Saturday 7/30/11

Afternoon:

The following two exercises I did 3x in the following order:

TGU 16kg - 1x1/1

Double bell overhead squat 2x 16kg - 1x2

One handed swings 16kg - 5x 5/5

One handed swings 20kg - 5x 5/5

Two handed swings 24kg - 1x 10, 1x15

Two handed swings 24kg - 5x12 (on the minute) 60 in 5 min.

I like the complex that I did using the TGU and then the double bell overhead squats. The overhead squats felt a little harder than I thought they would.

Still easing up on the swing volume.

I'm staying steady at 218lbs body weight. I want to maintain the size I worked hard to get but work on getting leaner. I don't want to drop below 215lbs for now.

Thursday 7/28/11

Afternoon:

Squat - 65lbs 1x5, 100lbs 1x5, 135lbs 1x5, 170lbs 3x1,2,3

Press - 65lbs 1x5, 80lbs 1x5, 100lbs 1x5, 120lbs 3x1,2,3

Knee tucks (CC tempo) - 3x10

Tuesday 7/26/11

Afternoon:

TGU 16kg - 1x1/1

TGU to post and down to arm bar 16kg - 2x1/1

TGU 16kg - 1x1/1

One handed swings 16kg - 5x 5/5

One handed swings 20kg - 5x 5/5

Two handed swings 24kg - 1x 10

Two handed swings 24kg - 5x10 (on the minute) 50 in 5 min.

Very easy swings but I need a starting place to ease in.

Monday 7/25/11

Morning:

Pushups - 3x10

Afternoon:

Squat - 65lbs 1x5, 100lbs 1x5, 135lbs 1x5, 170lbs 1x1,2,3, 2x1,2

Press - 65lbs 1x5, 80lbs 1x5, 100lbs 1x5, 120lbs 3x1,2,3

Knee tucks (CC tempo) - 3x10

I decided that I'll be doing squats and overhead press ladders twice a week. I'm using ladders as outlined by Steve Shafley over at Power and Bulk.

Friday 7/22/11

Afternoon:

One handed swings 16kg - 5x 5/5

One handed swings 20kg - 5x 5/5

One handed swings 24kg - 3x 5/5

I was going to do some TGU to warm up, but I ended up washing my dogs instead (it's a workout).

Just getting used to a bit of light swing volume.

Thursday 7/21/11

Afternoon:

Bench press - 70lbs 1x5, 87.5lbs 1x5, 105lbs 1x5, 130lbs 1x5

Deadlift - 145lbs 3x5, 180lbs 1x5, 215lbs 1x5, 270lbs 1x5

Knee tucks (CC tempo) - 3x8

Another day in my final back off week for 5/3/1.

Tuesday 7/19/11

Afternoon:

TGU 16kg - 3x1/1

Swings 16kg, 20kg, 24kg - various

Right now I'm just easing into this day. For starters I'm going to be working into some timed sets of swings. Not today though, just getting used to swinging again. Mostly one handed swings.

Monday 7/18/11

Afternoon:

Back squat - 80lbs 1x5, 100lbs 1x5, 120lbs 1x5, 150lbs 1x5

Barbell press - 55lbs 1x5, 70lbs 1x5, 85lbs 1x5, 105lbs 1x5

Knee tucks (CC tempo) - 3x5

This is my backoff week for my 6th month of 5/3/1 and a transition to a more varied routine. On Mondays I'll be doing 5/3/1 squats and press followed up by the Convict Conditioning hanging leg raise progressions. I thought I'd ease in with some low rep sets just to try them on for size.

Friday 7/15/11

Afternoon:

Bench press - 70lbs 1x5, 87.5lbs 1x5, 105lbs 1x3, 130lbs 1x5, 150lbs 1x3, 165lbs 1x3

Thursday 7/14/11

Afternoon:

Deadlift - 145lbs 3x5, 180lbs 1x5, 215lbs 1x3, 265lbs 1x5, 300lbs 1x3, 335lbs 1x2

I probably had another rep at least in me but my lower back was a bit tight still so I didn't push too hard. I keep thinking lately of Rif's (Mark Reifkind) point about the next step off a peak is usually downward. You can either take the step yourself or fall off (not the most accurate recollection, but you get the idea). I'll have more thoughts on that and how I'm planning on dealing with that as I wrap up this 6 month cycle.

Tuesday 7/12/11

Afternoon:

Barbell press - 55lbs 1x5, 70lbs 1x5, 85lbs 1x3, 105lbs 1x5, 120lbs 1x3, 132.5lbs 1x5

I just love pressing. It's pretty funny there is a thread on DD about 5/3/1 and there seem to be a lot of people offering opinions about it that don't seem to have done the program.

Meanwhile here is a weight I've never put overhead before and the first time I get to it I hit 5 reps. And it seems like I hit at least one pr every week. Sometimes that means just doing the same amount of reps but with more authority...sometimes that means more reps and heavier weight..

I'm still not strong, but I'm learning good lessons about doing the work and learning from the experience.

Monday 7/11/11

Afternoon:

Back squat - 80lbs 1x5, 100lbs 1x5, 120lbs 1x3, 150lbs 1x5, 170lbs 1x3, 190lbs 1x3

Real bare bones at this point. I'm dropping the BBB assistance work on this last week as I taper off.

I mentioned excuses the other day, but I should document my thoughts on why I felt so wrecked and weak last week for my future self if for no other reason.

I was coming up on the end of 6 months of continuous progress and the main lifts weren't tiring me out as much as all the volume from the BBB assistance work. I also started learning to play golf which had me going out to the range 3 -4 times a week. For the last 6 months I've been doing my lifting and then chilling hard. I need to get used to standing and walking around without sitting for hours and one more thing....the sun. That glowing orb in the sky and it's affects on the skin are something I apparently forgot about. I got burned pretty good as I have a shaved head, wasn't wearing a hat or sunscreen. Lesson learned.

It was a combination of those things I believe that had me crash at the end of last week. I need to remember that especially now that I'm older all physical activity will take it's toll and I need to ease into something new.

I'll finish up this week with the full 5/3/1 lifts, do my backoff week next week and then move into a new phase. I'm still thinking about what I'll be doing a bit but at this point it looks like two days devoted to strength and two days devoted to kettlebell conditioning. I see long sets of swings and snatches in my near future again. My conditioning is not up to snuff at this point so I know it's gonna be "fun".

Saturday 7/9/11

Afternoon:

Bench press - 70lbs 1x5, 87.5lbs 1x5, 105lbs 1x3, 122.5lbs 1x3, 140lbs 1x3, 157.5lbs 1x6

I felt much better today. Yesterday I still was feeling wrecked but today after a good nights sleep finally I feel back.

I'm still just doing the minimum for now. I plan on finishing up next week to complete the 6 months I had planned this phase for and then change focus a bit.

Thursday 7/7/11

Afternoon:

Deadlift - 145lbs 3x5, 180lbs 1x5, 215lbs 1x3, 245lbs 1x3, 280lbs 1x3, 315lbs 1x3

Just the bare minimum today. I suspected things were off a bit when I started and that was confirmed once I started my set with 315lbs. I not only felt weak, my lower back especially felt sore and strained so I just hit the minimum reps required and then called it a day. I'm smart enough at this point not to try to push through it and end up tweaking myself unnecessarily. Not getting injured is the key...or rather one of the most important keys.

This was the first time I've been this fatigued in a while and I can attribute it to a few things (I'll spare any readers the excuses). The fact is I'm coming up on finishing 6 straight months of this routine based almost solely on building a base of size and strength. When I finish this month I'll be modifying my routine to focus more on conditioning and leaning out a touch while maintaining the strength I've built.

Tuesday 7/5/11

Afternoon:

Barbell press - 55lbs 1x5, 70lbs 1x5, 85lbs 1x3, 100lbs 1x3, 112.5lbs 1x3, 125lbs 1x7

Bench press 90lbs 5x10 alternating with Band pull aparts (purple Jumpstretch band) 5x16

BU Press 20kg - 5x3/3

Farmers walk - 100lbs each hand - 3x 40yds.

Good day. I can't wait for it to cool down though.

I'm also starting a golf class at Foothill College. Pretty interesting game...I'll give it a shot and see if it's something that I can do for fun aside from my training.

Monday 7/4/11

Afternoon:

Back squat - 80lbs 1x5, 100lbs 1x5, 120lbs 1x3, 140lbs 1x3, 160lbs 1x3, 180lbs 1x6

Double swings 2x 20kg - 5x16

Saturday 7/2/11

Afternoon:

Bench press - 70lbs 1x5, 87.5lbs 1x5, 105lbs 1x3, 115lbs 1x5, 130lbs 1x5, 150lbs 1x6

Barbell press - 70lbs 5x10 alternating with Band pull aparts (purple Jumpstretch band) 5x14

BU Press 24kg - 5x1/1

Farmers walk - 95lbs each hand - 3x 100yds.

I didn't feel strong today. Thursdays deadlifts really sapped my energy. I used yesterday as a rest day and made sure I ate well to be as ready as possible today.