Taking a break off of 531 for a while (holidays, different gym with very few small plates, need a break from PR sets). Doing a double progression patterned after @isdatnutty beginner program.
Day 1
Squats 5x4-6 ss band pullaparts
Bench Press 5x4-6 ss BB Row
Triceps Extension, Decline crunches
Day 2
Deadlift 5x3-5 ss Pushups
OHP 5x4-6 ss chin up
Curls/Ab rollout
Squats - 205x6 5 sets ss band pullaparts
Bench 135x6 5 sets ss BB Row same weight
Tricep standing press, crunches
Took me a bit longer than doing 531. Will have to work on cutting the rest time a little bit.
Can always do 5s PRO for a few cycles.
Yeah, I’ll probably do that next year. What kind of supplemental work do you think works best for 2-day per week?
That depends on the rest of your set up really. In my opinion, you can put slightly more volume per session if you’re only going twice a week. The price you pay is that you only get to go twice a week. But supplemental and assistance just needs to support your goals and hit weaknesses. With 2 days a week, it will also need to be laser focused since you only have 2 sessions a week to fit everything in.
My most successful template for 2 a weeks went kind of like this:
Day 1:
Bench 531 BBB and PR sets
Rows
Maybe upper body fluff
100 rep trap bar workout
Day 2:
Squat: 531, PR sets, paused FSL or widowmaker
Press: 531, something (never found a template to work here)
Upper body fluff.
Upper body fluff wasn’t planned, I just did what I felt like for a bit, depending on what I felt like.
I think with 2 days a week, more is not always better.
I was doing 531, squat bench day 1, deadlift and Oh day 2. I used the standard 531 format with amrap set, and did either BBB 5 x 10 with same lift or FSL 5 x 5 with same lift.
I supersetted rows with the supplemental bench, abs with the squats, pull ups with the oh and abs with the deadlift. That was it. If I set it up again the only thing I would add is some Bulgarian split squats on deadlift day.
@dagill2 is spot on. Only add something if you have a weakness.
On two a week, you just gotta be smart about your assistance. I progressed slow, but it did work. I chose more compound movements and the more “bang for your buck” ones.
Would also be really good if your recovery (sleep and nutrition) were spot on. Mine wasn’t, maybe that’s why it was a little slow
So basically, Squats 531 + BBB then Bench 531 + BBB with supersets on the BBB? That sounds like a lot of work man. Or maybe I just need to stop being a pussy and do it lol
I ran that exact set up for a while. I failed with it, but I can’t remember exactly why. May be nothing to do with the program.
In general though, I have most success with less “stuff” in a session, even if that stuff is pretty high volume. My ADD challenge template has taught me that squeezing everything into 2 days a week just doesn’t work for me.
The nutrition I can definitely nail down, sleep maybe not.
My sleep is so messed up too lol. I probably got used to it from being an MD though. I also don’t remember a session where I did an FSL for both bench and squat. For deadlifts and OHP, it’s usually OHP that gets FSL. So yeah, less than ideal. But definitely better than not training
It’s not really that much.
Squat 531 is 3 sets
BBB is 5 sets
SS abs 5 sets
Bench 531 is 3 sets
BBB is 5 sets
SS Row is 5 sets
Total is 26 sets. But because the BBB work is in superset form you get through it pretty quick.
How’d you program in vertical pull though?
I mentioned above, the second day is OH and deadlift so it goes,
Deadlift 531 is 3 sets
BBB is 5 sets
SS abs 5 sets
OH 531 is 3 sets
BBB is 5 sets
SS pull ups (or any vertical pull) is 5 sets
Oh crap! Sorry, totally missed that. My bad. Thanks simo!
For sure man. I’ll appreciate any gains I’ll make from this
Guess I’ll have to try it. 5x10 on squats kills me though. What % do you use for the BBB sets?
I find 60% to be about right, rounded to make plate changes easy. Maybe slightly less on press, I find the smaller muscles involved fatigue easier.
Thanks man. I need to plan out what to do next year and stick to it. I find I am fickle minded when it comes to programs
As do many people, me included. This year I’m trying to plan it in blocks so at least I have a clear focus for every program I try. Less easy to get distracted, which is really important for 2 a week programs.