FRIDAY – BENCH
Bench 315/350x3, 395x9
Close grip bench with legs up paused 315 3x5
Shoulder saver close grip bench with legs up 315x18/15
Inverted barbell rows +20lbsx30/20

Back and hip Fantastic Four 2x

SATURDAY – SQUAT/DEADLIFT
Trap bar deadlift 270/310/345x5, 270x15
Safety squat bar squat 270/310/345x5, 270x15
Superset: Band good mornings and stir the pot 5x10

Back and hip stretching 3x

SUNDAY – CONDITIONING
Treadmill 45 minutes (heart rate 117)
Back and hip Fantastic Four 3x

MONDAY – INCLINE BENCH
Close grip incline bench with legs up 290/330/365x5
Close grip incline bench with legs up paused 290 3x5
Dips bwx28/25/20
Inverted barbell rows 30/20/19

Hip and back Fantastic Four 2x

l made solid improvements from last week. My assistance numbers are all up. My dips and rows are up over 20% and I hit my shoulder saver reps in 2 sets instead of 3 this week. I'm either getting stronger or pushing myself harder. Either way I am becoming more awesome.

With my 5/3/1 programming, unlike conjugate where I’d just try to get through the session after my main lift, I feel the assistance has a bigger correlation to the success of my bench presently. With the exception of one set of AMRAP a week, I am not pushing bench for 2-3 high percentage max lifts. When I do push it, it’s at a lower percentage so I still have plenty in the tank for assistance. That’s why those movements are performed for AMRAP as well. I feel I need that additional intensity.

Last week I did 375 on bench for 10, this week I did 395 for 9. I hit the rack on the 8th rep and it really threw me off. I think I would have been good for 10. Still, percentage wise my bench did go up this week. I’m keeping all the data, so I mine as well crunch it.

All indicators are pointing in the right direction. I just have to keep busting ass in the gym and doing all the little things out of it. Speaking of which, the Fantastic Four are dramatically improving my hip and back health. Stay the course.