[quote]sparkskk wrote:
I think people are reading the posts man and they just can’t understand why you don’t see your own progress.
[/quote]
I do see it. I am very happy; however, the american record holder in bench for the 181 weight class has recommend lower rep ranges in order to help me with my technique on the big lifts.
Honestly guys, I was VERY torn about this after seeing my projected maxes climb each week, but he made a very good point about technique breakdown at weights closer to 1rm. He needs to see me train there before he can help me. I will be conservative.
[quote]jakerz96 wrote:
If you are gonna train with powerlifters to compete yourself I think you are right to listen to them (unless they are nuts!). That said 5/3/1 seems to have served you well and you’ve made great progress. One simple, easy tweak is to do something with a similar 5rep week, 3rep week, 1rep week progression, but have a goal for a a new rep max for each week.
Don’t aim too high on this at the start though and then each week go ten pounds higher on each rep max. My buddy has been doing something like this for a couple years and has gotten his squat over 700 at 198, so it works and it’s simple.
Even still listen to the guys you’ll train with and let them help you. You are on the right track.[/quote]
That’s what I intend to do until I’m told otherwise. I just think it would be highly ignorant of me to ignore the free coaching that will be made available to me.
Moreover, there is absolutely no reason I can’t pick up 5/3/1 with max reps again in the future once I get my technique down solid and have a better idea of my real 1rm’s.
5-3-1 and working with max weights are not mutually exclusive. I have done this program for almost a year now, and I compete in powerlifting. When I am on the 1’s week a cycle before my meet, i hit the one rep, and stop (instead of as many as possible). I then work up to a max single. I do it pretty infrequently because the program has proven correct so far. If you are THAT curious, you could do the same thing more often, while staying on 5-3-1. Videotape your max’s and you will have feedback.
As I have said, I have been on this almost a year, and have not had to reset. It is a great program. If youre looking for super quick increases to squat or dead…or whatever, you can get that elsewhere, but it stalls pretty fast. The estimated one rep max’s are generally pretty accurate, though I have found the true 1 rep max for DL to be slightly higher.
You can make the program minimalist (as I did when fighting competitively) or much more power lifting focused. Other people have success with other things, thats great, but I will be sticking with 5-3-1 for awhile because IT WORKS.
I need to go with my gut here. After talking to one of the bench press experts at the new gym, he told me he could tell I’ve been following 5/3/1, because my training merely reflects that I’ve learned ways to put up more reps…not necessarily quality ones. He also points out that he needs to see me pushing closer to my 1rm to be able to spot my technique weak points. So I’m going to listen to him. So yea, my endurance has really gone through the roof; however, as this week has reflected so far, it’s not really translating to improvements in my absolute strength. I need to buckle down and tackle that. [/quote]
Then it sounds like you were letting your technique break down to get more reps. [/quote]
That’s what I’m afraid of, which is yet another reason I want to work on just the requisite number of reps and get this technique down.
I need to go with my gut here. After talking to one of the bench press experts at the new gym, he told me he could tell I’ve been following 5/3/1, because my training merely reflects that I’ve learned ways to put up more reps…not necessarily quality ones. He also points out that he needs to see me pushing closer to my 1rm to be able to spot my technique weak points. So I’m going to listen to him. So yea, my endurance has really gone through the roof; however, as this week has reflected so far, it’s not really translating to improvements in my absolute strength. I need to buckle down and tackle that. [/quote]
Then it sounds like you were letting your technique break down to get more reps. [/quote]
That’s what I’m afraid of, which is yet another reason I want to work on just the requisite number of reps and get this technique down. [/quote]
Have you read the reloaded 5/3/1 and/or bought the 5/3/1 for powerlifting book? That way, you could keep with a program you know is working for you and get the practice with heavier weights. Win win… No?
I need to go with my gut here. After talking to one of the bench press experts at the new gym, he told me he could tell I’ve been following 5/3/1, because my training merely reflects that I’ve learned ways to put up more reps…not necessarily quality ones. He also points out that he needs to see me pushing closer to my 1rm to be able to spot my technique weak points. So I’m going to listen to him. So yea, my endurance has really gone through the roof; however, as this week has reflected so far, it’s not really translating to improvements in my absolute strength. I need to buckle down and tackle that. [/quote]
Then it sounds like you were letting your technique break down to get more reps. [/quote]
That’s what I’m afraid of, which is yet another reason I want to work on just the requisite number of reps and get this technique down. [/quote]
Have you read the reloaded 5/3/1 and/or bought the 5/3/1 for powerlifting book? That way, you could keep with a program you know is working for you and get the practice with heavier weights. Win win… No?[/quote]
I read reloaded earlier today actually. Yes. Sounds like a win win.
[quote]sparkskk wrote:
I think people are reading the posts man and they just can’t understand why you don’t see your own progress.
[/quote]
I do see it. I am very happy; however, the american record holder in bench for the 181 weight class has recommend lower rep ranges in order to help me with my technique on the big lifts.
Honestly guys, I was VERY torn about this after seeing my projected maxes climb each week, but he made a very good point about technique breakdown at weights closer to 1rm. He needs to see me train there before he can help me. I will be conservative.
I appreciate all the helpful feedback. [/quote]
He has a good point. When I was younger I would push up rep ranges and increase weight and decrease reps as I got closer to a meet.
OP, what sorts of numbers were you working with at the beginning of your time with 5/3/1, and what are you working with now? Were you detrained? Are you new to lifting?
just a few questions. Seems you’ve made good progress. I know if I added 25+ lbs to my 10+ rep max for any major lift, I’d be thrilled.
Sounds to me like you’re on the right path. The biggest issue is that it sounds like you just came from too much of a BB mentality (as many reps as possible, emphasis “as possible”), so you let the quality of the reps degrade, as well. For most powerlifters, something like flaring the elbows too much or having the hips come off the bench means that they’ve hit their max number of reps.
We become pretty tuned into our technique, and as soon as we know that it wouldn’t pass in competition, we stop. I think a lot of bodybuilders are capable of pushing the reps they can because they’ve never had to worry as much about technique and won’t as easily notice certain things. I’ve had plenty of clients not realize their asses floating two inches above the bench or shrugging their shoulders to get a DL up, and wonder why I don’t count the lift or why they got red-lighted.
It’ll probably be a good thing to go into the lower rep ranges for a little bit, if only so you learn your technique better. You made some great progress on 5/3/1, but I’m inclined toward you just following whatever program the other PLers at your gym will put you on, at least for a little while. Come back to 5/3/1 later, if you want, but I do think the change would be a good thing to experience.