It’s been over 2 years since I started going to the gym, but it’s been just over 2 years since I started on strength training programs. I started with Rippetoe’s Starting Strength (well, closer to a Practical Programming Novice program), hung on that for about 2 months, then switched to Wendler 5/3/1. I just finished up my 20th cycle on 5/3/1. So how do things look?

On my first day(s) of the PP/SS program, I worked my way up to:

Squat– 105 x 5
Bench – 115 x 5
Deadlift – 135 x 5
Press – 65 x 5

About a year ago I finished cycle 10 with these numbers (some were PR’s, some not):

Squat – 250 x 4
Bench – 205 x 6
Deadlift – 315 x 6
Press – 140 x 6

At the end of cycle 20 of 5/3/1 2 years later:

Squat – 295 x 3
Bench – 230 x 2
Deadlift – 380 x 3
Press – 155 x 3 (set on cycle 19)

And all those numbers are true PR’s, the best/most I’ve ever lifted in my life. Not too bad I reckon.  If you look at some strength standards I’m pretty much in line with where I should be… tho my squat still needs work.

That’s one thing that gets me. My squat. I used to hate it, fear it, and it caused one of my worst plateaus around 230# (what caused me to move off Rippetoe and onto Wendler, and even then). Now? Well, I’m still not saying I love squatting, but I can say that the day before I hit that 295×3 I was so excited and looking forward to the gym like never before. I was looking to crush that weight, not letting it crush me. 295 for a triple is happy.

Am I meeting my goals? I think so. My primary goal is to get stronger, and it would seem I’m doing that. My larger goal along this path is to have a 1000# total. And while on paper my calculated 1RM’s are almost there, again, that doesn’t matter. I want to MOVE that weight. I’m also not worrying about 1RM’s, so if it’s the weight I used for a triple or whatever, then so be it. Yes it takes me longer to get there, but I’ll be even stronger for it. I did want to hit 1000# by the end of 2013, but I’m skeptical if I’ll make it, just doing the simple math. But that’s OK, because I’ll get close and so long as I’m progressing well… then I’ll get there eventually. What probably makes more sense is for me to not look at the calendar year but training year, which would probably be “June to May” given when I started.

I am figuring I won’t make it before the end of 2013 because I’m slowing down. I’m not knocking out the rep PR’s. I’m backing off to prescribed reps only (tho I’ll allow myself some fun on 5/3/1 days). I’m getting beat up. I do feel better by scaling back, but a reset is likely to happen sooner or later and yes, that does drop down the total, thus I am suspecting 1000 in 2013 won’t happen. But again, that’s alright so long as I continue to make good progress.

The thing is, all of this is coming to a head. Am I still on the right path? I’ve been reading more Brandon Lilly, Dan Green, and other such guys. Cube Method is very interesting to me. Even the fact I ran a 5/3/1 cycle twice with the 2nd being for rep PR’s is alright for me (Clint Darden was even recommending such things). I’m reading more about how the strongest guys like Kaz or Ed Coan did a lot more rep work, like heavy work on 6-10’s, 5’s and triples, rarely going for singles unless peaking for a meet. There’s no question I have more muscle mass than ever before, but is it enough to sustain me? Do I need to gain more?

There’s a saying that the best program is the one you’re not doing. I originally took that to mean a “your program sucks” type of thing. And while perhaps it could mean that, it can also mean that nothing works forever. That perhaps I need a change.

My programming has been centered around 5/3/1 with mostly a “Boring But Big” approach. I have been experimenting with assistance work, but I’m really not at a point of having weak points or really being able to determine what they are; thus, assistance work tends to be ‘whatever’ which is why BBB works out (just keep moving and getting bigger). But I am starting to understand a few things, like I am pretty sure I need more quad work to get my squat numbers up there. And I’m finding that some higher-rep work and a little more of it on assistance stuff is good to my body overall. So I’m not really following any particular Wendler-made template, more following principles.

But I think about how a reset could be a blessing in disguise, doing more heavy rep work, working up more.  I even see how in many respects what I do with 5/3/1 isn’t that different from Cube… but I see where there are differences and how it could benefit me. I’m not sure I want to go to the Cube Method just yet, but I am very interested in it.

I do think I need some more bodybuilding work in my assistance efforts. And while the past some whiles I’ve been trying stuff like 100-rep work, that’s been very beneficial for me, especially on the kinesthetic front.  But I want to get heavier… 12-20 reps sort of thing, 3-4 sets, no more than 60 seconds between sets, etc.. try to get 50-75 total “heavy” reps instead, build more mass, hopefully that will carry over.

I just want to be a little less beat up, but keep on the road to 1000. I really don’t want to change my plan too much. But I do find myself being less dogmatic about 5/3/1 and sticking more to principles. I guess after 2 years of it, constant reading and rereading, and learning as much as I can… yeah, you start to figure it out on  the deeper and more important levels. But there is something to be said for starting out with a very specific plan, sets, reps, percentages, templates. I think some vets forget what it was like to be a beginner and get annoyed at such questions. I can see how it gets important to move beyond that, but beginners need to start somewhere and I think Jim gets that in his presentation of his program. I think I’m moving a little beyond it, but not quite there yet. That may be part of why I’m intrigued by Cube but not ready to go there yet.

So what’s going forward?

Primary goal remains strength. Secondary, mass building. Tertiary goal, keeping my fat levels in check. I don’t want to get lean, but I don’t need to blimp out either. Because when I hit 1000#, I am going to shift to fat shedding as the primary goal. What that program will be remains to be determined when I get to that point. For now, onwards to 1000.

My workouts going forward will probably be like this:

Squat
Pause Squat
Leg Extensions
Planks

Squat because that’s what you do. Pause squats because they seem to be the best thing for fixing “out of the hole” issues for raw squatters, and I’ve only done them one cycle and would like at least a couple more to see what they do for me; I’ll continue on the same 3 sets of 3-5 reps at moderate percentages (per Paul Carter’s suggestions). Leg extensions because I want to see about building my quads up more. They will be 12-15 reps, focused on extending the knee purely by contracting the quads, squeeze at the top, etc. (not about weight, about muscle). I suspect down the road pause squats and extensions will be replaced by front squats. Based on what I see in my squats and deadlifts, I’m suspecting I need some quad work. Planks for the abs, and they are a LOT more friendly on my elbows than some other ab work I’ve been doing.

Funny thing. While I was composing this, I read a posting in the Facebook Cube group. Someone was posting the results of their mock meet and they had a rather large disparity between squat and deadlift (small squat, big deadlift). Hrm, that looks familiar. A knowledgable person posted what I’ve been suspecting: quad weakness is attributed to such a thing. Solution? Deep front squats for sets of 8-12 reps. Heh.

I think I will stick with what I’m doing a little bit more tho, just because pause squats are kinda cool and I’d like to see what they do for me.

Bench Press
Incline DB Press
DB Rows
JM Press
Face Pulls

Bench is the main movement. Incline DB’s because I’ve read enough about DB work and incline work to convince me to try these as a way to build a little more mass, have more range of motion, and just overall improve for this movement. I think my shoulders will benefit too. I’ll do them heavy-ish, like 6-10 reps. DB rows will be Kroc-style, 2×10 to warm up, then 1 last set repping out. If I can hit 25 reps, time to increase the weight. JM Press and Face Pulls appear to have been helpful to me, but whereas before I was doing 100 reps straight, I’m going to break it down now to something like 3 sets, 12-20 reps, appropriately “heavy” weight.

Deadlift
Hyperextensions
Side Bends

That’s all for this. Deadlift. Then hypers for like 12-20 reps 3-5 sets. And side bends for about the same. I’m finding that the combo of hypers and side bends really knock the crap out of my erectors. So I’ll keep this combo up for a little while and see how it goes for me.

Press
Press again
Lat Pulldowns
Side Laterals
Rope Pressdown
Hammer Curls

Press is the main movement. Then do more pressing, but like 5 sets 6-10 reps; I just can’t think of a good replacement but why? This seems to really hit my shoulders well so long as I ensure I press fully, head comes forward, etc.. Side laterals because I do want to see if I can boost my medial delts a bit. Rope pressdowns for like 3 sets 12-20 to hit my triceps (rope works well, since I can then twist the wrist a bit for more squeeze). And hammer curls are just a favorite.

Generally speaking, striving for prescribed reps tho on 5/3/1 week I can try for up to 3 more if I really feel it. Work otherwise to get some reps at heavier weights, build muscle, get stronger.

Eat well.

Sleep well.

And 1000 will eventually be mine.

Failed to PR, but I think I have a setup that may help me avoid the dizzy spells.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 20, week 3

• Work Set – Press (working max: 160#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x65
  • 1x5x80
  • 1x3x95
  • 1x5x120 (work)
  • 1x3x140
  • 1x2x155
• Assistance – Press
  • 5 x 10 x 85
• Assistance – Lat Pulldowns
  • 4 x 15 x 95
• Assistance – Lateral Raises
  • 3 x 15/12/12 x 15
• Assistance – Rope Pressdowns
  • 3 x 20/15/12 x 30
• Assistance – Hammer Curls
  • 3 x 15/12/12 x 20

Straight up, I failed to PR. I repeated the weight from last cycle and there I got 3 reps, here I got 2. But something cool happened.

When I started to warm up, I didn’t intend to do this but it just happened and I went with it. I am working to find better set-ups for each lift, and I’m getting pretty close to a good setup for deadlift. It was really good a couple days ago, so I guess fresh off that I was inspired to hit that today. Walk up to the bar, stand there, relax, let my weight drop. Well, I placed my hands on the bar, tightened up, deep breath and hold… and the dizzy started. But this time, I didn’t unrack the bar. I just left the bar in the rack, but stayed tight with my breath held, let the dizzy pass, kept tight, new breath, then unracked the bar and went. It wasn’t perfect, I need to still get timing on it (can’t wait too long, but gotta wait some), but I was sure a lot more stable. The downside is that I’m sitting there holding a tight isometric hold for what feels like 10-ish seconds, and I wonder if that’s taking a rep out of me? I felt on the last 2-3 sets that I just didn’t have it in me. In fact, on the final set I started and couldn’t get the bar up more than half way!! I re-shouldered it, fresh breath, retightened, and cranked out 1 rep… hated only getting 1 so I ground out a 2nd.

I think I need to work on it, finding the right time to “recover” from the ‘dizzy’ feeling, but well… if this helps me work it, then so be it. I’ll keep at it.

One interesting other thing that happened then during the assistance pressing was of course I continued to work on the exact same setup, but I would find on the last 3 sets on the last some reps, it got tough and I felt a tightening in my torso like never before to keep things going.

So you know…. I didn’t PR, but I still think I progressed.

PR… and that’s enough.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 20, week 3

• Work Set – Deadlift (working max: 395#)
  • 1x5x160 (warmup)
  • 1x5x200
  • 1x3x240
  • 1x5x300 (work)
  • 1x3x340
  • 1x3x380 (PR)
• Foam Rolling

I’ve been feeling so beat up, I decided it put everything into the main lift then go home. No assistance work today.

Working up to the PR was interesting.

First, I do think I’m getting a ritual down for deadlift that’s working out pretty well for me. To set up and get to the bar. Refined it a bit more today, and it’s working well. Really helping my bar path and how my body “unwinds” as I stand up.

As I warmed up, I was thinking “gosh, the weights are heavy today”. Bad sign. Don’t do that because then yes, they will be heavy. Just lift.

When I did 340, my grip was dying. That really bothered me because there’s no reason for it to. I figure it was because I was gripping much harder and more securely on all the other sets, maybe they were tiring out? I don’t know, but it really bugged me. I wondered if I would be alright for the 380 (true PR, never lifted that much weight before, ever). I thought for a moment about wrapping my wrists, but no… why? this isn’t a competition. This is training, and if I miss I miss. And to help me not miss, grip harder! Plus I figured alternating grip on the last set would help some too (I always grip double-overhand, except on the last set I alternate).

I took a light whiff of ammonia, and yeah… I am starting to see how that works. I was so in the zone, so focused… I hit the bar and the 380 flew up. Now, in my effort to keep it to prescribed reps, 1 is all I need. But I felt VERY good and just kept going. I tell myself “no more than 3” and I stuck to that. I did feel like I could have gotten 1-2 more (2 would have been a grinder). So this is all good.

I really felt good about this PR. And that was enough.

I was debating if I should go up 5 or 10 pounds on both squat and deadlift next cycle. This clinched it: 10.

PR, and that’s enough.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 20, week 3

• Work Set – Bench Press (working max: 240#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x95
  • 1x5x120
  • 1x3x145
  • 1x5x180 (work)
  • 1x3x205
  • 1x2x230 (PR)
• Assistance – DB Incline Press
  • 5 x 15/15/15/12/10 x 40
• Assistance – DB Rows
  • 3 x 10/10/25 x 45
• Assistance – JM Press
  • 1 x 15 x 95
• Assistance – Face Pulls
  • 1 x 25 x 35

Set the PR and that makes me happy. I only did 2 reps tho, but they were very solid 2 reps. Last cycle’s 230×1 was a little shakey and I wasn’t sure I could get 2. Today, it was 2 solid and I felt like I could get more — at least physically. My head tho was all over the place. I tried snorting a little ammonia before the final lift (just trying it out, curious) and boy… it’s really cool. I mean, my head zoomed into focus, I was totally in the zone for the lift. But it’s a rather new, novel feeling so my head was kinda all over the place with it, trying to deal with that dizzy feeling I can get sometimes, etc.. But it felt like I was leaving a few in the tank, which is ultimately the point so, all good. 🙂

Besides, my left shoulder was really unhappy. *sigh* So just as well.

And with that, I opted to just do assistance work as I did, lighter weight, higher reps, didn’t do much after the first 2 assistance exercises… just wanted to get a little blood flowing, a little stretch and movement.

Onwards.

300# is within reach!

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 20, week 3

• Work Set – Squat (working max: 305#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x125
  • 1x5x155
  • 1x3x185
  • 1x5x230 (work)
  • 1x3x265
  • 1x3x295 (PR)
• Assistance – Pause Squat
  • 3 x 3 x 230
• Assistance – Leg Extensions
  • 3 x 12 x 30
• Assistance – Planks
  • 3 x (don’t remember) x BW
• Foam Rolling

This cycle was a repeat of last because I did 2 reps with 295# and dumped the 3rd. I also think those squats were cut just short of depth.

Today? 3 reps. But I honestly don’t remember much. I broke an ammonia capsule (never tried that before)… the brain was suddenly in overdrive… and I cranked out 3. I am very sure #1 hit depth, #2 fairly sure, and #3 no idea at all… but I do remember that I got half-way up, started to get stuck, and let out a massive war cry to get it the rest of the way up. I was NOT going to fail on this. 🙂

I feel good about the results here. I do want to give the pause squats more time to see if they help out. I’m also starting to think, based upon what I see, that I need more quad work — thus trying out some leg extensions and eventually I’m sure that front squats are in my future.

Since I’m striving for prescribed reps in general well… I’m not sure if I should go up 5# or 10# next cycle. Part of me is feeling I should stay conservative and just go up 5#… always better to go lighter, take the longer road, than to get ego get involved, y’know?

We shall see how the rest of “week 3” pans out before I make any hard decisions.

Little changes, hopefully longer-term improvement.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 20, week 2

• Work Set – Press (working max: 160#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x65
  • 1x5x80
  • 1x3x95
  • 1x3x115 (work)
  • 1x3x130
  • 1x3x145
• Assistance – Press
  • 5 x 10 x 85
• Assistance – Lat Pulldowns
  • 3 x 25/15/15 x 90/100/95
• Rep work – DB Lat raises, Rope Triceps Pressdowns, Hammer Curls

I felt like I could have pressed out a lot more reps… but stick to prescribed reps. Two days from now starts the 5/3/1 week, so we’ll see how well this is working.

As I’ve been thinking about the path I’m on and how far to continue down it, I want to keep higher reps but make it more productive. The 100 rep stuff is kinda cool, but it’s a “straight set” so often the first 50 reps are kinda useless. So I’m upping the weight and dropping the reps, but adding in sets with about 60 seconds of rest. Strive for like 12-20 reps, 3-4 sets, using a weight that’s tough for that range. That’ll total me out to like 50-75 reps (depending how I structure it).

I think going really light was good tho, and it reinforces that if I’m not feeling it in the muscle (on the assistance work), then I’m too heavy or my form is sucking… either way, lighten up. I mean, this was the first time that I can remember feeling it so much in my back when I was doing the pulldowns. That was precisely the end I want to achieve, so that’s all good. This may be more productive for me.

So we’ll see. I’m thinking about evolution of things, but it’s going to take seeing how the 5/3/1 week goes before I make any decisions.

Prescribed reps

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 20, week 2

• Work Set – Deadlift (working max: 395#)
  • 1x5x160 (warmup)
  • 1x5x200
  • 1x3x240
  • 1x3x280 (work)
  • 1x3x320
  • 1x3x360
• Assistance – Hyperextensions
  • 3 x 15 x BW
• Assistance – Side Bends
  • 3 x 20/20/10 x 50
• Foam Rolling

I’ve done more weight for more reps, but sticking to prescribed reps is feeling good. I feel worked, I feel progress, but I don’t feel dead. We’ll see how it pays off over time.

Hypers and side bends? Damn that’s a combo.

Onwards.

I think going for prescribed-reps-only is going to be good for me.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 20, week 2

• Work Set – Bench Press (working max: 240#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x95
  • 1x5x120
  • 1x3x145
  • 1x3x170 (work)
  • 1x3x195
  • 1x3x220
• Assistance – DB Incline Press
  • 5 x 12 x 40
• Assistance – DB Rows
  • 3 x 10/10/25 x 45
• 100 rep work – JM Presses, Face Pulls

I think keeping it to prescribed-reps only is going to be what helps me in the long run. I certainly am not feeling as beat up, and I also go into that last set with a different mentality. Instead of “grind out all you can” and trying to pace myself and set myself up pushing out a zillion reps, I just put everything into “those reps”. And while certainly I can and have set “over prescribed” limits/goals before, it’s always still a reach. I’m leaving things in the tank, “never miss a rep/lift”, etc..

Maybe it’s all the attention I’m paying to raw lifters, like Brandon Lilly and Dan Green. Or even “more rawer” guys like Paul Carter. Maybe it’s Dan Green’s “West of Westside“. Maybe it’s because most of the people I’ve read in the past have been primarily geared lifters. While all those folks still have much more knowledge, experience, and wisdom than myself, it’s interesting to see some different approaches and philosophy, even if it borders on blasphemy. And reading these “counterpoints” makes a lot more sense to me now.

So today, I played a bit more with my foot placement. The whole “knee below the hip” makes sense. Feet have to go out in front for me, but then getting my knees lower than my hip? Forget it — it’s almost too far out, almost too flat. But I can get close, and so I played with that some.

I also played with my hand placement. Usually it’s been ring-finger on the bar rings. Today I went with middle finger. Tried index finger, but that’s too much. I’m trying to see what difference it plays in my pressing, but also my shoulders. It was good enough that I’m going to keep trying it for a bit. Requires some thought as to how my elbows move through the range, but it should be all good.

On inclines… yeah, I think inclines are a good assistance exercise for me right now. Helps get more tricep work in, some further range of motion stuff, etc. I’m still trying to find the right groove for it all, and I think I about have it. Yes, I’ll keep with lighter weights and higher reps to get me there right now. Really liking the higher rep thing and think it’s having some bigger payoffs for me in many ways. One fun thing here is at the end of the 3rd and 4th sets I started to feel it in my triceps but that’s all. On the 5th set, instead of “pressing” the weight up, I focused on just contracting my pecs to focus more on pulling my upper arms together than necessarily pressing the weight up (it’ll go that way by virtue). Boy, suddenly I felt it a LOT more in my chest. Makes sense.

Rows I did Kroc-style. Warmed up for 2×10, then did all I could. It’s not Kroc rows at all, in a strict sense, because that’s not the heaviest weight in the gym, nor probably the heaviest I can muster. But I just kept with what I had. It’s another case of really trying to feel it more in my back muscles. It’s less about moving the weight through the air from floor to chest, and more about extending the arm/shoulder, then retracting it… thinking more about upper arm and elbow moving through space.

I’m going to keep the weights lighter, the reps higher, and keep going. This is good for me. Week 3 will keep the weights the same, but strive to get even stricter, feeling it even more… more about the muscle than the movement.

I also think more about my longer term “where to go next” with my cycles. And I’m trying to hold back… kinda wanting to change a lot. But I think it’d probably be wise to stick with the same basic exercises I’m doing now, stick with prescribed reps, keep the assistance weights “light” with higher reps on things. And if I do reset, that’s fine too…. because I might then actually do a little more then prescribed reps but certainly leave a BUNCH in the tank (instead of pushing myself as hard as I have)… because again, heavier, higher reps, I think that may be good for me at this point.

Simple. Solid.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 20, week 2

• Work Set – Squat (working max: 305#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x125
  • 1x5x155
  • 1x3x185
  • 1x3x215 (work)
  • 1x3x245
  • 1x3x280
• Assistance – Pause Squat
  • 3 x 5 x 512
• Assistance – Planks
  • 3 x 1:18/1:22/0:48

The new setup is helping. My hands are closer in, not too close, but where it feels right and natural for everything to be tight. It is helping my whole upper body be tight and drive. I will say I was focused more on being tight and kinda lost some of the “drive the head back into the bar” and such. But it’s getting there.

One change I made — and this was kinda cool.

The squat rack at the gym is in front of a bank of windows. Because it’s dark out, the windows act like mirrors so I always see everything I’m doing. I never thought much of it, but something ran through my head as I sat there after the 215 set. I closed the blinds on the windows. Whoa… that was different. You don’t realize how much feedback was visual. Now it was all by feel. I get under the bar for 245 and I had to ask myself, am I actually centered under the bar? Is my grip where it should be? As I set up, was everything as it was to be? Am I moving as I should? And of course, I became strongly aware of every muscle, every thing that I was doing. The kinesthetic feedback was huge.

Of course, I think it threw me off a bit because I didn’t expect such a radical shift in feedback and perception. So the last 2 sets were muddled a bit by this massive change — I wasn’t focused so much on squatting, but kinda surprised and fascinated by the sudden shift and overload of feedback I was getting. It was weird, but really cool. And I think it shall be how I do any and all work at the rack.

Otherwise… I just kept it to prescribed reps and left it alone. I might have gone for 4, if I wasn’t dealing with the perception change. That just blew my concentration too much, but I’m alright with it because it’s a good change.

Pause squats were brutal. No belt. Pause. Hold. Don’t lose anything while you’re in the hole. Man…

I also made a last minute change and opted to do planks. I’ve been reading enough stuff about their benefits for squatting and such (Cube Method), and well… the tighter hand position on the bar now really starts to hurt my elbows. The pulldown abs? really forces my arms into flexion and wears on my elbows. So, if planks can be a fun change, get good benefits, and gives my elbows a rest? Fine. Funny thing.. on the first 2 sets everything else in my body gave out before my abs did, from being taxed from squatting. Only on the 3rd set did I really feel it in my abs and they were what gave out. 🙂