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.