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

Defranco Stretches

Bench -
BarX10
95X5
125X3
145X3
160X7

Squat -
BarX10
135X5
155X5
180X3
205X3
230X8

Chins (V-Grip) - BWX6, 5, 5, 5
super-set with
RDL - 85X10, 95X10X3

Push-ups - BWX10X4
super-set with
Face-pulls- 4 sets of 15

Defranco Core Circuit X2

Prowler Pushes for 10 minutes

Rep PR's and projected 1RM increases in both the Bench and Squat.  Bench was easier than the Squat, but as planned I set a bigger PR in the squat.  Great session.

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

Stretches from Defranco's Simple-6 (foam-rolling at home)

Press -
BarX10
65X5
90X3
100X3
115X5

Rollovers into "V" Sits from Defranco's Agile-8

Deadlift -
135X5
175X5
205X3
235X3
265X4
super-set with
Hanging Leg Raise - BWX6, 6, 6

Dips (Gym weight 201) - BWX5, 10X5, 20X5, 25X8

One-Arm DB Rows - 65X13, 15, 10

BB Bulgarian Split Front Squats - BarX10, 8, 5

BB Curls - 45X8, 65X5, 75X5, 55X10

Hammer and Tire - 40, 40, 30

Press was weak as hell today.  That's two crap sessions in a row.  May have to look at this lift next cycle.

265X4 is a Rep PR for the Pull.  Felt a little heavy, but probably could have gutted out one or two more.  Set-up felt weird all day.

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

Bench -
BarX10
95X8
115X5
135X5
155X7

Squat -
BarX10
135X5
165X5
190X5
215X8

Pull-downs, Wide-grip, slow eccentric - 80X10, 12, 10
super-set with
GHR - BWX8, 8, 10

Push-Ups - BWX10X3
super-set with
Face-Pulls - 15, 15, 20

Defranco Core Circuit X2 (V-Ups, Hip-Ups, X-Body Toe Touches)

155X7 in the bench is a Rep PR.

215X8 in the Squat is a Rep PR and projects to an increased 1RM.  This was a weird session.  I felt out of it on this day until the last two work-sets.  All of a sudden the fog cleared and I felt focused, and kind of kicked ass on the set.  6 Reps would have been a Rep PR at this weight, however I want to show a much increased Squat this cycle.  Specifically I want to project 285-290.  That would let me know that my Squat is in better proportion to my other lifts than it looks right now.   To do that, I need to hit 230 for 8 next week so I wanted to get 8 reps this week as "practice."  If I get 230 for 8 next week, and then 240 for 6 after that, I will know I'm closer to the balance I want to strike.  This is balance is based partially on the idea of a Big-4 ratio of 1/1.5/2/2.5 for Press/Bench/Squat/Dead, and partly on the idea of having my Squat be VERY close to my Dead.  I know that sounds contradictory, but there is a way for it to work by striking a balance between those two ideals.  One of the reason to do this is that I'm a much better Puller than Squatter, so that is the reason to chase my Dead with my Squat.  Also, I only Squatted for 3 months while on Defranco's BLAB, and my Deadlift went up.  All of this adds up to plenty of reasons to focus on Squatting more than Deads.

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.