Seriously, I know the title was lame, but I couldn't help myself. It went too well with the picture to not use it. Forgive me.

The Backstory

Last week's blog discussed how I made it through one month of pain-free training. For those who don't follow me regularly, that's no small feat.

I have been training hard since 15. Being 53, that's 38 years of grinding. And along with that have come many injuries and surgeries.

With a month's worth of work behind me, I'm ready to hit the gas. Mind you, I won't be putting it to the floor, but at least I can start to feather the pedal a bit.

The Program

It's nothing revolutionary. It's Jim's Boring But Big program. I am going with two upper and two lower days. I don't mix upper and lower assistance as I struggle mightily with recovery.

For the Boring But Big work, I have taken Jim's advice and have erred on the side of caution. I started embarrassingly light. Probably somewhere between 30-40% of my TM (training max).

For those unfamiliar with 5/3/1 your TM is not your actual max and I encourage you to buy one of Wendler's books. Starting too heavy with your numbers is a recipe for disaster no matter how much experience you have.

Monday Upper

  • Viking Press OHP 5/3/1 5's Pro SS w/ Upright T-Bar Rows 5x6-12
  • BBB Bench (*football bar w/shoulder saver) 5x10 SS w/ Dumbbell Curls 5x6-12

Wednesday Lower

  • Trap Bar DL (*elevated) 5/3/1 5's Pro SS w/ Neck raises 3x6-12
  • BBB Belt Sq to Box 5x10 SS w/ Ab Wheel 5x6-12

Friday Upper

  • Bench (*football bar w/shoulder saver) 5/s Pro SS w/ Pullups 5x6-12
  • BBB Dips 5x6-12 SS w/ Dumbbell Hammer Curls 5x6-12

Saturday Upper

  • Belt Sq to Box 5/3/1 5's Pro SS w/ GHR Crunch 5x6-12
  • BBB Trap Bar DL (*elevated) 5x10 SS w/ Belt Squat Calf Raises 5x10-15

Notes

The asterisks * denote how I have modified movements. My trap bar does not have upper handles so I use blocks. Taking those last few inches out of the bottom of the lift has made a big difference in keeping my back and hips feeling well.

I take a few inches out of the bench as well using a shoulder saver pad I modified for my football bar. This setup has kept my shoulders feeling great.

For the main lift of the day I went with 5's Pro for reps. As I progress I plan on strategically adding in some AMRAP based on my recovery.

At the end of each cycle I'm adding 10 lbs to the lower body lifts and 5 lbs to the upper. I will be deloading every 4th week.

Reps for assistance start on the lower end around 6. The goal is to bump the reps up as I progress. When I get up to 12 I increases the weight and drop the reps back to 6 and start the process again.

I'm starting all weights on the lighter side. Every rep is being performed crisply with purpose. I have spent far too much time over the last couple of years pushing bad form near failure to satisfy my ego. It has caused me both injuries and recovery problems. As a result, I have actually been sending Jim some of my lifts to keep me honest. So far he's been satisfied with them.

I'll report back after a few more cycles to share my progress.