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Mercere's 3x5...The quest for a decent Squat

M

Mercere

New member
Following anotherbutters' advice and after very good points made by gsp, I've decided to do Rippletoe 3x5 before 5x5. Encouragements from djeclipse, silver_shadow and carlsuen are much appreciated.

Yesterday I weighed in at 72 kg (158.4 lbs). My height is 175 cm (5'9). I am 23 years old.
I'll eat for caloric excess for the duration of the program. I want to gain as much strength as possible before doing 5x5.

My first goal is to be able to squat my bodyweight. While doing that, with a little help from the board members, I hope to provide another example of running the 3x5 for the people like me who are just beginning to find out this type of training.

Wish me luck!
 
30.06.2006
Day 1

Squat:
bar 1x8
42kg 3x5

Bench:
bar 1x8
40kg 3x5

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
45kg 3x5

Smooth workout. The weights aren't challenging yet but they don't feel too easy either. I'm more comfortable with deadlifts as opposed to monday. I'm watching my form on squats, making sure I go down as deep as possible. I have good flexibility so I can sit on my calves without losing the center of gravity. I'll pay attention to keep this depth with PR lifts.
 
This is an excellent program and one that you can use for quite awhile, watching your strength climb up inch by inch over several months. Best bet here is to stick to the plan and don't let yourself get carried away/dragged into the periphery. Stick to Ripp's 3x5, follow it to a T, watch the scale, and eat . . . you will succeed on this program.
 
03.07.2006
Day 2

Squat:
bar 1x8
43kg 3x5

Military Press:
bar 1x8
24kg 3x5

Rows:
bar 1x8
30kg 3x5

Squats were easier than Day 1 even though they were heavier. Guess eating a lot again helped. I'll proceed with 2kg increments for now. MPs were not difficult, they have room for improvement. I watched myself in the mirror when doing rows, by back was parallel the whole time. I think I'm getting a hang of these.

When doing rows and deadlifts, I do a hook grip. The bar feels more secure. Is there a problem with this? Is a regular grip on rows and an alternating grip on deadlifts better?
 
Protobuilder said:
This is an excellent program and one that you can use for quite awhile, watching your strength climb up inch by inch over several months. Best bet here is to stick to the plan and don't let yourself get carried away/dragged into the periphery. Stick to Ripp's 3x5, follow it to a T, watch the scale, and eat . . . you will succeed on this program.
Click to expand...

I'll do that. I have no intention to mess with the program in any way. Except for triceps kickbacks maybe.

Kidding. :)
 
hey mercere

I am also doing Ripptoe's 3x5 program. I started with a 5x5 program but due to work couldn't find the time to properly get into it, so now I've decided to go back to basics . I have one question for you. For your first day with deadlifts, you are doing it 3x5 but when I read the sticky on the program it said to do the deadlifts 1x5 . Did I misread the original program ? It did seem odd to me to be only doing 1x5 deadlift.

Good luck to you on this program.
 
Mercere said:
03.07.2006
When doing rows and deadlifts, I do a hook grip. The bar feels more secure. Is there a problem with this? Is a regular grip on rows and an alternating grip on deadlifts better?
Click to expand...



As far as i understood it, Hook grip is the way to go. I coudnt bring myself to do this - the thumbs feel too strange. But so far i have been able to pull the weights with a normal overhand grip - and increasing my grip strength.
If you do the hook grip right, you should be able to pull as much weight with it as with an alternating grip, or close to.
People say, with an alternating grip the risk of biceps injury is greater. Makes sense. You can pull more weight with it as with a normal overhand grip because the bar cant roll off your fingers, though.

Hope that answers your question.

Happy lifting :)
 
monkey_boi said:
hey mercere

I am also doing Ripptoe's 3x5 program. I started with a 5x5 program but due to work couldn't find the time to properly get into it, so now I've decided to go back to basics . I have one question for you. For your first day with deadlifts, you are doing it 3x5 but when I read the sticky on the program it said to do the deadlifts 1x5 . Did I misread the original program ? It did seem odd to me to be only doing 1x5 deadlift.

Good luck to you on this program.
Click to expand...

Oops, sorry it is a typo. Those deadlifts should be 1x5. It is one set of five you've read correctly.
 
Maks said:
As far as i understood it, Hook grip is the way to go. I coudnt bring myself to do this - the thumbs feel too strange. But so far i have been able to pull the weights with a normal overhand grip - and increasing my grip strength.
If you do the hook grip right, you should be able to pull as much weight with it as with an alternating grip, or close to.
People say, with an alternating grip the risk of biceps injury is greater. Makes sense. You can pull more weight with it as with a normal overhand grip because the bar cant roll off your fingers, though.

Hope that answers your question.

Happy lifting :)
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot!
 
I am going to start up with this program after I finish my rehab (Shoulder reconstruction).

I will keeping a close eye on this, and see how you go.

Best of luck.
 
Looks good, keep it up! Your Deadlift and Squat should really start to separate themselves from your Bench Press over the next several weeks.
 
05.07.2006
Day 3

Squat:
bar 1x8
45kg 3x5

Bench:
bar 1x8
42kg 3x5

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
50kg 1x5 PR

Deadlifts start to feel like a workout rather than a form exercise, so I'll mark them as a PR from now on. As GSP pointed out, I feel like they'll improve very fast. I'll use 5kg increments on deads. Squats and benches weren't more difficult than the last workout, I'll continue with 2-3kg increments. We'll see what happens when I move into PR range.
 
If you can make 5kg jumps for a while on your deads, then go for it. The key thing is to keep making increases each time you do an exercise, even if it means making smaller increases to keep them moving.

Looking good so far!
 
Just a quick question, do you include the bar weight in the poundages you are journaling? Most do, but I've seen several that don't and was just making sure.
 
GSP said:
Just a quick question, do you include the bar weight in the poundages you are journaling? Most do, but I've seen several that don't and was just making sure.
Click to expand...

I do :), all weights are in kilograms with the bar excluding 0.5kg collars.
 
anotherbutters said:
If you can make 5kg jumps for a while on your deads, then go for it. The key thing is to keep making increases each time you do an exercise, even if it means making smaller increases to keep them moving.

Looking good so far!
Click to expand...

That's my main goal. I'll use smaller increments later in the program as GSP suggested. Hopefully I can extent this for a good while like that. Thanks for the feedback.
 
Yips said:
I am going to start up with this program after I finish my rehab (Shoulder reconstruction).

I will keeping a close eye on this, and see how you go.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks man! Hope you get well soon.
 
mercere and monkey boi.. the 1x5 dead is actually the top set.. u should do a few warmup sets prior to that.. good luck..
 
07.07.2006
Day 4

Squat:
bar 1x8
47kg 3x5

Military Press:
bar 1x8
26kg 3x5 Rep Range PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
35kg 3x5 PR

Every workout I approach the power rack wondering if I'll see any signs of stalling, but I handle them pretty good. I can use 2kg increments for a while on squats. MPs weren't so hard, I'm wondering how 30kg will feel. As for rows, this was definitely my last 5kg increment. On the second set my form got sloppy, I had a hard time keeping my back parallel. But on the third set I kept my focus and had decent form. It's very interesting how body learns muscle control.

Since the first day of the program, I had constant soreness in my lower back. My core was neglected in iso/machine type of workout I'd been doing for some months. But finally I see signs of adaptation. I'm glad I found out about this program not too late. This deficit might have caused a serious back injury. This type of training feels "right." I can't really explain it but after every workout I feel I've done something very good for myself. This is very motivating.
 
Last edited:
10.07.2006
Day 5

Squat:
bar 1x8
50kg 3x5 Rep Range PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
45kg 3x5 Rep Range PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
55kg 3x5 PR

Everything was well and good. The last couple of reps of squats were a bit slow just before lockout, other than that everything was smooth. Bench was easier than I expected.I feel like I'll crush my 5 RMs very soon on these lifts. Even more suprising than the bench was the deadlift. At this rate, I can make 5 kg increments longer than I expected. Maybe strengthening of my lower back is contributing. I'm still using a hook grip on these and I'm very comfortable.
 
Congrats on the progress. I fould that deads were my fastest progressing lift when I started it. Lok forward to adding weight every week for a while :)
 
12.07.2006
Day 6

Squat:
bar 1x8
52kg 3x5 Rep Range PR

Military Press:
bar 1x8
28kg 3x5 Rep Range PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
37kg 3x5 PR

No problems today. Form was good, energy and motivation was good, a good workout. I realized today that I haven't been eating enough to move the scale. I still weigh 72 kg. Going to up the calories. I'll go for my 5RM squat on the next workout. The way things looked today, it's unlikely that I'll stall. We'll see.
 
Last edited:
djeclipse said:
Congrats on the progress. I fould that deads were my fastest progressing lift when I started it. Lok forward to adding weight every week for a while :)
Click to expand...

Thanks dj. Adding weight every week is a lot of fun, one of the good parts of being a newbie :) I'm so glad I listened to anotherbutters on this one.

silver_shadow said:
looks like things are moving along nicely :)
Click to expand...

Yup, so far so good. Stumbling upon madcow's site was a blessing for me. I found this form via that site. It's near impossible to get good training advice for amateurs lifters like me in Turkey. Powerlifting is almost non-existant because of the popularity of Olympic Lifting. The coaches who has the right kind of knowledge are OL coaches and since it is a professional sport here, it's very difficult to get advice for my level. They're used to training people who've been lifting since 7-10 years old. They really don't bother with guys like me.

So all we have is the grand wisdom of Weider or Jones.
 
16.07.2006
Day 7

Squat:
bar 1x8
55kg 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
47kg 3x5 Rep Range PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
60kg 1x5 PR

Recovering from a stomach problem, I had to move Friday's workout to sunday. Despite coming from sickness, workout was very good. I'm just concerned about one thing: On squats there is a point which I slow down. Just when my thighs are past parallel. After passing that I accelerate again to lockout. Is this something to be concerned about?
 
Mercere said:
I'm just concerned about one thing: On squats there is a point which I slow down. Just when my thighs are past parallel. After passing that I accelerate again to lockout. Is this something to be concerned about?
Click to expand...



Nice Job on the PR's!!

The slow down at that point is perfectly normal. Everyone has a sticking point somewhere on each lift, this will probably be yours (it's mine too). This is the point where the quads take over fromt the glutes & Hamstrings in the lift. It's a fairly common trouble point based on what I've seen, but it should continue to improve just the same.

Looking good so far!
 
18.07.2006
Day 8

Squat:
bar 1x8
56kg 3x5 PR

Military Press:
bar 1x8
30kg 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
40kg 3x5 PR

I'll go with 1 kg increments on squats, this way I hope to set PR's every workout for some time. Rows are getting more difficult, but I'm confident I can add 2 kgs per workout for now. MP's didn't feel that difficult, seems like I'll be making quite a gain on those.
 
21.07.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
57kg 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
50kg 3x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
65kg 1x5 PR

No problems in any of the lifts. I'm pretty amazed how the lifts are climbing steadily.
 
24.07.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
60kg 3x5 PR

Military Press:
bar 1x8
32kg 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
42kg 3x5 PR

I felt very good today so I went for 60 on squats, went up no problem. MPs were easy. I still have to watch my form on rows. I haven't got that "groove" of the lift yet. I'll use a smaller increments until I'm used to rowing parallel.
 
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nice lifting. i see you've been getting all your PRs.

about the sticking point on squats - (or for that matter any lift). try to gain as much momentum while lifting as early during the movement as possible. this should help you blast through the sticking point. incorporating this into your lifting early on will really help your progress in the long run.
 
silver_shadow said:
nice lifting. i see you've been getting all your PRs.

about the sticking point on squats - (or for that matter any lift). try to gain as much momentum while lifting as early during the movement as possible. this should help you blast through the sticking point. incorporating this into your lifting early on will really help your progress in the long run.
Click to expand...

Thanks man. I'll try to be exposive coming out of the hole, that will certainly be helpful for bigger weights in the future.
 
silver_shadow said:
nice lifting. i see you've been getting all your PRs.

about the sticking point on squats - (or for that matter any lift). try to gain as much momentum while lifting as early during the movement as possible. this should help you blast through the sticking point. incorporating this into your lifting early on will really help your progress in the long run.
Click to expand...

silver shadow.. how do u gain momentum when the weight is heavy for the individual and to squat down with some speed and blast upwards? i think it'll bury me if i don't control my speed..

mercere, CONGRATS on your PRs!!
 
i'm not sure if you understood: i'm talking about attempting to blast the weight up (not on the negatives). do this even when the weight is sub maximal (with good form) too. basically you will attempt to power even sub max wts with the same force that you would your max weights. this teaches you to recruit max muscle fibers for any lift. when you attempt to max, then you'd be using your muscle more efficiently enabling you to lift more - the wt will obviously not go up super fast and that's obviously ok. WSB actually has a separate day for speed training but IMO, even on 3x5 or any other routine, an attempt should be made to lift this way within the boundaries of that routine.
 
26.07.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
62kg 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
52kg 3x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
70kg 1x5 PR

This felt like a workout. It's amazing how devastating 7 sets of work can be :). Bench is starting to get hard. The last couple of reps were slow to lockout, 1 kg increments seems to be the logical approach to bench right now. Squats were hard (and nauseating) but I still feel they have room for improvement. I hope to add 5-8 kg before tweaking anything.
Deads are no longer "easy", but I'm confident I'll hit 80 without any problems.

Thanks to AB, carlsuen and silver shadow for their support! I'll hit couple of more PRs with that extra motivation.

P.S: Is "nauseating" even a word?
 
Last edited:
28.07.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
63kg 3x5 PR

Military Press:
bar 1x8
34kg 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
43kg 3x5 PR

I'll be damned. Two days ago I was wrecked after doing 62 on squats. Today, 63 felt good and I handled it no problem. Except for the second set, where I lost concentration for a brief while. I tilted the bar about 30 degrees to my right but recovered and finished the set. Valuable lesson learned today: When doing squats, keep your head on squats.
MPs continue to climb up steadily, no problems there. My row technique was far better than the last workout, I was parallel the whole time and got the groove of the lift.

I've gained 1.5 kg (3.3lbs) since I started this program, I weigh in at 73.5 right now (161.5lbs).
 
Sounds like things are going great! Nice job on 3 PRs. Keep at it and keep making small, consistent jumps and you'll ride this for a long time.
 
01.08.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
64kg 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
53kg 3x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
75kg 1x5 PR

----


04.08.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
65kg 3x5 PR

Military Press:
bar 1x8
35kg 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
45kg 3x5 PR

Due to a very busy week and very little sleep, I worked out twice this week. Things are back to normal now so I'll resume doing M W F. Squats and bench are hardest of my lifts now. Last reps are slow and hard (though they're still progressing). Other lifts are not that hard yet, but I expect rows to get harder very soon. Deads still have much room for improvement and 5kg increments are still feasible. I'll sleep and eat better next week and see if I can add another 3kg to squats without problem.
 
Looking good bro! Just do everything you can to keep this run going.

On a side note, you may be getting to a point where more than 1 warm-up set will be beneficial to you.
 
GSP said:
Looking good bro! Just do everything you can to keep this run going.

On a side note, you may be getting to a point where more than 1 warm-up set will be beneficial to you.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot man! Are you saying only one set might not be enough to warm up or is there another reason to this?
 
well yea of cuz.. u'd want to warm up abit first.. try this

squats
8xbar
5x40
3x5x65kg

jsut so u get the blood flowing in those legs..
 
It's a good idea. Not only to get the blood flowing, but to prepare you mentally and physically for the PR weights to come. It's a little bit of practise for your form and you get to find out if you have any aches or pains that might hinder you at the higher weight. It's better to find out about those at lower weights than when you're attempting your PR.

Glenn Pendlay wrote a good piece on warmups a while back:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=436604
 
07.08.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
45kg 1x5
66kg 2x5
66kg 1x4 Miss

Bench:
bar 1x8
55kg 3x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
40kg 1x5
80kg 1x5 PR

I've joined the club of "spotter victims" and I'm pretty damn pissed. For safety's sake, I asked a guy to spot me on my last set of squats. I told him: "I want you to spot me for safety reasons only. I'm not gonna do any forced reps. Touch the bar only if I lose my balance or if I fail and start going down.Yet on the first sign of a sticking point, which was on the fourth rep of the last set, he was all over the bar like a high school kid doing it the first time after prom night. How else can I expain myself? Can I be any clearer? Next time I'll just dump the bar and demolish the equipment if there's a problem rather than making my effort a waste. I could have gotten that 66. I'm sure. I'll repeat the weight again the next workout. My hopes of adding 3kg to my squats this week went down the drain. But these things happen I guess, time to move on.

I was so pissed after squats I added 2kg to the bench instead of 1. This was a huge mistake on my part. I let the previous mishap affect the next lift. I should have been more disciplined. If I had missed a rep, I would be very demoralized. But I got it.

Deadlifts were the morale booster of the workout. I'm at 80 and they're still easy. Don't get me wrong they're taxing but I have very good speed throughout the lift. No sticking points at all.

I've tried to follow your advices on warmups, thanks guys! (well basically I did exactly as carlsuen posted) :)
 
Spotters can ruin a perfectly good workout. Aren't there any squat racks you can squat in?

Congrats on the other PRs. Deadlifts are coming on nicely!
 
nice dude.. that's y i hate spotters and i spend like 5 mings explaining to them what i really want.. lol.. get it next time!
 
09.08.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
40kg 1x5
66kg 3x5 PR

Military Press:
bar 1x8
37kg 3x5 PR

Rows:
Did Not Attempt

Workout started very good, squats were hard as usual but managable. MPs were really challenging, on the last set I was a little out of groove and suffered an injury. After completeing the last set, right side of my neck and traps stiffened and started to hurt. I didn't want to push it any further so I skipped the rows for this workout.

--------------

14.08.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
40kg 1x5
67kg 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
56kg 2x5
56kg 1x5 Miss

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
55kg 1x5
85kg 1x5 PR

After my injury last week, I was unable to look left for three days. It finally loosened up yesterday so I decided it was time to hit the gym. I'm 6 kg away from my goal of squatting my bodyweight. Every workout squats are my main struggle, but I manage to keep my progress up. After squats, I made my first real miss of the program. On the last rep of the last set, my triceps gave out and I couldn't lock it off. Maybe I was fatigued from squats, I don't know. I kept reminding myself this was all part of the game, and that I'll get it next time. After my frustration on the bench, I attacked deads with ferocity. The bar just "flew" off the ground. Next week, I'll be deadlifting two plates.
 
anotherbutters said:
Spotters can ruin a perfectly good workout. Aren't there any squat racks you can squat in?

Congrats on the other PRs. Deadlifts are coming on nicely!
Click to expand...

Yup I have safety bars. My gym is very "noise sensitive" but I won't give a crap anymore. On deads, I don't know why but they feel very natural to me. Different bodies, different leverages I guess.
 
Yips said:
Keep up the good work!

I can't wait to start my 3x5 program.
Click to expand...

It's an excellent program that slaps your weaknesses right in your face. It's all true about compound lifts, my arms grew without a single set of curl/extension.
 
Congrats on the continued stream of PRs, although I couldn't help but laugh when I read you couldn't look left for three days after your military press :). If you get any signs of twinges when OH pressing again, I'd give them up for a week.

Has your bodyweight changed much since you started? I remember you saying you couldn't eat lots because of all the heat there.
 
I've gained around 2 kg. It's been about a month and a half since I've started the 3x5 so I guess it's not that bad. Heat plays a major role in my decreased appetite, but I came to realize that it also had to do with the shitty routines I was following (magazine style). After a hard PR of squats or deads, I eat much more than I did before.
 
And yes, it was funny. I was like Michael Keaton from the first batman movie where the costume was fixed at the neck. I made a full torso twist everytime someone called my name :D
 
16.08.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
40kg 1x5
68kg 3x5 PR

Military Press:
bar 1x8
38kg 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
47kg 3x5 PR

Back to Rowing! My neck was alright and I nailed my lifts. Nothing to complain.

--------------

18.08.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
40kg 1x5
69kg 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
56kg 3x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
55kg 1x5
90kg 1x5 PR

Squats are still climbing steadily! I'm very happy about this. Also, getting that 56kg on bench that I previously missed was a big morale booster. Deads are still alright, I'm spent after lifting but I'm fine during the lift, no signs of struggle yet.

I'm moving back to the States! Blacksburg, Virginia to be exact. So my reports will likely be in pounds once I get there. I'm hoping to find someone to teach me the olympic lifts. Funny isn't it, coming from a country of countless golds and records in Weightlifting and not being able to find a single soul to teach me the clean properly. Anyway, I won't be changing anything as far as my training goes, but when I move to 5x5, I can incorporate some oly lifts.
 
cool stuff dude.. i think the oly lifts can come in later.. but focus on getting big and strong first.. then you'd have more fun with the oly lifts when u can throw on more weights..

congrats on the PRs..
 
After moving to the U.S and a nasty flu, I started lifting again. Here is the result of my last two workouts on 3x5:


19.09.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
155lbs 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
125lbs 3x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
135lbs 1x5
225lbs 1x5 PR

---------------

21.09.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
160lbs 3x5 PR

MP:
bar 1x8
90lbs 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
115lbs 3x5 PR

I have steady progression on my core lifts again. I feel squats have some more room before I start to struggle in the last reps. I should get microplating ASAP for MP and bench, or they will stall quickly. Deads and rows are fine at this point. My weight is 178 lbs. I've gained some bad pounds on my layoff but seeing my steady progress on lifts some of it must be good. I plan on getting to 190 before considering cutting. I really need those lifts to go up, so I'll have something to show when I cut :)

Of course, if I feel hideous at one point in the shower, cutting may come sooner.
 
haha! welcome back bro! i was wondering where u went.. congrats on the PRs!!

and you're begining to be annoy me with the 6-PR-per-post attitude of yours! :D

keep em coming bro!
 
24.09.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
170lbs 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
130lbs 3x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
135lbs 1x5
230lbs 1x5 PR

On squats, I miscalculated the weights and made 170. Felt like a regular increment so no worries there. Bench was hard the first two sets, then on the third set I got into the groove and nailed it. I'm really looking forward to lifting plates on bench, which is the "macho minimum." Deads are so far so good. I decided to go for 5lbs increments because I'll be deadlifting twice this week, so 15 pounds per two weeks seems like a reasonable progress.
 
26.09.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
175lbs 3x5 PR

MP:
bar 1x8
95lbs 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
125lbs 2x5
125lbs 1x5 Miss

----------------------------------------------

28.09.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
180lbs 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
135lbs 3x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
135lbs 1x5
235lbs 1x5 PR

At last, my initial goal of bodyweight squat is reached. Though my bodyweight was 155 lbs when I set that goal. Now I weigh around 180. Also, I lift plates on the bench now. All would be well if my dumbass didn't miscalculate the weight on the rows and missed. I'll go for 120 next time. I'm very happy with the way squats are progressing, I hope to hit 200 before moving on to 5x5. If I can get it up to 225, it would be awesome but I don't really know if my bench, mp and rows can go that far without tweaking or re-ramping. Only one way to find out :)
 
Eating has been great since I moved to the U.S. Since I'm living in a southern town, the food is ample. Plus, Virginia Tech (my school) has ranked 2nd in the dining programs nationwide. I'm not counting calories, I eat a lot of red & white meat. Mash potatoes and whole grain bread are my primary sources of carbs. I try to stay away from anything processed and I eat no fast food. I treat myself with an occasional brownie though. I eat whenever I'm hungry till I'm full. That approach helped my lifts quite a bit :D
 
Great job on the progress.

Just a question to all the guru's (mercere, anotherbutterss etc). I am about to start my own 3 x 5 run, and am unsure if I need to partake in any form of fitness testing?

Eg: 1RM or 5RM testing for the staple lifts?

Do you get your 5RM's prior to the commencement of the program, and try to break it (PR's) each time you lift?

I haven't read it anywhere re: testing, but I thought it would be a good reference point to look back on.
 
Yips said:
Great job on the progress.

Just a question to all the guru's (mercere, anotherbutterss etc). I am about to start my own 3 x 5 run, and am unsure if I need to partake in any form of fitness testing?

Eg: 1RM or 5RM testing for the staple lifts?

Do you get your 5RM's prior to the commencement of the program, and try to break it (PR's) each time you lift?

I haven't read it anywhere re: testing, but I thought it would be a good reference point to look back on.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot yips. :) I'm far from being a guru on this but what I did was start with weights that I knew I could get for sure with at least some effort. A guy starting 3x5 probably hasn't trained the core lifts on a regular basis and maxing out can be dangerous at this point. If you've never done a lift before, like me never deadlifting prior to this, start very conservatively.You'll be setting 3 PRs every 2 weeks so it will catch up very quickly. I started very light and made 10 kg (22 lbs) increments till it caught up. Though 10 kg on other lifts may be too much... You can do 5 kg increments, just experiment.
Besides, starting light teaches you to practice good form and allows body to get used to the frequency before going heavy. Long story short, don't sweat on your starting weights. I'm very glad I did this, hope you have a similar experience. :)
 
01.10.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
185lbs 3x5 PR

MP:
bar 1x8
100lbs 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
120 lbs 3x5 PR

Every lift was challenging, but I them all. I'm determined to make it to 195 on squats this week. When I stall on squats, I'll probably start to ramp up to a top set of five like GSP did. This will happen with other lifts too, but I'll repeat them longer before switching anything. When I'm ramping with all my lifts, I'll make the transition to 5x5. I'll have a good sense of my 5RMs then.
 
03.10.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
190lbs 3x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
140lbs 2x5
140lbs 1x5 Miss

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
135lbs 1x5
240lbs 1x5 PR

Man I was tired today. Squats were very hard, I saw stars after making that PR. That may be why I missed the last rep on the bench, just couldn't lock it out. My microplates will be arriving on friday so I'll make more reasonable increments. Anyway, bench just isn't my lift. So I'm happy with weekly PRs on that. Deadlifts are fine as usual, but my grip started failing on the last rep. Time to switch to either hook or alternating grip.

I was pretty beat after the workout. There are minor aches and pains all over my body. Feels like I'm overreaching, been this was the past couple of workouts. Maybe setting 3 PRs a week on squats in coming to an end. I'll see how 195 feels on the next workout. Any comments on this?
 
keep riding it and listen to your body i guess.. which ever that can't be increased every session can be reduced to weekly PRs.. and which ever that can still be riding PRs every workout should be left alone.. untill u can't possibly add anything more consecutively then u can transition into the 5x5.. i would say u had a successful run.. try to make a comparison when u first started the 3x5 till now.. what's your progress so far?
 
carlsuen said:
keep riding it and listen to your body i guess.. which ever that can't be increased every session can be reduced to weekly PRs.. and which ever that can still be riding PRs every workout should be left alone.. untill u can't possibly add anything more consecutively then u can transition into the 5x5.. i would say u had a successful run.. try to make a comparison when u first started the 3x5 till now.. what's your progress so far?
Click to expand...

Gained 24 pounds. My squat 5RM was 121 lbs, now I can do 3x5 with 190. I still think I have room on these though. I took an untrained 100 lbs deadlift to 240lbs, definitely have room for more. Rows were untrained 66lbs, they're 120lbs
currently. Bench had a 5RM of 110lbs, today I almost did 3x5 with 140lbs. I don't know my MP 5RM before this but I started with about 55lbs, now up to 100lbs.

I am very happy with my results so far and so glad I took ABs advice on 3x5. I'll continue to push PRs on this as far as I can. Maybe I can add a light squat day and go for two weekly PRs until 5x5. I'm waiting for my first miss on squats for that.
 
yeap... u sure can do tat on the squats.. and congrats of the progress so far.. and don't be actually waiting for it to come.. if possible, don't let it come!!
 
07.10.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
195lbs 3x5 PR

MP:
bar 1x8
102.5lbs 3x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
122.5 lbs 3x5 PR

5 pound increments on the squats are over, I'll go on with 2.5s from now on. This last PR was truly a battle of will. It is moments like these that make me remember why certain people don't wanna do squats. I don't blame the average uninformed trainee though. There is a big poster of "information" dedicated to teaching squats on our gym. Basically more than half of the info is the disasters that can happen. Such as the destruction of your knees with the ATF squat, and the destruction of your spine with box squats. All supported by fancy diagrams that don't say jack...
 
Mercere said:
I've gained around 2 kg. It's been about a month and a half since I've started the 3x5 so I guess it's not that bad.
Click to expand...

Thats the best approach to take, as in slow but steady gains. Ensures your weight gain, is predominantly muscle as opposed to consuming everything in sight and putting on too much fat.

I've read somewhere that the body can add between 0.2-0.3kg of muscle per week, and that's a maximal figure. Going by your gains, I'd say you have hardly put on any fat.

I'm starting my 3 x 5 on Sunday, but I can't squat for a week or two due to a groin complaint :evil: I can't wait!
 
congrats on the PR.. you don't train in Golds in instanbul do you? I went there on vaccation a couple years back and the stuff I saw was highly entertaining.
 
12.10.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
95lbs 1x5
197.5lbs 3x5

Bench:
bar 1x8
140 lbs 1x5

I had a sore throat and a slight fever on tuesday, so I couldn't work out. Yesterday,I tried to resume my progress but it just didn't happen. After Squats, I was feeling dizzy so I had to call it quits. I won't count squats as a PR because the form was horrible. I was GMing the weight on the last reps. I'm feeling a little better so we'll see what happens tomorrow...
 
Tweakle said:
congrats on the PR.. you don't train in Golds in instanbul do you? I went there on vaccation a couple years back and the stuff I saw was highly entertaining.
Click to expand...

Thanks man. I didn't even know we had a Golds in Istanbul! But I can imagine the things you have witnessed. I've been officially declared an alien by my local gym because of the squatting and pulling off the floor. We don't have quarter squatters and power cage curlers though, nobody uses that except for pullups!
 
14.10.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
160lbs 1x5
180lbs 1x5
200lbs 1x5 PR

Bench:
bar 1x8
110lbs 1x5
125lbs 1x5
140lbs 1x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
135lbs 1x5
245lbs 1x5 PR

Squat form was much better today and deadlifts flew off the floor. Bench was a struggle as usual, god I hate this lift... I have such long arms that when I lockout, the bar is pratically in the stratosphere.

I'll start ramping on lifts that are stalling (which is everything except deadlifts). I'll keep the progress as long as possible. When I establish my 5RMs I'll make the transition into 5x5.

I'm truly forcing myself to eat to gain weight now. I'm the heaviest that I've been in a very long time and fat is coming with muscle too. I feel that I'm getting a little heavier than I like but when I start cutting on late february, I like to have something to show underneath, plus I'll lose some strength and muscle and I don't want my school plunging down to 100s again. So I'll endure being a fatty now...
 
17.10.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
162.5lbs 1x5
182.5lbs 1x5
202.5lbs 1x5 PR

MP:
bar 1x8
85lbs 1x5
95lbs 1x5
105lbs 1x5 PR

Rows:
bar 1x8
110lbs 1x5
120lbs 1x5
130lbs 1x5 PR

So far so good... Really pushing my limits in each lift. I'll go on this way until I am beat up and stalled for good.
 
Awsome thread ... im doing rippetoes 3x5 too, it's funny that we are started out equally weak at the beginning, im looking to put on as much weight as you did.

But what about your joints, are they putting up well ? Knees and shoulders ?


good job
 
Czar87 said:
Awsome thread ... im doing rippetoes 3x5 too, it's funny that we are started out equally weak at the beginning, im looking to put on as much weight as you did.

But what about your joints, are they putting up well ? Knees and shoulders ?


good job
Click to expand...

Thanks Czar... This board really helped me understand that strength it not given, but earned. As long as you keep lifting hard and eating a lot, you're gonna put on weight. If you're 19 (born in 87) years old, I'm sure you'll do even better than I did.

I've never had much joint pain. Some minor aches here and there. As long as you keep your form in check in olympic squats, knees should be alright. Only real annoying aches were in my lower back. It gets pumped after a couple of hard PRs. Nothing to suggest and injury though.
 
19.10.06

Squat:
bar 1x8
135lbs 1x5
155lbs 2x5

Bench:
bar 1x8
125lbs 1x5
135lbs 1x5
145lbs 1x5 PR

Deadlift:
bar 1x8
135lbs 1x5
255lbs 1x5 PR

This was the first workout in 3.5 months that I didn't squat in PR territory. I've added a light squat day because tuesday's PR really ground me down. I forgot my microplates, so I had to do larger increments on bench and deadlifts today. I had no doubt on the deads but bench looked iffy, because the last time I struggled very hard with 140. Even though I ramped with 10lbs increments by mistake (used 15lbs before) I smashed it. I guess the bench was being affected by heavy squats the last couple of workouts.
 
workouts looking good man!

every time i switch up stuff i come here and someone's got a journal, gotta love it!

your progress is very encouraging.

i'm goin' for a 265 dead tonight, 140 on bench, and 165 for squats.

i add dips too though, and am at +45 for 2 sets of 8. after reading your journal, i think i'm going to leave them and pullups out for a while and try and shoot up the main lifts.

again, good work. seeing such progress is very motivating!


:jump:
 
dude you are rolling......i can't wait to see where you end up stalling out!! shit, if you do....lol
 
Vita said:
workouts looking good man!

every time i switch up stuff i come here and someone's got a journal, gotta love it!

your progress is very encouraging.

i'm goin' for a 265 dead tonight, 140 on bench, and 165 for squats.

i add dips too though, and am at +45 for 2 sets of 8. after reading your journal, i think i'm going to leave them and pullups out for a while and try and shoot up the main lifts.

again, good work. seeing such progress is very motivating!


:jump:
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot man, your post is very encouraging to me too. It's probably a good idea to leave out pullups and dips when you're in that territory where PRs make you see stars :)

Good luck on your goals bro, don't forget to post your results at the end of your run.
 
pitbullrocco said:
dude you are rolling......i can't wait to see where you end up stalling out!! shit, if you do....lol
Click to expand...

Hahah thanks man...it's gonna happen sooner or later. I got used to this 3 PRs a workout pace, I'll feel bad when it's done :)
 
Hey mercere,

Just checking in to see how you are going?

I am in the 2nd week of my 3 x 5 program, and all is going well, which it should be in these early stages. Just a quick question, why have you changed from the 'sets across' method (3 sets at set weight), to a ramping method?

Is it simply due to the difficulty of the program as the PR's become harder to attain, and the increments become much smaller?
 
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