TSA doing 5/3/1.

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You doing assistance for upper body ?

I've made best progress when pressing 4 times a week tbh.

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Reply 161

username1456920

Original post by Motorbiker

You doing assistance for upper body ?

I've made best progress when pressing 4 times a week tbh.

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After the main 5/3/1 workout I drop the weight to 50% of my training max and do 5 sets of 10 paused bench. Then do dumbbell rows 5 sets of 10 at 35kg on my bench days.
On military press days after main work out I do the same drop the weight to 50% and do paused presses for 5 sets of 10. Then do 5 sets of 10 of lat pull downs with 17.5kg dumbbells.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 162

Implication

I have heard presses respond better to higher frequency... consider switching your bench press with press e.g.

Bench 5/3/1
Press BBB

Press 5/3/1
Bench BBB

maybe do 5x5 @ 80% for your BBB instead of 5x10 @50-60 too. something to think about

Reply 163

Appeal to reason

Original post by Implication

I've seen BBB listed both ways - all bench work together, or as you've listed. I'd probably rather do it this way. Press gets really hard when you start doing sets of 10 after your main work sets - you're a bit fresher for your 10s this way.

OP:

It could just be that you're not getting in the volume - my pressing only ever responded to heavy volume. One heavy work set isn't really enough this early on. Last workout you posted set 1: 40kg, set 2:50kg, set 3: 57.5kg for bench. Those were my warm up jumps when I ran Starting Strength, and again when I did Greyskull LP. Say I was going to be benching 65kg for 5/5/5+, I'd warm up 20/(30)/40/50/60, each for 5, maybe with only a triple at 60kg.

I know thats how 5/3/1 is written, but I'm not sure your upper body is strong enough to get enough out of that style of training. (Feel free to ignore me, my benching was always sub-par) My bench got stuck somewhere around there too (on SS), I broke through it when I swapped to Greyskull LP - similar rep scheme to SS, 3x5, but you push the last set for as many as you can get (not true failure - if you get to the top and think you won't make the next rep, don't bother) I didn't get chance to go much beyond as I stopped benching at around 72.5kg or so (hit all my reps so progress would've continued, but swapped to olympic lifting).

Likewise my OHP responded best when I was hitting it for lots of triples several times a week when I injured my ankle. Frequency and volume are key for progressing on presses.

Sounds like your lower body is responding well though - doubled 12.5kg more than what your estimated 1rm on DL was 4 weeks ago.

Have you checked your form on bench/press? That might give clues on how to improve, record some lifts and put them up?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 164

username549232

I'd agree with the above, not enough heavy volume. Read beyond 5/3/1 and implement some joker sets

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Reply 165

username1456920

Original post by Appeal to reason

Yeah I've checked my bench form. Watched A LOT of videos on it. Even experimented with different widths of grip.

You might be onto something with the volume. I walk out of the gym on deadlift and squat days barely able to walk and doing anything that requires a large amount of walking difficult the next day or two, on press and bench press days I feel fine, it may be the volume.

I pressed 47.5 for 3 reps today (531 week so went all out on the last set but I was expecting 5 reps or minimum 4) couldn't get to the fourth one but didn't feel the fatigue that I do on lower body days. It may be an issue of volume. I do lat pull downs as my assistance work so I could change that to something that helps my bench and OHP a lot more as I don't feel it's helping much.
I also slightly upped my BBB today to 30kg for 5 reps of 10 instead of the 25kg and still nothing in terms of fatigue but that last few reps on the last were real grinders.

Also with the deadlift a lot of the "progress" is probably not all progress. My earlier lifts were way too light. I don't feel like I'm trying with the DL unless it's 150+.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 166

username1456920

**** ain't updated this in ages.

Current 1RM

Squat 140
Bench 80
DL 180

Reply 167

Squirb

Gainzzzzzzz

Still with 5/3/1?

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Reply 168

username549232

Original post by TSA

**** ain't updated this in ages.

Current 1RM

Squat 140
Bench 80
DL 180

Nice work bro. Catching me up

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Reply 169

username1456920

Original post by Squirb

Gainzzzzzzz

Still with 5/3/1?

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Yeah. Made a few adjustment.

Instead of 10 reps at 50% for 10x5 on Military press and bench days I changed it.

Now on monday (Military press day) I do the basic 531 working sets and then do 5x5 bench aiming to increase by 2.5kg every week. Currently on 67.5 5x5 bench.

On Thursday (Bench day) I do the basic 531 working sets then do 5x5 military press again aiming to increase by 2.5kg every week.

Also do some CGBP to help triceps.

The 10 reps were just not heavy enough to help me with any progress.

I do deficit DL with my deadlifts and paused squats with my squats.

I think these adjustments are really helping my weak points. Like the tricep work is really helping me with lockout on the bench and deficit DL is helping with getting the bar off the floor in the DL

Original post by RobJ93

Nice work bro. Catching me up

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Thanks feels good to join the 4 plate crew on the DL.

And breaking that 60kg barrier I had on the bench feels amazing.

What's your lifts at?

Reply 170

Enginerd.

Original post by TSA

I have a much weaker deadlift but a slight higher bench then you :frown:

the feels.

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Reply 171

username1456920

Original post by Enginerd.

I have a much weaker deadlift but a slight higher bench then you :frown:

the feels.

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Bench has always been a ****ty lift for me. :frown:

But I've been focussing a lot on my form recently and that has really made a difference.

Deadlift is my most enjoyable lift if I'm honest. Maybe I just push myself more because of that.

Reply 172

Enginerd.

Original post by TSA

Bench has always been a ****ty lift for me. :frown:

But I've been focussing a lot on my form recently and that has really made a difference.

Deadlift is my most enjoyable lift if I'm honest. Maybe I just push myself more because of that.

Mine be opposite, hate deadlifting but gains have to be made.

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Reply 173

Squirb

Maaaaate that's solid progress still. Your squat and deadlift are higher than mine now! I wanna join 4plate crew :frown:

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Reply 174

username1456920

Original post by Enginerd.

Mine be opposite, hate deadlifting but gains have to be made.

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True dat.

Reply 175

username1456920

Did squat today.

Worked up to 122.5 for 8 belted
Felt ridiculously easy. Was aiming for 4 but because they felt good I went all out.

Then did 5x5 at 100 belt less
Felt ridiculously hard and slow.

Ended with some leg curls.

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Reply 176

Appeal to reason

Making decent progress, you've caught me up on deadlift now!

Reply 177

username1456920

Original post by Appeal to reason

Making decent progress, you've caught me up on deadlift now!

I've gotten a bit fat though. Probably around 81kg. I haven't really been watching what I'm eating too closely. Just getting my protein in for the day. And hitting a minimum of 3000cals but tend to go over a lot. But I'm enjoying good progress on the lifts so I'm not too concerned I can always cut later if I want to. But I don't really have much of a desire to get a 6 pack or anything.