crabgrass1981

I am just wrapping up pool season 1 and 2 (both awesome). I am on a small calorie deficit, trying to do a little recomp before a vacation in August..

My plan was to do OG AF and then AF Remastered back to back. However I have never ran either program, and wondered if AF Remastered and Elbow Meat might be better. I have about an hour (maybe a little more), I can spend in the gym lifting.

I only physically have OG AF, and not Remastered or Elbow Meat. Cost isn’t a big issue and if they are better programs I’ll run them instead.

Calculate a 1RM max (either do a 1 RM max, or 3-5 RM max and figure out 1 RM from there). Then take 90% of it to be your Training/Everyday max. This should be your “everyday max” that you could do anytime (bad night of sleep, get off a plane, etc.).

You will increase this max monthly by 5lb for upper and 10lb for lower.

Same. Average workout was 1 hr , 15 mins. Week 4, Day 1 was 1.45 for me, RIP. Lol

Makes sense to me - thanks. As I noted in the GSLP thread I’ve done 531 for a few years and a big believer in the program and submaximal training and progression model. A break from 531 into GSLP helped bust some PR platues, however I think 531 programming prior developed the strength / muscle to do it.

I am a week into Strongville and really love the variety. Combination of 531-esk strength training with a body building pump for the second half of the workout.

I am planning on running Strongville (June), Prequel (July) Pregame (Aug / September) Squatober (October), Benchamin Franklin (November) Dedcember (December) for the remainder of the year (with some deload weeks / vacation in between). Then figure out a plan for next year or follow the group.

Thanks. I am trying to hit variants bars for about a 30% of the year, just to add some variety and keep my shoulders / Lowe back.

Only issue in it is going forth require some weight recalibration (I can lift less with a SSB and football bar than BB; and obviously more with a trap DL than BB). I am guessing doing a wendler-esk TM/PR test to calibrate approximate 1rm as I transition between programs at some point?

8 week Progress so far.. working sets (3x5)

- bench 190 -> 235
- squat 225 -> 350
- press 100 -> 132.5
- Deadlift 295 -> 405

Prior to start of this, I switched to a trap DL (DL #s went up quick , easier than traditional barbell. I am not using handles, so exercising full range of motion.
Also switched to SSB. This temporality made my numbers drop 20% from straight bar.
Also switched to cambered/neutral grip for pressing. This caused to drop about 20-30% from my straight bar press.

This is the most I have benched in terms of working sets ever (previous 1 rm max from the last millennium was 225). squat and DL are on par with what I was doing in HS as well.

Prior to this, I have been doing 531 for about 3 years and worked a lot of sub max volume.. so this is fun seeing how much I can grind out.

I’ve given up on challenges and t dropping bf right now. Just want to squeeze out what I can in terms of strength and then refocus on recomp goals.

Going to focus on trying to get press’s to working set of 150 and bench to 250 - 260 over next 10 weeks, then jump onto something else (PPSA or back on 531).

Coffee and maybe a Bannana or protein if I think I will need the energy boost (and workout is > 1 hr)

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I know what you mean about narrow bars being more about testing pain on the hands and callouses rather than actual grip training. I have spinlock dumbbells and as I load them up over 80lb for farmer walks they have this same issue. Could you could put fat grips on the trap bar? It still would have grip strength being limiting, but it’s a different grip strength at play than trying to hold onto a narrow handle. This works well with my dumbbells and farmer walks…

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Exactly my issue. I thought about Fat Grips, but I think that it might be too much. I was thinking about maybe just trying to wrap some sort of Grip tape around the handles to give it *just* a little more thickness to maybe match a normal Olympic bar

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I understand. Try what I mentioned above and it will help but sounds like something your hands will have to adapt to. Chalk, if allowed, will help keep things locked down.

I've got baby fingers so I welcome the smaller diameter bars

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Will do - thanks! My hands (palm/fingers) are fairly large in comparison to the rest of my body, and I think is contributing to the issue.

I recently switched to a Trap Bar for DLs (Bells of Steel Trap Bar 2.0). Not using the "upper" handles, but the ones parallel with the bar (same height as if I was using a straight bar). The Handles are significantly more narrow than a barbell and create more grip/hand issues than anything else.

Is there a some way I can thicken the handles to match the diameter of a normal barbell? Or am I just gripping it wrong in the first place (suggestions)

I am only doing sets around 375-400, and don't feel like i should be adding straps at this point.

Thanks for the feedback on this. I e-mailed Aaron as well, and he said:

Rack with pull-up option
Adjustable bench
Bar/ weights
DB’s or Power Blocks
Strength Bands
Curl Bar is optional, but not mandatory