say there was alot less boy/girl action than what the box art would lead you to believe.

    ahem...thx for the encouragement all the same.

    Training!

    This should be a deload week, but I'm feeling too good to back off. So kicking off the next cycle of 5/3/1:

    2010-10-12

    Week 01 of 5/3/1 cycle:

    Deadlift: 5x315, 5x365, 5x425, 3x425, 3x425
    RDL: 20x135, 10x225, 3x5x315
    Back Ext Machine: 3x20x295
    Ab Rope Pulldowns: 3x10x120

    Notes: Was extremely conscious of my DL form. The work set of 5s was pulled as singles essentially instead of the usual touch-and-go. I reread the DL chapter of SS for about the billionth time before I went. Im strongest off the floor, so I've been using that momentum to get through my shitty lockout. But I've been jerking myself out of position. I focused on taking the slack out of the bar and squeezed the bar off the floor just like the good book says. Drove hips forward hard through the lockout. Major improvement. So I'm happy...for now.

    Which leads me to the lesson I've learned repeatedly over the past few years and hopefully one day it will totally sink in your for me. And it is this: If you aren't constantly re-evaluating your form, you are inviting bad habits.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Ah c'mon honey...just a quickie?

    2010-10-12

    Week 01 of 5/3/1 cycle:

    Bench: 5x185, 5x225, 10x255
    DB Bench: 10x100
    Lat pulldown: 20x120, 10x140, 10x160

    Notes: This session was for nothing but stress relief. It was quick and I grunted loudly.

    Onward and Downward...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Skwawts!

    2010-10-15

    Week 01 of 5/3/1 cycle:

    Skwawts: 5x315, 5x365, 7x405
    Rack Pulls (just below knee): 5x315, 3x405, 3x455, 3x495

    Notes: I promise to never call them "skwawts" ever again. So lame. My target for squats was actually 5x395, but I couldn't stand to be that close to 4 plates and not use them. I was preparing for rep #8 but a sudden eruption of vomitus in the throat made me reconsider. I ain't going to puke everywhere unless its going to be filmed so I can get some of that there youtube fame.

    Gripe of the day: "natty peanut butter". "natty" is a worthless abbreviation. It's only two letters shorter than "natural" and used for the sole reason that it sounds internet cute. Like "Love me some natty pb, bro."

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    35

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    "No bucks. No Buck Rogers."

    Man, Erin Gray in those shiny futuristic jumpsuits was just ridiculously hot, wasn't she?

    2010-10-17

    Week 01 of 5/3/1 cycle:

    Press: 5x135, 5x145, 9x160
    CGBP (paused): 20x135, 10x185, 4x225

    Notes: This workout was so pathetic, I'm almost fond of it. Like a child you have to bail out of the drunk-tank every Sunday morning. No food. No sleep. Even the liberal application of Bronkaid, No-Doz and Ministry (ECM stack) could not save this foul-smelling piece of bung. When I damn near dropped the last rep of the 4x225 CGBP on my face, I decided to call it a day before I killed myself.

    Oh well. I hit my target. They can't all be gems. (shamelessly stolen from Dan John)

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •