My raw journey to 1900...

[Brian Hopper]

Interesting, I have never seen someone as advanced as you running 5/3/1, in.

IMO, you can use 5/3/1 at any strength levels. A good thing about this program is you can modify it to fit your needs. Right now I'm doing experiments with it to see what I like best.

[NickAus]

Haha, good point. The weird thing is, that 1030 felt just as heavy on my back as my 960 opener did. Hopefully I'll have another 1k squat left in me before I retire my gear.

Gear rules, I would love you to squat 1100 as I said in the past.

[legosinmyegos]

IMO, you can use 5/3/1 at any strength levels. A good thing about this program is you can modify it to fit your needs. Right now I'm doing experiments with it to see what I like best.

Interesting, maybe I am just unfairly biased towards the program.

Having you been running it for a while or just trying it out now?

[Brian Hopper]

Gear rules, I would love you to squat 1100 as I said in the past.

That's one of my goals in gear, its going to be more mental because of my knee. Maybe in late 2012 or 2013 you'll see me in some gear.

[Brian Hopper]

Interesting, maybe I am just unfairly biased towards the program.

Having you been running it for a while or just trying it out now?

I usually don't run it for a long period, but this time I am. This is either my 3rd or 4th time doing it.

[Brian Hopper]

9000!!!

[thecityalive]

I think you are doing what you need to be doing with your belt. I feel a lot of people feel incomplete as a lifter w/o it. I know with all my maximal lifts I feel like I just ate a bowl of kryptonite w/o it. Don't sweat, Brian...you will do great things.

[Brian Hopper]

I think you are doing what you need to be doing with your belt. I feel a lot of people feel incomplete as a lifter w/o it. I know with all my maximal lifts I feel like I just ate a bowl of kryptonite w/o it. Don't sweat, Brian...you will do great things.

Thanks alot, I appreciate it.

[-JM-]

Working sets
355 x 5
405 x 5
460 x 5...added knee sleeves
460 x 5...added belt
460 x 10

Good gawd. Always impressive Brian.

Hope you do get back to equipped some day Brian. Would be awesome to see.

[Brian C]

Good gawd. Always impressive Brian.

Hope you do get back to equipped some day Brian. Would be awesome to see.

Ditto!

[Brian Hopper]

Good gawd. Always impressive Brian.

Hope you do get back to equipped some day Brian. Would be awesome to see.

Ditto!

Thanks alot Justin!!!

@JM and BC...
It's gonna happen, im just not sure when. To be honest with you, the only thing stopping me right now is the lack of partners. But I have been thinking about it alot and i'm trying to come up with some ways to work it out.

[Brian Hopper]

Monday
01/09/12
BP-531

Bench press
Warm-ups
Bar x 10
135 x 5
135 x 5
225 x 3
Working sets
275 x 3
315 x 3
355 x 3
355 x 3
355 x 3
355 x 3
355 x 5

Dead press
Bar set about an inch off chest
135 x 3
225 x 1
75% of 1RM
325 for 8 sets of singles

Dips
BW x 15
BW+25 x 10
BW+45 x 10
BW+45 x 10
BW x 12

Rolling DB extensions
40 x 10
50 x 10
60 x 10
65 x 10


***************************************
Done...I am going back to squatting and deadlifting in the same session. So now my training will look like this:
Monday-BP
Tuesday-SQ/DL
Wednesday-REST
Thursday-Upper accessory
Friday-Lower accessory
The main two reasons why I switched back is because I love the idea about getting all the heavy stuff out of the way in the beginning of the week. The other reason is because this is how I trained for my last meet and I had great success doing it. So why not go back to it

[April Mathis]

I think you are doing what you need to be doing with your belt. I feel a lot of people feel incomplete as a lifter w/o it. I know with all my maximal lifts I feel like I just ate a bowl of kryptonite w/o it. Don't sweat, Brian...you will do great things.

I think that's a mistake. You should be strong with and without a belt. I think Brian would agree as he trained with John Manly who also told me that. And it helped a lot.

[Brian Hopper]

I think that's a mistake. You should be strong with and without a belt. I think Brian would agree as he trained with John Manly who also told me that. And it helped a lot.

The only reason why I put it on earlier then I did before is because of my back. But each week I try and hold off as much as I can and put it on when needed.

[GazzyG]

Mass volume in that session, Brian! Phwoar!

[MarcusWild]

I think at your strength level it really makes sense to squat and deadlift on the same day. That way you get a full week to recover from it.

[April Mathis]

The only reason why I put it on earlier then I did before is because of my back. But each week I try and hold off as much as I can and put it on when needed.

Yeah I know Brian. My answer was to Rob that it is important to be strong without a belt also, not a comment on what you were doing.

[Coke]

Killer workout, outrageous benching!!

[Brian Hopper]

Mass volume in that session, Brian! Phwoar!

Thanks Gazzy!!!

I think at your strength level it really makes sense to squat and deadlift on the same day. That way you get a full week to recover from it.

I agree. But I will switch back whenever I get back in gear. But for right now, I think this will suit me best.

Yeah I know Brian. My answer was to Rob that it is important to be strong without a belt also, not a comment on what you were doing.

I know you were, I just responded to your comment to just add to it.

Killer workout, outrageous benching!!

Thanks alot Coke!!!

[LuNa]

Great benching Brian. Those dead stop presses, do you feel that they are hard on your joints?

[HJP]

That layout looks really smart. Plenty of rest for the CNS yet days to focus an work hard on weak points too. Smart bro

[NickAus]

Great bench day bro!!

Just a reminder I would like to catch up in March...Boom U.S.A for 3.5 weeks with the Wife to be.

[Brian Hopper]

Great benching Brian. Those dead stop presses, do you feel that they are hard on your joints?

Thanks Luna!!! When I get close to a max on them, yes. But since I'm keeping the weight sort of light, it's not too bad.

That layout looks really smart. Plenty of rest for the CNS yet days to focus an work hard on weak points too. Smart bro

Thanks alot Hayden!!!

Great bench day bro!!

Just a reminder I would like to catch up in March...Boom U.S.A for 3.5 weeks with the Wife to be.

Thanks Nick.....sounds good!!!

[Brian Hopper]

Tuesday
01/10/12
SQ/DL

Bike
5 minutes

Squat
Warm-ups
Bar x 10
150 x 10
150 x 5
240 x 5
310 x 3
Working sets
380 x 3
435 x 3
490 x 3...added knee sleeves
490 x 3
490 x 3
490 x 3

Deadlift
225 x 3
315 x 3
Working sets
435 x 3
495 x 3
555 x 3
555 x 3
555 x 3

GM's
150 x 10
150 x 10
150 x 10

Barbell shrugs
135 x 12
225 x 12
315 x 12
315 x 12
315 x 12


****************************************
Done...Today was my first day back doing both squats and pulls in the same day. I like doign it, but it takes longer. I kept my rest periods no less then 2 minutes and no more then 3. I also tried to stay away from my belt as much as I could, and it went ok.

[GazzyG]

Nice work on the back to back squats and deads. No-one'd ever realise you'd ever hurt your knee now.