I’ve been lifting casually on and off for about 7 years now, mostly focused on bench press like any other idiot. This last year, I’ve decided I want to compete in full powerlifting tournaments instead of just bench press tournaments. I’d never really squatted consistently, and have never done any deadlift, until I decided to give the 5/3/1 a shot.
I took a few weeks working on getting good form and locating my 1RM for squat and dead. The 1RM’s I started with 2 months ago were as follows:
Bench: 325
Squat: 315 (yes, my bench was heavier than my squat)
Dead: 365
Total: 1005
Now, I should note also, I follow the 5/3/1 routine, but I only get into the gym 2-3 times a week, so its not as compacted as it should be. Also as I’ve never deadlifted before, and haven’t squatted seriously, I was hesitant to approach my max, and have only completed a couple cycles of each, strictly speaking. And, I dont think my bench went up quite as much as advertised, but more of a mental effect of lifting relatively heavier weights, rather than doing the same boring routine every week. Doesn’t matter though, the results are the same. Speaking of results, my current 1RM’s I am working off of:
Bench: 370
Squat: 455
Dead: 475
Total: 1300
I should also mention, my BW dropped from 240 to 230 in the same time frame. I plan on competing at 198.
At this point, I think it is safe to say, this program just plain works, anyone thinking of doing it, with any powerlifting goals, should not hesitate.