Heretic's 5/3/1 Journey For Raw Strength (A Video Log)

[pierini]

As a recoverying pullup junkie who is now starting up again, I've done it all.

I think weighted pullups will benefit your BW pullups. Keep it sub-max and be safe because you are a candidate for elbow tendonitis once you go weighted. As an example of sub-max, total I did 5x5 of weighted pullups with 45 lbs. added with plenty of recovery between sets because it is a strength workout.

I think you would benefit from weighted singles for beginners, perhaps 5-8 singles and then do a drop set at the end of your last single where you do a 90-100% max effort of BW reps. You'll be surprised how you fly up the bar after getting that weight off.

Most importantly, be safe and don't get sidetracked. You have some definite goals and straying outside your training zone can stunt your progressions. I know that you know that.

At this point in my fitness journey, I'm just playing around with whatever I feel like doing. Lately I've had a big itch with hands-only rope climbing in an L-sit position.

If I had a dime for every pullup I've done, I could probably take a week vacation to Hawaii.

[Heretic]

Originally Posted by pierini

As a recoverying pullup junkie who is now starting up again, I've done it all.

I think weighted pullups will benefit your BW pullups. Keep it sub-max and be safe because you are a candidate for elbow tendonitis once you go weighted. As an example of sub-max, total I did 5x5 of weighted pullups with 45 lbs. added with plenty of recovery between sets because it is a strength workout.

I think you would benefit from weighted singles for beginners, perhaps 5-8 singles and then do a drop set at the end of your last single where you do a 90-100% max effort of BW reps. You'll be surprised how you fly up the bar after getting that weight off.

Most importantly, be safe and don't get sidetracked. You have some definite goals and straying outside your training zone can stunt your progressions. I know that you know that.

At this point in my fitness journey, I'm just playing around with whatever I feel like doing. Lately I've had a big itch with hands-only rope climbing in an L-sit position.

If I had a dime for every pullup I've done, I could probably take a week vacation to Hawaii.

Good deal. I think I will do 3 sets weighted and 2 sets with body weight from now on. I am sure you noticed from my videos that I wear elbow sleeves all the time because I used to fight with elbow pain. I will be sure to keep on top of it and back off if I have any problems.

[Heretic]

Squat Workout:
Warm-up: Dynamic stretching and foam roller.
135x10
185x3
225x1
265x5
300x3
335x5

Down Sets
225x10
225x10
225x10

Ab Wheel (With feel elevated)
BWx12
BWx12
BWx12
BWx10
BWx10

Hypers: Once again this is done mostly as a rehab exercise.
BWx12 (5 sets)

HERE IS A LINK TO THE VIDEO

I was getting to far forward during these squats. I moved my bar placement a little higher to allow myself to remain more upright while I squat. I hope this helps along with learning to drive my head back harder into the bar to help keep my chest up.

I have not been free squatting without the box or powerlifting gear for a while so once I get more practice in I am hoping my squat will take off.

[Heretic]

Standing Military Press:
Warm-Up: Dynamic stretching and light weights.
45x10x2
95x3
110x5
125x3
140x6

More Standing Military Press
95lbsx10reps (5 sets)

Pull-Ups: These were done with a neutral grip using D-Handles from my Blast Straps. These were pretty unstable and a good challenge.
(I got these on video as well)
BWx8
BWx8
BWx8
BWx7
BWx6

Dips:
BWx10 (5 Sets)

Louie Shrugs:
40x15
40x15
40x15
40x12
40x12

DB Curl:
40x18
40x18
40x18
40x16
40x16

Overall this workout felt really good. I found out that my dumbbells don't weigh the same amount tonight. I have an adjustable pair that you can throw plates on and I found out they are not the same weight which is a huge pain. So I am going to be on the lookout for a new pair.

I am going to start having more of a focus on pull-ups as a secondary training exercise. I will have a few variations of these that I do to keep the body guessing. By my next upper session I will have my dip/chin belt so I will be able to add weight to these as well.

My effort on the Military Press tonight was just 1 rep off my all time PR which was set while I was 10lbs heavier over the winter so it looks like my strength is starting to come back and hopefully I will be breaking PRs again before long.

LINK TO THE VIDEO

[pierini]

I like your form on the military press work. Standing overhead work is a great whole-body exercise.

Nice job on the pullups. Doing them on rings is definitely shoulder friendly.

Thanks for sharing. Be smart and safe with your training.

[Heretic]

Originally Posted by pierini

I like your form on the military press work. Standing overhead work is a great whole-body exercise.

Nice job on the pullups. Doing them on rings is definitely shoulder friendly.

Thanks for sharing. Be smart and safe with your training.

Thanks for checking it out. The only downside to the rings is that it is hard for me to get full extension at the bottom of the movement. I am going to switch back and forth with doing them from the D-Handles and from the bar. I also got my dip belt today so I will be doing weighted pull-ups soon as well.

On a side note I finished my Obese Bar project tonight. This is like a Fat Bar, but even thicker. I will be using it on my next bench day and will get a video of it in use then. If any of you guys use fat bars in your training you will love this thing. It is a monster!

[Heretic]

7-5-2009

5/3/1 Deadlift Night

Warm-Up: Dynamic Stretching and Light Weights
275x1
315x5
355x3
395x6

Stiff Leg Deadlifts (No Belt)
225x10 (5 sets)

Ab Wheel with knees elevated: (Got these on Video)
BWx12
BWx10
BWx10
BWx9

Hypers:
Bwx15
BWx12
BWx12
BWx12
BWx12

I am going to start adding 10lbs to the Hypers for each cycle. I use these mostly as a rehab exercise for a hip/glute issue I have so I don't want to be going too heavy and have sloppy form.

The 395x6 on the deadlift is only 2 reps off my best (395x8). I am finally on my way back to where I was when I was at my strongest. I think with another cycle or two I should be back to breaking all time PRs again.

I have deload coming up this week. I will be posting those workouts, but there probably won't be any videos unless I do a unique accessory exercise I want to show.

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE VIDEO

[Heretic]

This is my deload week so I didn't bother to shoot any videos since none of this work is all that impressive. I take some time during this week to go very light on my main lifts and try any new accessory movements I have learned about during the month and could not justify playing with through my normal programming.

Bench Press:
Dynamic Warm-Up and Light Weights
45x12 (2 sets)
95x12
100x5
125x5
155x5

Obese bar Bench Press: The Obese bar is something that I made. It is even larger than a normal fat bar with an external diameter of 3.25"
135x10 (5 sets)

These were a lot harder than I thought. I think I am going to use the Obese bar for my Boring But Big sets on my normal program. Those are the sets when I do 5 sets of 10 after the main movement using about 50% of my max.

Pull-Ups: I decided to experiment with some weighted pull-ups as I just got my weight belt from APT last week and did not get a chance to use it yet.
BWx12
+25x5
+25x5
+45x3
+45x2
BWx10 (These felt REALLY easy even after all that work because I felt so light!)
Mini Band assisted pull-ups x 12

That was it pretty short and sweet. Nothing really challenging and I am just trying to recover and start hitting it hard again next week. I am going to work with loading the pull-ups on my bench days and will be using the Obese Bar for my accessory benching for at least this next mini cycle.

Sorry no video. They will probably start up again next week.

[Heretic]

15 x 60 yard sprints

20 x Hill Runs

I have not been doing much cardio and I am going to be really feeling this tomorrow I think. Also, I am on a quest to find a bigger hill. The one I used today was really easy. There is a big one behind one of the colleges that a lot of the kids use for sledding. I am going to check it out.

The plan is to add hill work in a minimum of 2 days a week. I am also going to try to increase my caloric intake so this does not hurt my lifts too much.

[arbit]

Originally Posted by Heretic

So I have a long term plan working here which is the only thing keeping me sane since I am very small and weak right now.

If your small and weak, then the rest of us are still 1 day old babies.

Your lifts now are my ultimate goal

[pierini]

I spent a training period doing hill sprints several years ago and I could only take them once a week the way I was doing them. I followed the Sprint 8 protocol of Phil Campbell. My workout took 20 minutes to complete, not counting an easy warmup to elevate my heart rate. My hill was pretty demanding.

Here was how I did them: 8 rounds of 30 seconds max effort sprinting up a hill with 120 seconds of recovery walking down the hill (I needed all 120 of those seconds) equals 20 minutes. For me, and I was in pretty darn good running condition at that point), with a max effort I started to fade at about 20-25 seconds of the 30 second sprint, fighting for dear life to hang on for the entire 30 seconds. Max effort for the second half trying to get to the same point as the first two rounds was very mentally tough.

Have you ever thought about burpees for one of those two training days. Earlier in the year I gave myself a burpee challenge that kicked my butt big time but my performance and conditioning improved spending no more than 5-7 minutes a day doing them. My suggestion would be 2 to 3 rounds of a set consisting of reps equal to your current age, timed of course, after a warmup to elevate your HR.

I'm a recoverying cardio junkie who does next to none currently. How things change.

[Heretic]

Originally Posted by arbit

If your small and weak, then the rest of us are still 1 day old babies.

Your lifts now are my ultimate goal

Thanks man, it is nice to hear. I was not trying to be weird when I wrote that, it is just that there is a different class of strength when you start talking about powerlifting. I realize that I am a lot stronger than regular people, but in the powerlifting world I am not that strong at all. Not yet anyway.

[Heretic]

Originally Posted by pierini

I spent a training period doing hill sprints several years ago and I could only take them once a week the way I was doing them. I followed the Sprint 8 protocol of Phil Campbell. My workout took 20 minutes to complete, not counting an easy warmup to elevate my heart rate. My hill was pretty demanding.

Here was how I did them: 8 rounds of 30 seconds max effort sprinting up a hill with 120 seconds of recovery walking down the hill (I needed all 120 of those seconds) equals 20 minutes. For me, and I was in pretty darn good running condition at that point), with a max effort I started to fade at about 20-25 seconds of the 30 second sprint, fighting for dear life to hang on for the entire 30 seconds. Max effort for the second half trying to get to the same point as the first two rounds was very mentally tough.

Have you ever thought about burpees for one of those two training days. Earlier in the year I gave myself a burpee challenge that kicked my butt big time but my performance and conditioning improved spending no more than 5-7 minutes a day doing them. My suggestion would be 2 to 3 rounds of a set consisting of reps equal to your current age, timed of course, after a warmup to elevate your HR.

I'm a recoverying cardio junkie who does next to none currently. How things change.

Thanks for stopping in again P! The hill I am running is not that long. I am able to clear it in about 20 seconds. I am VERY sore today though and very well may look into the alternatives you posted. I would like to get in better cardiovascular shape, but not at the expense of my strength training. So as soon as I see my numbers start to slip I will be backing off the cardio for sure.

I am just not wired for steady state cardio. I need it to be a challenge, which is why I chose to do the hills. I remember doing burpees back in high school when I ran track and they were hard. That may make for a good alternative on that second day or if I can't make it to the hill for whatever reason.

Thanks again for the tips. I will make sure I post the rest of my cardio in here so you can see how it effects the rest of the program.

[Heretic]

Bench Press:
Warm-ups: Dynamic Stretching and PVC Roller (I am too tough for foam )
45x12x2sets
95x5
135x5
155x2
190x5 (75%)
200x5 (80%)
215x11 (85%) PR!

Boring But Big Sets:
155x10
155x10
155x10
155x10
155x15 (I am going to be increasing this next week to 160. As long as I can keep getting more than 10 reps for the last set I will increase the weight on these)

DB Rows: (Got these on video as well!)
100x8
100x8
100x8 (This set I only get 7.5 with my left side due to a DB malfunction. See the video to find out what I am talking about)
100x8
100x8

Dips:
BWx12
BWx10
BWx10
I wanted to do 5 sets of dips, but I had to go and pick my sister up from work and by the time I got home I had cooled off and just said screw it. Tonight was a great workout as it stands.

A couple of notes about tonight:
-My rep PR for 7 reps is 210 and I was hoping to get 7+ tonight with 215. I could tell by how the bar was moving on my two sets at 75% and 80% that it was going to be a good night. That is a huge PR for me and hopefully a good sign that my bench is moving.

-The DB rows felt really good except for when the collars popped off and all the weights fell on my foot during the third set. I will be checking the collars between sets from now on.

-Also I try to get a good stretch at the bottom of the DB rows. I will be alternating the way I do these. It will either be heavy for multiple sets of moderate reps like tonight. Or heavy building up to one set of a ton of reps (Kroc Rows style). Notice I never do rows light. And neither should you!

-Lastly I feel like I am finally starting to get leg drive with the flat foot style of benching. I used to be up on my toes with my feet jacked way back and under the bench. I think the increased leg drive is partially responsible for the big PR tonight.

LINK TO THE VIDEO

[Heretic]

Sorry for the big lapse of time since my last post. Things have been pretty crazy and I have not had much computer time. This is my squat workout that I hit on Monday. I will be doing Military Press tomorrow.

5RM Squats:
Warm-up: Dynamic mobility, PVC Roller and KB swings
45x10x2sets
135x8
185x3
225x1
270x5
290x5
310x8 PR!

It has been a while since I broke a PR in the squat. All the weight I lost was not helping the cause at all. I am now back up to 190 and only about 10lbs off of my all time heaviest body weight. About another month or so and I should be right back there again.

Instead of doing the higher volume work I usually do I decided to use about 75% of my max and hit some triples to work on my form.
275x3
275x3
275x3
275x3
275x4
I didn't get the first of these sets on video. I could have sworn I hit record, but the video didn't take.

At the end I super setted my elevated ab rollers (these are killer!) with the weighted 45 degree hypers. I am not a big fan of super setting as a whole and only use it when I am in a time crunch.

AB Wheel: ---------Super Set with------ Weighted Hypers
BWx10 ----------------------------------+20lbsx10
BWx10 ----------------------------------+20lbsx10
BWx10 ----------------------------------+20lbsx10
BWx10 ----------------------------------+20lbsx10
BWx10 ----------------------------------+20lbsx10

I am glad I did the form work on the squat although I am sure the extra work is going to tax my recovery a bit. I think I need to focus on sitting back more and really driving my elbows under the bar. Any other form advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

LINK TO THE VIDEO!