On Jim’s website
[quote]biobohne wrote:
I am currently also doing the challenge, I really like it!
I was wondering, what kinds of strength gains did you manage to do? Did you check your 1RMs afterwards?[/quote]
Made strength gains in all of the lifts but my DL took 3-4 weeks to test as I was incredibly beat up, don’t read this as “overtrained”, peaking takes time after you’ve pushed yourself to reach your goal. Programming on my part made the challenge harder, I followed a 4 day routine of PRESS, SQUAT, BENCH, DL and I have switched up to PRESS, DL, BENCH, SQUAT. This keeps me much fresher through out the week and when I do this challenge again I’ll make sure to keep DL on the first or second day of lifting.
What I got out of the challenge the most was the incredible conditioning from the short rests on the volume sets, as a person who is already mentally tough this took me to a new level.
All and all, it’s a great intermediate+ challenge, I agree with Jim 100% that it is not for beginners.
Feel free to ask anymore questions as this has been my favorite of Jim’s challenges.
Thanks for the reply!
I agree that this challenge isnt something for beginners. I think that I am pretty much at the bare minimum for this challenge to be safe/make sense. My estimated 1RMs (havent checked in a while) are BP: 90 kg, DL: 150 kg, Squat:125 KG at around 77 KG, 175cm tall.I have started training consistently around 1 1/2 years ago.
I have to say though, from the first week until know I have already improved my technique on the tougher sets by so much.
As you can see I don’t do Presses. I had to stop doing them last year since they hurt my shoulders. I am just doing DB Presses now 5x8. So I am doing kind of a “light” version of the challenge, but I dont really care.
Today is going to be my last workout for the first 3 weeks. Looking forward to upping the weights next week, really curious how hard its going to be 
The biggest “problem” I have considering accumulating soreness is my lower back, I guess that was similar for you considering you DL situation.
I actually do Squat, BP, then DL. I find it really uncomfortable to Squat if my lower back is still sore from DLing.
Have you ever failed any reps during the challenge? I was wondering what I would do if I failed reps in the 5s progression?
Any other tips?
Is everyone doing BBS for all 4 major lifts?
[quote]biobohne wrote:
I actually do Squat, BP, then DL. I find it really uncomfortable to Squat if my lower back is still sore from DLing.
Have you ever failed any reps during the challenge? I was wondering what I would do if I failed reps in the 5s progression?
Any other tips?[/quote]
Your back should be beat up a lot less if you drop the standing OHP from the challenge. If your back is still too sore by Friday only training 3 days a week then it’s something you need to look into. The challenge is cool if it works for you but it can set you back if you’re not ready for it.
I never failed a 5s Progression rep with proper rest periods, if you do then you need to be honest with yourself and evaluate what you’re doing right and what shortcuts you’re taking.
Eat a lot, relax, stretch, and sleep a lot. Remember to eat, especially since you seem to be on the smaller side.
I realised that, for some reason, I had 20 and 10 lb progressions per month in my spreadsheet instead of 10 and 5… 
pretty retarded, I don’t know how I didn’t realise that from the beginning.
I don’t worry about failing the 5s progression anymore.
Concerning the lower back, I realise I wasn’t really clear in my previous post. I don’t really see it as a problem, I just ment that is something to keep an eye on.
I think my post made it sound worse than it is actually going 
I’ll still try to improve active recovery and might try to increase kcal to 3800 from 3500. I just bought some maltodextrose for my PW shake which might also help a little.
Thanks for taking the time!
I’m staring the first cycle of this challenge today. Just curious, what did some of you who have tried the program opt to do for your de-load week?
The challenge protocol on the website is a bit vague, beyond “choose your own de-load…no volume work, no BBS training.” Did you literally take a week off and just rest, or just do the face pulls and ab work with conditioning, absent the core lifts and assistance work w/volume?
I deloaded using week 8, warm up sets, 3x5 and was done and no dead lift
[quote]JR249 wrote:
I’m staring the first cycle of this challenge today. Just curious, what did some of you who have tried the program opt to do for your de-load week?
The challenge protocol on the website is a bit vague, beyond “choose your own de-load…no volume work, no BBS training.” Did you literally take a week off and just rest, or just do the face pulls and ab work with conditioning, absent the core lifts and assistance work w/volume?[/quote]
Someone asked me this earlier in this post and after some time to think about it I wouldn’t change my approach.
[quote]1. Deloaded as I usually do with the light sets(40%, 50%, 60%) and did some light pec, hamstring, lat, and arm work over the course of the week.
From what I gather the people who tend to lose a step coming back on a deload week are the ones that are either way overtrained or don’t do any type of stretching, cardio, and/or mobility on their week off. Try not to over think a deload week.[/quote]
Practice the lifts to stay grooved, stretch, cardio, mobility, etc.
[quote]Mike PVD wrote:
Someone asked me this earlier in this post and after some time to think about it I wouldn’t change my approach.
[quote]1. Deloaded as I usually do with the light sets(40%, 50%, 60%) and did some light pec, hamstring, lat, and arm work over the course of the week.
From what I gather the people who tend to lose a step coming back on a deload week are the ones that are either way overtrained or don’t do any type of stretching, cardio, and/or mobility on their week off. Try not to over think a deload week.[/quote]
Practice the lifts to stay grooved, stretch, cardio, mobility, etc.[/quote]
Thank you - I guess I missed that part of your post in the thread, hence the question.
I think this sounds like a sensible approach and ditches the volume work on the assistance, which is what Jim recommends for BBS, while sticking with the standard de-load work for 5/3/1 lifts that is prescribed for other templates, including BBB.