5/3/1 Big but Boring. Muppet prep for July 18th ScotNational

[Lordmuppet]

Garage sessions are with 5ft olympic bar hence why the weight is suspiciously high. Leverages!

I like this new Texas system. Less exhausted but still getting the PRs at the end of the week.

average weekly weight of 73.4kg

TEXAS 5A
29 MAY 2012
Garage session
Squat belt 5x5x115kg
OHP 5x5x48kg
20 mins sledgehammer swings (10 swings then 30 sec rest)

TEXAS 5B
31 MAY
Garage session
Squat 3x5x95kg
Bench 3x5x50kg
pinch 2 simultaneous 5kg plates 50s/50s/50s
22 mins sledgehammer swings (10 swings then 30 sec rest)

TEXAS 4C
2nd June
Gym session
Squat belt 1x2x125kg 2RM PR
Deadlift 1x1x175kg ORM PR
OHP 1x2x52kg 2RM PR
Sprints with 30 second rests 10 minutes (hard!)

general notes
keep forgetting grip stuff so going to time it for at the end of sessions rather than fitting it in randomly
doing sledgehammer every day and slowly dialing it up. Maybe should enter it here.
Also doing bunch of rehab stuff prior to lifting
Eating very little crap but still eating a lot

[Talyn]

Solid training lately.

Is there a reason why you've done 5x5 x 115kg on the squats for three weeks in a row?

More weight!!!!

[baldy]

Is there a reason why you've done 5x5 x 115kg on the squats for three weeks in a row?

the fear?

[Talyn]

the fear?

I can't give the man a hard time about it, because he's done thrice what I've just done once

But still, find some little biscuit plates!

[Lordmuppet]

the fear?

I can't give the man a hard time about it, because he's done thrice what I've just done once

But still, find some little biscuit plates!

So original Texas Method template was giving me exhaustion problems. Hit the wall one week and all the other weeks I was useless for anything else in life on Volume day. Bought Justin Lascek's book on tweaking the Texas Method http://70sbig.com/ebook/ and he recommends (where the focus is powerlifting anyway) programming to increase the difference between the intensity day (my 1RM/2RM/3RM) and the Volume Day. One way he suggests to do this is to keep volume day steady for 3 or 4 weeks (I'm doing 4) and increase intensity day as dictated by the original TM template.

So yeah that's what I'm doing. Am bumping up the intensity day increases a week bit too on OHP/Bench to keep them ahead of volume day.

I was sceptical but hey I keep hitting the PRs on intensity day so seems to work

p.s. 115kg on a five foot bar isn't the same as one a 7 foot bar of course

edited to add: so i increase weight on volume day every 4 weeks

[Talyn]

That sounds fair enough. I just think you'd be better off upping the 5x5 a little bit each day, like doing 5x5 x 117.5kg or 5x6 or 6x5 or something.

I've never lifted heavy with a 5ft bar, does it make it easier or harder?

[Lordmuppet]

If you're struggling with the volume why are you doing a 5x5 type program?

A better option is something like:

5x5 x 115kg
5x4 x 117.5kg
5x3 x 120kg
5x2 x 122.5kg

then add 2.5kg to all

repeat

edited to add: I've never lifted heavy with a 5ft bar, does it make it easier or harder?

So I'm doing the 5x5 program because it's working for me results wise. The only problem was the exhaustion on volume day which I've now fixed Thanks for suggestion program wise but going to stick with new Texas Method template till it stops working and then will maybe check back in with you/others

5ft bar makes it much easier (how much i have no idea but some clever math person could figure it out) due to the increased leverage involved in a 7ft bar.

[Talyn]

So I'm doing the 5x5 program because it's working for me results wise. The only problem was the exhaustion on volume day which I've now fixed Thanks for suggestion program wise but going to stick with new Texas Method template till it stops working and then will maybe check back in with you/others

5ft bar makes it much easier (how much i have no idea but some clever math person could figure it out) due to the increased leverage involved in a 7ft bar.

Haha sorry mate I re-read my post and edited it because you're right and I can't read properly.

Is the 5ft bar you have an olympic bar or a standard bar?

[Lordmuppet]

So I'm doing the 5x5 program because it's working for me results wise. The only problem was the exhaustion on volume day which I've now fixed Thanks for suggestion program wise but going to stick with new Texas Method template till it stops working and then will maybe check back in with you/others

5ft bar makes it much easier (how much i have no idea but some clever math person could figure it out) due to the increased leverage involved in a 7ft bar.

Haha sorry mate I re-read my post and edited it because you're right and I can't read properly.

Is the 5ft bar you have an olympic bar or a standard bar?

it's olympic. Only 5ft due to space restrictions.

[Lordmuppet]

So my father has a b12 deficiency (he's not veggie. Never been veggie) so I finally got around to getting myself tested via blood test.

Apparently my number is 486 which they are saying is 'normal.' With the range for men being 180-2000. I forget exactly what the range means again. I asked them once but i forget

Anyway good news! Dad's b12 deficiency used to make him fall asleep at the wheel which is not good!

I get b12 through my regular multi vit. I don't take a separate supplement for it specifically.

Also just got something to move laptop up to eye level which should hopefully help back. Looking into ergonomic chairs to see if it is worth it.

[Talyn]

so I finally got around to getting myself tested via blood test.

Hey that's good news. How did you go about organising the test, can you just rock up at your GP and ask for it?

[Lordmuppet]

so I finally got around to getting myself tested via blood test.

Hey that's good news. How did you go about organising the test, can you just rock up at your GP and ask for it?

Yeah I just walked into my GPs and said Dad had a b12 deficiency his doctors said it could be hereditary and that i was vegan and asked for a test

[Lordmuppet]

delayed due to being surprisingly busy. Finally logging the cardio i'm doing too.

June 6
TX6A in Garage
Squat belt 4x5x112kg
Squat belt 5x5x117kg Garage 5x5 PR
Intended to do 117 but realized it was 112kg after 4 sets so decided to HTFU and get 117kg done anyway. Have no idea how I pulled it off. Adrenaline is a wonderful thing I suppose
Proceeded to die on bench though ...
Bench paused attempting to do five by five on 67kg but only got 1x5 and 1x2 reps before taking it down a notch
Bench paused 3x5x55kg
Skipped sledgehammer work

June 7
Sledgehammer 20 mins, 10 hits followed by 10 second rests

June 8
TX 6B
Squat 3x5x95kg
OHP 3x5x38kg
Pinch (two 5kg plates in each hand) 50s/45s/50s
Sledgehammer 21 mins 10 hits followed by 10 second rests

June 9
Sledgehammer 22 mins 10 hits followed by 10 second rests

June 10th
Squat belt 1x3x125kg 3RM PR
Bench 1x3x72.5kg 3RM PR
Sprints for 12.5 mins

Oh tried reintroducing caffeine and peanuts to be sure and yeah there is an intolerance there. Smeh. Worse things to be intolerant of and my stomach is better so win!

edited to add: I got one of these to help with my posture when i'm on the laptop. So far i love it!

[Talyn]

Wait, so that's 9x5 with 115/117kg on the same day, but 3x125kg is a PB?

That's crazy... you should be able to hit triples with 10kg more than that!

[Lordmuppet]

Wait, so that's 9x5 with 115/117kg on the same day, but 3x125kg is a PB?

That's crazy... you should be able to hit triples with 10kg more than that!

It is crazy yeah and not something I'm that happy about. Reading Lascek's ebook on the Texas Method drew my attention to the problem.

btw 9x5 112/117kg not 115 but anyway your point remains

Like i said the 5ft bar is significantly easier so this is not like the same on a 7ft bar. That said i have done 5x5x114kg on a 7ft bar so your point again remains

Main thing is this just it is a result of crappy programming where i allowed the 5x5 to catch up with the 3RM far too much. Surprisingly 125kg for 3 was NOT easy Anyway with new programming 3RM will gradually move away from 5x5. 3RM and 2RM will increase by 2.5kg a month while 5x5 will only increase by 2kg a month. So yeah over the course of a year 3RM will get 6kg ahead. Where the increases for the 2RM, 3RM feel easy i usually add a few kgs so it will get at least 6kg ahead.

Due to programming ORM increases by 5kg a month so there isn't the same issue with that.