5/3/1 Log: Cycle 3. Week 1. Pressing and Deadlifting

No warm-up (full body foam-rolling the night before)

Press -
BarX10
55X8
70X5
80X5
95X5
105X5

Deadlift -
135X5
170X5
190X5
220X1
220X5
250X7
super-set with
Hanging Leg-Raise - BWX5X4

Bench Dip - BW(201)X15, 15, 12
super-set with
T-Bar Rows - 70X10, 10, 8

BB Split Front-Squats - 85X8, 6, 8
super-set with
Hammer Curls - 25sX13, 15, 12

No Conditioning

In a rush to get in and out so I could shower and get to rehearsal tonight, so no mobility warm-up or conditioning afterwards.

Press felt heavy.  In the light of day, I wonder if I put 10s on instead of 5s and was actually pressing 115 on the last set.  Find out when I press 115 next week.

In contrast, Pulls felt great.  Slight hiccup on my 2nd work set where my headphones got tangled, and I had to stop and reset.  250X7 is a Rep PR and an increase to my projected max.  Probably could have gotten 1 or 2 more.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 3. Bench and Squat

Defranco's Simple-6 and Agile-8

Bench -
BarX10
95X5
130X5
150X3
165X5

Squat -
BarX5
135X5
185X5
210X3
235X2

Chins - BWX5, 7, 5, 5, 4 (Gym BW 202)


BB Split Front-Squats - 85X8, 8, 5

Push-Ups - BWX10X5
super-set with
Face-Pulls - 4 sets of 15, final set of 22

Bench felt a little heavy, but 165 is a 5 Rep PR.  Good enough.

Squats are still rough with the TFL strain.  Moving my feet in has helped, but that stance may have a lower strength ceiling for me.  As long as I keep my feet in and KEEP MY KNEES OUT the TFL is OK.  Gotta keep the knees out, though.  Also had trouble staying off my toes.  Almost had a couple of GM's on my hands.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 3. Pressing and Deadlifting

Defranco's Simple-6 and Agile-8

Press -
BarX10
65X5
80X3
95X3
105X7

RDL - 65X10

Deadlift -
135X5
185X5
215X5
240X3
270X3

Dips (Gym BW 203) - 10X7, 10, 15X5

One-armed Rows - 65X15, 15, 10

Goblet Squat - 75X8, 60X10, 10

BB Curl - 45X8, 65X6, 75X5
super-set with
Hanging Leg Raises - 3 sets of 5

With my schedule so hectic I've decided to switch to a 2-Day split.  This was supposed to be Week 3, or the 531 week of the cycle.  I'd already done that day for Press, so I used what would have been my Deload weight, or Week 1 weight for the next cycle.  I worked up in 3's as I would for the Deload week, but then decided to do 7 reps on the top set and match my previous best for that weight.  Demonstrating that my strength hasn't dropped off.

For the pulls, 2 reps on the top set would have been a 2 rep PR, so I got that plus one more.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 3. Pressing

Streching from Defranco's Simple-6, no foam rolling

Press -
BarX10
65X5
75X5
95X5
100X3
115X6
super-set with
Chin-ups - BW sets of 5-6

EZ Bar Overhead Extensions - 65X10, 8, 8, 8, 6
super-set with
Chin-ups - BW sets of 3-6 (52 total chins on the day)

BB Curls - 65X8, 70X8, 75X8X2

I bought a short foam roller for myself that I'm keeping at home, so I may not always do it at the gym as I'm actually doing it more often now than I was.

For whatever reason, Press seems to be the lift I am most likely to go for it with despite my intentions coming into the gym.  I was really only going to get 4, 5 would have been a Rep PR, but I knew 6 would project a new 1RM and I had to go for it once I started the last set.  The last rep or two were a strain.  I maybe could have gotten 1 more.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 2. Squats

Warmed-up with a lot of stretching and flexing of the left hip.  Trying to get the strained area ready to go.

Squats -
BarX10
95X5
135X3
155X3
170X3
195X3
220X3

BB Front Split-Squats - 75X8X3

BB Front Squats - 115X8X2

Well, I got through the bare minimum on back squats without any major discomfort in the left hip.  Pretty sure it's the TFL and not the Sartorius.  I played with foot placement a little bit, but it was inconclusive.  However, paying special attention to keeping my knees out seemed to help.  That makes sense as the strain is most apparent when raising the knee straight up, and much less so when raising it at an angle.  I decided not to tempt fate and just got the required reps.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 2. Bench

Defranco's Simple-6

Bench -
BarX10
95X5
120X3
140X3
160X5

Dips - BWX10X3
super-set with
T-Bar Rows, no support - 90X5, 70X10, 10

Face-Pulls - 3 sets of 15-20

Push-ups - 10,10,10,8,5

I've decided to pull back on the bench for a few weeks, and focus on Dips, rows, and push-ups.  That's why I decided to only get 5 on 160.  7 would have been a rep PR, and would have projected an increased 1RM.  It was hard not to go for it, but I just kept reminding myself to leave something in the tank for Dips.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 2. Deadlift

Defranco's Agile-8 + upper back stretching

RDL - BarX10

Deadlift -
135X5
185X5
200X3
230X3
255X6
185X10X5

Was worried about the strain in my left hip (I think it's the tensor fascia latae), so I foam rolled like a mother, and took great care with all my mobility/flexibility work beforehand.  Turns out it may not have been necessary, as I felt nothing in that area during my sets.  255X6 is a Rep PR and projects as a minor increase in my 1RM.  I wasn't planning on going that far, as X4 would have been a Rep PR on it's own, but everything felt great so I went for 6.  I possibly could have gotten even more if I wanted to grind, but I'm still focused on Squats and not Deads. 

Some of the success in this session may be due to a slight form tweak I made after reading a recent Rippetoe piece.  I recently screwed up my squat listening to the guy, but I thought I'd give him another shot.  The main change was aliging the bar over mid-foot as I had been doing, but then unlocking the knees and bringing the shins down until they touch the bar.  I think the bar path was much stronger for me this way, and I will continue to use this adjustment.

I also upped the wait in the Boring But Big sets.  I think 185 is approaching my top weight for 5X10.  I almost quit before the last set, but since I wasn't doing anything but Deads today, I convinced myself to man-up and push through.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 2. Pressing

Defranco's Simple-6

Press -
BarX10
65X5
85X3
95X3
110X7
super-set with
Chin-ups - BWX7, 7, 5, 7, 6

BB Overhead Extensions - 65X8, 8, 6

Hammer and Tire - 5 sets of 40 (switching grip every 20 reps); 10 minutes

110X7 is a Rep PR, and a minor increase to my projected 1RM.  I wasn't even planning on going for that today, but it just kind of happened.  Although, the last rep was a grinder.  I lost some tightness trying to grind through the sticking point (right above my head), and took a step forward.  I didn't stop the press though, and managed to press it out.  I try to play things by ear, but I may just get in the reps, or go for a minor rep PR on Bench this week since I went all out on the Press.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 1. Squats

Defranco's Agile-8 +ankle mobility

Squats -
BarX10
135X5
160X5
185X5
210X8

BB Front Split Squats - 65X8X3

Front Squats - 105X5, 8, 8

210X8 is a rep PR for the Squat, and projects to an increase 1RM.  All with a cough, runny nose, and crappy medicated feeling.  Not to shabby. 

Had a weird accident though where my phone got caught between my hip bones and my abdomen descending on the last set, and kind of bruised or strained the area or something.  Was initially worried I'd strained something in my abdomen, or even a hernia, but I don't think so.  Treated it with ice and heat after I got home, but still feels tight as hell when I stand up to walk.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 1Bench

Defranco's Simple-6

Bench -
BarX10
95X5
115X5
130X5
150X7
super-set with
Chin-ups - BWX5, 5, 7, 7, 4

Dips - BWX6, 5, 7, 5, 6, 6
super-set with
Pendlay Rows - BarX10, 95X7, 135X5, 155X3, 155X4
and
Neutral Grip Pull-downs - 90X8, 100X8, 100X6

Sick today.  Bench was the only thing that felt good.  Working on getting tighter and up on my back more.  150X7 is a rep PR.

5/3/1 Log: Cycle 2. Week 1. Deadlift

Defranco's Agile-8 +lat stretch

Deadlift -
135X5
155X5
185X5
215X5
240X6
165X10X5

Hanging Leg-Raise - BWX5, 5, 6

Pull felt great tonight, and 240 is a 6 rep PR.  Continuing to focus hard on form, I zeroed in particuarly on pulling the bar into me, or "falling backwards."  I did this through the Boring But Big sets as well.  Also on those I had a light-bulb moment on repping form.  Previously, I had been bringing my hips up and then back down hard at the start of every rep.  Today I just kept everything really tight, no "bouncing," and the only resetting I did between reps was to take the slack out of the bar after each dead stop.  I feel much better and more confident this way, and my back felt great through the whole session.

Also regarding the BBB sets, I just realized that 165X10 is a 10 rep PR for me in the pull.  My 10 rep PR projects closer to 225, so it's not a big "whoo-hoo" moment, but it's still cool to technically set two different PR's with one lift in the same session.  I was already planning on doing some progression with these sets, and that's more motivation. I was pretty wiped between sets, but I might still try creeping up a little the next few sessions.  I don't want to kill myself on accessory work, but 170 would be about 60% of my training max for this cycle.  Might as well see if that nice round % can work cycle to cycle.

I've also started icing my back when I get home on DL days.  This is based on things I've read over at Chaos and Pain.  The idea is to drastically reduce inflamation following a training session.  This supposedly allows/squeezes toxins out of the traumetized area.  Then I take a hot shower with the idea being that the heat encourages new blood and nutrients to flow back into that area.  I might start following this with some time on a hot pad however, as further research suggests that a shower might not provide enough intensity or duration to get the desired effect.  Because I've had so many low-back strains, I'm trying to any precautions that are reasonably with time and budget constraints.