Beyond 5/3/1 Frequency Question

Training 5/3/1
1

First off, thank you Jim. 531 has been the best thing a have come across in my years of training. Quality time spent under the bar and it shows in my progress.

Next I’m going to do the 531 1.1 to 1.4 and beyond programs you have writen on T-Nation. Problem is that the work I do doesn’t fit to the traditional 7 day week, or even the 24 hour day. For security reasons I can’t say what I do. Half the days I have more time than I can spend and the other half I work anywhere to 20 hours per day. My question is how to set up the beyond programs to my ‘typical’ work week, which usually runs 10 days long.

I’ve found in the past few years that my body can’t handle training on the days I work. Little to no sleep makes recovery a bitch.

Option A

day1 - Train / Moday workout week1
day2 - agile8 and weigted west
day3 - Train / Wednesday workout week1
day4 - agile8 and weigted west
day5 - Train / Friday workout week1
day6 - work
day7 - work
day8 - Train / Moday workout week2
day9 - work
day10 - work
day11 - Train / Wednesday workout week2
day12 - agile8 and weigted west
day13 - Train / Friday workout week2
day14 - agile8 and weigted west
day15 - Train / Monday workout week3
day16 - work
day17 - work
day18 - Train / Wednesday workout week3
day19 - work
day20 - work

and so on

Or option B

day1 - Train / Moday workout week1
day2 - agile8 and weigted west
day3 - Train / Wednesday workout week1
day4 - agile8 and weigted west
day5 - Train / Friday workout week1
day6 - work
day7 - work
day8 - Hard conditioning, sprints, barbell complexes ect.
day9 - work
day10 - work
day11 - Train / Monday workput week2
day12 - agile8 and weigted west
day13 - Train / Wednesday workout week2
day14 - agile8 and weigted west
day15 - Train / Friday workout week2
day16 - work
day17 - work
day18 - Hard conditioning, sprints, barbell complexes ect.
day19 - work
day20 - work

and so on

2

I know I just wrote an article on the mythical need to fit everything in 7 days. I have no idea where it was. Anyway, don’t worry about fitting your training into 7 days. Fit it into what YOU can handle and commit to (also in Beyond book).

Anything can work provided you believe and commit to it.

3

I also like the first option better.

Good luck.

4

You may also look into A/B programs/templates OR using the Never Peak Again program.

5

The first option it is. The workouts in between my work days ain’t going to be awesome most times but those sessions are not about demonstrating strenght, they are about hard work and doing what is needed to make me stronger in the long run. I have been reading a lot of Paul Carters stuff lately. Your writing and Paul’s have really made sense and thaught me a ton of knowldge about training.

I’ve ran the BBB template in the past with squats 531/ deadlift 5x10, 5x5 ect and found that A/B teplates work for me as long as I keep an eye on recovery. The never peak again template has crossed my mind and I will look into it. Right now I need something that I haven’t tried before, a well planned and well laid out challenge. The beyond programs feel like just the thing I need right now. Thank you Jim.