5x5x5 first cycle results and observations

After my last summer 40 days challenge, I was looking for something similar considering the awesome results I got. I came across this other instant classic Pavel’s program 5x5x5 from Beyong Bodybuilding which would solve most fatigue/injuries  issues I experienced with the 40 days challenge. The outlines are similar : 5 exercises (at least 3 compoud lifts), 5 days/week / 5 reps (workset) / 5 weeks. The reduced volume and the taper week (4^th) got my attention and would keep me fresh for dancing.

My 5 exercises / starting weight 5 reps /  max out 5^th week / previous best:

Bench press	155lbs x 5	195lbs x 1 (easy no spotter)	195lbs x 1 (hard with spotter)
Sumo deadlift	305lbs x 5	425lbs x 1	405lbs (conventional)
Weighted pull ups	15lbs x 5 (187lbs BW)	45 x 1 (192lbs BW)	25lbs x 1
Clean & push press	95lbs x 5	175lbs x 1	N/A
Suitcase deadlift	135lbs x 5	185lbs x 5	N/A

Observation

• That’s a lot of pulling!!! Even with such a low volume, my performances dropped drastically after my deadlifts. Plus, the deadlift, the clean and the suitcase have a similar pattern. Considering all the above, I was still way less tired than during my 40 days challenge.
• As expected, my deadlift loves an everyday approach and my bench not that much even I put it as my 1^st exercise.
• Cleaning everyday really improved my shoulders mobility.
• I put on 5lbs in 5 weeks. Fivers makes a good difference compared to sets of 1-2-3 reps.

Strategies

• I’ll keep the same basic 5 weeks structure 5x5x5 for my posterior chain move (probably back squat next). My body seems to respond really well to this everyday approach.
• I’ll try ladders for all upper body movements (5 days press/pull/press/pull/press) starting with a weight I can handle for 3x(1,2,3 reps).
• I still hesitate between variety of movements (like 3 presses/2 pulls) or 2 movements (1 press/1 pull). From my understanding, variety would help with shoulders health and fewer movements for maximum strength.

Videos

Floor press should help to keep those forearms in line.

It wasn't even that hard, but I prefer to stop when I feel that my technique is going south.

I guess I didn't make it entirely to the top...

I really enjoy doing those! 1.5x my BW is my goal.

I trained those with lighter weights and Fatzgrip for 3 weeks.

Human is a creature of habits

Practice when you feel like it and you will never get any better. Practice daily at 7pm 9or any other time) and you will be a champ 1 year from now. Change 1 habit at the time, control the data and enjoy the improvement.

Rest, rest, rest.....

Whenever You are obsessed as I am about training and dancing, off days need to be part of a bigger plan. Today I'm fasting, doing some laundry and watching Doctor Who!

Resistance almost beat me today!

I felt like shit and had the hardest time to move my ass out of bed. At 8:30pm, I finally headed toward the gym and decided to take it easy. In the end, I lifted my usual weights.

Warm up set. #pullups x 3.

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40 days stronger

I just finished my 40 days challenge and I'm very satisfied with the results. I had some free time in the summer and I thought I would consider that like athletes off season. The whole idea is simple enough and goes as follow :

-Pick 5 lifts: 1 big posterior chain movement (deadlift is the right answer), 1 big upper body push, 1 big upper body pull, 1 explosive movement, 1 anterior chain movement.
-Max 5 reps per set (big lifts)
-Around 10 reps total (big lifts)
-Between 10 and 20 reps for the explosive move.
-5 reps total for the anterior move.
-3-5 min rest in between sets
-Never train to failure
-It should feel easy! At the end of a workout, you should feel ready to do some swing outs on a fast tempo!

Here's a list of my moves, previous best attempt and goals:

-Conventional deadlift 350lbs ~ 405 lbs
-Bench press 165lbs ~ 225 lbs
-Bent row 115lbs (hypothetical, never done it) ~ ?
-Power snatch ? Lbs (I learned it and could not do it at first!) ~ ?
-Torture twist (as instructed by Barry Ross) ~ N/A

Yesterday, after 3 days of rest after my last session, but not enough sleep due to previous night partying, I accomplished this :

-Conventional deadlift 405lbs (+55 lbs)
-Bench press 205lbs (+40lbs)
-Bent row 165lbs (+50lbs)
-Power snatch 135 lbs

Observations

-It sounds like little effort,  but it very time consuming since you must show up to the gym every day.
-Keeping it easy is harder than you might think. I never bring my ego to the gym and I have never been so close to get hurt during a program, for you never completely recover. I would recommend it only for intermediate / Advance lifters.
-It really changes your views from a workout to a practice.
-The first time you do it, it's basically a lead of faith. You make quick progress at first, then it's harder to notice them until you take a break.
-I put on about 9-10 lbs
-I failed 1 deadlift at 395lbs in my 6th week.
-I set unreachable goals for the deadlift and bench press and I'm surprised that I reached 1 of them. I couldn't believe it when I actually pulled those 4 plates off the ground. I wished I would have push more on the bench press. I really thought my problem was the lack of practice and that it would explode with that kind of protocol. Well +40lbs is not that bad, but I still bench like a little girl!

Next steps

I'm getting closer to my basic strength standards (or Pavel's):
-Bench press 1.5 x bodyweight
-Squat 2 x bodyweight
-Deadlift 2.5 bodyweight

My goal would be in the next 6-12 month to reach those results with the bench and the deadlift and as long as my squatting pattern in functional, I would be pretty happy.

First, I'm going to change my routine and get back to my kettlebells for the next 12 weeks at least with the RKC challenge and add some dumbbells pressing and front squatting once or twice a week. The only advice I haven't listened to improve my bench is to build some more muscle. I don't feel like giving up just yet!

Fred

Wisdom from Pavel

‘’Someone has made an observation that lawyers tend to be a lot more successful in strength sports than artists. Because the former can deal with the boredom of repetitive but necessary tasks.’’,Pavel Tsatsouline, Enter the Kettlebell p.136

On deadlifting

Many coaches in a variety of disciplines will swear almost soly by deadlifts as long as strength is concerned. I love that quote!

Elliott Hulse:  Deadlifts.  If there's only one thing that everyone does, it's deadlifts.  When you deadlift, you're using every single muscle in your body, and you have to use every single muscle properly in order to perform the deadlift.  Deadlifts are not one of those exercises where you can fake it for very long.  The minute you get down to put your hands on that bar, you don't even have to lift it, I know where you're screwed up.  I can tell if your ankles are tight, if your low back is weak, or if your neck is tense and tight.  I can tell you anything you need to know about your body the minute you bend down to touch that bar to pick it up.  And once you can get your deadlift looking good—and it doesn't even need to be heavy—and when you can move in a proper pattern, then everything is where it needs to be and the sky is the limit. 

Read the full article here.