Hey guys, and Jim if you read this, my question is on assistance work. I have Beyond 5/3/1, I love it, and if you guys recommend any other 5/3/1 books I would definitely get them ( Is 5/3/1 forever worth once I already have the latest?), anyways, theres so much information on assistance work I’m confused about the best way. Does it work better to do 5 sets of 10 like this? 100x10 110x10 120x10 130x10 140x10? Like working up to a topset? Or just doing straight sets (140x10x5 sets). Its hard sometimes to maintain all the reps for that.
Also, do you guys find it better to alternate assistance work with the opposite days (such as do 5x10 bench press on the OHP day and the 5x10 OHP on the bench day. Or do you find it better to put them all on the same day?)
Anyways, 5/3/1 is always my go to program when I feel so overwhelmed with how much information is available so thank you Jim for providing a simple and effective program to do.
Also (sorry for so many questions) on assistance for lower body do you guys find it more effective to do 5x10 deadlifts and 5x10 squats or do you feel like that’s too much squatting and deadlifting, is it better do assistance such as Glute ham raises and leg press or single leg work?
Just curious on what works better for you guys
Forever is the latest book. If you’re that lost on how to do assistance work, you’d benefit from getting Forever. Everything is explained in great detail.
1 Like
I answered this in the 5/3/1 book (1st and 2nd edition). It doesn’t matter.
Also, do you guys find it better to alternate assistance work with the opposite days (such as do 5x10 bench press on the OHP day and the 5x10 OHP on the bench day. Or do you find it better to put them all on the same day?)
Do them on the same day - works infinitely better. We also qualified all the parts of training - so what you are referring to is “supplemental” work, not assistance. This helps people better plan and organize their training and also helps me with we share the same language.
Also (sorry for so many questions) on assistance for lower body do you guys find it more effective to do 5x10 deadlifts and 5x10 squats or do you feel like that’s too much squatting and deadlifting, is it better do assistance such as Glute ham raises and leg press or single leg work?
There is no “better”, just different. Just like a screwdriver is different than a saw - different tools for different jobs.
I think buying Forever will clarify everything you could ever want to know.
I think you are mistaken about what is called “assistance” in 531 workouts. Assistance is something like: 50-100 reps of push. So, you might accomplish this by doing 5x15 dips, or 5x10 dumb bell presses. The goal of assistance is to get reps in, not worry about working up to topsets or anything like that. That is for the main work, using 531 percentages. The assistance is simply to “assist” in building strength and performance.
Example for today’s workout:
I will be doing 5x10 dumb bell squats, 5x10 bodyweight rows, and 5x20 tricep pushdowns as assistance to my 531 bench press day. These will be interspersed between the main sets, and after I complete the main sets, I will then do 5x5 FSL of the bench press.
1 Like