Deload week is over.

I did something to my lower back yesterday during my top set of incline press — different bench, I wasn’t 100% stable on the bench, slid a bit, and it seems to have put increased pressure on my lower back. It’s not bad, but it’s there. Didn’t affect my lifting today tho. Did a nice work-up. The 390 went up quite easily for those 5 reps, and again I stop at 5 because of the deload protocol.

So this is the end of the “Prep & Fat Loss” program.

I didn’t lose any bodyweight that I could tell. I’m not sure why; I have some thoughts.

I did increase my work capacity. As much as cardio work isn’t my favorite, I’m going to keep 20-30 minutes of something light after my lifting. It should help me overall.

It was fun to challenge myself in a different way. Gives me some different thoughts and insights. And as much as I suck at pull-ups and chin-ups, part of me wants to keep doing them (so long as my shoulders and elbows don’t hate it), because that’s how you get better.

I don’t regret the past 6 weeks. I succeeded at some things, failed at others; either way I learned.

I am looking forward to the coming program change.

5/3/1 Prep & Fat Loss Program

Bodyweight: 245
Rest Period (seconds):

• Deadlift – 155 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 12
• Deadlift – 195 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 12
• Deadlift – 235 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 12
• Deadlift – 275 x 5
• Pull-up – BW x 3
• Deadlift – 310 x 3
• Pull-up – BW x 3
• Deadlift – 350 x 1
• Pull-up – BW x 3
• Deadlift – 390 x 5
• Pull-up – BW x 3

Good morning. Nothing really exciting to mention. Worked up, the 225 felt good. Pull-ups felt good.

Actually, the 225×4 is an incline bench PR.

Looking forward to this deload week being over so I can get into my new programming. I am curious how my arms are going to feel, so I am going to ease into things regarding pressing work (fewer sets, lighter weights). See how it goes.

5/3/1 Prep & Fat Loss Program

Bodyweight: 245

• Incline Bench Press – bar x whatever
• Incline Bench Press – 90 x 5
• Face Pull – 70 x 15
• Incline Bench Press – 110 x 5
• Face Pull – 70 x 15
• Incline Bench Press – 135 x 5
• Face Pull – 70 x 15
• Incline Bench Press – 155 x 5
• Pull-up – BW x 3
• Incline Bench Press – 180 x 3
• Pull-up – BW x 3
• Incline Bench Press – 200 x 1
• Pull-up – BW x 3
• Incline Bench Press – 225 x 4 (PR)
• Pull-up – BW x 3

That went better than expected.

Again, it’s deload week and I’m just working up to my training max. Only need 1 rep but if I’m feeling it I’ll take 3-5 but no more. I must admit, given some of my struggles with squatting lately, I was expecting today would be taking the 1 rep and MAYBE 2 if I was lucky.

But I got 5. I probably could have pushed for 6 and MAYBE eeked a 7th, but 5 was the hard limit.

I’m quite happy with this.

Again, carb consumption isn’t out of control, but improved. I’m betting that helped. 😉 Bodyweight hasn’t changed much, but in the mirror I am certainly fuller. And yes, feeling better.

The work up was what it was, no big deal. Just following the protocol and then some light assistance supersets (totally not pushing it, just something). The 250 felt a little heavy but no biggie. The 280 was a little heavy, but also no biggie. Then the 310 just kept going. I didn’t think of “get 5”, I just said “get 1”. Then that felt good, so I could say “get 1”. And I just kept going. Always thinking in terms of “get 1” is a big mental help because it puts you purely in the moment, focused on that 1, and all things into that one. Things work out better.

And I got 5. Very happy. It’s not a PR, but given my progress as of late, it’s quite good. All reps were full, solid, deep.

As well, I found my descents on every rep today to be really good. I wasn’t going slow, but a little more controlled than usual. Everything was very tight. Often my 1 rep feels a little unhappy then the rails are greased and the remaining reps go well, but not today — the first rep always felt good. I want to make sure I keep this sort of cuing and descent.

Anyways, good day. I’m happy.

5/3/1 Prep & Fat Loss Program

Bodyweight: 243

• Squat – bar x whatever
• Squat – 125 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 10
• Squat – 155 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 10
• Squat – 185 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 10
• Squat – 215 x 5
• Neutral-Grip Pull-ups – BW x 3
• Squat – 250 x 5
• Neutral-Grip Pull-ups – BW x 3
• Squat – 280 x 5
• Neutral-Grip Pull-ups – BW x 3
• Squat – 310 x 5
• Neutral-Grip Pull-ups – BW x 3

I’ve started my shift, and yes I’m happier.

Continuing with inspiration from the new “5/3/1 Forever” book, I’m taking the 7th week protocol deload, tho with a little experimentation. I won’t go over the whole protocol (it’s in the book), but I am taking the deload approach of working up to the training max. However, borrowing from another 7th week variation, I’m allowing myself 3-5 reps on the top set if I’m feeling it. I really only need to go for the single, but if I am feeling good I will go for it. It’s just 3-5 reps, no AMRAP, no rep PR, 3-5 at most. Why? Because I started consuming a “normal” amount of carbs since Friday. A little more on Friday, then generally normal over the weekend but I did enjoy chips and salsa at Saturday’s supper. Then yesterday our fridge went out (great…) so it was pizza. So it was perhaps a little more carbs than normal, but I’m ok with that. I look in the mirror and I am certainly fuller looking — hooray for replenishing glycogen stores. Bodyweight was 243 this morning, so really not much change. So, that’s why I’m allowing myself the 3-5 reps on the top set: let’s see where things are as I carb back up.

Approach was simple. Just work up. The back work was light and superset: press set, immediately do a back exercise, then rest for 2-3 minutes; move to the next. No big deal here, just see what I can see and get some deload-oriented work in, then go home. Well, I did 20 minutes elliptical, and I reckon I’m going to keep that in.

This should help me confirm where things are, where things should be, as I move into a different cycle next week.

So today, 175×5 was good. I haven’t really lost any strength, but I haven’t gained any either.

Back work was just to do something. No big deal. Not trying to push it at all.

5/3/1 Prep & Fat Loss Program

Bodyweight: 243

• Press – bar x whatever
• Press -70 x 5
• Face Pull – 65 x 15
• Press – 80 x 5
• Face Pull – 65 x 15
• Press – 105 x 5
• Face Pull – 65 x 15
• Press – 120 x 5
• Chin-up – BW x 3
• Press – 140 x 3
• Chin-up – BW x 3
• Press – 155 x 1
• Chin-up – BW x 3
• Press – 175 x 5
• Chin-up – BW x 3

Yeah, I think I’m done.

Time is precious, and the one thing we really can’t get more of — so don’t waste it. I’ve learned that once I’ve become certain (enough) that something isn’t working, there’s no point in continuing to do that thing – (re)assess, formulate new plan (or refine the old one), and move along. I do this in all areas of my life, but here in the gym is one place that I don’t always apply that – because there’s something about sticking-with and following-through. But that’s not really the right way to be. Yeah, there’s a time and a place, and I’ve done that, but I’m basically to a point where this just isn’t happening.

Yes, I’ve gotten a lot out of the past 5 weeks, but it’s evident I’m not achieving my primary goal and this road isn’t getting me there. So, I’m pretty certain after tomorrow I’m going to cap this off. I’m going to bring my carb intake back up — not huge amounts, but enough so I’m not flat. Let myself eat like that, and have gym sessions that well… are a bit more free-form and what I want to do for a while. I can’t really get back on my 3/4/5 goal just yet because there’s still arm pain issues (very rare, but still there). To that, part of what I want to do is start to poke that with a stick and see exactly where I am and what I can perhaps do. So I’m not neglecting the 3/4/5 goal, just another detour to help me get back on that horse.

But that all said, I’m also giving serious contemplation to getting help again. I had great success when I had 1-on-1 coaching with Renaissance Periodization. I’m thinking about doing coaching again, both diet AND exercise tho — having a complete setup. Will I go RP? Likely. But I’m giving thought to some other people too, like Paul Carter (if he’s still taking clients). So, spend about 6 weeks maybe “normalizing” again, then see about getting some help. It’s evident I don’t have quite enough knowledge to run diet-related things on my own, and I also know I cannot afford to gain much more bodyweight. So yeah, if it derails my work towards 3/4/5 — then so be it. I must always remember my primary objective, and it’s more important to keep my body in check that bench press 315 (tho I still really want to do that).

I don’t think this whole thing was a bust tho. No question my work capacity is up significantly. I expect I’ll stick with the 20-30 minutes of cardio post-workout. And I’m even thinking about keeping chin-ups around, at least in part. It’s been a good experience, it just didn’t achieve what I was wanting.

5/3/1 Prep & Fat Loss Program

Bodyweight: 243
Rest Period (seconds): 70

• Incline Bench Press – bar x whatever
• Incline Bench Press – 90 x 5
• Face Pull – 65 x 25
• Incline Bench Press – 110 x 5
• Face Pull – 65 x 25
• Incline Bench Press – 135 x 5
• Split Squat – BW x 15e
• Incline Bench Press – 145 x 5
• Split Squat – BW x 15e
• Incline Bench Press – 165 x 5
• Pull-up – BW x 5
• Incline Bench Press – 190 x 5
• Pull-up BW x 4
• Incline Bench Press – 145 x 5
• Pull-up BW x 4
• Incline Bench Press – 145 x 5
• DB Row – 65 x 20e
• Incline Bench Press – 145 x 5
• DB Row – 65 x 20e
• Incline Bench Press – 145 x 5
• KB Swing – 40 x 25
• Incline Bench Press – 145 x 5
• KB Swing – 40 x 25
• KB Swing – 40 x 25
• KB Swing – 40 x 25

I can’t wait to eat carbs again.

It’s not that the weights are necessarily heavy, but I just have no gas to push them. I have no idea how I’m going to get through next week. 🙂

I am kinda happy tho to continue to see my pull-up/chin-up going up.

But apart from that, things are tough. I mean, it’s simple bodyweight work, but I just can’t hit many reps since there’s nothing in the tank. It is what it is. Interesting tho, it got mentally better as the session went on. I think part of it was I just stopped thinking about it. But I’ve also added beta-alanine and citrulline malate back in. I took them out investigating if they might be what’s causing my itch to get so itchy, but it’s been over a month without them and I still have the issue, so I strongly doubt it’s them.

The crazy thing is I’m actually contemplating keeping my carb intake around where it is for a little while longer. After this program has run its course, just change to a program that can work a little better with the (lack of) intake, and stay here for a while. I found it odd that thought crossing my mind this morning, but I am considering it. I won’t do it for more than 12 weeks total tho — given what I learned back when I was more hardcore RP’ing. So basically, finish this out, 7th week protocol, 3 weeks anchor, 1 week deload — and that would be the most I’d be on the reduced carbs.

5/3/1 Prep & Fat Loss Program

Bodyweight: 242
Rest Period (seconds): 70

• Squat – bar x whatever
• Squat – 125 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 20
• Squat – 155 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 20
• Squat – 185 x 5
• Crunches – BW x 20
• Squat – 200 x 5
• Dips – BW x 16
• Squat – 235 x 5
• Chin-up – BW x 7
• Squat – 265 x 5
• Dips – BW x 12
• Squat – 200 x 5
• Chin-up BW x 5
• Squat – 200 x 5
• Push-ups – BW x 12
• Squat – 200 x 5
• Inverted Row – BW x 12
• Squat – 200 x 5
• Push Ups – BW x 12
• Squat – 200 x 5
• Inverted Row – BW x 10
• Push Ups – BW x 12
• Inverted Row – BW x 10