Whats up guys! I’ve on my second cycle of 5/3/1 using the BBB template.
My question is that my squat has always been lagging. Is there anything you would recommend doing after the main sets like a few sets of paused squats or something like that then move onto the 5x10 exercise?
The new 5/3/1 book explains about doing extra main lift work.
[quote]Kakarat wrote:
The new 5/3/1 book explains about doing extra main lift work.
[/quote]
Ill be picking that up soon! Thanks man!
And you’re only on the second cycle. Give the program fair time to do its thing.
On your last set, instead of going all out, can’t you just do 2-3 sets of prescribed reps?
[quote]chobbs wrote:
On your last set, instead of going all out, can’t you just do 2-3 sets of prescribed reps?[/quote]
I like that idea. You set yourself a total rep target and do as many final sets as required to get there. I have done this occasionally and felt it was a good way to get in extra work.
Keeping things simple, you want raise your squat, then squat. 5x10 Romanian DL or 5x10 squat after 5/3/1 squats worked for me, and DL 5/3/1 I worked quads with 5x10 front squat. BUT, read Beyond 5/3/1 and especially First Set Last; Multiple Reps and then Joker-Sets, I don’t need much assistance work after those.
In 5/3/1 Second Edition (not the brand new Beyond 5/3/1) there’s a template, called Even MOre Squatting, that has you squatting 5 days a week.
If you really want so bad to improve your squat, it may be worth a try.
Depends on what your squat is. If it’s under 300 lbs, keep grinding on at 5/3/1. If it’s over, do some more volume.
I would say stick with the program as is. give it time. If your only on the second cycle, youve only added 20 pounds to your training max, and unless your max is sub 200 pounds your not even back to your true max yet anyway. Give it more time…and eat
What does lagging mean besides low weights? Where do you struggle/slow down during the rep when doing your rep maxes? What happens when your sets become challenging - either repping or maxing out? Knees cave in? Do you turn the squat into a good morning? Do you squirm your way up? A video would help.
I understand Wendler and Matt Rhodes made it popular to advise people to “squat more” if you want to improve your squat - but you are aloud to think critically about what you are doing. If there is a flaw in your technique, squatting more will only reinforce the flaw. Consider this - BBB works so well BECAUSE it is generally b/w 50 - 70%. Don’t just do the 50 reps blindly - use them groove perfect form if you are going that route.
Buy “Beyond” too. I am benefitting right now from using the first set/last to get volume and Jokers for weight. This frees me up to include a few other things (Dimmel Deads, etc) to strengthen weaknesses.
Make Every Rep Perfect - 531 uses sub max weights, so none should be real grinders
Get your volume in- Do 5x10 back squats, or vary it slightly to high bar olympic squats
I like to do the 5x10 squats on my deadlift day so I get 2x a week squatting and 2x a week pulling
Do the 6 week cycles. Stick with the same 5x10 work for 1-2 of those cycles
THEN maybe try something like good mornings and something else.
Be Patient. Keep increasing the training max …and testing out some rep maxes on either the 3’s or the 1’s day. If you are continually hitting the same reps or more, while increasing your training max, you are getting stronger. If not, then vary the assistance.
After doing my heaviest set of the day, I like top drop 10% and do 3 more sets of what ever rep day it is, or ramp back down with the same weights I ramped up with, both of these allow me to add more volume with heavy weight. I haven’t bought beyond 531 yet, but imagine some of this is covered there. In 5yrs I’ve made alot of tweaks to the original 531, and it sounds like beyond is right inline with what I’ve been doing, anyway goodluck.