Hi everyone.First to say that English is not my first language so I apologize if I write something wrong.
I love 531 especialy bbb and bbs(maybe because I have small home gym with only barbells and pull up bar)but with my new job and birth of my first child I have trouble recovering from much less work than bbb.Last year I had 200 kg deadlift and now 130 is my max at rpe 12.
My son is 11 months old and weights 25 lbs.When I come from work I have trouble lifting him from the ground.Its just depressing.I was planing to start with only 2 workouts a week and because I love to focus on one lift a day it would be squat and bench one week and deadlift and ohp other week.Maybe oposite lift after main work and lower body on sunday because what I can lift for 5 reps on sunday I cant muve on thursday.My question is this.What is bare minimum for something like this to work in terms of volume and intensity.I tried full body twice a week but my lower back isnt there on working days.Maybe fsl 5x5 on squat and deadlift but is it enough with such a low frequency.I can do more with bench and ohp.My goals are to continue getting bigger and stronger.Thanks everyone.
I would just do this if recovery is an issue. Just do the main lift and follow up with FSL for 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps depending on how you feel that day. Then do some assistance.
The cool part of this set up is you don’t necessarily have to deload. Also you could look up Training for Mr. Gray Pubes in 5/3/1 2nd edition. Not to call you old, but its a program geared towards those where recovery could be an issue.
Recovery is the issue.My problem is that I always overdo things.Not just at training but at work to.I am 36 but I feel 50.I have beyond book but I will do what you recomended.Main work than 5x5 fsl than some assistance.I think that biggest problem with this setup could be mental because my form is solid and I dont need much practise only consistency.Thanks four your reply.
I can really feel your pain, as 27yo father of a 2yo, but I feel 40 sometimes.
2x a week has worked for me, for squat/dead I don’t go for PR reps always, and I don’t do any extra sets like FSL for those 2 lifts.
I have programmed alternating squat and pulls and bench and press weekly with good results. I have the habit of pushing further in my sessions, than my recovery allows. I’m back to total body sessions but have cut volume way back. Squats and deadlifts are up to a top set of 5, sometimes an AMRAP, no other supplemental or assistance of the same movement pattern for those lifts, other than maybe kettlebell swings, back raises, cleans, etc. Pressing is either an AMRAP, with dumbell assistance, bodybuilding type isolation movements or FSL rest-pause.
If recovery’s the issue, try the 2x2x2 set-up from Beyond or Option 2 for the twice a week training from 2nd Edition (pretty much the same thing – think BBB but with an extra 5x10 assistance lift). I’ve been following it for a few months and I’ve made more size and strength gains than I have in years. Nothing revolutionary, but good, steady progress with less daily stress. Hadn’t realized how much recovery was an issue for me until I made the switch. Having two days rest after press and bench and three days rest after squats and deads has really worked well. Hope you find what works for you.
I like the two days per week program Wendler mentions in the 5/3/1 Reloaded article. But I train in my shed and don’t have access to a leg press machine. Which is fine because I really like power cleans so I put them in on both lower body days. Obviously not a direct replacement for a leg press, but it fills the gap. Dumbbell Press gets swapped with incline dumbbell press, safety squat bar = front squat, bicep curls = inverted row. At this point it’s me doing my own thing based on something Wendler suggests.
I thinking of doing this for as many cycles as progress dictates and then using the rest-pause/dogg crapp plan with some changes. Two days a week works for me because even when time isn’t an issue, I much prefer being able to miss doing something more often than getting sick of it. Plus using the rest of the time to focus on cardio and mobility is nice.
Yea, progress is definitely possible with two day a week sessions, despite what you read these days. It can be a huge leap of faith, but once you start listening to your body, rather than all the bullshit online and mags, you are liable to question why you haven’t made the switch long ago. It’s not much more complicated, than listening to your body and tracking PR’s. Here’s another article I stumbled across, that influenced my switch.
“Every Other Week Squatting and Deadlifting - By JPS”. That one can be found on Paul Carter’s original blog.
I’d imagine if someone is in a hurry to achieve a specific result for a specific date then higher frequency is very appropriate. But for me, I just want to be a little bit better each year and enjoy doing this until I no longer can.
I liked the looks of “Training templates that kick ass” but I dont have SSB or football bar for bench and ohp.Like I sead before it will be mental thing to make something like this work.I bought all that "high frequency is the only way for naturals"hype.