Cycle 4 5/3/1 Strength Phase - Week 1 3/3/3
OHP Day:
Warm-up sets
3 @ 110
3 @ 135
3 @ 145
AMRAP @ 160 (TM) - got 4 reps
3+ @ 145 (7 reps)
3+ @ 135 (8 paused reps)

b. Neutral DB OHP: 2 x 15+ @ 40lbs: 1st set 20 reps / 2nd set 15 reps (probably going to use 45lbs next week)
c1: Chin-ups 3 x 10
c2: Dips 3 x 10
d1: Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown 4 x 6-8 @ 230
d2: Tricep Pressdown (cambered bar): 4 x 10 @ 70

Abs - V-Situps x 50

Cardio: Elliptical interval sprints: 40-sec jog / 20-sec sprint

Overall I felt really good coming into this workout. I better of having eaten about 3,200 calories yesterday and about 378grams of carbs all after 4pm (ugh...). Gotta love carb back-loading. Since I'm not lifting tomorrow today is low-carb, hopefully I can get rid of whatever is left from last night's carb-up.

First one in

What do you like for core work? I see you've done some both days. I never used to do any because it bored me but then I got a ton of great ideas from a poster on T-Nation.

Wendler and even Louie Simmons indicated that they train abs in every session.

My core work definitely gets boring. I picked up some things from a BootCamp class I attended for a month. That was really the only worthwhile thing I learned, but I learned something at least.

In these exercises I'm trying to hit a consecutive 50 reps without stopping. Once I get there I'll just keep adding reps and maybe at some point a dumbbell.
1. V-Situps
2. Sprinter Situps

25 consecutive reps without stopping of Leg Raises w/ a Pike

I just picked this up from somebody at EliteFTS: Standing rope ab pulldowns: I've been doing sets of 50. Not sure what's with 50 but I kinda' like that number. LOL

You reminded me of something I use to do but haven't done in a while and can only do on a non-leg day.

Swiss Ball Leg Raises: Basically lie on your back with your feet on the swiss ball. Engage your core to lift yourself off the ground (only upper back and shoulders touch) roll the ball towards you, roll it out, then lift one leg, lift the other leg, rinse and repeat for reps.

Ones I like are:
-hanging leg raises
-fall outs (I made my own straps with Home Depot tow straps)
-bar roll outs
-plain old push ups (I had planks)
-db side bends
-suit case dead lifts
and best of all
-front squat static holds - you super load front squats, unrack it and then stand upright for as long as you can. I've done it with 315 for 20 seconds.)

Nice list! I actually do hanging leg raises occasionally, forgot about that one too. I stopped doing planks because I can usually hold it for 2 or more minutes and I feel like I'm wasting my time. The bar rollouts is good one, I'll have to work that in some days. Side bends are good too. I had strained an oblique really bad on a squat day and haven't done those in a while, thanks for reminding me I need to start doing the again.

The front squat holds sound brutal. I'm really bad at holding my clean form in the finished position for the Front Squat. Any recommendations on gaining flexibility for that pose?

Regarding wrist flexibility, I've just always had it so I don't know how to improve it. My husband couldn't do a clean rack to save his life so he does the BB cross armed style.

Let me know what you think of them. Because the weight is on your front delts you need to make sure you have a lot of air in when you start. I find it almost impossible to pull in more air at super heavy weights.

Your 315lbs for 20 seconds is frickin' SICK by the way! I can do a Power Clean but I can't hold it for long, so I'm not even sure if I could un-rack 315lbs in that position right now. LOL

tagging. Doing work alright.

I love the FS, hold idea for core stuff too.

My favourite core stuff is:
ab wheel rollouts (add weight vest or try standing if knees is too easy)
dragon flags
weighted decline situps
planks (add weight, I do +40kg for 1min)

Keen to try that FS one. I'm off to the gym now haha

Hey Chris! What is a Dragon Flag? Is that where you lie on a bench, put your arms behind you and lift your legs and butt off the bench?

Cycle 4 5/3/1 Strength Phase - Week 1 3/3/3

A. Bench Press: 3 @ 160 / 3@185 / 3@205 / TM@225 (7 reps) / 3+@205(8 reps) / 3+ @185 (12 reps) / 3+@160 (10 paused reps)
B. BB Row: Worked up to a 1RM (205), calculated my TM @ 185 and pyramid'd down
C. Incline DB Bench: 2 x 15+ @ 65 (16 reps)
D1. 1-arm Tricep PD's 5 x 6-12 @ 25
D2) 1-arm DB Curls 5 x 6-12 @ 30
E. Lat Raises: 5 x 6-12 @ 30
Abs
- V-Situps x 50
- Cable Pulldowns 1 x 50 @ 60

tagging. Doing work alright.

I love the FS, hold idea for core stuff too.

My favourite core stuff is:
ab wheel rollouts (add weight vest or try standing if knees is too easy)
dragon flags
weighted decline situps
planks (add weight, I do +40kg for 1min)

Keen to try that FS one. I'm off to the gym now haha

Hey Chris! What is a Dragon Flag? Is that where you lie on a bench, put your arms behind you and lift your legs and butt off the bench?

Sure is. Keeping your core tight all the way and body nice and flat.

Never seen anyone do a 1rm bb row before. Must be really hard to keep strict form! (I find anything lower than 8 or so hard)

Did the FS holds yesterday too. Honestly, thoracic spine muscles were the most worked for me (which I need anyway) but I'm sure it used a lot of core muscles also.

Yeah, strict form is hard. Though I do pull from the floor and reset after each rep, so it's not horrible form. I'm getting to the point where I'm trying to do too much again. I need to back-off, reign myself back in, and keep things more balanced. I think where some people think they're doing a lot and make excuses as to not work harder; I actually make excuses to work harder which really isn't always good either. I'm going to sit down and re-work things a little, get my volume more focused.

Cycle 4 Week 1 5/5/5 (BBB + Jokers)

Deadlift (I don't remember the weights exactly, could be mistaken on a couple...)
5 @ 255
5 @ 290
5+ @ 330
5 @ 370 (joker)
5 @ 390 (joker)
5+ @ 255

B. Squat 5x10
C. Weighed Back Raises 5x10
D. Abs

Cycle 4 Week 2 3/3/3+ (BBB + Joker + FSL)

So I've decided I'm just going to roll with opposite exercises for my BBB template and I think at least for the upper body work I'm going to do it with dumbbells.

A. Squat
3 @ 205
3 @ 230
3+ @ 260 (I think that was the weight... stopped at 10 reps)
3 @ 290 (joker 1)
3 @ 305 (joker 2)
1 @ 315 (joker 3)
FSL @ 205 (stopped at 10 reps - I wanted to do paused reps but my right knee has been bothersome so I thought better of it and just did regular reps.)

B. BBB - Sumo Deadlift 5x10 @ 185 (I went a little light here just to get a feel for it)
C. Box Jumps 3 x 5
D. Back Raises 5 x 10 @ 40

Cardio: Interval elliptical sprints: 1min sprint, 2min jog, 5 sets.

I'm so jazzed, my gym finally got multiple height of boxes so now I can do box jumps; I'm so excited! I did them as an accessory exercise today but I may start using them for my warm-up on Squat and DL day.

Overall this was a great squat session; it's been a while since I walked out of a squat session feeling good really good about it. My knee was bothering me that last couple days and I was a little concerned going into this session, almost postponed it. Maybe I take too many risks sometimes but oh well, life is too short to worry about everything.

Cycle 4 Week 2 3/3/3+ (BBB + Joker + FSL)

A. DL
3 @ 260
3 @ 295
3+ @ 335 (I stopped at 6 because I was about to have a personal problem. LOL)
3 @ 370
3 @ 390
1 @ 415 - A NEW 1RM w00t!!
3+ @ 260, stopped at 10, was getting bored and wanted to move on to my BBB exercise. LOL

B. Squat 5 x 10 @ 175
C. Back Raises 5 x 10 @ 45

I didn't do any Box Jumps today because I was a little wiped out after this workout. Following the BBB 6-week challenge along with Joker Sets exactly as he lays out is pretty exhausting.

Cycle 4 Week 2 5/3/1+ (BBB + Joker + FSL)

a. Squat
5 @ 225
3 @ 245
1+ @ 275 (stopped at 10)
1 @ 305
1 @ 320 (my tested 1RM that I reset my squat at)
1 @ 335 (new 1RM PR)
5+ @ 225 (stopped at 10)

b. BBB - Sumo DL 5x10 @ 225
c. Back Raises 5x10 @ 50
- Abs
standing cable crunches 1 x 50 @ 50
hanging knee raises 1 x 25

I wasn't really sure what to expect from my squat session today, being that this is my first 5/3/1 set since I did the reset and narrowed my stance. I felt pretty good with hitting the 335 joker set. I find it funny that on my last DL session and today that my lighter sets didn't feel great but it was my heavier sets that actually felt good.

There is this weird MMA guy that comes in and is pretty obnoxious yet not all that strong. He was DL'ing sets of 135 and then slamming the weight down like he just did some bad *kitten* work or something. I'm like, my GF can rep that give it a break bub. LOL. He couldn't even unrack the bar, just left it. What a douche' bag.

Cycle 4 Week 2 5/3/1+ (BBB + Joker + FSL)

a. Deadlift
- This is three days old and I don't recall all of the weight increments. But I just worked up to a 405lb Joker Set and then did my FSL for 10 reps

b. BBB Squat 5x10 @ 190
c. Back Raise 5x10 @ 55
Abs

Cycle 5 Week 1 5/5/5+ (BBB+Joker+FSL)

a. Squat
5 @ 190
5 @ 225
5+ @ 250 (did 10 reps)
5 @ 280 - joker 1
5 @ 310 - joker 2 - Only got 4 reps, wasn't sure if I could get the 5th so I stopped.
2 @ 325 - joker 3 - did not attempt
5+ @ 190 (did these paused for 10 reps)

b. BBB Sumo DL 5x10 @ 225
c. Back Raises 5x10 @ 55 - Skipped, felt like crap after the DL' and just wanted to get some ab's and cardio in
Abs
- Standing cable crunches 4x25 @60
Cardio
Bike intervals 2x6 @ 30 seconds