5/3/1 Cycle 6 Wave 3: Squat

For some reason my press template is fucked, so I didn’t get to post it on Friday. Got a PR, though.

Bodyweight: 215 lbs

Squat
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 360

Warmup
Bike: 3 minutes
145×5
180×5
215×3

Work Sets
270×5
305×3
342.5×4 BELT (28 lb PR)

Accessory
Squats: 180x3x10
Abs: 10x15x3
Bike: 6 minutes

Good PR today! I honestly probably could have, at the least, attempted another, but I wanted to focus on my deadlift, since I’ve felt very “off” with my squat. Inconsistent form being the main culprit. Still, I’m happy with the results.

Deadlift is the monster to beat this week.

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Wave 2: Summary

Was lazy and busy this week, so here’s all the progress in a nutshell:

Bodyweight: 215 lbs

Squat
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 360

Warmup
145×5
180×5
215×3

Work Sets
252.5×3
287.5×3
325×5 BELT (20 lb PR)

Accessory
Squats: 180x4x10
Decline Situps: 10x15x3

Bench Press
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 272

Warmup
107.5×5
135×5
162.5×3

Work Sets
190×3
217.5×3
245×5 (13 lb PR)

Accessory
Kroc Rows: 70×30/30
Pause Bench: 135x4x10

Deadlift
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 381

Warmup
Bike
5 Minutes

Deadlift
152.5×5
190×5
227.5×3

Work Sets
267.5×3
305×3
342.5×7 BELT (42 lb PR)

Accessory
Platform Deadlift: 190x4x5
Decline Situps: 10x15x3

Hit some decent PR’s this week–real happy with the bench and ecstatic with the deadlift. Squat was a little tougher than it should have been, but I drank whiskey all weekend and probably didn’t eat as well as I should have.

Nailed the deadlift, probably had a few more in me. Really looking forward to next week.

I’m CONSIDERING changing up my accessory work for the squat, since I have access to a proper gym now, with all the equipment for the 5/3/1 accessory stuff. We’ll see; I’ll let my squat next week determine it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Pause bench and platform deads seem to be helping, but maybe I’ll switch up my pressing accessory. We’ll see.

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Wave 1: Deadlift

Bodyweight: 213 lbs

Deadlift
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 381

Warmup
Bike
5 Minutes

Deadlift
152.5×5
190×5
227.5×3

Work Sets
247.5×5
285×5
325×6 BELT (9 lb PR)

Accessory
Platform Deadlift: 190x5x5
Ab work

Good stuff today. Deadlift form is getting very solid, I’m damned pleased with it. Also, goddamn, my weight gain has made my belt tighter. Fuck a gut, man.

Gonna try to blow the deadlift out of the water next week. Feeling strong this cycle.

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Wave 1: Bench Press

Bodyweight: 215 lbs

Bench Press
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 272

Warmup
107.5×5
135×5
162.5×3

Work Sets
177.5×5
205×5
230×7 (12 lb PR)

Accessory
Kroc Rows: 70×30/30
Pause Bench: 135x5x10

Good day today! Bench felt strong and solid throughout! Would have failed on the 8th, though. Kroc rows real tough, but felt great, felt them until I left the gym. Bench accessory was a little tough.

The NEW sled fucking disappeared. I think I’m just gonna work the bike, maybe some farmer’s walks, too.

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Wave 1: Squat

Bodyweight: 215 lbs

Squat
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 360

Warmup
145×5
180×5
215×3

Work Sets
235×5
270×5
305×6 BELT (6 lb PR)

Accessory
Squats: 180x4x10, 1×7

Decent day today, I was sick towards the end of last week, didn’t eat much, so I played it conservative today, but was pretty pleased with the result. Accessory work killed me, but I knew I was going to cut the day short, so did as much as I could.

I’m also going to be doing more conditioning work, since we have a new sled at the gym. Sort of…looking forward to it?

5/3/1 Cycle 5 Wave 3: Press

Bodyweight: 210 lbs

Press
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 158 lbs

Warmup
62.5×5
80×5
95×3

Work Sets
117.5×5
135×3
150×4 (12 lb PR)

Accessory
Press: 80x3x10
Chin-Ups: 10, 7, 4, 4, 2
Power Shrugs: 315x7x2
Face Pulls: 100x15x3

Another good PR today! All the press work sets felt solid and smooth. Attempted a 5th rep but didn’t make it over my head. Still, good progress. I switched up order of my accessory work, doing presses first. My bodyweight is making chins harder, but not impossible. Shrugs were a little sloppy.

5/3/1 Cycle 5 Wave 3: Deadlift

Bodyweight: 210 lbs

Deadlift
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 375

Warmup
Squats
45×15
Deadlift
150×5
187.5×5
225×3

Work Sets
282.5×5
320×3
357.5×4 BELT (30 lb PR)

Accessory
Platform Deadlift: 187.5x3x5
Calf work
Ab work

The PR’s continue. Huge PR today, I even felt like I could maybe have gotten 5, but I’ve been very careful with my lower back.

Lower back started out pretty fatigued, but got better as it went on. Really happy with my deadlift form, and my speed off the floor is much better (thank you, platform deadlifts?)

Because of my continued success with the squat and deadlift, think I’m gonna not reduce the jump so much for the next cycle. Want to take advantage of this as much as I can.

5/3/1 Cycle 5 Wave 3: Bench Press

Bodyweight: 210 lbs

Bench Press
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 267

Warmup
107.5×5
132.5×5
160×3

Work Sets
200×5
227.5×3
252.5×3 (11 lb PR)

Accessory
Kroc Rows: 65×30/30
Pause Bench: 132.5x3x10
Power Shrugs: 315x2x7
Roman Sit Ups: 3×15

Nice PR today. Reps felt tough and butt may have come off the bench a little on the last one. Also, goddamn my wrists were hurting, from my first warmup onward. May have tweaked them with squats or sometime in the night, I have no idea, but almost made my workout unbearable.

Kroc rows are going well, right side was unusually hard today. Everything else was fine. Also weighed in at 210 today. Booyah.

5/3/1 Cycle 5 Wave 3: Squat

Bodyweight: 205 lbs

Squat
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 355

Warmup
45×25
142.5×5
177.5×5
212.5×3

Work Sets
265×5
302.5×3
337.5×4 BELT (27 lb PR)

Accessory
Squats: 177.5x3x10
Calf work
Ab work

Huge PR today. Again, don’t know if it’s the milk, bodyweight, or ab work, but my squat is rocketing up. Back felt really tight and fatigued today (went to bed at 2 AM), so I got plenty of rest between sets (warmup included). On the fourth rep, I leaned forward a bit too much, so I racked it, but may have been able to get one more ugly rep. Coach behind me said that the reps looked fairly easy. Go go EGO!

5/3/1 Cycle 3 Wave 2: Press

Bodyweight: 205 lbs

Press
5/3/1 Calculated 1RM: 158 lbs

Warmup
62.5×5
80×5
95×3

Work Sets
110×3
125×3
142.5×5 (8 lb PR)

Accessory
Chin-Ups: 10, 6, 5, 4, 3
Press: 80x4x10
Power Shrugs: 315x7x2
Face Pulls: 100x15x3

Presses are feeling much better. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a wide torso, but I’ve been using a slightly narrower grip and it’s been really helping at the bottom, to form a “shelf” to press off and out of. I’ve been setting PR’s with this little form adjustment.

Chins are struggling a bit, but my bodyweight has also gone up as well.

Second set of power shrugs is always better than the first…maybe I should throw in a warmup.

Excited about next week.