Beyond 5/3/1: Training Maximally

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

I pretty much swore off forums a couple years ago but maybe we can all be adults and get something out of this. I’ve benefited a great deal from the information in Jim’s books so I look forward to his contributions here.

To anyone who hasn’t read Beyond 5/3/1, I can tell you it’s a good book and has helped me. I picked it up the day it came out, since I have the other 5/3/1 books and why the hell not, but my expectations weren’t terribly high because the 5/3/1 program is pretty straightforward and only so much can be said about it.

What I didn’t expect was the craft that went into putting this together, and the wealth of training strategies it contains. I have been using the 'Beyond 5/3/1: Training Maximally" system since June, and the results have been eye-opening. Specifically, I’ve exceeded lifetime PRs (set at heavier bodyweights) in every lift, in several rep ranges.

Squat:
410x5 to 415x5
430x3 to 445x3
480x1 to 500x1

Bench:
290x5 to 300x5
305x3 to 315x3
335x1 to 355x1

Deadlift:
455x5 to 480x5
480x3 to 535x3
555x1 to 580x1

Did these at around 210, haven’t gained more than a couple pounds since starting. To me, this is good progress for someone who’s been lifting for nearly a decade like I have, and the PRs keep falling.

I also spent plenty of time with the original 5/3/1 a couple years ago when I returned to lifting after a lengthy hiatus, and it served me well, so I have a fondness for this training.

I’m starting this thread both to thank Jim for his latest work, and to see what other people who’ve adopted the new system have done. One of its strengths as I see it is its adaptability; even more than the original 5/3/1 you can take things in any of a number of directions based on what you need.

2

Great progress. Do you prefer the beyond 5/3/1 template to the original (I am assuming we are talking about triumvirate as being the original)?

3

[quote]Ramo wrote:
I pretty much swore off forums a couple years ago but maybe we can all be adults and get something out of this. I’ve benefited a great deal from the information in Jim’s books so I look forward to his contributions here.

To anyone who hasn’t read Beyond 5/3/1, I can tell you it’s a good book and has helped me. I picked it up the day it came out, since I have the other 5/3/1 books and why the hell not, but my expectations weren’t terribly high because the 5/3/1 program is pretty straightforward and only so much can be said about it.

What I didn’t expect was the craft that went into putting this together, and the wealth of training strategies it contains. I have been using the 'Beyond 5/3/1: Training Maximally" system since June, and the results have been eye-opening. Specifically, I’ve exceeded lifetime PRs (set at heavier bodyweights) in every lift, in several rep ranges.

Squat:
410x5 to 415x5
430x3 to 445x3
480x1 to 500x1

Bench:
290x5 to 300x5
305x3 to 315x3
335x1 to 355x1

Deadlift:
455x5 to 480x5
480x3 to 535x3
555x1 to 580x1

Did these at around 210, haven’t gained more than a couple pounds since starting. To me, this is good progress for someone who’s been lifting for nearly a decade like I have, and the PRs keep falling.

I also spent plenty of time with the original 5/3/1 a couple years ago when I returned to lifting after a lengthy hiatus, and it served me well, so I have a fondness for this training.

I’m starting this thread both to thank Jim for his latest work, and to see what other people who’ve adopted the new system have done. One of its strengths as I see it is its adaptability; even more than the original 5/3/1 you can take things in any of a number of directions based on what you need. [/quote]

Thanks - I appreciate it.

4

[quote]trivium wrote:
Great progress. Do you prefer the beyond 5/3/1 template to the original (I am assuming we are talking about triumvirate as being the original)?[/quote]

I’d say I prefer it for where I’m at right now, but at the time I used the original I needed something a little more hard-coded since I didn’t really know what I was doing. I just did the BBB like everyone else and it worked.

The thing about the beyond is that the only thing written in stone is you’re going to work up to the TMx1. Anything beyond that, whether a rep PR, jokers, assistance, whatever is up to you, so you have to be comfortable making your own training decisions. So obviously not as suitable for a newer lifter or somebody who’s uncomfortable having that level of responsibility for their training, but it’s been really effective for me.

5

Hey Jim I wanted to start using your beyond 5/3/1 training maximally system from your book. It says to increase the training maxes every 3 weeks, but the templates shown were for hitting each lift once a week. If I were to set up my training schedule to hit some lifts twice a week, would I be able to just increase the max after every time I’ve trained that lift three times?

6

[quote]andy7411 wrote:
Hey Jim I wanted to start using your beyond 5/3/1 training maximally system from your book. It says to increase the training maxes every 3 weeks, but the templates shown were for hitting each lift once a week. If I were to set up my training schedule to hit some lifts twice a week, would I be able to just increase the max after every time I’ve trained that lift three times?[/quote]

This is not a good idea. Remember the 4 basic principles of the 5/3/1 program? It’s not about sets/reps, it is about principles.