IRON & STONE: Adventures of an Amateur Strongman

[mouse]

What I've been doing has been working pretty OK, but I'm tempted to blow it all up and run this Boring But Big 5/3/1 spreadsheet I've had on my phone for a while now...

Decisions decisions...

Oh, for those of you with kids, especially sons in the 10-13 range, let them know it's a stupid idea to try and play their VR headset while riding a hoverboard in the basement living room.

Spent some quality time yesterday afternoon with my oldest getting 6 stitches in his wrist/palm after thinking it was a good idea to do just that...

[Clearwater47]

Oh, for those of you with kids, especially sons in the 10-13 range, let them know it's a stupid idea to try and play their VR headset while riding a hoverboard in the basement living room.

Sounds like the kind of thing I'd absolutely not let my kids do, but would then try to do myself when nobody is around. I'm still a kid at heart...
Actually, I take that first part back. I'd probably let them do it. It's pretty amazing that neither my kids nor myself have ended up in the hospital, lmao!

[DCR]

What I've been doing has been working pretty OK, but I'm tempted to blow it all up and run this Boring But Big 5/3/1 spreadsheet I've had on my phone for a while now...

Decisions decisions...

Besides that your current thing has been working as you say, here are some more outs for you, from someone who’s been tempted to run this many times because my gym interest can be summed up as “hypertrophy but also don’t be a pussy”:

1. Half the thing of it is to eat yourself sick to get all the gainz, i.e. the opposite of what you’ve been looking for.

2. Speaking for myself - but I think also the very large majority of dudes - there’s no such thing as doing 5x10 for more than a week, if even, without rushing through the sets / breaking form generally and to just rely on your currently stronger muscles / getting knee and elbow AIDS.

It’s a no from me dawg.

[mouse]

Oh, for those of you with kids, especially sons in the 10-13 range, let them know it's a stupid idea to try and play their VR headset while riding a hoverboard in the basement living room.

Sounds like the kind of thing I'd absolutely not let my kids do, but would then try to do myself when nobody is around. I'm still a kid at heart...
Actually, I take that first part back. I'd probably let them do it. It's pretty amazing that neither my kids nor myself have ended up in the hospital, lmao!

I had actually caught him with the hoverboard down there earlier in the day and gave him the whole 'what the hell are you thinking' dad chewing out because I didn't want to have to fix the drywall...

Apparently he 'couldn't tell he was moving on the hoverboard' and crashed face first into a bunch of monster jam sets and construction trucks...

I know these things will happen because I basically did them too... but damn...

[mouse]

What I've been doing has been working pretty OK, but I'm tempted to blow it all up and run this Boring But Big 5/3/1 spreadsheet I've had on my phone for a while now...

Decisions decisions...

Besides that your current thing has been working as you say, here are some more outs for you, from someone who’s been tempted to run this many times because my gym interest can be summed up as “hypertrophy but also don’t be a pussy”:

1. Half the thing of it is to eat yourself sick to get all the gainz, i.e. the opposite of what you’ve been looking for.

2. Speaking for myself - but I think also the very large majority of dudes - there’s no such thing as doing 5x10 for more than a week, if even, without rushing through the sets / breaking form generally and to just rely on your currently stronger muscles / getting knee and elbow AIDS.

It’s a no from me dawg.

You are probably right... and to be fair I've been wrestling with modifying it to work the way I want throughout the week anyway and I was coming up with some pretty important blanks...

Probably gonna feel my way through the week until I can plan it out a little better... which means I'll be winging it still hahaha

[mouse]

4/15/2024

Squat
365x5, 385x5, 405x5

TnG Deadlift
365x8, 385x8, 405x8

Barbell Row
225x10x3

Chin Ups
3x5

Fucking gassed, how do gym kids always default to touch and go deads? That shit is exhausting...

Rows from the floor so... some English hahaha...

Put chins in for some 'bicep' without curling and OH MY GOD MY LOWER BACK FINALLY ADJUSTED AND IM IN HEAVEN

[mouse]

4/16/2024

Bench
275x5, 295x5, 315x5

Press
165x8, 175x8, 185x8

JM Press
130x12x3

EZ Bar Curl
95x10x3

Spent all yesterday afternoon landscaping and not really eating, totally fucked my sleep until around midnight, and going back for more now today...

Health.

[houzi]

What I've been doing has been working pretty OK, but I'm tempted to blow it all up and run this Boring But Big 5/3/1 spreadsheet I've had on my phone for a while now...

Decisions decisions...

For what its worth, I ran 531 BBB for almost a year straight many moons ago when i firat started properly lifting, and I really enjoyed it. I was also a lot younger, was basically making newbie gains and was in a caloric surplus the whole time. I was going all out on the AMRAP sets too. I posted in a different 531 thread somewhere how i would run it if i did it nowadays.

EDIT: found it

I think if I ever ran 531 again, I would probably use an alternating A/B scheme 2 days a week to ensure I can go hard on the AMRAPs, and then 2 days per week for just volume.

Day 1:
Bench Press wk A / CGBP wk B
531 AMRAP scheme, followed by 5x5 and accessory

Day 2:
Squat wk A / Deadlift wk B
531 AMRAP scheme, followed by 5x5 and accessory


Day 3:
Bench Press 5x10 BBB
OHP 5X10 BBB
Accessory

Day 4:
Squat 5x10 BBB
RDL 5X10 BBB
Accessory


This would mean one "531" cycle of the main movements on the first 2 days would last 6 weeks instead of three. I would just start with the 90% TM and at the end of each 6 weeks increase the TM as wendler outlines. Dont reset until the 531 sets start to get close to those numbers - 5, 3 and 1.
Might want to cut the BBB sets from 5x10 to 3x10, but whatever.

Also, hell yeah on the bench PR!

[mouse]

EDIT: found it

I think if I ever ran 531 again, I would probably use an alternating A/B scheme 2 days a week to ensure I can go hard on the AMRAPs, and then 2 days per week for just volume.

Day 1:
Bench Press wk A / CGBP wk B
531 AMRAP scheme, followed by 5x5 and accessory

Day 2:
Squat wk A / Deadlift wk B
531 AMRAP scheme, followed by 5x5 and accessory


Day 3:
Bench Press 5x10 BBB
OHP 5X10 BBB
Accessory

Day 4:
Squat 5x10 BBB
RDL 5X10 BBB
Accessory


This would mean one "531" cycle of the main movements on the first 2 days would last 6 weeks instead of three. I would just start with the 90% TM and at the end of each 6 weeks increase the TM as wendler outlines. Dont reset until the 531 sets start to get close to those numbers - 5, 3 and 1.
Might want to cut the BBB sets from 5x10 to 3x10, but whatever.

Also, hell yeah on the bench PR!

Might just stash that one in my back pocket for a rainy day...

It hurts my heart to know that realistically, I should probably never train in a caloric surplus ever again...

[Hardartery]

Also, hell yeah on the bench PR!

I second that emotion.

[mouse]

Also, hell yeah on the bench PR!

I second that emotion.

I'm excited for 395 on a random day in 5 years hahaha

[Hardartery]

Also, hell yeah on the bench PR!

I second that emotion.

I'm excited for 395 on a random day in 5 years hahaha

I would be too. Nice man!

[mouse]

I'm running low on time left to pack in projects before I go back Monday, so I opted to replace the lattice in the bottom half of the deck. What I didn't plan on was it taking 5 hours and being absolutely beat to shit from bear crawling around under there with a nailer for as long...

Looks decent though. Training can be Fri/Sat and then likely Tues/Wed for next week as I already told work I'm splitting early my first day back because I've got two kids doc appts...

It is not lost on me that my paid 'time off' has really just been unpaid time moonlighting as a contractor and landscaper for my wife...

[Clearwater47]

It is not lost on me that my paid 'time off' has really just been unpaid time moonlighting as a contractor and landscaper for my wife...

Sometimes when I have time off I daydream about being at work because it feels like more of a vacation.

Don't tell my family I said that, lmao.

[mouse]

It is not lost on me that my paid 'time off' has really just been unpaid time moonlighting as a contractor and landscaper for my wife...

Sometimes when I have time off I daydream about being at work because it feels like more of a vacation.

Don't tell my family I said that, lmao.

I mean I get it lol

[Clearwater47]

It is not lost on me that my paid 'time off' has really just been unpaid time moonlighting as a contractor and landscaper for my wife...

Sometimes when I have time off I daydream about being at work because it feels like more of a vacation.

Don't tell my family I said that, lmao.

I mean I get it lol

I was just joking around, but I 100% get the frustration of working at home while taking time off from work. It can get annoying at times.

[mouse]

It is not lost on me that my paid 'time off' has really just been unpaid time moonlighting as a contractor and landscaper for my wife...

Sometimes when I have time off I daydream about being at work because it feels like more of a vacation.

Don't tell my family I said that, lmao.

I mean I get it lol

I was just joking around, but I 100% get the frustration of working at home while taking time off from work. It can get annoying at times.

We're both joking lol

I put in a lot more effort at home and much prefer working on projects like what I've been doing for sure.

[mouse]

4/19/2024

Deadlift
445x5, 475x5, 500x7

Paused Squat
275x8x3

Chin Ups
3x5

I kept expecting deads to slow down. I honestly can't remember the last time they popped off the floor like that. Probably could have had 500x8 if I didn't stop to catch my air after 6... made the call to just used 275 for sets across after I realized how gassed my legs were...

[mouse]

4/20/2024

BW: 255.0

Log Press
195x5, 210x5, 225x8

Close Grip Bench
235x8, 250x8, 260x8

Incline Bench
185x10, 195x10x2

Hammer Curl (MGB)
65x12, 75x12, 80x12

Pin Curl
45x14, 45x12x2

Yet another version of these pin loaded curls but I think this the one to stick with.

Instead of an incline bench, I stuck one of my spotter arms on the hole where a J-hook would go for bench. Then I adjusted the angle about 15-20 degrees and stuck a pin in the upright to keep it locked. This is (believe it or not) wayyyyyy more comfortable on my chest, and I don't have to awkwardly shimmy onto it, I can just walk up and lean over.

Added benefit? My triceps rest on the arm so it's pretty much a preacher curl variation, which is where I think the lower reps came from. Same weight but way harder this way.

I'm a fan.

[mouse]

4/23/2024

Squat
380x3, 405x3, 425x5

TnG Deadlift
405x8x3

Barbell Row
225x10x3

So I stepped on a fucking bee on my way to the garage and it stung the bottom of my left foot.

Awesome.

I'm back to full time now so I made the call to just run the 5/3/1 scheme on all main movements while I readjust to 10 hour days before training... 5x5 even ascending sounds exhausting right now...

Chins felt like ass so I scrapped em, left shoulder was kinda pissy and my lats felt absolutely fried...