Does anyone know the rep scheme for week 1? Everyone is talking about joker sets but what about the 5x5 @70-75%? Are there two options to this phase? Like do I have the choice of tm x program followed by joker sets or 5x5? Or are we supposed to do all of it and if so in what order?
you asked the same question in another thread.
work up to your TM do a pr set with that weight.
then you do jokers. (be careful with these, very taxing, only do them if you are feeling absolutely over the top)
Then you do some backoff 5x5 with about 70-75% of TM.
It’s all explained in the article.
EDIT: from the article
WORKOUTS
WEEK 1
Monday
Warm-up DeFranco Agile 8
Dynamic Box Jump 3 sets x 5 jumps
Strength Squat TM x PR* Joker sets** 5 sets x 5 @ 70-75%
Strength Bench Press 5-8 sets x 3 @ 80% (60 sec. rest b/t sets)
Assistance
Chin-up / Pull-up
Side Bend
Triceps Pushdown
- Work up to your Training Max for a PR set.
** See Beyond 5/3/1 book for Joker sets.
Joker’s have been changed quite a bit from probably when that program was written in how they are applied to your training cycles. You would only do Joker sets when feeling very good in a section of your training cycle dedicated to PR’s.
You essentially are doing 1-2 sets of 1-3 reps at 5% or 10% jumps over the heaviest weight of the day. So if you are on your 5’s week and you do you 85%x5+ set, you would then perform a Joker set of 1-3 reps @90% of your TM and possibly another set of 1-3 reps at 95% of your TM.
Essentially in the latest book (Forever) they are only done in cycles dedicated to setting PR’s UNLESS you are following a program in the book that specifically calls for them.
In my personal experience they are not necessarily a requirement in building strength with 5/3/1. They are, however, pretty fun to do sometimes when your feeling good and want to test yourself and set some PR’s.