Did 2 Months of the 5-3-1 Program

Hey guys

I started the 5-3-1 program by wendler last month and am now going into my deload week of my 2nd month.

What do you guys think i should do after this deload week. I have a few options:

  1. Start another month of 5-3-1 (dont know if i am up to this)
  2. Do a few weeks of lower reps, then redo 5-3-1
  3. Anything else you can suggest?

When I say lower rep training, it is because i find on my last set of 5-3-1 I am getting at least 7-8 reps on upper body lifts, and 10+ reps on lower body lifts on my last set (the all out set). Is this how it’s supposed to be?

I did not test for “true” maxes on my lifts upon starting this program, but they were fairly accurate (within ~10 lbs).

What should I do from here?

Use your predicted maximum to estimate your 1RM. Then take 90% of that and use it for your next 5/3/1 cycle. You can use Wendler’s formula or one of the many 1RM formulae (for example, www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html). I expected to get about 3 (maybe even 5 at most) reps on my heavy days, I think if you’re getting more than that you need to increase the weight.

EDIT:

Since you’ve only done 2 months of 5/3/1, don’t be too hasty to bump up your working max. Remember you want to make steady progress.

Apparently you’re seeing success with it, no?

Any reason you want to stop even though you’re making gains?

OP: Add 10 pounds to the squat and dead. add 5 pounds to the bench and military press. keep doing the program. i dont really understand your question. did you even read the book? it explains this all. keep running it until you can’t add that 5 or 10 pounds after a cycle. and yes, the last set is meant to be an all out set- so those numbers aren’t out of the ordinary.

Sounds like your reps are about where they need to be. Just keep doing the program as designed, your reps will eventually get lower as weight goes up. If you keep progressing without them getting lower, even better.

Reread the 5/3/1 article and keep on following the program. If your max calculations were as accurate as you believe it should be a few more cycles before you need to worry about much.

Whatever you choose, I suggest that you stick with it longer than 2 months before switching.

Personally, I would stick with 5/3/1.

By keeping the rep schemes and exercises constant over time, 5/3/1 allows you to focus on one element of progression, load.

Jumping around to different programs and changing core exercises too often, makes it difficult to measure progress.

If you don’t like the core lifts, choose others.

If you get bored easily, play with the assistance exercises.

Just stay consistant and progress slowly but surely on your core lifts.

There may be programs that will get you better short term gains on one lift, but I am convinced that you will be far ahead of the game on all of your lifts, if you stick with 5/3/1 over the long haul.

The main reason I want to switch off the 5-3-1 is that I am losing the rush i originally got when i started doing the program.

I just feel less motivated and bored by doing the same workouts, every single week, varying the weight 10-15 pounds.

I understood the progressions in weight- i did add 5 lbs from my first to second cycle (10 for lower lifts). I just didn’t know if my reps were supposed to be that high.

At first the program was great and i was having the workout of my life every workout. The all out set was great. Now I just feel like “okay, another bench day. okay, another squat day.”

I will admit I did kind of tweak the program by adding in 2 back days (a vertical and horizontal pulling day). Its possible that i am just overtrained.

Mate what I would suggest that would differ from the lads here is to take 3 weeks after your deloading to attack the same muscle groups you use in ur 5/3/1 regiment from different angles ie ( INC BB BP for chest along with FLyes.

Leg presses and ham curls for thighs, etc…) this will strengthen your assisting muscle groups and yet give your muscle a fresh outlook and erasing your muscle memory allowing for overcompensation with your base groups when you go back to the 5/3/1
I reckon you should be using a 8/6/4 form similar to what you do in 5/3/1 just cut 15% of the 5/3/1 %ages

People throw out the word overtrained too often.

Overtrained is a totally shitty shitty feeling where you can’t sleep, you lack all motivation (not just for workouts), your appetite is gone, etc etc.

It’s a lot worse than just feeling bored with a workout.

You need to decide if you want to stick with the program because you’re still seeing gains, or get off it because you’re bored with it. Simple as that.

[quote]ridethecliche wrote:
People through out the word overtrained too often.

Overtrained is a totally shitty shitty feeling where you can’t sleep, you lack all motivation (not just for workouts), your appetite is gone, etc etc.

It’s a lot worse than just feeling bored with a workout.

You need to decide if you want to stick with the program because you’re still seeing gains, or get off it because you’re bored with it. Simple as that.[/quote]

Everything you mentioned holds true to me. I’ve been tired for the past 2 weeks every day. Today I didnt get out of bed until 2:30. My appetite is shot. I used to wake up and eat 6 eggs and a waffle for breakfast and more because i was hungry. Then 3 hours later I would eat more. I was drinking a gallon or more of water a day.

Lately I wake up and dont want to eat breakfast. I can’t hold nearly as much water down without feeling bloated and sick. When I eat breakfast, I’m not hungry again until 6 hours later, after I have trained.

It is my light week so maybe I am supposed to feel like this. Maybe instead of training 6 days a week I should only train 4 during my next month. I can combine my vertical pulling and horizontal pushing, and my horizontal pulling with my vertical pushing. I just feel like at the gym i’m in this rut with zero motivation to push myself. I was doing pull ups yesterday and it was a joke. I was did like 8 and was just like “okay i’m done whatever”. Totally care-free. I did a set with 45 attached and on my last rep i felt like i was doing a set of 90. I used to go into pull ups days totally psyched to do them. Now its just another day in the gym.

You’re doing a strength training program, not a cardio/endurance program. You see as many gains out of the gym as you see in the gym. Recovery isn’t something that happens overnight.

You’ll do your body more good by going in 3-4 days a week instead of 6. Holy crap I can’t even imagine lifting hard 6 days a week. Endurance training, sure I can do that 7 days a week. Hell, I love doing that 7 days a week. Recovery weeks just mean less training for that.

This, however, is a different beast. You’ll do better if you accept that.

[quote]TomRocco wrote:

[quote]ridethecliche wrote:
People through out the word overtrained too often.

Overtrained is a totally shitty shitty feeling where you can’t sleep, you lack all motivation (not just for workouts), your appetite is gone, etc etc.

It’s a lot worse than just feeling bored with a workout.

You need to decide if you want to stick with the program because you’re still seeing gains, or get off it because you’re bored with it. Simple as that.[/quote]

Everything you mentioned holds true to me. I’ve been tired for the past 2 weeks every day. Today I didnt get out of bed until 2:30. My appetite is shot. I used to wake up and eat 6 eggs and a waffle for breakfast and more because i was hungry. Then 3 hours later I would eat more. I was drinking a gallon or more of water a day.

Lately I wake up and dont want to eat breakfast. I can’t hold nearly as much water down without feeling bloated and sick. When I eat breakfast, I’m not hungry again until 6 hours later, after I have trained.

It is my light week so maybe I am supposed to feel like this. Maybe instead of training 6 days a week I should only train 4 during my next month. I can combine my vertical pulling and horizontal pushing, and my horizontal pulling with my vertical pushing. I just feel like at the gym i’m in this rut with zero motivation to push myself. I was doing pull ups yesterday and it was a joke. I was did like 8 and was just like “okay i’m done whatever”. Totally care-free. I did a set with 45 attached and on my last rep i felt like i was doing a set of 90. I used to go into pull ups days totally psyched to do them. Now its just another day in the gym.
[/quote]

Its meant to be done 3-4x per week.

Why are you working out 6 days a week?

5/3/1 is setup with 3-4 days to satisfy your 3-4 lifts. The focus is on the main movement and not blowing your wad on the accessory work.

I think you should reread 5/3/1 because you are not following the same program…

I modified the 5-3-1 program to make it more of a “bodybuilder” set up. I did shoulders and accessory work for shoulders, then i added 2 days of back training. Chest was bench and bench accessory work. Legs were DL’s and squats then 1-2 more exercises.

5-3-1 is not a bodybuilding program. If you want to BB don’t do 5-3-1. It’s made to build raw strength in a simple manner. No wonder your body is so worn down.

This is what happens when you decide that you’re oh so much smarter than the people whose program you’re using.

If you’re doing 6 workouts a week, you’re not doing 5-3-1, you’re doing your own thing. You’re bastardizing it and then you wonder what’s off.

Hmm…

Don’t disassemble programs until you have more experience with auto regulation.

i thought 09-10’s were the ones to look out for…

not 05’s !?