5/3/1 with Added 'Main' Assistance Movement

Training 5/3/1
1

I have been doing the BBB template for the past 3-4 months with success. However, lately, I have been throwing in some pause narrow/high bar squats on squat day, pause close grip bench on bench day and some incline bench on the OH press day. Basically, my layout is this…

Day 1- OH Press 5/3/1, Incline 5x10, Chins 5x10, Raises (side, rear) 3x10 each
Day 2- Squat 5/3/1, Narrow high bar pause squat 3x5, Good mornings or SLDL 3x10, Abs
Day 3- Bench 5/3/1, Pause close grip bench 3x5, OH press 5x10, Rows 5x10
Day 4- Deadlift 5/3/1, Deficit Deadlits 3x5, Front squat 3x10, Abs

So basically, I’ve added a main assistance movement before I do my “assistance” movements. They would be Incline for OH press day, Narrow HB pause squat for squat day, Pause CG bench for bench day and Deficits on deadlift day. Is there anything I could do to maybe keep the longevity going? Like, switching some things to different days? For example, maybe switching HB pause squats to deadlift day and deficits to squat day?

Or honestly, would I just be better off keeping it simple and following the basic 5/3/1 BBB template?

2

Looks to me like you have a pretty good plan there. It’s really not that farfetched so I wouldn’t feel like you have to do something simpler unless you want to. This looks a lot like the FSL pause variation. Just give it a shot and see if it works for you. I’ve had a lot of success using pause variations after the main lift.

3

[quote]bosoxschillfan38 wrote:
I have been doing the BBB template for the past 3-4 months with success. However, lately, I have been throwing in some pause narrow/high bar squats on squat day, pause close grip bench on bench day and some incline bench on the OH press day. Basically, my layout is this…

Day 1- OH Press 5/3/1, Incline 5x10, Chins 5x10, Raises (side, rear) 3x10 each
Day 2- Squat 5/3/1, Narrow high bar pause squat 3x5, Good mornings or SLDL 3x10, Abs
Day 3- Bench 5/3/1, Pause close grip bench 3x5, OH press 5x10, Rows 5x10
Day 4- Deadlift 5/3/1, Deficit Deadlits 3x5, Front squat 3x10, Abs

So basically, I’ve added a main assistance movement before I do my “assistance” movements. They would be Incline for OH press day, Narrow HB pause squat for squat day, Pause CG bench for bench day and Deficits on deadlift day. Is there anything I could do to maybe keep the longevity going? Like, switching some things to different days? For example, maybe switching HB pause squats to deadlift day and deficits to squat day?

Or honestly, would I just be better off keeping it simple and following the basic 5/3/1 BBB template?[/quote]

In general, it looks solid. However, I’m wondering why you would pause your close grip bench. cg bench is generally used to strengthen the lockout, while paused bench strengthens the start. I’d just pause with your regular bench grip width… either way, i’m kinda discussing minutia here–the only way the plan you’ve outlined won’t work is if you eat and sleep too little or party too much.

4

[quote]bosoxschillfan38 wrote:
I have been doing the BBB template for the past 3-4 months with success. However, lately, I have been throwing in some pause narrow/high bar squats on squat day, pause close grip bench on bench day and some incline bench on the OH press day. Basically, my layout is this…

Day 1- OH Press 5/3/1, Incline 5x10, Chins 5x10, Raises (side, rear) 3x10 each
Day 2- Squat 5/3/1, Narrow high bar pause squat 3x5, Good mornings or SLDL 3x10, Abs
Day 3- Bench 5/3/1, Pause close grip bench 3x5, OH press 5x10, Rows 5x10
Day 4- Deadlift 5/3/1, Deficit Deadlits 3x5, Front squat 3x10, Abs

So basically, I’ve added a main assistance movement before I do my “assistance” movements. They would be Incline for OH press day, Narrow HB pause squat for squat day, Pause CG bench for bench day and Deficits on deadlift day. Is there anything I could do to maybe keep the longevity going? Like, switching some things to different days? For example, maybe switching HB pause squats to deadlift day and deficits to squat day?

Or honestly, would I just be better off keeping it simple and following the basic 5/3/1 BBB template?[/quote]

This is in the Beyons book as well as the Never Peak Again template.

5

jim is it ok to add the shoulder press again on bench day with a higer rep range of course or is this too much especially if the military press is not a strong point or could this help the military press? wanted to know if I should exchange that once in a while so that in instead of doing like flat db neutral grip press as an assist ill do db seated presses for set of 10-15? so literally hitting the shoulders twice.

also same with the triceps close grip bench press for the main lift for a change to work more on triceps. while doing dips weighted for 4x10 on military press day?

thankyou!