My expirement with beyond 531 full body

[Eric Larousse]

Well I have lifted weights for approximately 1 year "correctly." I have run starting strength twice the first time was a poor excuse for a program because my technique on my lifts were poor but i finally figured it out and this second time through which lasted about 6 months went very well. I tried the texas method twice both times to no avail. I have also dabbled with 531 with not much success before for a couple of months. I did have good luck with the extended russian squat program before but after i finished it up I went on vacation. I had missed a week and completely dropped lifting weights before doing starting strength all over again. So right now I am about 195 pounds at 5'11". calculated maxes are squat 420 bench 290 deadlift 530 and press 200. I am going to go through at least a few months with this beyond 531 program and if I dont have any luck with it I think I may try madcow since I have had no luck with the Texas method which I think is because I just don't know how to pick the proper weights on the volume and intensity days. My goals are just general strength at the moment I do not have any meets planned or whatnot. Hoping this works!

This will be a push pull squat full body program with bench twice a week one day will be de-load percentages. I will squat 3 days a week twice being de-load. I will deadlift and press once a week. My other pull days will be split cleans and pull-ups which will be progressed in linear mode for the time being.

starting training maxes will be
bench squat press deadlift
240 340 165 415




june 5th
split cleans
185x3x5
bench
work up to 240x6
back offs
175x6x3
joker sets
255x1
265x1

june 7th
pullups(all pullups will be chest to bar)
10ILBsx5x3

squats
work up to 340x7
joker sets
360x1
370x1
backoffs
255x5x2

bench
work up to 240x1

JUne 9th
press
work up to 165x6
Joker
175x1
180x1
back offs
125x5x3
deadlift
work up to 405x9(accidently loaded the bar wrong on one side bah)
joker
435x1
455x1

squat
deload to 340x1

today
split cleans
190x3x5
bench
work up to 240x4(wow i got weaker in a week guess i will chalk it up to a bad day)
joker
255x1
265x1
back offs
175x6-8x3
205x4

squats
Deload work up to 340x1

[Eric Larousse]

pullups
11.25x5x3

bench
work up to 240x1 then
250x1
275x1

squat
work up to 340x7
355x1
375x1
245x5x3

Yea well im not getting weaker but im having trouble wrapping my head around how 1 top set then some light weight back offs is enough for progress. Debating whether I should stick with this or move on to mad cow or texas method. Ive had little luck with the texas method as well in the times ive tried it so bah im in a programming debacle here..

[Mark Edward]

There's no reason you won't be able to make progress on this. It looks like a good program to me. Focus on moving the weight as fast as possible, especially on your light days and down sets. Don't be afraid to push your last down set for max reps if you like. You can do your joker sets for reps if you want, not just as singles - they're there to allow you to program low but sill hit heavy weighs when you feel good.

Eat more meat. Get more blowjobs. Sleep more.

[Buellfool]

Meat and sleep are both overrated.

[Eric Larousse]

I will go ahead and try to stick with it. You are one of the logs that inspired me to try the 531 type programming.

[Eric Larousse]

well i missed deadlift/press day. i swear this will be the only day i miss but training went pretty well today

split cleans
195x3x5

bench
work up to 240x7

joker
255x1
265x1

back offs
175x5x2
175x12

squat
deload

.....im not sure if the pressing volume is effecting the bench press but I didnt do my press day this week and i had reps to spare on bench

[Bryan Dobson]

I am following to see how you do

[Eric Larousse]

squat
work up to 340x8! had 9 but i left it in the tank for some dumb reason

joker
360x2
375x1 easy and smooth

back offs
245x5x2
245x7

pullups
12.5x5x3 (all of my pullups sets from here on out will be chest to bar with the final goal of hitting a few muscle up currently i cannot do 1 muscle up)

bench
deload to 240x2

[Eric Larousse]

press joker sets
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNJpGor36uA[/yt]
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LwEk4adTNM[/yt]
deadlift set and 2nd joker set
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oA1_BUsJjg[/yt]
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uia6r-aE1B4[/yt]

I know great job by the cameraman!

press
work up to 165x6
joker
175x2
185x1
back offs
125x5x2
125x7

deadlifts
work up to 415x8
joker
455x1
475x1

squat
DL to 340x2

got to love the endorphin rush of deadlift day! I regret skipping last week but life will do that sometimes.

Trying to decide whether to do a deload week or just go balls out and skip them. Most likely I will skip them unless I start regressing. I may start playing a little basketball on off days and we will see how this effects my progress if any.

not sure how to embed the vids? anybody?

[Eric Larousse]

cleans

these were horrible today
200x2x4
200x1x3 missed the second reps on sets 4,6 and 7

bench
245x6
joker
260x1
275x1 smoked it

back offs
175x6x2
175x12

squats
DL 350x1