Arnold Press-----------14Kgs
BOR--------------------60Kgs
SLDL-------------------75Kgs
Skull--------------------10Kgs
Landmine---------------50Kgs
I am currently training for 2 days/week so I would like to run 531 for 2 days as well
I also take part of 2 spinning sessions per week, profiles vary from strength, interval and endurance so I would call it a HIIT normally each session.
Now I need your advice on what are my options with 531:
1 - Run BBB for 2 days (using supplemental sets 5x10 or FSL 5x5) ?
2 - Do my numbers qualify me for BBB or instead run 531 for Beginners?
3 - Which 2 days/week variant should I follow?
4 - I always felt that my lower body is my strength but I lack a lot in my upper body, how to address this in assistance work?
5 - I never did dips and chinups (pullups) so I would lack much hitting high reps (25 reps each I guess as stated) what should I do? should I work my way up slowly each workout or complete 50 reps with other exercises?
fair to mention that I am currently on a cut doing Keto, but due to many resets on GSLP during last 3 months of Keto I am willing to get off keto for the gains to come
I am 176cm and weigh 73.5Kgs so I guess it is time to bulk but I need to figure out which route to take on 531
Squat
Bench
Back Raises - 50 total reps
Dips - 50 total reps
Chins - 50 total reps
Wednesday
Deadlift
Press
DB incline Press - 50 total reps
DB Rows - 50 total reps
Ab wheel - 50 total reps
if I see that I need more volume on big lifts I will incorporate BBB sets or FSL 5*5 and tune down the assistance work, would that be ok?
No - you need to have someone completely write your programs for you. The above example you gave is not good; there is so much overlap and fluff. If you decide to do BBB or FSL, please come back and ask.
It is a new routine for me and you point it out perfectly I suck at writing programs so there is the confusion.
I decided to do BBB sets as I feel FSL is too much now while I am starting this routine so if I understand correctly, my program should look like this
Monday
Squat 531 then BBB 50% then 60% then 70%
Bench 531 then BBB 50% then 60% then 70%
Back Raises - 50 total reps
Dips - 50 total reps
Chins - 50 total reps
Wednesday
Deadlift 531 then BBB 50% then 60% then 70%
Press 531 then BBB 50% then 60% then 70%
DB incline Press - 50 total reps
DB Rows - 50 total reps
Ab wheel - 50 total reps
Is that correct?
Can I switch to FSL after the first 2 cycles instead of BBB sets?
I have another issue here which I hardly do 3 chinups in a row, how I am going to do 50 of them ???
I guess that also applies to Dips
If you are asking this, its a pretty good indicator that you are not ready to run BBB.
If you are on a caloric deficit, its also a sign you shouldn’t be running BBB.
I would say that since you have so many questions are aren’t sure which route to take, and you are new to 531, you should probably simplify your training.
I highly recommend you just run the base program, and follow something like The Triumvirate for assistance. That is how you will get to learn how the program works. See how you progress, then slowly add stuff in. If you are training 2 days a week either do two main lifts a day, or one main lift a day and extend your microcycle to 2 weeks. If you don’t get at least 5 reps on your “1+” set, your Training Max is too high.
Make sure your Training Max is set correctly, and leave a couple reps left in the tank on your PR sets the vast majority of the time.
After your comment I went back to the book and read about Triumvirate and I highly agree that what you recommend is very helpful
I guess i will just add 2 main lifts per day just not to extend the cycle too much but for now I won’t add BBB or FSL sets
Another concern i have which is what if i can’t do all reps for assistance work like in my case chinups, dips and hanging legs raises, what shall I do then??
Cause I never did them during my 1.5-2 years of lifting, pretty stupid I know but this is the case, I will definitely push hard to do them but in case I failed or had a bad day what are my other options? another similar training to complete required reps ??
I see your intro. I saw you’d been training for 2 years and assumed you could complete the exercises, barring injuries.
If you genuinely can’t do the full 50, do as many as you reasonably can, adding reps every week until you can, or sub out for similar movements. Fat man pull ups/press ups/leg raises in a captain’s chair. Make sure to keep every set submaximal. In my n=1 experience, once you hit failure at pull ups, your performance on subsequent sets will be badly affected. How many pull ups/dips/leg raises can you do In a single set?
Press up is a press up or push up. The way I formatted my post may have confused you.
Fat man pull up is often called an inverted row. Google can point you in the right direction
Hanging leg raises can be subbed for all sorts of an exercises but try to pick ones where you won’t cheat. Using the “power tower” to do leg raises like that would be the next best option to my mind.
I had trouble getting two days a week to work for me. I moved back to three days and the beyond 1.1 & 1.2 programme, that’s on this site. That worked really well.
I realised that I was chasing the weight and using bad form. The 5*5@75% really helped me improve. And some honest reflection on technique.
I think I could now get two days a week to work but I have a better handle on what volume I need and how to approach my weaknesses. Looking back I was to narrowly experienced on SS.