Hey guys,
I’ve read of allot of your successes with 5/3/1, I wanted to know if my results are normal should I have started with lower weight? Am I burnt out? whats up? Anyhow, here is what has been going on. I’ve been on 5/3/1 for eight total weeks, Here is my past final sets on benches
Best BP in competition is 337 I approximated I am around there as before starting the cycle I hit 295x5,4,4
- 255x7
- 270x5
- 285x4
- Deload
- 260x6
- 270x4
- 290x4
- Deload
Its odd, weights feel heavier than before I began the 5/3/1 and slower. Also, form seems a bit different I used to push up more in a straight line, now I tend to go a bit more over the face. Plus the reps seem lower. Is this normal? Could this be because I am doing military press as well, a lift I used to not do at all? The higher reps, lowering my explosive power? I would rarely go over five reps before I began the cycle, and I would do speed work. Note when I say power too, I’m referring to speed not necessarily strength. I had of my best pound for pound sumo Dls 523 @ 148 raw doing mainly periodized HIT training one work set to failure. It was slow as hell but the strength was there. Since then, I would mainly follow a multiple work set format combined with speed lifts. Before starting 5/3/1 I would also dead every other week, with 5/3/1 dead every week.
Standing Militaries:
- 130x8
- 140x6
3.145x3 - Deload
- 135x8
- 145x5
- 150x5
- Deload
These seem fine, I assume some of the increase is that I’ve never focused on this lift or really ever practiced it until now, so my body is just learning the movement pattern, beginner increases.
I’ve hit 500 in the gym and in comp hit 467, but don’t think I could do it now, I set my max to 470. I’m a wide stance raw squatter.
Squats
- 365x7
- 390x6
- 410x4
- Deload
- 375x8
- 395x6
- 420x4
- Deload
These seem to be going fine as well, should i be getting more reps though?
Deadlift
- 460x7
- 485x5
- 510x3
- Deload
- 465x7
- 495x4
- 520x3
- Deload
Deadlift is another odd one, my best in comp was 600 raw sumo, and recently I hit 535x3 before starting the cycle. Like bench I find the bar feels heavier, less speed on the lifts. The form is a little different too, while I tend to be a round back deadlifter, I am moreso than I have in the past, and it seems harder to blast the hips out and get leg drive. The decrease in reps is also unsettling. Is it overtraining? Is it normal, am I supposed to supercompensate during the deload week? Did I start too heavy? Maybe, it is that my muscle fibers which were used to low reps and speed work are becoming adapted to the higher reps thus producing less power? Anyhow, any thoughts, criticisms, trolling, are appreciated.
So it seems 5/3/1 is working for some lifts and maybe for others, have you guys encountered anything I have mentioned? i will say my cardiovascular endurance has improved since doing 5/3/1, the high rep 5+ or 3+ weeks do not get me winded like they used too, I am able to lower rest times from my old 5 min rest to 3 or less minutes as well.
I never mentioned accessories, For overhead presses the first four weeks I’ve been doing three to four sets of 8-10 reps on overheads. for the second four weeks I have been doing the three to four sets of 8-10 on overheads and bent over rows. I used to do bent over rows allot more before I began 5/3/1 so maybe skipping it f’d me up.
For bench, I’ve been doing straight line press close grips in other words avoiding going over the face. I did those the first four weeks. the second four weeks I tried straight line wide grip presses in the rack to eliminate the stretch reflex, all of these done for high reps. I also didn’t do chins during this time something I did before 5/3/1.
For squats, I did four sets of 8 to 10 reps on squats, I did this every other week as on deadlifts on fridays I would do beltless conventionals on the other weeks for high reps three sets of ten reps at like around 225. I find I am weak on conventionals, to have strict straight back form on conventionals i could probably do 450, round back probably in the low 5s. I would also do the ab wheel every other week for like three sets of whatever, hard to quantify I didn’t measure how far I went out or anything. This was all on the first four week cycle. The second four week cycle I would do ATG overhead squats for three sets of five. I’m still learning the movement so have only been working with 55-95lbs. I’m doing these to work the core and because I think my thighs are weak. Also, the last week of deads beforet he deload I’ve been doing glute hams on the lat pulldown, what a bitch can any of you guys do these without any pushup, I certainly can’t. Anyhow, i find these effective at helping push the hips out. I used to do parelle front squats after deads maybe, i should go back to those, they might of helped out my deads with the leg drive, I think they did nothing for my squat as I tend to be a hip dominant squatter. My problem is usually coming out of the hole.