Return of the King

Cravez

Id double what Rubadub says, hanging onto the bar can help you with pro-longed sets as what usually starts to give out towards the end of a long set is more so your grip on the bar. Also id chime in and say try some 'power pull-ups'. Been doing these for a while, basically similar to a clapping pull-up but without the clapping. Essentially pull yourself up as quick and explosively as you can, let go of the bar and the momentum will raise your body up a little more, then catch the bar on the way down.

Iv found this has generally helped me build more strength/power for doing pull-ups, and doing them much quicker also. Also i find it's a good progression exercise for doing muscle ups (which i got my first proper dead hang one on olympic rings today )

BossArky

Thanks for the comments guys. It looks like you've given me a long shopping list of stuff to try out on the deload week ahead :pac:

brutusthebarber wrote: »

Have you tried switching to Sumo for some of the reps.

.... So warming up with sumo could be worth a try.

I have never tried a sumo deadlift before. Good idea. I'll see how they go.

kevpants wrote: »

If you are keeping everything tensed and you get a little rounded it's no big deal. It's going to happen and putting the muscle responsible for keeping you straight under so much pressure they allow you to round is going to stimulate them to grow stronger.

I need to give myself a queue to make sure the bar is in at my shins before I try to pull it.

Ok. I'll keep an eye on the bar and make sure it dosen't drift away from my shins.

rubadub wrote: »

I would say it has, I think it helps with endurance, not giving yourself a real break, and gets you used to longer set times when you are hitting higher reps.

All my sets since July have been straight through without any of my previous "hanging" I'm hoping that this will mean that when I eventually do a straight through set of X reps, I can then hang for a few seconds and finish off with a few more.

Michael Cravez wrote: »

Id double what Rubadub says, hanging onto the bar can help you with pro-longed sets as what usually starts to give out towards the end of a long set is more so your grip on the bar. Also id chime in and say try some 'power pull-ups'. Been doing these for a while, basically similar to a clapping pull-up but without the clapping. Essentially pull yourself up as quick and explosively as you can, let go of the bar and the momentum will raise your body up a little more, then catch the bar on the way down.

Yeah grip seems to go on me. The harder I try to get a better grip at the start of a set the more it seems to slip. If I rotate my knuckles forward on the bar (in the pull up position) it just makes them slip backwards more. Now I'm just going back to grabbing the bar anyway as it seems to work better.

Power-pull ups - ok I'll try those!

BossArky

Sunday October 11th: 531 Cycle 3 Week 3 Squat: (6:55-7:55pm)

Bird-dogs
2x10 ish per side ... warm up for squat
---
Squat
BW - 1x5
20kg - 1x5
44kg - 1x5
55kg - 1x5
65kg - 1x5
82kg - 1x5
93kg - 1x3
104kg - 1x0 :mad: ... prescribed reps = 1
70kg - 5x10 ... boring but big. Added 5kg to last time
---
Ab Pull Down
28kg - 1x15
38kg - 1x15
48kg - 3x10
---
Stiff Leg Deadlift
60kg - 1x8
70kg - 1x8
80kg - 1x8
---

Squats were crap for 4 reasons.

1. I ran around Hyde Park this afternoon photographing Green Athene in a half Marathon
2. I didn't eat much
3. Some muppet talked at me for 15 minutes between my 4th and 5th work sets meaning I was totally cooled down by the top set. Should really have gotten 4 or 5 reps here going by recent squatting: (94kgx10, 93kgx10, 98kgx7)
4. Probably need the deload

d'Oracle

BossArky wrote: »

Second set was fine. I thought about pulling back my elbows and it seemed like I could actually feel my lats doing the pulling. Before I may have been using more arm than lat power. I used a slightly wider grip. I'm pretty happy with this performance 'cos I was getting worried about the pull ups recently.

That was one of the most useful things I have read on this site.
It had an instant effect on my own pullup work.
Literally the first attempt I did.

BossArky

531 Cycle 3 Deload week: Off

Took Monday to Friday off for deload and eating. My bodyweight is hovering around 79kg.

The past 2 cycles of "boring but big" 5x10 assistance sets seem to be triggering the kind of muscle growth and mass gain that I've never had before. Should be up to my target of 80kg bodweight soon.

BossArky

531 Cycle 4 Week 1: Military Press (8:40am-9:15am)

Bird-dogs
2x10 ish per side ... warm up
---
Military Press
air - 1x5
20kg - 1x5
25kg - 1x5
31kg - 1x5
37kg - 1x3
40kg - 1x5
46kg - 1x5
52kg - 1x5 ... top set. Prescribed reps = 5. Forgot to do more than 5
40kg - 5x10 ... boring but big. Added 5kg to last week. Last 2 sets were 7+3 and 6+4

Chin Ups ... super sets with boring but big
2x11 ... on the smith fat bar
1x6
1x5
---
Dips
... postponed until tomorrow. Had to get home for a delivery
---

Everything felt fine following the 5 days off. Rushed through it and had to leave the dips out until tomorrow due to time constraints.

Was suprised that 40kg boring but big was manageable.

BossArky

Sunday September 18th: 531 Cycle 4 Week 1 Deadlift (10:00am - 11:15am)

Bird-dogs
2x10 per side ... warm up for deadlift
---
Deadlift
54 - 1x5
67 - 1x5
80 - 1x3
87 - 1x5
100 - 1x5
114 - 1x8 ... top set. Prescribed reps = 5
85kg - 5x10 ... big but boring. Added 5kg to last week
---
Hanging Leg Raise (feet to hands)
2x11
1x6
1x5

Glute Ham Raise (toes under frame)
2x11
1x6
1x5

Dips ... making up for yesterday
2x11
1x6
1x5
---
Overhead Squat
7.5kg? - 3x5 ... mini barbell
---


Pleased with yesterday and today. Have a minor cold.

BossArky

This morning I weighed in at 80kg - my heaviest ever.

brianthebard

Heaviest ever???? *feels extra fat*. Congrats on the positive weight gain dude, you must be pretty happy with how 5/3/1 is working for you.

cardio,shoot me

fair play boss! onwards to 85kg now!

Hail 2 Da Chimp

You still at the 10% BF level at that weight?

BossArky

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

You still at the 10% BF level at that weight?

No clue as to exact bf%. I'm still fitting in to 32 inch waist trousers. Given that I did a triathlon recently & was sprinting 1 or 2 times a week up until a few weeks ago I'd say bf% is "ok". Don't ask me to define ok though.

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

fair play boss! onwards to 85kg now!

I'd estimate that my current 80kg bodyweight is really: 77.5kg bodyweight + 2kg creatine induced water weight + 0.5kg glycogen stores topped to the max.

I'll probably aim to get to 82.5kg. This will give make me 13 stone and means that deflated without creatine I'll be around 80kg true bodyweight.

brianthebard wrote: »

Heaviest ever???? *feels extra fat*. Congrats on the positive weight gain dude, you must be pretty happy with how 5/3/1 is working for you.

The "boring but big" seems to have the effect of laying slabs of muscle. I have never trained with high reps sets like that before... so it is interesting to see the effect it is having on me.

Just hoping I get time to finish off the second half of my 6 month 531 plan before moving to Australia. I want a couple of weeks at year end to test my maxes. Scheduled to start work in Oz early Jan 2010 so should just manage it if I keep on track with 531 training.

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Tried those bird dogs today before deadlifting, they're pretty good actually.

BossArky

Wednesday October 21st: 531 Cycle 4 Week 1 Bench Press (6:35am-7:40am)

Pull Ups
BW - 1x11 ... before bench
BW - 2x6 ... from here down was after bench
BW - 2x5
---
Bench Press
20kg - 1x5
35kg - 1x5
44kg - 1x5
53kg - 1x3
58kg - 1x5
66kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x5 ... prescribed reps = 5. Failed on 6th
60kg - 2x10 ... boring but big
50kg - 2x10
40kg - 1x10

Calf Raise
20kg DB per arm - 3x10 ... superset with boring but big
BW - 3x10
---
One Arm DB Row
12.5kg per arm - 1x10
22kg per arm - 1x8
32kg per arm - 2x5
22kg per arm - 2x8
---
Alternating DB Curls
16kg per arm - 3x10 ... i.e. 5 per side each time
---

Still a bit ill. Today was about getting through it.

Stripped weight on boring but big as very first set on 60kg was a struggle. Pull ups were weak.

BossArky

Thursday October 22nd: 531 Cycle 4 Week 1 Squat (8:40-10pm)

Bird-dogs
2x10 per side ... warm up for squat
---
Squat
BW - 1x5
20kg - 1x5
45kg - 1x5
55kg - 1x5
65kg - 1x3
74kg - 1x5
86kg - 1x5
97kg - 1x11 ... pb by 1rep and 4kg. Prescribed reps = 5
71kg - 5x10 ... boring but big. Added 1kg to last week
---
Stiff Leg Deadlift
60kg - 1x8
70kg - 1x8
80kg - 1x8
90kg - 1x4
---
Ab Pull Down
28kg - 1x15
38kg - 1x15
48kg - 3x10
---
Calf Raise
15kg plate per arm - 5x10

Shrugs
15kg plate per arm - 5x10
---

Delighted with the squatting tonight. It proves that deloading last week worked. I thought about going for a 12th rep but decided against it. Legs are gonna be sore tomorrow.

This morning at home I weighed in at 78kg! 2kg down on 2 days ago. I was a bit ill yesterday.... perhaps dehydrated. To add to the confusion the gym scales reckons I'm 74kg.... but it seems a bit wonky.

BossArky

531 Cycle 4 Week 1: Military Press (9:30-10:40am)

Military Press
air - 1x10
25kg - 1x5
31kg - 1x5
37kg - 1x3
43kg - 1x3
49kg - 1x3
55kg - 1x5 ... top set. Prescribed reps = 3. Handy enough. Video to follow
41kg - 5x10 ... boring but big. Added 1kg to last week. 2nd set was 9+1. Rest were straight through. Got a video of the 4th set
---
Chin Ups
1x12 ... video to follow. Bar slipped
2x6
2x5
---
Dips
... postponed until deadlift day. May just move them to deadlift day indefinetly. Too tough to do them after all that military pressing today
---

Military Press was fine. I video'd the top set and one of the 10 rep "boring but big" sets to check my form. Recently I've been getting neck pain after military pressing. Today I wanted to see if my head is coming forward under the bar.

Chin Ups were good. Prescribed reps was 12 and managed them ok. The set of 12 ended with with a semi face-plant. I had placed a mini bar up on the pull up frame to give me a straight bar. After the 12th rep it rotated forward, opened my grip and I fell off... all captured on video. Luckily I didn't injure myself.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Military Press
55kg - 1x5 ... top set. Prescribed reps = 3. Handy enough. Video to follow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3277EiPSDFc

BossArky wrote: »

Military Press
41kg - 5x10 ... boring but big. Added 1kg to last week. 2nd set was 9+1. Rest were straight through. Got a video of the 4th set

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psUCVNsdZvE

BossArky wrote: »

Chin Ups
1x12 ... video to follow. Bar slipped at 00:40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAZwFRFCBrU

Any pointers on Military Press form appreciated.

DM-BM

Your elbows are behind the bar at the bottom of the press, try and raise them up so that they are in front of the bar and keep it as close to your face as you can on the way up, it can make it feel a lot easier.

Driving your body forward under the bar as soon as it clears your forehead can also help with locking it out.

brutusthebarber

MP looked easy enough for you. As DM-BM said get the elbows up a bit higher and keep it as close to your face as possible when driving up.

I gotta be honest I went straight to 0:40 on the chins vid, looked like the fall could have been alot worse!!

You flew through the chins!If you don't have one already get your self a dip belt and start using weights on the various pull ups.

BossArky

Thanks both for the input. I will think about elbow position and try to keep the bar closer to my face next time.

BossArky

Sunday October 25th:

Walk 5.6km

BossArky

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

You still at the 10% BF level at that weight?

Dusted off the calipers today and took my skin fold measurements about 1 inch above the right hip bone on the suprailliac. The measurement was 9mm which equates to 10.6% bodyfat according to the associated chart. That is lower than I was expecting.

Tom Venuto has a nice little forumla in "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" which allows you to work out your ideal bodyweight, based upon current lean mass and target body fat %. For anyone who is interested the formula is:

ideal bodyweight = (lean mass in kg / (1 - target body fat %))

Plugging in my numbers (current weight:79.5 kg, current bodyfat:10.60%) gives me a lean body mass of 71.073 kg. Varying the bodyfat up or down will show how this affects your total bodyweight.

As you can see... I love calculating stuff :pac:

BossArky

Monday October 26th: 531 Cycle 4 Week 2 Deadlift

Bird-dogs
2x10 per side ... warm up for deadlift
---
Deadlift
54 - 1x5
67 - 1x5
80 - 1x3
94 - 1x3
107 - 1x3
120 - 1x8 ... top set. Prescribed reps = 3
86kg - 5x10 ... big but boring. Added 1kg to last week
---
Glute Ham Raise (toes under frame)
1x12
1x11
1x6
1x5

Dips ... making up for yesterday
1x12
1x11
1x6
1x5

Hanging Leg Raise (feet to hands)
1x12
1x11
1x6
1x5
---

Went well.

brutusthebarber

BIG thanks again Boss for the excel spreadsheet, really saved me alot of hassle putting the numbers together!!

Went through the first day today and it went well. Pushing for reps is a completely different monster to just nailing one rep!

O.P.H

Boss what do you train for, general fitness and apperance or are you involved in sport?

BossArky

Hey,

I train for a number of reasons which include:

• health
• general fitness
• stress relief

I'm not particularly bothered about size and don't train to compliment a sport.

A quote from Will Smith(!) when quizzed about his fitness ahead of filming sticks in my mind:

Will Smith wrote:

It is better to be ready than have to get ready

Most importantly I train because I enjoy it & it allows me to switch off

O.P.H

BossArky wrote: »

Hey,

I train for a number of reasons which include:

• health
• general fitness
• stress relief

I'm not particularly bothered about size and don't train to compliment a sport.

A quote from Will Smith(!) when quizzed about his fitness ahead of filming sticks in my mind:



Most importantly I train because I enjoy it & it allows me to switch off

Cool, just wasent sure if you was the guy who told they were a triathlete.

Also, I think I have just read my new favourite "how to get me off my lazy ass" quote, inspiring stuff from the fresh prince

BossArky

O.P.H wrote: »

Cool, just wasent sure if you was the guy who told they were a triathlete.

I do triathlons during the summer but wouldn't call myself a triathlete.

BossArky

Thursday October 29th: 531 Cycle 4 Week 2 Bench Press (6:30am-7:20am)

Pull Ups
1x12 ... before bench
1x11 ... after bench
1x11 ... 6, 3, 2. Various grips

Bench Press
35kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
50kg - 1x3
62kg - 1x3
71kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x6 ... pb. Prescribed reps = 3
62kg - 3x10 ... boring but big. All over the place: 10, 8, 2, 5, 5
50kg - 2x10

Calf Raise
30kg DB per arm - 6x10 ... supersets with boring but big
---
One Arm DB Row
12.5kg per arm - 1x8
24.0kg per arm - 1x6
34.0kg per arm - 1x4
---
Face Pulls
11.25kg - 1x10
13.75kg - 1x10
16.25kg - 1x10
---
External Rotation (Cable Pulley)
1.25kg per arm - 3x10
---

My bench felt really strong this morning. 6 reps @80kg gives a projected 1RM of 96kg. The second week of the cycle is nice and easy volume-wise. I didn't bother breaking out the partial plates for the 3 warm up sets - rounding down to the nearest 5 instead. This makes it a bit quicker as I'm pressed (ba-doom-tish) for time on week day mornings. It also saves a tiny bit of energy as the warm up sets are lighter.

Pull Ups were a bit sloppy. I rushed the first set to get off the bar and on to the bench before anyone else arrived. I need to video a set in the near future to see what they look like. In my minds eye they are rubbish unless the top ROM is totally up against the bar.

Things are hotting up with my 531 now. The next month is getting in to unchartered territory on my squat and military press. I should have new 1RMs (maybe for reps) by the end of cycle 5 on both of them, whilst equalling my deadlift 1RM. Bench will be 1kg under 1RM by the end of cycle 6.

Looking forward to squatting tomorrow. It will be the first time going over 100kg since June or July. I've been biding my time on this programme. Hopefully there will be fireworks soon.

I'm struggling to eat enough to stay up at 80kg bodyweight. I peaked at 80kg about 10 days ago. Since then I've been up and down between 78kg and 79.5kg.

BossArky

Saturday October 31st: 531 Cycle 4 Week 2 Squat (9am-10:45am)

Bird-dogs ... warm up
2x10 per side
---
Squat
BW - 1x5
20kg - 1x5
45kg - 1x5
55kg - 1x5
65kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x3
91kg - 1x3
103kg - 1x4 ... prescribed reps = 3. Failed on 5th. Video to follow
72kg - 1x10 ... boring but big
60kg - 4x10
---
Stiff Leg Deadlift
60kg - 1x8
70kg - 1x8
80kg - 1x8
90kg - 1x4
100kg - 1x2
110kg - 1x1 ... probably a pb
---
Ab Pull Down
28kg - 1x15
38kg - 1x15
48kg - 3x10 ... full stack
50.5kg - 3x10 ... pb. Full stack + 2.5kg plate hanging off the clip
---
Standing Leg Curl (Hammer Strength Machine)
20kg per leg - 1x5
25kg per leg - 1x5
30kg per leg - 1x5
35kg per leg - 1x5
40kg per leg - 1x5
20kg per leg - 2x10
---

Squats were meh. Was out on Thursday night and had a busy week at work which involved sporadic eating. To work out 4 hard days a week I cannot afford to eat or go out like that. Got the reps anyway.

Figured out how to add weight to the pull down abs. Only the 2.5kg small plate will fit on though. 5kg is too wide.

To make up for the crappy squatting I went heavier on the stiff leg deads, and experimented with the leg curl machine. May use it in future instead of glute ham raise on deadlift day.