Cycle 8 Week 3 Squats repeat/Last session pre-Westerns

Last training session until Westerns next Saturday. Again, didn't follow 5/3/1 today just sort of went with it and put on the bar whatever I felt like, working up to a double. Didn't go for a big single, no need just one week out from competition.

135X15, 225X10, 315X8
365X3, 405X5, 455X2(rep PR)
405X2 paused, and 315X12 for some cardio lol

Great squat session today, loving squats lately. I don't feel like I'm anywhere close to a "plateau" with my squats, and can't wait to get back to training them after Westerns again. Looking at going to a X2 a week squatting program, at least trying it anyway.  I realized today that I am using my beginner 1RM on squats 8 months ago for a working rep set now, doing 405X7 last week.

That's it, deloading this week then Westerns. Will probably take the week after off as well at least from heavy stuff before getting back at it. Going to re-plan my training split, I might have to change it up a bit. No more shiftwork, back to MON-FRI hours starting in October, and with hockey season starting up for the Boy, I will be busy again.

Cycle 8 Week 3 Bench press repeat/heavy singles meet prep

Didnt actually follow the 5/3/1 today just worked up to a couple of heavy singles.

135X15, 225X12
275X5, 315X3 paused
365X1 paused with commands, lift off
385X1 paused with commands, lift off
390X0.
315X2 paused
225X12 speed bench

Lat pulldown 90X15X3

Might have got the 390 if I didnt do the 365 and 385 before. Did a light lat workout.

Last workout with squats tomorrow.

Cycle 8 Week 3 Deadlift repeat/Hill sprints

Didn't do the 5/3/1 sets just worked up to a single;
135X10, 225X5, 315X5
405X1, 455X1, 495X1
550X0, 405 X3 paused

Went for a PR with 550, lost grip with my left hand just before lockout. I've never had an issue with missing a lift from loss of grip before. Would have been nice to set a small PR in my last deadlift workout before Westerns, but oh well. I'm not gonna let it get to me and not going to try anything crazy at Westerns with my deadlift.  At least I know where I need to focus my training on over the winter, because it is clear that my deadlift is stuck.  Looking forward to resting my deadlift now, maybe thats all it needs. I haven't taken a week off in 7 straight week, so that could be it. Last time I rested my dead it went up a bit.

Edit: I realized later in the day that I did hill sprints for the first time the day before this deadlift workout, which is apparently a big no-no due to the required recovery needed. I just found an excuse for why my deadlift sucked today.

Probably rest tomorrow and bench on Thursday.

Cycle 8 week 3 repeat

Repeating last week just to fill the last week before Westerns

Im a little hungover today so it was a bit of a grind.

Seated BB OHP - 135X10, 185X8, X7, X8
CGBP - 305X3, X4, X3 all paused
Floor Press - 295X3, X4, X4
Skullcrushers - 125X8X2
DB Lateral Raises - 30X10X2
Tricep PRessdowns - 70X10X2
DB Shrugs - 45X20, X25, X20

Cycle 8 Week 3 Squats - End of Cycle 8

Definitely fueled up today for an epic squat session (aka stuffed my face).

Warmed up with;
135x15, 225X12, 315X8
Work sets;
365X5, 405X5, 445X3 - rep PR for me
475X1
405X7 - rep PR with 405. Had another in the tank but felt a little lightheaded and racked the bar lol.
315X8, 225X8 paused explosive.

Lots of volume today, and if I didn't have to be somewhere I would have kept going too. Squats feeling really strong lately, nice to hit some rep PR's closing in on Westerns. That is the end of the eighth cycle of 5/3/1. Here is a recap of the progress after 8 cycles of the program;

Squat went from 405 to 505, +100lbs
Bench went from 355 to 385, +30lbs
Deadlift went from 475 to 546, +76lbs

Those are gym lifts, hopefully will add some in competition.

Not bad for eight months. Gains are definitely tapering off, thus the different assistance exercises I have started to add. I don't want to change too much before going to Westerns, but I am going to have a look at my split and probably make some changes to train with over the winter. I know the bench gains are going to be slow, but I really want to smash my squats and deadlift.

I am going to repeat this last week instead of starting a new cycle, because I only have one more week of training before I leave for Calgary and rest for the week.

Cycle 8 week 3 Bench Press

Warmup;
135X20, 225X12
Work sets;
285X5, 315X3, 345X2, 365X1 all paused.
Assistance work;
345X2, X3, X2 2 board press paused.
Drop set finisher;
315X5, 225X8, 135X12.

The drop sets were done as quickly as I could take the plates off. Last workout of 8th cycle tomorrow with squats.

Cycle 8 Week 3 Deads

Continued to focus on mid point of my deadlift, which I am starting to realize is weak and what is holding me back on some bigger numbers. All pulls done from the rack about 4" off floor.
135X15, 225X10, 315X3
380X5, 430X3, 480X1. All without belt.
505X1 belt.
600X0, tried with belt and straps, no go.
405X2X2, no belt or straps paused for 1 second

Cycle 8 Week 3 Bench Assist

Seated BB OHP - 135X12. 185X8, X7, X7
CGBP - 295X3, X4, X5 paused
BB Floor Press - 275X3, X4, X5
Skullcrushers - 125X10, X10, X7
DB Flyes - 30X10X3

First time doing floor presses. Kept it at a medium weight to get a feel for the movement. I can definately see how it will (hopefully) help with the middle of the lift which is my sticking point. I am going to do these on bench assist day and keep doing board presses on actual bench day.
I mistakenly thought for some reason that this is my last wek of training before Westerns, but I have 2 weeks lift before deloading. I`m not a good mather. I think I will just repeat this week again instead of starting another cycle.

Deads tommorrow.

Cycle 8 Week 2 Squats

135X15, 225X10
315X5, 365X5 no belt, 405X5 belted
405X5
365 X5 with a 3 second pause in the hole and explode out
225X15 for a finisher

Bench assist day tomorrow to start out week 3 of this cycle and the last week of training until Westerns Oct 4.

Cycle 8 Week 2 Bench

135X15, 225X12
245X5, 275X5 both paused, 315X5 touch and go.

Starting to add some board work into my bench day,

315X3 with a 2 board paused
335X3X2 with a 2 board paused

315X5 touch and go, 225X10 paused explosive, 225X12 finisher.

Lat Pulldown 100X12X4
Standing DB Curl - 35X10X3

I have never done board presses before. I am doing them to help with my sticking point. I'm strong off the chest and lockout, its mid-lift that I always stall. Using a 2 board paused hits my sticking point perfect. I think I will alternate every other week between board presses and floor presses for assistance work after my 5/3/1 working sets.

Cycle 8 Week 2 Deads

135X10, 225X10, 315X5
335X5, 385X5, 430X5 rep PR

Im pretty sure 430X5 is a rep PR for me. Felt good and probably had 1 more in me.

Good mornings - 95X8X3. I haven't done these in a while, so I started light and focused on form. I am going to gradually work up to heavier good morning in hopes that it will help my deadlift eventually.

DB Upright Row - 35X12X2
Cable Upright Row - 140X8X2

Supersetted both sets of rows.

Cycle 8 Week 2 Bench Assist

BB OHP - 135X15, 185X8, X8, X6
CGBP - 295X3X3
Skullcrushers - 125X10, X10, X8
DB Lateral Raise - 30X10X2
Cable Crossover - 60X12X2
Tri Pressdown - 70X15, X13

Cycle 8 Week 1 Squats

135X15, 225X10, 315X10

330X3, 385X3, 425X3, 475X1, 505X1 - breaks my PR and would reset the provincial record. Was tough, but had a little more in the tank.

405X5, 365X10 - Also a rep PR. Almost killed me.

That ends week 1 of Cycle 8. Not a bad week with a bench and squat PR. Week 2 starts tomorrow with bench assist day.

Cycle 8 Week 1 Bench.

135X20, 225X12
5/3/1 work sets -
285X3, 315X3, 330X3 paused.

Had a liftoff so went for another PR -
385X1 paused. I knew that if I had a liftoff and handoff I could do more.
400X0. Tried to join the 400 club but no go. Really close though, got it off chest and stalled about halfway. I will get it soon.
315X5, X4, X4
225X8 with a pause halfway down and explode up.

Just stuck with the Barbell today. Squats tomorrow to finish off week 1. Need to rest the shoulders for a few days before benching again.

Cycle 8 Week 1 Deads

Following through on my goal to do more core and back work;

BW Chins neutral grip - X9, X8, X5
EZ Curls - 75X12X3
Snatch Grip (giggity) High Pulls - 115X7, X8, 135X8, X7
Kroc Rows - 85X10X3
Hanging Knee Raises - 3 sets of 20
Rack Pulls just below knee - 405X5X3

Did the rack pulls to work on mid lift and lockout. I think every other week I will do this or some sort of accessory to the deadlift instead of conventional deads from the floor.

Bench tomorrow

Cycle 8 Week 1 Bench Assist. Start of Cycle 8

The start of my 8th cycle of the 5/3/1 program. Admittedly I have added or omitted some minor things from the program to suit my needs, and I think I am getting close to dialing things in. Of course workouts will evolve, but I'm still setting PR's and making gains so why fix what isnt broken. Some things I am going to try and add are more core work (abs and good mornings), more pullups, and at least some conditioning.

Seated BB OHP - 185X6, X6, X5
Pin Presses - 275X3, 285X3X2
CGBP - 275X5X3
Skullcrushers - 125X7X2
DB Flyes - 30X8X2
Tri Pressdown - 70X12X2

Did the tri pressdowns on the lat pulldown with 35's instead of on the cable crossover machine. Different feel with more real weight.
I'm not sure, but as far as I can tell, my bench press going up is parallell to adding heavy barbell shoulder presses back into my repertoire. I wil continue to do them.

Cycle 7 Week Squats. End of Cycle 7

I took three loads of tree trunks to the dump before the workout so I was either really warmed up or already worn out.
135X15, 225X10, 315X8
350X5, 390X3, 430X1, 455X1
405X5, 315X10

Thats it for my 7th cycle of 5/3/1. I am going to start right into cycle 8 either tomorrow or the day after with bench assist day.