Start of Cycle 3 of the 5/3/1. Week 1 - OHP day

Felt great to get back in the gym after a week off. I was supposed to deload and train with very light weights, but I tried and my elbow tendons were just too sore. Took a whole week off from everything and healed up. New training maxes for all three lifts from my mock meet. Numbers are getting bigger than I've ever lifted so pretty pumped. Had a really good shoulder/core workout;

DB OHP - 145X5, 155X5, 165X5.

Seated DB press - 60X12, X10, X12. Superset with hanging knee raises X20X3.
DB lateral raises - 30X8X3. Superset with ab wheel lockout X10X3.
Incline BB bench press 135X8X3.

Incline BB bench was with a 3 second pause at the bottom of the lift and explosive to the top. Bench incline was high, almost straight up. one notch down.

Deadlifts tomorrow with some crazy numbers that came up after I hit the 500 deadlift in the mock meet.

Just found out that there is a contest in June in Dauphin, so my training cycles will be geared toward that meet. I have my eyes on a couple of provincial records in the squat and bench, The deadlift provincial record is nuts at around 700 lbs so that's a ways away lol. Provincial raw squat record is 495 - I squatted 455 in my mock meet (not on video - convenient eh?) so 40 lbs to go on that one. Won't be easy. The provincial raw bench record is about 379 lbs. At least 20 lbs to go there. If I didn't have numbers to chase I wouldn't be doing this. I wont sacrifice good form just to hurry at those numbers but will work my ass of to get there.

Mock Powerlifting Meet/Max test day !! Video added...

The day I've been looking forward to for a while... Got in the gym at about 1pm and went from there. My training partner helped with commands and judging as well as spotting, and a friend that is running the 5 3 1 program as well joined us as well to test his maxes. He is about the same weight and height as me. I am 215 lbs.

Squats first - 1st attempt  - 385X1 - felt good and depth was okay I think.
                      2nd attempt - 405X1 - good lift.
                      3rd attempt - 435X1 - good lift. Felt fairly easy.

Did a fourth attempt that would not count in a meet but wanted to set a max gym PR so,
                      455X1. I think it would have been a good lift but judges may disagree. Got the weight up nonetheless.

That was it for the squats, on to the bench press.
                       1st attempt - 315X1. Easy.
                       2nd attempt - 335X1. Easy.
                       3rd attempt - 350X1. Actually fairly easy but that was the number I came up with for the attempt. I think I could have gone 355 or 360, but at least I didnt blow the attempt.

Deadlifts next. Quickly becoming my favorite lift.
                       1st attempt - 405X1. Easy.
                       2nd attempt - 445X1.
                       3rd attempt - 475X1. Good lift.
Felt I had more in the tank so diod a fourth to set a gym max PR.
                       500X1!
I wanted to get to 500 on the deadlift but didnt think I would be there yet, so that was pretty cool. It probably would not have passed in a meet because I hitched a bit but I got it up to set a gym PR.

So, in a meet situation that would be a 1260lb total (571.5kg)  with a wilks of 351. For those of you that don't know, Wilks formula is to get a number so that lifters in different weight classes can compete against each other. A 215 LB lifter such as myself can compete against a 165lb lifter using this formula.
I will attach the edited video of my lifts when I have it ready. Then you can see my in my singlet in all its glory!!!!

I am deloading this week, so I will not be posting any logs until I start up again, cause deload workouts are boring. I will take the rest of the week to rest and reset my training maxes to start a new cycle of 5 3 1 with on Monday.

Thursday Squats week 3 cycle 2

Didn't think I would be able to train today so was going to have a rest day but........turned out that I could so I went and squatted. Got to try out my new knee sleeves (raw contest approved).
5/3/1 week

Squats - after warmup - 285X5, 325X3, 355X10! (PR), 225X10, 225X10.

That was it....did some foam roller on my lower back after.

355X10 is most definitely a rep PR for me. Had a spotter and motivator. Depth and form I think were good for the first 5-6 reps. The last few were probably a little ugly, but they were squats nonetheless.

So thats it for the second cycle of 5 3 1 for me. For those of you that are following this and care....I will be testing maxes on Monday or Tuesday so stay tuned, I will post right after recovering. Once (hopefully new) maxes are determined and a deload week I will start a new cycle with new numbers. Keeping in mind, it has only been 6 weeks on the program and seriously training for powerlifting.

Bench Press Thursday week 3 cycle 2

Trained today because I know I will not have time tomorrow. So, rest day will be tomorrow for me.

BB Bench press - 270X5, 270X3, 310X3 (PR)

The first set was supposed to be 250, but I got ahead of myself and loaded the bar wrong. Oh well. Did the 3 rep set with the same weight instead of increasing it and screwing up more lol. I think 310X3 is a rep PR for me, as long as I've been keeping track anyways.
Stuck with the BB and kept going, did some supersets with tricep work.

BB Bench - 245X10, 245X8, 245X7. Superset with;
Straight bar pressdown - 140X12, X12, X12.

BB bench - 225X8, X7. Superset with;
Cambered bar pressdown - 140X10, X10.

BB bench 135X12 superset with pressdowns - 110X10.

Squats on Friday hopefully then rest until 1RM tests on Mon or Tuesday followed by a deload week.

Deadlift Tuesday week 3 cycle 2

Was pumped to deadlift today. Trained at about 4:30 this afternoon. Last day of deads for this cycle. 5 3 1 day.

Deadlifts - 330X5, 350X3, 415X4. (PR)

I'm convinced I had another rep in the tank, but again was training solo. I don't want to come to laying on the gym floor with my head cut open or something lol.

Trap Bar shrug - 155X12, X12, X12. Supersetted with hanging knee raises - X20X3.
Upright Cable Row - 110X12X3.

Probably a rest day tomorrow then bench with my training partner Thursday evening.

OHP Monday Week 3 cycle 2

Third and last week of my 2nd cycle of the 5 3 1 program. Trained at about 1pm before goin to work.

OHP - 140X5, 160X3, 180X5.
Front DB raise - 30X10X2
Lateral DB flyes - 30X10X2
Close grip lat pulldown - 135X15 then 185X8X5

Didn't train lats last week so figured 6 sets of pulldowns were in order. Then trained biceps as I hadn't done them last week either and have to fit them in somewhere.

Seated DB curl - 40X8X2
Standing Cable curl - 110X10, X10, X12.

Finisher - OHP - 135X12.

Short but intense workout with short rest periods between sets. OHP day isn't my favorite but seems to be getting stronger.
Some pretty heavy weights coming this week for the other lifts, looking forward to it then testing maxes next week and a deload week. Then will reset "working" maxes and start another cycle of the 5 3 1. I will keep doing so until I stop getting stronger then I will try something else. I have been looking at some other programs that look interesting and worth a shot but won't implement until I feel I'm stuck, which is hopefully not for a while yet.

Friday squats week 2 cycle 2

Had no time to train today so took the "boring but big" option again today. Didnt go til about 1030 at night but at least I made it.
Squats - 305X3, 325X3, 345X7.
Definately had more in the tank for the last set, but no spotter so didnt want to push it.
That's it, maybe a BB workout over the weekend if I have time. If not, week 3 of 2nd cyle starts Monday. Last week before testing maxes.