r/531Discussion 15h ago

July 22, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

3 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 21d ago

Monthly Conditioning Topic Thread | July 2026

2 Upvotes

We're trying something new at 531Discussion, a monthly conditioning topic thread. The goal of these threads will be less about daily logs, but a place to discuss conditioning goals, programming and progression.

Resources:


r/531Discussion 1d ago

July 21, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 2d ago

July 20, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 3d ago

July 19, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 4d ago

July 18, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 5d ago

July 17, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 6d ago

July 16, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

3 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 7d ago

Training Log Week 2 Deadlift AMRAP - 12 x 405

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86 Upvotes

Was not expecting to hit 12 after 15 x 365 last week, only 3 reps less with 40lbs more. Never underestimate the power of a gym buddy telling you one more!


r/531Discussion 7d ago

Monthly Odd Lifts & Accessories Thread | July 2026

3 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 7d ago

July 15, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

1 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 8d ago

July 14, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

3 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 9d ago

Form Check 5x435

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11 Upvotes

This set felt like a max effort at the time. Doesn't look too bad on video. Something happened at the beginning of the second or third rep that had my lower back feeling funky but I can't see anything obvious on video. I've also been having trouble with bracing, I think I should move my belt up my belly a little more. This might be the first time ive ever filmed myself squat.

Any thoughts?


r/531Discussion 9d ago

July 13, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 10d ago

July 12, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

4 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 12d ago

Training Log Deadlift AMRAP from yesterday. 15 x 365lbs

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156 Upvotes

I train for Strongman so hitching is fine, but I still stop 1 or 2 reps after I start to anyway.

First week back after a deload is always fun!


r/531Discussion 11d ago

July 11, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

3 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 12d ago

July 10, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 13d ago

July 09, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 14d ago

July 08, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

1 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 15d ago

July 07, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

1 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 16d ago

205kg/451lbs @98kg/215lbs

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5 Upvotes

531 week chugging along, potentially 4 x PBs this week.

First 1 is 205kg deadlift.

Let's see how it goes


r/531Discussion 16d ago

July 06, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 17d ago

July 05, 2026 | Daily Training Log & Simple Questions

2 Upvotes

r/531Discussion 19d ago

Template Review [Program Review] Building the Monolith

27 Upvotes

Background

I've been running Wendler 5/3/1 for quite a while now and have seen consistent strength gains. One lesson Jim Wendler constantly emphasizes is using a lower Training Max, and I've learned firsthand how important that is. There's a huge difference between training and testing, and keeping my ego in check has made a big difference.
Before starting Building the Monolith (BtM), I ran a few cycles of Boring But Big (BBB), so I already had some experience with high-volume training. That said, the prescribed 100 pull-ups definitely intimidated

Stats

Age: 24
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 219 lbs

Running the Program

The program can be found here

At first, the 100 pull-ups and 100 dips looked brutal, but I figured, why not take on the challenge? Here are my biggest takeaways:

1. The first two weeks were rough.

Honestly, I felt weaker at first. I had to adjust my Training Max a few times because the volume hit me much harder than expected, especially with all the dips and pull-ups.

I also changed my gym from a local one to an old school bodybuilding gym. I don’t know if it’s a myth but people say that the old school gym weights feel heavier than the local gyms. Just wanted to throw it out. Not sure if that’s just BS or something to factor in.

By week three, though, everything started clicking. My lifts felt much smoother, my Training Max finally felt right, and my workout time dropped from around 2 hours to about 1 hour 30 minutes.

2. Pull-ups were the real challenge.

I could complete the 100 bodyweight dips without much trouble, but the pull-ups humbled me.
Initially, I could only manage around 70 bodyweight pull-ups before completely hitting a wall. Over time, my body adapted, and by the end of the program I was strong enough to start adding weight.

3. Negatives made a huge difference.

Instead of using the assisted pull-up machine to finish my remaining reps, I switched to negative pull-ups. I did the same for dips whenever necessary.
I feel like this helped me push past failure, accumulate more quality volume, and gradually adapt to the workload.

4. Conditioning improved a lot.

After about three weeks, I noticed a huge improvement in my work capacity.
I was able to:

  1. Add weight to both pull-ups and dips.
  2. Superset more exercises to reduce workout time.
  3. Run small circuits like shrugs, presses, and face pulls without feeling completely exhausted.

Early on, the volume crushed me, but by the end my conditioning had improved enough that the workouts felt much more manageable.

Diet

This was easily the weakest part of my entire program.
I basically ate whatever my mom cooked that day 😂. I wasn't overeating, but I also wasn't paying attention to calories or protein. This is why I got ‘em belly fat and love handles 😭

Most days looked like:

  1. Coffee in the morning
  2. Afternoon workout
  3. Whatever was available for dinner

Honestly, I'm surprised I made the progress I did despite having such an inconsistent diet. This is definitely something I plan to improve during my next training block.

Results

Overall, I'm really happy with the size I gained.

The biggest improvements were:

  1. Traps
  2. Back thickness
  3. Chest
  4. Shoulders

My upper chest is still lagging, and I'd like more back definition, but I know that's mostly a combination of improving my diet and adding some targeted assistance work.

Overall, I achieved the size I was aiming for.

Physique Pictures

These photos were taken on the final day of the program.
Unfortunately, I think I accidentally deleted my before pictures, which is pretty frustrating.

I also know the lighting isn't great. I was feeling lazy, snapped a few quick pictures, and the overexposure doesn't really show the muscle definition very well.

Even so, I definitely feel like I made solid progress.

Strength Results

[Edit] Strength numbers below

I did a TM test this week!

  1. Bench 225 for 2 (no change)
  2. OHP 185 -> 175
  3. Squat 315 x 1 -> 315 x 3
  4. Deadlift 405 x 1 -> 405 x 1 (noticed an increase in bar speed)

[Edit] So Bench and OHP remained stagnant. My lower body lifts that is deadlifts and squat improved. Makes me wonder what can I implement to improve OHP and Bench

I didn't test my Training Max afterward, so I can't give exact numbers yet. Have to check back in for this

What I did notice was that the same Training Max moved significantly faster as the weeks went on.

The biggest strength improvement was in my pull-ups and dips.

I went from 100 bodyweight pull-ups and dips TO 100 total reps with an additional 10-pound plate for both exercises.

Obviously, that wasn't one giant set. It was spread across multiple sets, but I'm still extremely happy with that improvement.

My grip and arm strength have always been weak points, so seeing such noticeable progress there was probably the biggest win of the program.

What's Next?

I have a competition on August 29th, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to structure my training.
Right now, I'm thinking about:

  1. Transitioning into a strength/Training Max-focused phase leading into the competition.
  2. Cleaning up my diet.

I'd also like to lean out without sacrificing strength. I'm considering starting with a very small calorie deficit (around 100 calories/day) and adjusting based on how performance and recovery feel.

I'd LOVE to hear what templates you all would recommend running next.

Thanks for reading, and as always, feedback is appreciated!