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Wanted to start my first training log just to track progress and potentially get feedback/input from others.
Bit of background:
M/24/78kg/172cm (172lbs/5'8)
I first started lifting weights in 2013 - with SSLP, but I was very inconsistent due to study, and 'restarted' a lot. I didn't really intend to gain too much weight, and I think I mostly gained weight (fat) in the interim between these training "cycles" lol. I didn't try power cleans and replaced them with pendlays because the internet told me to. I stalled with squat 110kg (3x5), bench 72kg (3x5), deadlift 110kg (1x5), I forget my press but it would not have been higher than 50kg (3x5). At this point I also found it too exhausting to squat heavy 3x/week and had other stressors in life. I probably had and still have a lot of technique issues. I did one of Candito's programs afterwards, and then eventually jumped on to 5/3/1 way before I was even considered an intermediate (in 2016). Keep in mind this whole time my training was extremely inconsistent. Also in 2016 at some point I decided that I didn't want to low bar squat anymore and do front squats instead because they were more 'functional' (???) and was worried about flexibility more, and believed in foam rolling.
In 2017 I have been way more consistent with training. Particularly since around May or so (now working full time, not studying, recent break up). Still doing 5/3/1 - and even retested with a lower training max and used "joker sets" for extra intensity and volume. Whenever it was that Alan Thrall started getting more involved with SS and Jordan and Austin is when I started paying attention, but was too hesitant to alter my program. But I had been reading articles, watching podcasts, catching a few of Jordan's instagram live sessions - and fast forward to now, I've completely on board. I'm currently on Week 3 of The Bridge and snagged a few templates for afterwards. I'm considering online coaching further down the track too. I've never considered programming as much as I have now - before I would just follow 5/3/1, but now I'm more aware of the different training variables (although I guess I'm still just following a template, it's definitely a more thought out one!)
My goal is to still lose a bit more weight. In early September I weighed 83kg and now I'm down to 78kg or so. I still have quite a bit of body fat, I might want to lose another 4-5kg or so and then slowly bulk back up. I also want to get stronger or maintain as much strength while doing this. Ideally after this 5/3/1 stint I should have tried to do SSLP again to milk some gains, but I don't think at this stage I would have made much progress, particularly while on a calorie deficit. I'm not too concerned that I'm going about this inefficiently... But yeah I jumped onto the Bridge.
I'll post my first 2 weeks in this post and try my best to regularly post starting tomorrow.
Pre-The Bridge Stats:
BW: 78kg (172lbs)
Squat e1RM 142.5kg (314lbs)
Bench (touch and go) 95kgx1 (209lbs)
Deadlift 155kgx1 (341lbs)
Press 67.5kgx1 (148lbs)
The Bridge
Week 1 Day 1
Squat (no belt yet): 120kgx5 @8
CGBP: 82.5kgx4 @9
Rack pull: 120kgx7 @8
During my last few weeks of a 5/3/1 variation, I was casually thinking about RPE, but not really practicing it at all. I'm using the % chart and giving myself some wiggle room. So far... this seems legit?
Week 1 Day 2
Pause Squat: 110kgx4 @~8.5
Press (no belt yet): 57.5kgx5 @8
Pendlay Row: 75kgx8 @~7.5-8
Felt like I could probably go harder on the squats and rows for next session. But keeping in mind there will be more volume next session.
Week 1 Day 3
Deadlift (belt finally arrived!): 125kgx5 @8
1ct Pause Bench: 80kgx5 @8
3-0-3 Tempo Squat: 80kgx8 @8
Deadlift with belt feels weird af. Tempo squats for 8 reps is fucked.
GPP Day 1
Shit got too busy.
Week 2 Day 1
Squat w/ belt: 122.5kgx5x3 @7-8
CGBP: 85kgx4x2 @9
Rack pull: 125kgx7x2 @8.5-9
Whoa the belt is super awesome for squats. Rack pull for 7 reps was pretty tough today. Kind of worried my CGBP is stronger than my normal bench, and wondering what I'm doing wrong in my bench to make this the case. But I guess this is touch and go and lower reps. Whereas I didn't really pause bench before. Although I'm wondering if my touch and go bench is as good too.
Week 2 Day 2
Pause Squat: 112.5kgx4x2 @9
Press w/belt: 55kgx5 @8... [email protected] (failure)... 55x5x2 @8.5-9
P. Row: 77.5kgsx8x3 @8-8.5
GPP: 5x2 pull ups, 5x2 chin ups (7 minute cap), shitty hanging leg raises (7 minute cap)
Pause squat depth could have been a touch deeper. Should have taken my RPE estimation on my Press more seriously. Definitely a good learning experience for utilising RPE though - this is literally what RPE is about. I thought it felt like an 8, but because I wanted to increase from last week, I still went ahead and increased it and failed the set. I did 2 more sets at a lower weight, hopefully balancing things out stress-wise, but RPE wise the following sets were definitely above 8. Thinking that next week I should just see how I go at 55kg across all sets - but again RPE will guide me. Also pressing with the belt was pretty weird, I felt way off balance compared to before. I'm kind of half assing the GPP due to time constraints and other commitments. But... it was more than last week!
Week 2 Day 3
Deadlift w/ belt 130kgx5x3 @8-8.5
Bench: 82.5x4x3 @8-9 ... [email protected] (failure)
Tempo squat: 82.5kgx8x2 @8-9
Playing around with belt position for deadlifts. I think a tad higher than normal is working for me. I forgot to do the 1ct pause for my warm up benching... until my first @8 set. Seemed to be going okay, but over time it became harder until I failed the final set (4-5 minute rest in between working sets). Pretty annoyed about that. I think there definitely is some sort of technique issue here, since my CGBP is comfortably increasing. Not sure how to rate these tempo squats, I think I had 2 reps in the tank each time, but I also know I was hating my life the whole time. I was counting the reps out loud so I didn't lose track haha.
Week 3 Day 1
Squat w/belt: 125kgx5x3 @8-8.5
CGBP: 87.5kgx4x2 @9-10 (last rep of last set was a real grind, probably a @10)
Rack pull: 130kgx7x2 @9
Squats felt and looked pretty good. Think last week I was like whoa this belt is super good so may have become a bit lax on form for the first set @8, but focused more on the following sets. My third set felt the best somehow. Dunno how my CGBP is still going up. I'm thinking next week I will go for 90kg for the first set, but might need to back off a bit for following sets. Not necessarily prescribed in The Bridge, but I've taken a peep at the other programs, and it seems reasonable to have to lower the weight, especially when it's @9. Rack pulls were pretty brutal. Wondering if I should get some straps for these, or continue doing overhand and mixed grip so some grip strength carries over to the real deal.
Bit of background:
M/24/78kg/172cm (172lbs/5'8)
I first started lifting weights in 2013 - with SSLP, but I was very inconsistent due to study, and 'restarted' a lot. I didn't really intend to gain too much weight, and I think I mostly gained weight (fat) in the interim between these training "cycles" lol. I didn't try power cleans and replaced them with pendlays because the internet told me to. I stalled with squat 110kg (3x5), bench 72kg (3x5), deadlift 110kg (1x5), I forget my press but it would not have been higher than 50kg (3x5). At this point I also found it too exhausting to squat heavy 3x/week and had other stressors in life. I probably had and still have a lot of technique issues. I did one of Candito's programs afterwards, and then eventually jumped on to 5/3/1 way before I was even considered an intermediate (in 2016). Keep in mind this whole time my training was extremely inconsistent. Also in 2016 at some point I decided that I didn't want to low bar squat anymore and do front squats instead because they were more 'functional' (???) and was worried about flexibility more, and believed in foam rolling.
In 2017 I have been way more consistent with training. Particularly since around May or so (now working full time, not studying, recent break up). Still doing 5/3/1 - and even retested with a lower training max and used "joker sets" for extra intensity and volume. Whenever it was that Alan Thrall started getting more involved with SS and Jordan and Austin is when I started paying attention, but was too hesitant to alter my program. But I had been reading articles, watching podcasts, catching a few of Jordan's instagram live sessions - and fast forward to now, I've completely on board. I'm currently on Week 3 of The Bridge and snagged a few templates for afterwards. I'm considering online coaching further down the track too. I've never considered programming as much as I have now - before I would just follow 5/3/1, but now I'm more aware of the different training variables (although I guess I'm still just following a template, it's definitely a more thought out one!)
My goal is to still lose a bit more weight. In early September I weighed 83kg and now I'm down to 78kg or so. I still have quite a bit of body fat, I might want to lose another 4-5kg or so and then slowly bulk back up. I also want to get stronger or maintain as much strength while doing this. Ideally after this 5/3/1 stint I should have tried to do SSLP again to milk some gains, but I don't think at this stage I would have made much progress, particularly while on a calorie deficit. I'm not too concerned that I'm going about this inefficiently... But yeah I jumped onto the Bridge.
I'll post my first 2 weeks in this post and try my best to regularly post starting tomorrow.
Pre-The Bridge Stats:
BW: 78kg (172lbs)
Squat e1RM 142.5kg (314lbs)
Bench (touch and go) 95kgx1 (209lbs)
Deadlift 155kgx1 (341lbs)
Press 67.5kgx1 (148lbs)
The Bridge
Week 1 Day 1
Squat (no belt yet): 120kgx5 @8
CGBP: 82.5kgx4 @9
Rack pull: 120kgx7 @8
During my last few weeks of a 5/3/1 variation, I was casually thinking about RPE, but not really practicing it at all. I'm using the % chart and giving myself some wiggle room. So far... this seems legit?
Week 1 Day 2
Pause Squat: 110kgx4 @~8.5
Press (no belt yet): 57.5kgx5 @8
Pendlay Row: 75kgx8 @~7.5-8
Felt like I could probably go harder on the squats and rows for next session. But keeping in mind there will be more volume next session.
Week 1 Day 3
Deadlift (belt finally arrived!): 125kgx5 @8
1ct Pause Bench: 80kgx5 @8
3-0-3 Tempo Squat: 80kgx8 @8
Deadlift with belt feels weird af. Tempo squats for 8 reps is fucked.
GPP Day 1
Shit got too busy.
Week 2 Day 1
Squat w/ belt: 122.5kgx5x3 @7-8
CGBP: 85kgx4x2 @9
Rack pull: 125kgx7x2 @8.5-9
Whoa the belt is super awesome for squats. Rack pull for 7 reps was pretty tough today. Kind of worried my CGBP is stronger than my normal bench, and wondering what I'm doing wrong in my bench to make this the case. But I guess this is touch and go and lower reps. Whereas I didn't really pause bench before. Although I'm wondering if my touch and go bench is as good too.
Week 2 Day 2
Pause Squat: 112.5kgx4x2 @9
Press w/belt: 55kgx5 @8... [email protected] (failure)... 55x5x2 @8.5-9
P. Row: 77.5kgsx8x3 @8-8.5
GPP: 5x2 pull ups, 5x2 chin ups (7 minute cap), shitty hanging leg raises (7 minute cap)
Pause squat depth could have been a touch deeper. Should have taken my RPE estimation on my Press more seriously. Definitely a good learning experience for utilising RPE though - this is literally what RPE is about. I thought it felt like an 8, but because I wanted to increase from last week, I still went ahead and increased it and failed the set. I did 2 more sets at a lower weight, hopefully balancing things out stress-wise, but RPE wise the following sets were definitely above 8. Thinking that next week I should just see how I go at 55kg across all sets - but again RPE will guide me. Also pressing with the belt was pretty weird, I felt way off balance compared to before. I'm kind of half assing the GPP due to time constraints and other commitments. But... it was more than last week!
Week 2 Day 3
Deadlift w/ belt 130kgx5x3 @8-8.5
Bench: 82.5x4x3 @8-9 ... [email protected] (failure)
Tempo squat: 82.5kgx8x2 @8-9
Playing around with belt position for deadlifts. I think a tad higher than normal is working for me. I forgot to do the 1ct pause for my warm up benching... until my first @8 set. Seemed to be going okay, but over time it became harder until I failed the final set (4-5 minute rest in between working sets). Pretty annoyed about that. I think there definitely is some sort of technique issue here, since my CGBP is comfortably increasing. Not sure how to rate these tempo squats, I think I had 2 reps in the tank each time, but I also know I was hating my life the whole time. I was counting the reps out loud so I didn't lose track haha.
Week 3 Day 1
Squat w/belt: 125kgx5x3 @8-8.5
CGBP: 87.5kgx4x2 @9-10 (last rep of last set was a real grind, probably a @10)
Rack pull: 130kgx7x2 @9
Squats felt and looked pretty good. Think last week I was like whoa this belt is super good so may have become a bit lax on form for the first set @8, but focused more on the following sets. My third set felt the best somehow. Dunno how my CGBP is still going up. I'm thinking next week I will go for 90kg for the first set, but might need to back off a bit for following sets. Not necessarily prescribed in The Bridge, but I've taken a peep at the other programs, and it seems reasonable to have to lower the weight, especially when it's @9. Rack pulls were pretty brutal. Wondering if I should get some straps for these, or continue doing overhand and mixed grip so some grip strength carries over to the real deal.
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