The Phoenix.

[Jason Cross]

Squat 325x5,4,5,1 Miscounted on the 2nd set, so I did a single after the 3rd set without a full rest period. I definitely had the 5 in me, just a mental error.
Press 137.5x5x3
Dead 355x5x1 Need to improve lumbar extension.

[Jason Cross]

Squat 330x2,1,1,1 295x1
Bench 210x5x3
PC 77.5KG 3,3,3,3,2,1

Today was pretty disappointing. I missed my last rep on the power clean and my squats were absolute horse shit. Bad knee pain caused me to call it early on the squats. Watching some videos, I have some forward knee travel in the bottom when it gets heavy. This needs to be fixed. Its not the only contributor to this knee pain.

I think I caused some permanent damage to my knees when I was an AV tech, crawling on hard floors in office buildings, installing conferencing systems. There were some days on the job when I had this exact same pain, like a headache under my kneecap. Ever since then I have this tenderness in the kneecaps. Any knee trauma causes more pain than what is normal. Kneeling with any contact of my kneecap and the ground is not tolerable. So I was just managing it. I moved out of the field, into the office. The daily pain was gone, the tender kneecaps remained. This pain has returned in the last week or two or three. I banged my knee on a table pretty hard on my vacation. And you know, went skiing. After my first squat workout back from vacation I started to feel the familiar pain again. The knee got sore, I figured it was just bruised. But its caused a flare up of whatever this is.

[jsylvia]

@abg

Thanks for your post.

I am listing the deadlift in KG because I have been using bumper plates with this lift. But you do make a good point, I should probably switch before the weight goes up quite a bit and all the bumpers no longer fit on the bar. I purchased some micro plates this time through, my plan is to realize a definitive ending of my LP, which I never did the first time around. Goals are 225 press, 315 bench, 405 squat, 495 dead (for longer term, not strictly novice LP.)

Jordan's article The Texas Method and 5/3/1 | Jordan Feigenbaum

The above article which I referred to in the second post has me exploring other options for what type of programming will be next. Most likely not 5/3/1.

I saw that you've run 5/3/1 in the past. Have you checked out Wendler's "Beyond 5/3/1"? It offers a higher level of intensity with training the lifts at 100% of the training max along with PR sets and Joker Sets. It seems to correct all the criticisms that the original 5/3/1 doesn't offer enough intensity to gain strength. Plus it offers self-regulation to account for good training days and bad training days.

Nice work on your training BTW.

~ Jon

[Jason Cross]

Hi Jon,

Thanks for your comment on my training. I have heard of the program you mentioned, but have not looked into it. 5/3/1 was good to me for a while when I used it 4-5 years ago. For now I am trying to milk the LP as long as my body will last. Sleep is beginning to be my biggest detriment. Sundays are my best performances and why should I be surprised, two days of sleeping in has that effect.

I think it makes the most sense to transition to the Texas Method or the Starr model presented in PPST3rd for each lift one at a time. This allows me to maintain the same training schedule and transition each lift into intermediate programming as needed. I'm not sure how that would go with 5/3/1, it can probably be done.

Squat 255x5x3 back angle and knee travel much better on the videos today.
Press 140x5x3
Dead 360x5x1

Update on the knees: I ordered some Rehband 7mm knee sleeves. One arrived today, it provided a lot of relief.

[Jason Cross]

Squat 330lbx5x3 Set 1, Set 2, Set 3
Bench 215lbx5x3
PC 77.5kgx3,3,2,3,1

I will need to reset power cleans 10%.

[Jason Cross]

Squat 345x4,3,1 (mis loaded this weight)
Press 142.5x5x3
Dead 365x5x1

These were some ugly squats, and today I just felt a lack of strength under the bar. Since I have missed squats on Wednesdays two workouts in a row, I am beginning to think I am not fully recovered from Sunday training. This tells me that frequency reduction might be the best modification to make.

[Jason Cross]

Squat 260x5x2
Bench 220x5x3 I barely made the last rep
Chins 3,3,3

[Jason Cross]

As is turns out I mis loaded the bar on Wednesday with 345 on the squat, most likely the reason for the missed reps. It just goes to show me that attention to detail is paramount to not wasting time in the gym at this stage in the game. Wednesday might have gone differently had I paid attention to the details.

Squat 335x5x1
Squat 90% 301.5x5x2
Press 145x5x3
PC 70kgx3x5

[Jason Cross]

Squat 340x5x1
Squat 305x5x2
Bench 225x5x3
Chin 4,3,4

[Jason Cross]

Squat 270x5x2
Press 147.5x5x3
Dead 370x4,1

The athletic center was closed for Easter weekend. I had to improvise and lift with a day pass at my old gym on Saturday. I will workout on Monday and resume my M/W/F schedule since it will be the end of the Semester for my Monday night class.