[quote]some_dude wrote:
Nope.[/quote]
So perhaps the key is to keep the 5/3/1 original format, and just cycle the intensities/assistance.
I’m going to start officially recording 1,3,5,10 rep max for all 4 lifts. This should help me stay accountable. Thank you to who brought this up on the first page.
I will stop chasing the est 1RM. That will get you burnt out.
Are many of you using jokers frequently? Some_dude, what’s your current setup?
[quote]IronOne wrote:
So perhaps the key is to keep the 5/3/1 original format, and just cycle the intensities/assistance.
Are many of you using jokers frequently? Some_dude, what’s your current setup? [/quote]
Learn to manupulate intensity, volume and frequency to achieve your goals. I typically spend a couple months doing higher volume/lower intensity (5’s progression, more FSL, more assistance, no jokers or rep PRs) followed by a few months of moderate intensity/moderate volume (3/5/1 with rep PRs on the 3 and 1 weeks, SSL, no jokers). Lastly, I’ll cap this off with a month or two of high intensity/low volume (3/5/1 with rep PRs and a single joker at 100% TM on 3 and 1 weeks, minimal assistance). After this last couple months I do a 5/2 reset and start the whole process over.
As for what I’m doing, a month ago I reset my TM 2 cycles and I’m focusing on building mass this Jan/Feb:
Mon
Squat - 5’s Pro, top set 5x5
Press - 5’s Pro, FSL AMRAP
Chin-ups - 5 sets of 10-20 reps
Face Pull - 5 sets of 10-20 reps
Dips - 5 sets of 10-20 reps
Tue
Conditioning
Wed
Deadlift - 5’s Pro, top set 5x3
Bench - 5’s Pro, top set 5x5
Rows - 5 sets of 10-20 reps
Curls - 5 sets of 10-20 reps
Thu
Conditioning
Fri
Squat - 5’s Pro, 20 rep drop set @ 50%
Press - 10 sets of 5 reps @ 70%
Chins - Weighted 5x5
Face Pull - 5 sets of 10-20 reps
Shrugs - 5 sets of 10-20 reps
Sat
Conditioning
[quote]tsantos wrote:
The real trick comes in resetting before you need to as that is the real ego basher.
My experience:
Rinse repeat.[/quote]
wow! you’ve been reading my training log?!
Hey some_dude,
I just came off 2 cycles of SSL. First cycle fine, second cycle I started feeling really banged up and in the end I changed from 5x5 to 3x5 and that helped a lot. Perhaps it’s because I was using 5s pro (so I assume they TM wasn’t too heavy as I hit all reps).
How do you come out of those SSL cycles and how do you structure it?
Honestly, every time I do it I do it different. Like most here I’m constantly seeking that perfect template, so I’m always experimenting. I normally do FSL or SSL as a 3x8 since I can bang out three sets faster than five… This is my first time doing a 5x5 in two years and so far I’m liking the results.
On the topic of feeling beat up, this time around I’m experimenting with going back to deloading every cycle instead of after six weeks (next week is my deload). It’s also the first time I’ve tried 5/3/1 full-body and so far I’m liking the recovery day between each session. I’m definetly having more good training days than bad on this template. One thing to factor in is that I’m 37 and I don’t seem to be able to take the abuse I could take even two or three years ago, so I’m becoming more cautious with my training.
I don’t know if any of that answered your question or not, but that’s where I’m at currently.
some_dude, sincere thanks for your posts on this thread and others in the forum. You’ve been a big help in getting my mind in he right place as I get ready to start my first 5/3/1 cycle.
I used 5/3/1 last year for a number of months, tested my 1RM on Deadlift and found it to be 205. (In 2010 I had pulled 230). 5/3/1 got me back to 222.5 after a couple of months based on aiming for 2-3 reps on the 1+ sets, keeping some in the bank every time. The same was true for Bench Press (110 to 127.5) On my squat, I stalled at 190 (started at 180)
I’ve come back to it again after a few weeks off, then GVT training, and only last night, 8 weeks in to 5/3/1 again, I managed 2 solid reps at 190kg on the back squat. Quite prepared to see one rep at 195 on the next cycle, then possibly 195x2 on the one after that.
In the past I have tried to add weight on the last session (5/3/1+), even if it’s just 2.5kg, and I’ve fallen foul. I’m playing the long game now, ready to wait for my 1RMs to creep up, keeping technique solid.
[quote]some_dude wrote:
Honestly, every time I do it I do it different. Like most here I’m constantly seeking that perfect template, so I’m always experimenting. I normally do FSL or SSL as a 3x8 since I can bang out three sets faster than five… This is my first time doing a 5x5 in two years and so far I’m liking the results.
On the topic of feeling beat up, this time around I’m experimenting with going back to deloading every cycle instead of after six weeks (next week is my deload). It’s also the first time I’ve tried 5/3/1 full-body and so far I’m liking the recovery day between each session. I’m definetly having more good training days than bad on this template. One thing to factor in is that I’m 37 and I don’t seem to be able to take the abuse I could take even two or three years ago, so I’m becoming more cautious with my training.
I don’t know if any of that answered your question or not, but that’s where I’m at currently. [/quote]
Cool, thanks for your insights. I think a deload in between cycles probably would have done the trick