Finally a little time to write about the training change.

You may have noticed I changed from lifting 2x week to 3x. It was motivated by math, and put over by curiosity.

First, after hitting my bench press PR of 225#, the gym owner asked me what my goal was. I said 230# (thank you, Jim Wendler), but I know his larger point was my long-term goal. In that case, it’s totalling 1000#. I know that’s not much in the world of lifting, but it’s still a milestone…. and I have to total 1000 before I can total 1001, y’know?

Well, I went back and did the math. 2x week means about 8 cycles per year. At that rate and the rate of progression, I risked not making it. I had my brain still set to numbers from before my weight loss diversion, and I have lost strength and reset my lifts. Consequently, where my total was vs. where it is now? I’ve lost ground and have to make it up. Thus making 1000 before the end of 2013 just wasn’t going to happen on paper, especially when you consider with 8 cycles there’s fair chance of a reset in there.

Plus I wondered about my progress and how things have really slowed down. I think back to my Mark Rippetoe readings and the notion of “supercompensation”. Basically, I wonder if once a week is too long for me. Basically, 2x week means I work lower body once every 7 days and upper body once every 7 days. Is that too long? Am I getting past that supercompensation window peak? When I train 3x week it’s 4-5 days before that group is trained again. 4 days vs. 7 days. Hrm. I was making fair gains at 3x week. I wonder if this is a factor. I primarily went 2x due to the new job situation, but that’s finding a balance and groove, and I think 3x is going to be better for me. So that put me over.

Furthermore, working out seems to help my recovery. Blood gets pumping, soreness goes down.

My general approach remains the same tho:

• Follow 5/3/1 program
• Main lift is 5/3/1 style, focus on strength.
• Assistance is essentially Boring But Big
• First assistance lift is the same lift as the main lift, any other assistance work is to bring up weak points.
• Assistance work is primarily done by pyramiding down. The main assistance lift will be 5 sets of 6-10 reps, aiming to get 10 reps with whatever weight makes it hard to get 10 reps. Subsequent sets use the same weight until I can only crank out 6, then drop the weight and continue. If the last set can be lighter weight and more reps, all the better. The point is for every set to be tough (because straight sets across doesn’t allow for that), focus on more reps. Build some muscle. Rest only about 90 seconds between sets. When dropping weight, if possible keep it simple (e.g. 45’s and 25’s).
• Other assistance work is whatever is appropriate for that need.
• On bench press and press days, the last exercise is a superset of exercises for chest, biceps, and triceps. 3 sets, 8-15 reps. Similar scheme as the main assistance lift. Only difference is on the last set, stay on that same exercise and drop weight, then keep going before rotating to the next body part. About 90 seconds between sets.
• Walk to/from the gym each day. On “off days” walk more. Won’t be a lot, may just be taking the dog for a few laps around the block, but still, walk.
• Eat well. Don’t skimp on protein, at least 1.0g per #, maybe 1.5-ish on lower-carb days. On workout days, eat carbs… don’t go nuts, but ensure there are good carbs. On non-workout days, minimal carbs are a goal (fiber is good tho). I don’t want to get fat, I do want to get strong. Adjust as needed.
• Foam roller is my friend.

We’ll see how this goes. The workouts are more intense, 3x week, but well… this is what gives me the best shot at making 1000 by the end of 2013. I still might not make it, but if progress has been good and steady I won’t be upset because I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and I’ll get there.

Really, in some respects I think squatting 315# is the next “wouldn’t that be cool?” goal for me. Or heck, 300# first. 300 will be cool for sure, but squatting 3 wheels will be a nicer visual. 🙂  Maybe by late Spring.

Also, I’ve been reading a lot of Dave Tate eBooks. First, damn funny gun. Second, damn knowledgeable guy, not just about lifting, but about business and life too. I realized after the 225# bench press that I’ve spent a lot of time working on my squat and deadlift technique. And while those lifts still have a ways to go, I haven’t focused much on my bench press technique. Sure I did a few things, but after I got set up I pretty much left it. I want to spend more time focusing on the finer technical details of the bench press, just like I have the other 2 lifts. More reading ahead, and probably time to watch So You Think You Can Bench again.

Train on!