BBB Challenge: 3 Days/wk? Same Lift or Opposite Lift BBB?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Coaching
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Couple of questions regarding the 13 week BBB challenge;

  1. Not really a question, I guess, but between work and life schedule I cannot swing 4 gym sessions/ week, also given I turn 50 in May I think my recovery would not be there. So, any issues doing 3/week and pushing 13 weeks to 15, beyond taking two weeks longer?
  2. In Beyond there are two BBB options; same lift 5/3/1 & BBB and opposite lift & BBB, anyone run this challenge in this manner; SQ & BP and DL & OHP, alternating 5/3/1 & BBB on gyms days?

Thanks

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I’m 54 and have just finished my third cycle of BBB (FSL) (9 weeks so far). I do conditioning work and although it’s hard I also superset everything I can because I can only spend so much time in the gym. Short answer is, if you’re healthy you can work up to whatever level you choose to. I haven’t tried the opposite lift scenario with 5/3/1, although I did with nSuns 531 mid last year. My personal preference is not doing them opposite.

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Challenge and templates are different.

Choose one.

If you choose challenge, do it as is or not at all.

Look at the 3 days template.

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When I tried BBB I did them as opposite, left me wondering if I’d completely recovered for when I got to that lifts work sets. I.e if I did bench, with bbb press on Monday, I still felt a bit tired on my press on Thursday. Next time I’ll try I’ll go with the same lift and use the assistance to address the unused muscles. Thinking of doing plate front raises on bench day but not sure if that’s any good?

When I recently calculated total weight lifted for BBB it was massive, way more than any other protocol I’ve seen. I like it, very time efficient.