Yep, still cheating. Big time.

Yesterday was bench press day. In an effort to stay in the running in the 5/3/1 Raw Strength Brawl for It All challenge, I went a little off script. Again. Not terribly, really, but in the spirit of periodization, I'm committing serious sins here.

I'm violating the foundational principles of Wendler's program by working at a higher percentage of my 1RM than I'm supposed to--and by performing more sets than is recommended. All to get me more points for my workouts for this silly challenge.

But, you know what? It's not like nobody else is cheating. When I looked at the recent workouts completed by the current challenge leaders, I found that they are way off the Wendler script. Their workouts don't even come close to resembling 5/3/1. I didn't feel at all bad about yesterday's workout after seeing what these other jokers were doing. Frankly, I have trouble understanding it. If you're going to be in the 5/3/1 group and voluntarily sign up for a challenge in said group, why would you completely change your workout for the challenge? Seems to defeat the whole purpose of the group and of adopting a specific plan in the first place.

I called my workout "cheating," but I see now that I'm just fudging a little compared to what they're doing.

I wasn't supposed to go near my 1RM on the bench press, but I did 2 reps at 215, sandwiched between sets of 205 and then descending sets after that down to 155. Yes, way off the Wendler script. The DB bench presses and DB rows were, however, well within plan guidelines.

I finished up with three sets of triceps pushdowns. That was cheating pure and simple because there are few isolation exercises in the Wendler plan. In fact, the only isolation movement I can think of that's part of the Triumvirate is the leg curl. I'm not even sure why the leg curls are included as an assistance movement, given that there are so many others that hit the posterior chain, including deadlifts and good mornings.

Today is squat day, and I'm frankly not sure what I'm going to do. I've sort of been cheating the 5/3/1 plan on this anyway because of the 20-rep squat experiment. I want to stay in the labrat maze with that, but I think today instead of doing 3-4 sets of 20, I may start with one set at 20 and then do several sets at a much higher percentage of my 1RM--just like I did on the barbell bench press. For the points, of course.

Tomorrow I'm going to see what I can do with the farmer's walk. I will probably do as many sets as I can with 65-pound dumbbells just get a feel for it. After that I can cook up ways to increase the weight and the intensity. Hopefully, the weather will hold up.

Depending on where I stand in the challenge after Saturday's freelancing, I'll either go back to the Wendler script and deload next week or push onward in the true spirit of cheating. If other guys are going to throw the plan under the bus just to win the challenge, then there's no sense in my putting any real effort into it. Why would I wreck my whole routine just to get a virtual pat on the back from a bunch of people I don't even know?

At this stage in my life, it's good enough that I'm just doing something.