Well, finally decided to start a training log after joining the 5/3/1 train a few weeks ago. Here's how it's looking so far...

Estimated Maxes
OH Press - 200 (90% = 180)
Deads - 445 (400)
Bench - 255 (235)
Front Squat - 270 (245)

As I said, started a couple weeks ago and things have been going pretty decent. A quick rundown

Bench 5's
175*5 190*5 200*7 (felt like I had another in me buy shoulder was a little "loose")
Inc DB - 80*10 75*10,10,8,8
T-Bar Rows - 3plates+25*10 x 5sets (Alternate btwn Inc DB and T-Bar w/ about 60-75s rest)

Front Squat 5's
185*5 195*5 210*10
Hack Squats - 2pps+25*8 2pps*10x 4 sets
Alt Rev BB lunge - 185*12(each leg, so 24 total reps)x 3 sets

OH Press 5's
135*5 145*5 155*8
Dips - BW+50# backpack*8,7,6,6 (I load up a backpack w/ plates; lighter weights than using a dipping belt but helps me stay upright and put more stress on the tri's)
Chins (Neutral Grip) - BW*10,10,9,8,7
DB raises, OH Tri extensions, DB curls (do these in a circuit a few times to get some extra beach work in)

Deadlift 5's
300*5 320*5 340*8
Snatch grip DL (deficit) - 245*10,10 225*10,10,10
Walking DB Lunge - 75# DBs*8 (each leg, so 16 total) x 4 sets

Bench 3's
190*3 200*3 210*6

Inc DB - 80*9,8,7,6
T-Bars - 3plates+35*10,8,8,8

Swiss Ball Press - 65*14,12,10
Kroc Rows - 100*15,14,13

Front Squat 3's
195*3 210*3 220*8
Hacks - 2pps+25*10 2pps*10 x3 sets
Rev BB Lunge - 185*12,12,13

Push Press 3's
145*3 155*3 165*7
Dips - 50#backpack *8,8,7,7,6
Chins (neutral) - BW*12,10,10,9,9
Beach muscles circuit - Tris, Bis, Shoulder raises

Deads 3's
320*3 340*3 360*6
Snatch Grip DL (deficit) - 245*10 x 5 sets

Bench 531
175*5 200*3 225*4
Inc DB - 80*9,7,7,6,6
T-Bars - 3plates+35*10 x5sets

Swiss ball press - 65*14,13,12
Kroc rows - 100*15,15,15

Front Squat 531
185*5 210*3 235*5
Rev BB Lunges - 185*12 x5 sets
*Had to get out of there for my softball game

7/15/09
Conditioning - 40 min total w/ various intervals
Lots of band traction/prehab stuff for my shoulders
Lax ball

** I didn't post any of my old conditioning work from the past couple weeks but I've been getting a fair amount in with various forms (treadmill/machine intervals, sand dune sprints -- these are brutal!, complexes, etc.). I'll start posting these on a regular basis as well as I go along.

...Push Press tonight!...

Kind of a shitty workout last night to be honest. I got my reps but not nearly the performance I wanted... just one of "those days" where you're mentally in the game but your body does not seem to want to listen. I'm just going to have to kill my overhead presses next week to make up for it...

Push press 531
135*5 155*3 175*3 **I wanted at least 4 or 5 on these but didn't have any more in me. It was weird, though. Felt like my upper body could've handled more but my supporting/core muscles wanted nothing to do w/ any more reps... Guess I need to get used to handling heavier (for me) loads overhead still since most of my previous overhead work was higher rep stuff.

Dips - 55# backpack*8,7,7,6,6
Chins (neutral) - BW*12,10,10,10,9

BlackLabel: Why not on Bench? I've heard lots of people making good progress on 5/3/1 Bench. Either way, good luck w/ bringing up the squat and deads

Training: Overall, pretty good day today. Had pretty good speed on the deads and really only hitched on the last one, which was due in part to the hex plates sliding around on me (stupid commercial gyms)

Deads 531
340*5 360*3 380*5
Snatch grip DL (deficit) - 245*10 x5 sets
Walking DB lunge - 80*8,8,6 each leg (was going to do 8 on the last set too but tweaked something in my ham/glute tie-in so I stopped. Got some stretching in and it feels pretty decent now. NBD)

Past Couple workouts...

7/18 Conditioning, etc.
Band Work, Shoulder traction, lax ball
Jump Rope - 10 min
Cardio - 20 min various intervals

7/19 Bench Deload Week
95*5 115*5 135*5
DB Incline - 80*10,9,8,7,7
T-Bars - 4plates*10,10,10,10,9

Ball DB press - 70*11,10,10,8
Kroc Rows - 105*12,12,12,12

Conditioning - AirDyne Bike intervals - 15s sprint/45s light x 20min
Then hit the heavy bag for a bit - 2 min rounds/30s rest x10

7/20 Squat Deload
Front Squat - 115*5 135*5 155*5

Hack Squats - 2pps*10 x10 sets (not super heavy but did some GVT-style on a little different leg movement to shake things up during my deload week. plus with strict 60s rest periods, I got a pretty good conditioning effect in as well)

Seated Calves - several sets w/ varying loads to get the feel, then 1pps*AMAP (DC style). I had never trained my calves DC style before and I can already tell they're going to be hurting tomorrow. I really liked (if that's the right term??)the long stretch at the bottom. It doesn't feel that hard at first but it's seriously like a single 5-10min set w/ constant tension.

Conditioning - Rowing machine 45s all out (try to keep it under 1:30/500 pace on all intervals)/75s light x10

7/21 OH Press Deload
Push Press - 75*5 95*5 115*5

Seated DB Press - 50*10x10 sets (after yesterday's leg session, I was inspired to do some more GVT style just to get some volume in)

Dips - BW*100 total reps
Chins - BW*75 total reps

Beach Circuit - Bi's, Tri's, DB Side Raises x 4 circuits

** Overall, pretty good session today -- plenty of volume but nothing too taxing in terms of intensity... I wasn't supposed to lift until tomorrow but I'm going to be on the road for work tomorrow and don't know the situation. I'll probably get some conditioning in while on the road but who knows about the gym situation.

Couple conditioning sessions to report from the road

45 min cardio


40 min various intervals

Nothing special. Deads tomorrow. Really can't wait to get back to start wave 2 this weekend...

Deadlift Deload
Deads - 185*5 225*5 275*5
Power Cleans - 175*5x10sets

Conditioning - 20 min rowing intervals (1 min work/1 min light)
Heavy bag rounds (2 min work/30s rest x 10 rounds)

Bench 5's (starting wave 2)
180*5 190*5 205*7 (same reps +5 pounds so I'm happy)

Inc BB - 155*12,10,8,8 (haven't done these in forever and figure I can progress nicely from here)
Kroc Rows - 105*15,15,12,12

Inc DB - 80*9,7,6,6
T-Bars - 3plates+35*10,10,10,10

Tri Pressdowns - Stack*15,15,15,20
Seated Cable Rows (wide grip) - 10#*15,15,15,15

**Overall good session today. Nice to get back into it after my deload week. May do some conditioning later tonight if I'm feeling it.

Squat 5's
Front Squat - 190*5 205*5 215*10 (same reps as last wave +10 pounds so feeling pretty good)
Hack Squats - 2pps+25*10,8,8,8
BB Step-ups - 135*12(each leg, so 24 total), 12,12,12
Standing Calves Machine - stack*AMAP x 3 sets

Conditioning - 20 min rower intervals(1min hard/1 min light)
20 min air dyne bike intervals (1 min hard/1 min light)

** Felt really good today. Must've been the birthday cake I allowed myself to have last night ;)

OH Press 5's
Push Press - 140*5 150*5 160*8 (again got the same reps +5 pounds; tried for 9 but just couldn't lock it out w/ good form so didn't count it)

Dips - BW+60*50 reps total
Chins (neutral grip) - BW+25*50 reps total

DB Side Raises - 25*10-12
OH Cable Triceps - 8#*8-10
DB Hammers - 50*8-10ea
X 4 times through circuit

Deadlift 5's
Deads - 315*5 330*5 350*9 (+1 rep; +10 pounds)

Snatch-grip DL (deficit) - 225*10 x5 sets (worked on speed and form; sets 3&4 felt about as good as I ever have on these; definitely need to up the weight going forward now though)

GHR - BW*8-10 x4 sets

Seated Calves - 1pps*AMAP x 3 sets -- sort of ripping off the DC style I guess in holding the peak contraction, slow negatives, and holding the stretch at the bottom. DC guys, if any of you see this, don't rip my head off for bastardizing the program and then eat the rest of my body after your fasted morning cardio ;)

**Another pretty decent session considering work has sucked all week with really long hours, which means very little sleep. Also had some personal stresses the past couple days and didn't get a chance to make the gym... Felt good to get back into it and makes me realize again why I bother with this whole game.

Conditioning
Sand Dune Sprints x 16 total (about 30s up/60-90s down)

**I love these in a masochistic, "I'm ready to puke" sort of way. I'm fried right now

Bench 3's
195*3 205*3 215*6 (same reps +5 pounds; tried for 7 but couldn't lock it out myself)

Incline DB - 80*10,8,8,7,7
T-Bars - 4plates*10,9,9,9,9

Incline BB - 155*10,10,10
Kroc Rows - 105*12,10,18

**Really wanted the 7th rep with 215 but I mentally went into it thinking about 6 so at the bottom of #7 I lost focus and couldn't finish the rep. O well, still a PR. Kroc Rows felt pretty good so I decided to cut the second set short and rep out pretty hard on the last set. I'm pretty sure that's a PR too and felt wonderfully nauseous for the next half hour or so... Funny I saw that thread the other day about puking and I realized that I never have from a workout. I feel like puking all the time but I never actually have.

Squat 3's
Front Squat - 205*3 215*3 230*6 (felt awful and should have at least gotten 7 or 8)

Hacks - 2pps*10x 5 sets (<60s rest between sets)

BB Step-Ups - 155*10 each leg x 3 sets

Standing Calves - Stack*AMAP x 3 sets

**Didn't feel great in the gym today but I suppose lack of sleep and food will do that to you. The front squats just never felt right today. I guess technically it's still a PR for a 6RM but only bc I never really did front squats in that rep range before and I'm not too happy with it. Definitely feel good that I powered through the workout though bc I was about this close to just skipping out today and going home to bed. Speaking of which, time for about a pound of ground turkey and then finally some sleep!

OH Press 3's
Push Press - 150*3 160*3 165*8 (+1 rep from last wave at same weight OR same reps +5lbs from last week; gotta love when you're progressing no matter how you look at it)

Dips - 60#*25 reps; 70#*25 reps
Chins (Neutral grip) - 35#*50 reps

DB side raises, OH Cable Triceps extensions, DB Hammer curls - 10 reps x 3 times through

Conditioning - AirDyne 45 min various intervals

**Not too much to say about today. Good steady progress on the main lift and putting in work.

Started today with some power cleans - worked up to triples w/ 205... Then:

Deadlift 3's
320*3 345*3 370*7 (+10 pounds +1 rep)

1-leg RDLs - 60 DBs(both hands)*10 x5 sets (each leg)

Calves (seated) - 3 sets AMAP

** Going to start doing some cleans and such on my lower days to try and get more power. Another PR on the pulls felt good. Didn't do my normal snatch DLs from a deficit bc after the cleans, felt like my lower back needed something a little less stressful. The RDLs were hard and forced me to work on balance - I think my hammies are going to be pretty damn sore tomorrow too.

AM Conditioning
A bunch of mobility/band work to warm up

Hill Sprints x20 (about 15-20s up/rest until the next minute)

PM Bench 531
180*5 205*3 230*4 (+5 pounds and same reps)

Incline DB - 80*10,8,7,7
T-bars - 4 plates*10x 4sets

Inc BB - 165*10,8,8
Kroc Rows - 105*10,10,20 each arm

**Good work today. Solid PR in the bench and the Kroc rows at 20 reps were another PR. I'm loving the 5/3/1 program thus far -- simplicity and focusing on setting PRs each week has got me looking forward to trainig sessions again. Thank you Jim Wendler.

P.S. Just found a great little deal at my local grocery store. A whole roasted chicken for like $6. Smashed down almost the whole thing after my workout with some veggies on the side. Can't beat that for a Sunday dinner.