Cycle 4 week 1…Jim Wendler 5/3/1

After the competition I was excited to get back into the gym and get ready for my meet on October 5th.  I think I may have underestimated the amount of stress the competition put on my body.  Overall it was a very disappointing week in the gym.  I think it was a combination on a stressed body and a good bit of traveling in just seven days.  I have never in my life been this sore, so I treated myself to a massage…well that only made it worse!!!  Here’s to hoping for a better week, but still a crazy bit of traveling left, so fingers crossed.

Military Press

5 x 105

5 x 120

5 x 140  Completed 10 for a calculated max of 187

Deadlift

5 x 245

5 x 285

5 x 320  Completed 10 for a calculated max of 427

Bench

5 x 205

5 x 240

5 x 270  Completed 11 for a calculated max of 374

Squat

5 x 215

5 x 245

5 x 280  Completed 7 for a calculated max of 336

This squat was by far my biggest disappointment of all of the cycles so far.  I did make a big jump from the last cycle, and I feel physically beat down, so here’s to hoping that is the reason…

Competition Recap…Twin Cities Open

Six days prior to the meet I weighed 228 pounds, and the plan was to compete in the 220 pound class.  I didn’t want to show up and be right at 220, so the plan was to cut down to 218 pounds.  There was no weight lifting the week before the meet, which gave me plenty of time for cardio work.  I don’t want to say I starved myself, but I did cut back; WAY back on my eating.  The night before the meet I took a tablespoon of epsom salt with 4 ounces of water, don’t EVER do this, it is a CRAPPY idea if you know what I mean!!!

Showed up the day of the meet and I was plenty hungry.  Went right to the weigh in station so I could hopefully eat something.  Stripped down and got on the scale…216 pounds.  Yes I made it, 12 pounds in six days, more importantly…time for breakfast.  Got all signed in, and got all of my rack heights to the scorers table, now all that’s left to do is wait.

Squat

After waiting for all of the women,juniors, and masters to lift it was finally my turn.  I opened with a very light 355 pounds so  I was one of the first to go in the open division.  The weight felt good, dare I say light, however after completing my squat I took an ever so slight shuffle step which was enough for three red lights.   I wasn’t too concerned, I knew I could handle the weight, and I knew how to correct the foot shuffle step I took.  I reported a 10 pound increase to the scorers table and waited for my turn.  Second lift went WAY better.  Took a nice deep squat, drove it up…without the step and racked the weight for my first success.  My third attempt of 407 would be a personal record by two pounds, but a personal record none the less.  The weight sure felt heavy out of the rack and all the way down.  All the way up though the weight started to feel lighter and lighter, must have been the adrenaline, cause I hit the 407 pretty easy.

Bench

Going into the meet this was my best lift, and where I hoped to really impress.  I opened with a 315 attempt, which I took down and up with a relative amount of ease.  I decided for my second attempt I would try to hit my goal of 355, which is a big jump, but I hit this in the gym all of the time.  The weight came down nice and slow and felt real good.  Coming off of my chest I felt strong and the weight felt manageable, but I got to about the 3/4 mark and just hit the wall.  I fought it for about five seconds, but it started to come down so the spotters took it.  Seeing as I couldn’t go down in weight I was stuck at the same weight for my third attempt, which unfortunately went the same way the second one went.  Even with the two failed attempts I still had one of the better benches in the meet.  In the future I won’t make such a big jump in the bench.  Next meet I will maybe try 325/345/360.

Deadlift

Going into the deadlift I was sort of concerned about my grip, well no fears we have a new bar and it is plenty sharp.  In fact it was so sharp we quite often had to wait in between lifters to clean blood off of the bar.  I opened with a very light 385, just wanted to get my feet wet in this lift, and not have to worry about the weight.  The weight came up and down no problem for three white lights.  I was neck and neck for second place in my class with another lifter so I took a big jump to 440, with the plan of tying my record of 455 on my third lift.  I hit my lift no problem, as did my competitor.  That forced me to attempt 469 pounds on my third attempt, 14 more pounds more than I have ever done.  I had attempted 465 two weeks prior and couldn’t even get it off the ground!!!  I approached the bar with no pressure on me, because my competitor missed his weight already, so I had second place locked up.  I got into position and the second I got the weight off the ground I knew I was golden, not sure I could have done another five pounds, but I crushed it either way.

Totals

Squat 407

Bench 315

Deadlift 469

Total 1,191 pounds.  My goal was 1,200 but I feel great about how it went and I learned a lot for my next meet.

 

Getting ready for my fourth cycle of Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1…Which has been a HUGE success for me.  I did tweak my leg lift maxes to reflect what I did in the meet.  The upper body maxes will remain the same.

The week before my competition…

Since I have to take the week off before the competition to allow my body to heal, and I just ended cycle 3, I will redo the 5/3/1 week of my workout.  I will not be doing the extra reps on the last set, instead I will set my weights for my meet.

Military Press

120 x 5

140 x 3

155 x 11

Deadlift

255 x 5

290 x 3

325 x 1

425 x 1

465 fail

Bench

240 x 5

270 x 3

305 x 1

335 x 1

355 x 1

Squat

195 x 5

220 x 3

250 x 1

335 x 1

385 x 1

405 x 1

 

My goals for the meet are as follows:

Squat 405

Bench 355

Deadlift 445

For a total of 1205lbs which I would feel great about.

The competition consists of 3 attempts for all of the lifts, for a total of 9 lifts.  I will open with roughly 315lbs on each of the lifts, just to get my feet wet in competition, than on my second lift I will try to hit my goals.  My third lift I will be swinging for the fences.  I would love to hit 425 on the squat and break the Georgia USAPL state bench record of 385.  I don’t see myself doing more than 445 on the Deadlift and my elbow has really been hurting; so if I can at the very least hit my goals I will be very pleased.

 

Cycle 3 week 3 and deload…Jim Wendler 5/3/1

I have started to use the 5/3/1 week as a good time to get an idea of my max.  From now on during this week I will do my standard 5/3/1 set with the max reps at the end, but then I will add 2 sets of 1 to get as close to a max as I can.

Military Press

5 x 120

3 x 135

1 x 150  Completed 9 for a calculated max of 193.  Still struggling with balance as I get closer to 10 reps on this lift.

Deadlift

5 x 250

3 x 285

1 x 315  Completed 12 for a calculated max of 454.

1 x 405

1 x 445

Bench

5 x 235

3 x 270

1 x 300  Completed 9 for a calculated max of 386.  Could have done more but I hit the upright at 8 than the spotter tried taking it.

1 x 345

1 x 365

Squat

5 x 190

3 x 215

1 x 240  Completed 15 for a calculated max of 393.

1 x 335

1 x 385  Plenty left in the tank, will try 405 next week.

 

This brings me to the deload week.  After this 5/3/1 session I have never been more ready for a deload week.  I spent a lot of time addressing some troubling pains I have been having.  My left rotator cuff is giving me all sorts of trouble.  I cut WAY back on my chin ups, and only do close grip chins.  This has already helped with the pain, and I found a couple of simple, yet ridiculous stretches to do to help out.  I have also started foam rolling, man is this great!!!  It is the best thing next to getting a massage.  I am competing in the Twin Cities Open on August 18th, and seeing as you need to take a week off of lifting prior to the meet I am going to repeat the 5/3/1 week now and wait to start the new cycle until after the meet.  This next week I will set my weights for my lifts, but I am guessing I will attempt a 405 squat, a 475 deadlift, and I am going to try to break the USAPL Georgia state bench record with 387.  I will try to come close to these weights this week.