We are moving in to the second week of the 5/3/1 program. Remember to keep good records of your lifts.

I want to emphasize that one of the main benefits of this program is that it is designed so that you NEVER FAIL an attempt. If you use the calculator that I linked to last week, you should have a loading scheme broken down set by set for the entire four weeks. Follow that scheme. Do not try to improve on it. Do not re-assess your loads week by week. I have had great success in the past myself and with my personal training clients by just trusting the numbers as generated by the load calculator.

I say this because I have encountered several of you this week who were talking about changing the loads because it felt too light, or who had started out using a one rep max from June, or who haven’t been properly documenting your lifts in your journal. The 5-5-5+ week will ALWAYS feel light. Because it is. The loads don’t get really challenging until week 2. And trying to do 95% for reps in the third week becomes impossible if you allow your ego to tell you what weight you’re supposed to be lifting, rather than trusting the numbers. Your one rep max from the summer is irrelevant (it’s like your 5k time from that race you did the summer after your junior year of high school–you won’t use that time to determine your current 1/2 marathon seeding). Use the calculator, enter a recent heavy work set, write down the results and follow the program.

-Mario

Warmup
Hop Drills

3 Sets
10 Down Dog Push-ups
10 Pull-ups

Strength
5/3/1
(Deadlift)

Conditioning
200 Kettlebell Swings AFAP
You must park the kettlebell every 20 reps.