531 Day 24

Cycle 3 Week 1

1.  BTN Press
115x5; 135x5; 160x6(PR) . . . 175x1 . . . 115x8; 115x8

2a.  Bent Row (45 degrees)
135x10; 135x10; 135x10

2b.  KB Swing
70x15; 70x15; 70x15

3a.  Glute Thrusts
10; 10

3b.  Curls
40x10; 40x10

Notes
One rep PR at 160 for BTN press.  Although, I'm like 90% sure I hit 7 reps.  During the set I was like wtf this is harder than I expected.  Sure enough - loaded the bar wrong.  Was supposed to be 150.  Oh well, still hit a solid PR. I've really started to like this lift a lot.  It is by far the most fun I've ever had with any pressing variation.  It just feels good.  I usually drop the bar onto my traps at the halfway point on the way down.  It requires legit bar control and it looks cool.

With that said, this is my last cycle using it.  My shoulder are starting to get a little achy.  I don't think that means there is anything wrong with the lift, its just time to work on a different plane or angle.  I've been doing these for like 9-12 weeks at this point.  I'm glad I put the time it though.  Its a technical movement that needs to be grooved to get much out of it.  In the future, I'll probably do 3-6 week runs with it.

Going super strict on the bent rows and actually getting a back contraction.  10th rep on the 3rd set was challenging.

531 Day 23

Cycle 3 Week 1

1.  Incline
155x5; 175x5; 205x11 (PR) . . . 225x1; 245x1 . . . 135x10; 135x10; 135x10

2a.  Bent Row 45 degree
135x10; 135x10; 135x10

2b.  Windmill
70x3; 70x3

3a.  Hip Thrusts
BWx15; BWx15; BWx15

3b.  Seated Palms Out Curls
25x10; 25x10; 25x10

Notes
Surprised how good the 205 PR felt.  So I did the deload pretty close to as prescribed for incline.  I just went up near my training max and did a triple.  Anyways, didn't feel like I lost much, if anything.  205x11 is a technical PR, although my 12 rep PR is 185, so this is considerably more weight and only a rep less.

Bent row was fun and felt good for a change.  Really hard if you squeeze at the top.

Continue to improve on hip thrust.  I need to be better about setting my ribs at the bottom.  On higher reps, I start to get sloppy.

531 Day 22

1.  Power Clean and Jerk
135x1; 135x1;185x1; 185x1; 225x1; 225x1

2.  Pendlay
155x5; 180x5; 205x5 . . . 155x5; 155x5; 155x5

3a.  Hip Thrusts
70x10; 70x10; 70x10

3b.  KB Swing
70x15; 70x15; 70x15

3c.  Pushups
12; 12; 12

4. Facepulls
70x20; 70x20

Notes
Feel like I'm losing steam.  I'm just exhausted.  Omitted jokers because 205 felt heavy enough.  The little circuit actually got me breathing and sweating hard.  Also, I've noticed a few people doing hip thrusts at the gym, including some chicks.  Everyone loves to load the weight up, but no one is maximally extending their hips.  The heavier it gets, the worse it is.  Whats the point?  70x10 hits my glutes pretty damn hard right  now.

531 Day 21

Deload

1a.  Incline
185x3; 225x3; 135x12; 135x12

1b.  DB Row
70x10; 70x10; 70x10

2a.  KB Swing
70x10; 70x10; 70x10

2b. Hip Thrusts
BWx15; BWx15; BWx15

2c. Windmill
70x3; 70x3; 70x3

Notes
This was yesterday morning before I went into work.  I have to work most of the day today as well.  On target to hit about 70 hours this week. It feels weird only having 3 very light sessions in a week, but hopefully the down time leaves me feeling refreshed.

I've noticed that the long hours of sitting is really leaving me tight and cramped in my hips and upper back.  Also, I walk about a mile each way to work, and the dress shoes coupled with the pavement is shortening my calves.  To counter this, I've been stretching in my office everyday at around 11am and 3pm.  I just shut my door and go at it, doing all sorts of thoracic bridges, glute thrusts, etc haha.  I'm also going to order a couple of fresh kettebells to keep at the office. I think I'm going to turn my afternoon stretch session into a mini workout. Pushups, swings, planks and stuff like that. My boss has a walking treadmill in his office and other attorneys have stationary bikes and stuff.  I'm going to dedicate a corner of my office to the fitness gear I like.

Extra Workout Day 20

1a. Hip Thrusts
20; 20

1b. Pushups
15; 15

1c. Chins
5; 5

2a. One Arm DB Bench
50x10; 50x10

2b. One Arm Split Stance Cable Row
70x10; 70x10

Notes
This was Wednesday or Thursday night I think.  I like the Hip thrust/pushup/chin superset.  Might try that out as a final warmup type thing.

531 Day 20

Deload

1. Pendlay
155x5; 175x5; 205x11 (PR) . . . 225x3 . . . 155x5; 155x5

2.  BTN Jerk
135x3; 155x2; 185x2; 225x1

3a.  Hip Thrust
135x8; 135x8

3b.  Windmill
70x2; 70x2

4a. Split Squat One Arm KB Press
45x5; 45x5

4b. DB Curl
40x8; 40x8

Notes
So I wasn't sure whether I wanted to deload or not today.  I decided it was time on Pendlays.  Just didn't feel fresh, and I don't think 3 more weeks would have been a positive experience.  I'm going to take this week to stretch out and recover. Maybe go for a jerk PR later.

Hip thrust and heavy KB Windmill was an awesome superset.  I get neutral max hip extension/glute activation with the thrusts.  I feel the windmill does the opposite with the hips - they go back in flexion, and at the same opens up the thoracic shit/shoulder. Anyways, I'm gonna remember this 1-2 combo for the future.

Extra Workout Day 10

1.  RDL
135x12; 135x12; 135x12

2.  Hip Thrust
BWx15; 135x8; 135x8

3a. Windmill
45x8; 45x8

3b.  One Arm Standing DB Press
40x8; 40x8

Notes
This was on Sunday.  More of stretching session than anything else. Enjoying the hip thrusts.

531 Day 19

Cycle 2 Week 3

1. Incline
175x5; 195x3; 225x7 (PR) . . . 250x1; 275x1 . . . 185x5; 185x5

2a.  Hip Thrusts
BWx15; BWx15; 85x8

2b.  DB Row
85x8; 85x8; 85x8

2c.  Scaption
2.5x8; 2.5x8; 2.5x8

3a. Facepull
80x20; 80x20

3b. Split Kneeling Cable Raise
80x7; 60x5

Notes
Solid incline PR at 225x7.  Old PR was 225x5. Left 1-2 in the tank as well.    275x1 ties my incline one rep max.  It was a slight grind, but not bad.  I was hoping for a double, but didn't want to risk a missed lift when things are going so well, so I racked it. Also, I felt moderate fatigue in my triceps from the 225 set.  I have no doubt I could have gone heavier without a fatiguing rep set beforehand.  Thats kinda the catch .22 of this setup of 531 I guess.  I'm not complaining, the reps are great and obviously what is behind the strength gains.  I want the 1 rep maxes mostly for my ego.  Got to try to be patient.

531 Day 18

Cycle 2 Week 3

1. Pendlay Row
175x5; 195x3; 220x8 (PR) . . . 225x3; 250x4 (PR) . . . 170x3; 170x3

2.  BTN Press
135x5; 145x3; 160x5 (PR) . . . 170x3 (PR) . . . 135x5; 135x5

3a.  Hip Thrusts
BWx20; 45x15

3b.  Facepulls
20; 20

3c.  Windmill
45x5; 45x5

Notes
Felt strong.  Adjusting to the new job and schedule is taking a lot out of me. Feels good to hit medium-high rep PR's, as well as heavy PR's on the same day.

Been working on hip thrusts because I realized I basically never get max hip extension other than a few glute bridges during warmups.  Also, I've been over flexing my hips with all the deadlifts and pendlays.  Basically, my front hip flexors are shortening.  But my knees, ankles, all feel great and opened up after the hip thrusts.

lol at all of the awkward stares as I maximally thrust my hips into the air with heavy, strained grunts.

Extra Workout 9

1a. RDL
135x8; 135x8 135x8

1b. Scaption
2.5x8; 2.5x8; 2.5x8

2a. Bent Row
135x8; 135x8; 135x8

2b.  Facepull
15; 15; 15

3a.  Strict Curls
30x10; 30x10

3b.  Side Plank
2 sets

Notes
I was still half-drunk on Sunday from all the NFL beer/chips.  Little pump action in the apartment gym made me feel better... A little better, not much though.

531 Day 17

Cycle 2 Week 2

1.  Deadlift

315x3; 365x3; 405x3

2.  Hip Thrust

BWx15; BWx15; 45x6

Notes

Mentally exhausted last night after my first week of work.

531 Day 16

Cycle 2 Week 2

1.  Incline
160x3; 185x3; 205x10 (PR) . . . 225x3; 245x3 (PR) . . .  160x8; 160x8; 160x8

2.  DB Row
90x6; 90x6; 90x6

3a.  Cable Row
120x10; 120x10

3b.  Glute Thrust
BWx10; BWx10

4.  Scaption
3 sets

Notes
This blog has almost 450 posts from the past 2.5 years.  I decided to search and capture as many PR's as possible. I found about 25 different lifts (a few more I don't care about), for a total of ~100 PR's in different rep ranges. It goes without saying I care a lot more about some more than others.

This new style of 531 gives me the opportunity to hit PR's often. So,  I made a google doc with all my PR's.  Then, I just go to the gym, pull it up on my phone, and hit PR's.

I'm not fooling myself with this approach.  I've talked a little about Fuck Yeah PR's! verses  technical "personal records."  Fuck Yeah PR's are exciting.  They take intensity, high effort, and are usually in the big bad-ass lifts. They make you proud.  They are memorable.  Technical PR's, on the other hand, aren't as exciting but in my mind they are still valuable.  I see technical PR's as a way to fill out rep ranges.  I also call them "technical" because I know that it might be a new lift, or that it may simply be a set in a given rep range that I could have done before, but simply did something else on that day.

Either way, regardless of what category a PR falls in, I think they are great and they make me happy.  It means I'm moving in the right direction.  More weight for more reps.

531 Day 15

Cycle 2 Week 2

1.  Pendlay

160x3; 185x3; 205x10 (PR) . . . 225x2; 245x2 . . . 160x3; 160x3; 160x3

2.  BTN Press

115x3; 135x3; 155x7 (PR) . . . 160x1 . . . 115x8; 115x8

3.  Facepulls

20; 20

4a.  Scaption

4b.  Planks

Notes

Pendlay was a 2 rep PR at 205 lbs. BTN press was a 5lb PR at 7 reps.  I'm pretty fluid with the jokers/first set last right now, but it seems to be working.  I'm hitting solid PR's almost every week.  At first, I was worried about whether my lift selection would do much for me.  I have no doubt now.  My body is really starting to harden up.  I'm starting to feel grooved with the BTN and Pendlay especially.  I think I'll stay with the pendlay/btn/incline/deadlift setup for another cycle.  Then I'll rotate in regular press, and close grip bench or something like that.

Extra Workout 8 - Labor Day Conditioning

1.  65lb Snatch
3 Rounds in 5 minutes, 34 total reps

2.  225 Sled Push
3 Rounds Max Effort


Over the weekend I met up with a bunch of DC friends on top of the roof for some Strongman type conditioning.  We broke into 5 teams of 3.  Two guys and one gal per team. Then we did 5 minute rounds where each team member rotated through as fast as possible.  I was hungover and threw up after the sled push.

It was a fun day.  We all went out to the river after words and grilled and drank the day away.  I'm in the back left in the picture below.  Its fun to be in the city with so many people that share a similar passio.  It might be hard to tell from the picture, but there five dudes there that can pull 500+.  Not bad for a crowd of professionals.