5s PRO Volume + Assistance

Bigger Stronger Leaner Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Coaching
1

Hello,

I just finished the second week of a 5s PRO cycle after reading the books and a lot online and want to be sure I am doing things right without too much or too little work before I keep it going.

Here is the leader, which I was planning to do for 2-3 cycles:

Day 1:
a) Squat 5s PRO, 5x5 80-85%
b) Bench 5s PRO, 5x5 80-85%
c) Pullups/Dips SS - 4x10
d) T-Bar Row/Back Extension SS - 4x10
e) Face Pull/Cable Crunch SS - 4x10

Day 2:
a) Deadlift 5s PRO, 5x5 80-85%
b) OHP 5s PRO, 5x5 80-85%
c) Incline DB Bench/Bulgarian DB Split Squats SS - 4x10
d) Tricep Pushdown/Face Pull SS - 4x10
e) Hanging Leg Raise/Fixed Bar Curl - 4x10

Day 3:
a) Bench 5s PRO, 5x5 80-85%
b) Squat 5x PRO, 5x5 80-85%
c) Incline Barbell bench/Chins SS - 4x10
d) Standing DB OHP/GHR SS - 4x10
e) Cable crunch/Face Pull SS - 4x10

Then I would do the anchor of:
Day 1:
a) Squat 531 with PR sets, 5x5 FSL
b) Bench 531 with PR sets, 5x5 FSL
(Same assistance as above)

Day 2:
a) Deadlift 531 with PR sets, 5x5 FSL
b) OHP 531 with PR sets, 5x5 FSL
(Same assistance as above)

Day 3:
a) Bench 531 with PR sets, 5x5 FSL
b) OHP 531 with PR sets, 5x5 FSL
(Same assistance as above)

All with conditioning as recommend as well.

One of the posts here I ready is sort of what I was looking to emulate: 5s Pro Full Body A/B Workouts

I know how Jim says not to major in the minors and whatnot, and I want to be sure I am not doing too much. These first two weeks have felt just fine, they have been great workouts.

About me:
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Height: 5’7"
Weight: 150lbs (was 215 and fat about 1.5 years ago, dropped to 134, started climbing up)

Most recent 1RM tests (about 2 months ago):
Squat: 225 (was ignored a long time so it is catching up still)
Bench: 200
Deadlift: 350
OHP: 125

2

One question and one unqualified opinion:

Why are you using 80-85% for the 5x5 supplemental instead of the regularly recommended standard FSL - putting you at 65-75% for that. I don’t claim to have all the material memorized, but IIRC there were only advanced programs that used higher percentages for the supplemental work. If you’re hell bent on these percentages, make double damned sure your TMs are dialed in to reflect that.

Your assistance could and should be economized as there’s a lot of redundancies. For each workout choose a push, a pull and a core/single leg. That’s nine different movements per week so you still get a good variety that you seem to be looking for. As an aside, I don’t count face pulls or band pull aparts as a pull lift - I treat them as pre-hab/mobility even though I perform those at the same time as my other assistance.

3

I would run it like his:

Cycles 1 and 2 - Leader

Main - 5’s PRO
Supplemental - 5x5 FSL
Assistance - push/pull/core. One movement. 25-50 reps per movement

Deload as per 7th week protocol

Cycle 3 - Anchor

Main - 5/3/1 with PRs for the top set
Supplemental - 3x5
Assistance - push/pull/core. One movement. 50-100 reps per movement

TM test

4

I decided to try the 80-85% since I initially really liked the idea in the Full Body 1000% awesome entry in the Forever book. I did drop my TMs down a few pegs before starting on this path, but if FSL might see better improvements I will switch to that.

I will also make an adjustment to the assistance, I did want variety as you noticed, but got to thinking it was too much since nothing I have seen had so many assistance exercises. I can choose different ones per day, right? From a frequency perspective that should be fine to be sure to get all the muscle groups and avoid imbalances? Though I guess as I see that happen I can just change the assistance as I see fit per cycle. I will go back through the list in the book and just pick one of each for a 5x10 and throw FacePulls as a thing to do without counting towards the pull.

5

If you want to use heavier supplemental work, it’s (remarkably) in the Forever book. It’s called SSL. When doing SSL, drop the assistance to 25-50 and PLEASE follow the assistance “rules”. After that, you can morph into PR sets and (possibly) 25 total reps @ FSL (just as someone above suggested).
Also, the program suggested above is also very solid.

6

Hi Jim,

I will go with the suggestion above! Thank you and kez56 for the input! Hopefully this one looks more appropriate.

I will do it like this:

2x Leaders of -
Day1:
a) Squat 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL
b) Bench 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL
c) Push/Pull/SL or Core from book 3x10-12

Day2:
a) Deadlift 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL
b) OHP 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL
c) Push/Pull/SL or Core from book 3x10-12

Day3:
a) Bench 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL
b) Squat 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL
c) Push/Pull/SL or Core from book 3x10-12

Then I will do the 7th week deload from the book testing up to a single 100% of my TM.

Then an anchor of -
Day1:
a) Squat 531, 3x5 FSL
b) Bench 531, 3x5 FSL
c) Push/Pull/SL or Core from book 5x10

Day2:
a) Deadlift 531, 3x5 FSL
b) OHP 531, 3x5 FSL
c) Push/Pull/SL or Core from book 5x10

Day3:
a) Bench 531, 3x5 FSL
b) Squat 531, 3x5 FSL
c) Push/Pull/SL or Core from book 5x10

(Is the 3x5 also FSL? I am looking through the book but can’t find if it is a specific %)

Then the 7th week TM test from the book, followed by new cycles.

(Sidenote: Can I add a 3x10 of FacePulls and maybe a cable crunch at the end of each workout if I am feeling good?)

7

What Jim said

For the leader 5x5 FSL is not usually enough so do BBB @ FSL or 5x5 @ SSL. I personally added a cycle where I do 5x8 at a % weight in-between those 2. Then on anchor do whatever followed by 5x5 FSL, this gets you extra volume at a slightly less difficultly because PR sets might drain you a bit.