5 3 1 BBB 5x10 (%)??

Training Powerlifting
21

[quote]spherenine wrote:
You want to err on the side of it being too light. Remember, it’s assistance work. Focus on the main lift.[/quote]
Sorry for jumping into this thread.

Don´t you guys have some sort of progression as well on the assistance work, such as : 50%, 52,5%, 55% or maybe something more aggressive. I know the focus is on the main lifts, and I may have a high workload tolerance, but compared to other strength programmes i have done(smolov Jr, Hepburn, Sheiko and such) I´m just wondering that no one seems to do progression on the assistance work.
5 x 10 @ 50% is not inhumanly hard compared to som much else.
Sorry for mispelling and any other bad english, I´m from Denmark and I´m blond.

22

[quote]Backbone wrote:

[quote]spherenine wrote:
You want to err on the side of it being too light. Remember, it’s assistance work. Focus on the main lift.[/quote]
Sorry for jumping into this thread.

Don�??�??�??�??�?�´t you guys have some sort of progression as well on the assistance work, such as : 50%, 52,5%, 55% or maybe something more aggressive. I know the focus is on the main lifts, and I may have a high workload tolerance, but compared to other strength programmes i have done(smolov Jr, Hepburn, Sheiko and such) I�??�??�??�??�?�´m just wondering that no one seems to do progression on the assistance work.
5 x 10 @ 50% is not inhumanly hard compared to som much else.
Sorry for mispelling and any other bad english, I�??�??�??�??�?�´m from Denmark and I�??�??�??�??�?�´m blond.[/quote]

For me it’s a mental thing. If I know that I have a list of exercises to go up on regularly, I don’t push the main lift as hard. If I know that my extra lifts are just assistance stuff and it doesn’t matter as much, I put a total focus on busting the hell out of that main lift. Plus, I think that going up regular percentages on most stuff is problematic, especially in relation to the main lift. If you run the program for a while, the main lifts take more out of you the heavier they get. When you start and you’re getting 12-15 reps on that last main set, the assistance work doesn’t seem hard because the previous main lift sets aren’t hard. But 8 months later, when you’re grinding out every main lift set and you just barely get the minimums on the last sets, those assistance exercises you do afterward SUCK. Wendler’s a smart dude, so he’s right in giving you the flexibility to just pick what you need to get better. I think 5/3/1 is a plan you need to run for a while to appreciate exactly how well it’s designed.

If you can go up on the assistance and it helps your lifts, I’d feel free to go up. But keep an eye on it and watch your totals. If it starts hurting your main lift, just dial it back for a while. My method was start the BBB assistance at 50% of what my training max was, then work up to 60%. As the lifts got heavier, I pushed BBB assistance back to 50% of training max. This happened at about 6-7 months for me. When I hit the ceiling around 8 months, I took my main lift maxes back down to 90% like it says in the book, then began the assistance again at around 60%. If you push the assistance stuff hard, it’s very good and taxing.

23

[quote]johnnathanblair wrote:

[quote]Backbone wrote:

[quote]spherenine wrote:
You want to err on the side of it being too light. Remember, it’s assistance work. Focus on the main lift.[/quote]
Sorry for jumping into this thread.

Don�??�??�??�??�??�?�´t you guys have some sort of progression as well on the assistance work, such as : 50%, 52,5%, 55% or maybe something more aggressive. I know the focus is on the main lifts, and I may have a high workload tolerance, but compared to other strength programmes i have done(smolov Jr, Hepburn, Sheiko and such) I�??�??�??�??�??�?�´m just wondering that no one seems to do progression on the assistance work.
5 x 10 @ 50% is not inhumanly hard compared to som much else.
Sorry for mispelling and any other bad english, I�??�??�??�??�??�?�´m from Denmark and I�??�??�??�??�??�?�´m blond.[/quote]

For me it’s a mental thing. If I know that I have a list of exercises to go up on regularly, I don’t push the main lift as hard. If I know that my extra lifts are just assistance stuff and it doesn’t matter as much, I put a total focus on busting the hell out of that main lift. Plus, I think that going up regular percentages on most stuff is problematic, especially in relation to the main lift. If you run the program for a while, the main lifts take more out of you the heavier they get. When you start and you’re getting 12-15 reps on that last main set, the assistance work doesn’t seem hard because the previous main lift sets aren’t hard. But 8 months later, when you’re grinding out every main lift set and you just barely get the minimums on the last sets, those assistance exercises you do afterward SUCK. Wendler’s a smart dude, so he’s right in giving you the flexibility to just pick what you need to get better. I think 5/3/1 is a plan you need to run for a while to appreciate exactly how well it’s designed.

If you can go up on the assistance and it helps your lifts, I’d feel free to go up. But keep an eye on it and watch your totals. If it starts hurting your main lift, just dial it back for a while. My method was start the BBB assistance at 50% of what my training max was, then work up to 60%. As the lifts got heavier, I pushed BBB assistance back to 50% of training max. This happened at about 6-7 months for me. When I hit the ceiling around 8 months, I took my main lift maxes back down to 90% like it says in the book, then began the assistance again at around 60%. If you push the assistance stuff hard, it’s very good and taxing.[/quote]

Thanks, for the answer. Off course your are rigth, there is less mental energy to push on the assistance work, the longer the programe has been running. Do you add little extra work for lets say the rear delt and the calf muscles, or do you feel they get hit enough as it is. I for sure need a bit extra for the rotator cuffs when pushing hard on the presses.

24

From what I’ve gathered on 5/3/1, its a method of training the main lifts. Assistance work is entirely up to you, with an advisory against worrying too much about assistance work. “Don’t major in the minors”. There’s even a template called “I’m not doing jack shit”

If you don’t know how your body responds to certain lifts enough to know what you need for assistance work, or you aren’t getting enough valid info from training buddies, follow one of Wendlers templates to the letter. Try to ascertain your weaknesses as you go, if something is working, keep doing it. If it’s not, try something else.

25

[quote]Backbone wrote:

Thanks, for the answer. Off course your are rigth, there is less mental energy to push on the assistance work, the longer the programe has been running. Do you add little extra work for lets say the rear delt and the calf muscles, or do you feel they get hit enough as it is. I for sure need a bit extra for the rotator cuffs when pushing hard on the presses.[/quote]

I usually do a lot of rehab stuff on my deload week and stretch/foam roll/jump rope before every regular workout. As far as the rear delt stuff, I usually get enough by doing rows, pullups, and chinups. On calves, jumping rope and the truck push/sled push seems to work for me.

26

[quote]Backbone wrote:

[quote]spherenine wrote:
You want to err on the side of it being too light. Remember, it’s assistance work. Focus on the main lift.[/quote]
Sorry for jumping into this thread.

Don�?�´t you guys have some sort of progression as well on the assistance work, such as : 50%, 52,5%, 55% or maybe something more aggressive. I know the focus is on the main lifts, and I may have a high workload tolerance, but compared to other strength programmes i have done(smolov Jr, Hepburn, Sheiko and such) I�?�´m just wondering that no one seems to do progression on the assistance work.
5 x 10 @ 50% is not inhumanly hard compared to som much else.
Sorry for mispelling and any other bad english, I�?�´m from Denmark and I�?�´m blond.[/quote]

50% of an increasing number will increase…

Translated for your understanding: your max will go up each mesocycle… 50% of that number (which you use for your assistance lifts) will therefore also increase.

With that being said, generally i vary from 50 to 60% during each workout during the mesocycle… so i might do 50 the first week, 55 the second week, and 60% the 3rd week. Do whatever you want. Honestly, I’m growing better now that I’m toning down all the assistance work. I think a lot of us have overdone it in the past. There is absolutely no need to go to muscle failure on 12-15 sets for a single body part on any given workout day.