Going deep

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 21, week 3

• Work Set – Squat (working max: 280#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x115
  • 1x5x140
  • 1x3x170
  • 1x5x215 (work)
  • 1x3x240
  • 1x3x270
• Assistance – squat
  • 2 x 20/10x 135

One side-effect of resetting my weights was to improve my form — go deep on squats. Have to ensure parallel, no cutting short.

That said, this was an interesting session. I changed my set-up slightly. Not intentionally, more that it just happened. Instead of thinking too much about getting positions just right, angles just right, etc. I just stepped in. That seemed to help because things just felt right. I’ll go with this emotion.

But then, on the 270 set, I changed slightly because I wanted to try that ammonia again. Mistake. It threw off the groove I was in and the 1st rep was certainly cut short because my head was all over the place. I took a moment, gathered myself, and the other 2 reps were good. Interesting thing, but it makes sense.

Left a couple in the tank.

I also only wore my belt on the 270 set. This is having an interesting side-effect of making me really feel my body. I cannot just press into the belt and be done with it. No, I am a lot more sensitive to what’s going on, what my body is doing, and needing to really tighten up my abs and have a “stiff” torso. I think this is a good thing.

Then I just opted to do a 20-rep set and be done with it… but I did 10 more after that. I think for a real challenge I ought to go for about 60% of my working max… that should be painful enough. 🙂

Contemplating not taking a deload week and just going into the next session. We shall see.