5/3/1, Squats and Good Morning Advice

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hi, just started my 5/3/1…

Hey everyone, looking for some sound critique/advice on my routine. I’m a soldier serving in the military so I’ve only got two days per week to train(Mon/Thurs)

I’m trying to incorporate Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 into two days, with my goal of adding strength/size, gaining weight but also becoming a better athlete overall(basketball).

This is the first mesocycle, and So far what I came up with: (assistance work are all 5 x 10)

Week 1 & 3
MON: Squats 5/3/1, Good mornings, Reverse Lunge from Deficit

Thurs: Bench 5/3/1, Incline Dumbbell Press, Lat Pulldowns, Chinups, Tricep Pushdowns

Weeks 2 & 4:
Mon: Deadlift 5/3/1, Front Squats(Lightweight), Back Extensions, Single Leg Squats

Thurs: Military Press 5/3/1, DB Rows, Seated Rows(Machine/Cable), Face Pulls

I would appreciate some advice, as well as some tips on choosing assistance exercises for an athlete looking to 1)PUT ON SOME SIZE/MASS 2)PRE-HAB ? I would love some advice on good prehab exercises to plug in there.

thanks!

Also, I’m feeling a litle self-conscious about barbell squat / Good morning form. I would love at some feedback.

BB Squat 115 x 7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akqH6hGOL70&list=UUwyQB4tPUwKTWSObJtAryLw& index=2&feature=plcp

Good Morning Empty Bar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6LPfXdSOjo&sns=em

Thanks…Any advice is appreciated!

2

Do you have the book? If not, get it. It is worth far more than the $15. The book lays out a two day template which is also covered in the article 5/3/1 for athletes that Jim wrote a couple days ago. I assume you are active duty, so how many days a week do you have group PT?

Other than that, calorie intake is going to determine if you add mass. If you eat all your meals at the chow hall take advantage of the free food. As far as your form goes, I don’t do good mornings, so I will leave that to someone with more experience with them.

Good luck.

3

Thanks so much for the prompt reply man. I do have the book and this is my brutal attempt at trying to put together a 2-day template. Jim gives out two in options, one in which you go for 4 weeks doing 2 big lifts on the same day, and one in which you do one(The one I came up with) but no deload and go for 6 weeks.

Yeah I have group PT once/twice a week haha.

4

I didn’t pay much attention to the two day templates to be honest, I’m glad to hear you did buy the book, though. If you are only doing group PT 1-2 times a week make sure you keep up your running to some degree. You are kinda between a rock and a hard place as far as cardio goes, too much will hinder your gains and too little will jack up your run times on the PT test.

I, unfortunately, pretty much ignored running when I first bulked up and found to my horror that my two mile time went up by two minutes (I’m in the Reserves, BTW). On top of that, as I started running again it was a lot harder as my body wasn’t used to moving an extra twenty pounds. As long as you still run a couple times a week you’ll probably be fine.

One other thing, I saw you included push downs, but I don’t see any curls. If you want to gain mass don’t ignore your arms as they will lag behind otherwise. You might consider the template Wendler lays out in this article:

just adjust it to two days like the one you’re doing now.

Good luck.

5

[quote]chrispaul3 wrote:
Hi, just started my 5/3/1…

Hey everyone, looking for some sound critique/advice on my routine. I’m a soldier serving in the military so I’ve only got two days per week to train(Mon/Thurs)

I’m trying to incorporate Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 into two days, with my goal of adding strength/size, gaining weight but also becoming a better athlete overall(basketball).

This is the first mesocycle, and So far what I came up with: (assistance work are all 5 x 10)

Week 1 & 3
MON: Squats 5/3/1, Good mornings, Reverse Lunge from Deficit

Thurs: Bench 5/3/1, Incline Dumbbell Press, Lat Pulldowns, Chinups, Tricep Pushdowns

Weeks 2 & 4:
Mon: Deadlift 5/3/1, Front Squats(Lightweight), Back Extensions, Single Leg Squats

Thurs: Military Press 5/3/1, DB Rows, Seated Rows(Machine/Cable), Face Pulls

I would appreciate some advice, as well as some tips on choosing assistance exercises for an athlete looking to 1)PUT ON SOME SIZE/MASS 2)PRE-HAB ? I would love some advice on good prehab exercises to plug in there.

thanks!

Also, I’m feeling a litle self-conscious about barbell squat / Good morning form. I would love at some feedback.

BB Squat 115 x 7

5 3 1 First attempt swuat - YouTube index=2&feature=plcp

Good Morning Empty Bar

Goodmorning - YouTube index=1&feature=plcp

Thanks…Any advice is appreciated! [/quote]

Both those vids were good mornings, but your form looks pretty good to me. I would just suggest you keep your eyes foward, and not look down. Looking down is going to cause you to round your back as you start putting some weight on the bar. Post that squat vid and ill let you know what I think.

I would just suggest you do the 2 day template that Jim laid out in an article on here. Just click the articles tab at the top of the screen, go to featured authors, click Jim Wendler, and I believe it the “5/3/1 reloaded” article. I could be wrong, but there’s only like 15 or so, so it shouldn’t take long to find.

6

Appreciate the feedback man. Ill definitely remember to keep my eyegaze forward. I updated it with my swuat video so u could give it a look

7

[quote]chrispaul3 wrote:
Appreciate the feedback man. Ill definitely remember to keep my eyegaze forward. I updated it with my swuat video so u could give it a look[/quote]

Doesn’t look too bad. It’s hard to tell from the angle, but your lower back may be rounded just a bit at the bottom of the lift. If that is in fact happening, push your knees out as you lower, and descend just bit more between your legs (not as far back). Your depth will be about an inch higher, but you will still be hitting parallel or just a bit lower, as your depth now is a couple inches below.