I know jack all about BB work, so…
It looks decent I think. All the important stuff is there. Have at it. See how you go.
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02/21/2017
5/3/1 Bodyweight Template
W2D2
Deadlift (dead stop, I usually touch-n-go, but might try dead stops for a bit)
135 x 5
225 x 5
255 x 5
315 x 3
365 x 3
415 x 3 < went mixed grip here. Was double OH up to this point.
475 x 6
Went in thinking I could hit 8. Dead-stop definitely takes a lot more out of me, plus I’m not used to it. The 5th rep got out in front of me a bit, and took a lot out of me ‘reeling it back in’. Hit one more, and decided not to force it.
Back Raises (First 2 reps of each set done with 25lb plate held @ chest)
15reps x 5sets
Leg Raises
15, 15, 15, 10, 10, 10
Workout was ok. Very quick, to the point, workouts. I miss doing more volume though, and just don’t feel as accomplished walking out of the weight room. I still feel pretty strong, and not at all beat up…so this cycle has done exactly what I hoped it would.
I think I’m going to run the above BB split for the next 2 months of this challenge and see if we can unlock some new gainzz. Any tips or suggestions/swaps you may suggest @robstein? If I recall correctly, you are a fan of Clay Hyght and this is his program using all recommended exercises. I’m somewhat limited having no cables, or much for DB’s, but I think this will definitely provide a new training stimulus for me. The only thing I changed was the rep scheme for squats, since I have had success with high rep squats for adding quad size.
I took the rep scheme from this article for maximum hypertrophy:
The only other question would be: Would I be better suited to wait and start this program in a calorie surplus rather than starting it on a deficit?
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02/22/2017
Woke up at 208.8lbs. So down 1lb since yesterday, and it was a high day. Today is a low day, so I’m expecting to wake up tomorrow morning down at least 1 more lb (of primarily water/food in system).
OFF DAY:
AM: 20mins Treadmill - Speed 3.0-3.2mph, Incline 0-3%
Then I went over to the empty barbell and did 25 consecutive snatches (from the hang). I’m still working on shoulder mobility, and this helped keep the sweat going for a couple more mins. I might start adding these to my morning cardio, it was kinda fun. Obviously not taxing, just some additional calories burned!
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Hey bro! Just my .02, while being in a surplus would no doubt help you put on more LBM than not, that doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from it and get new gains. I know @BrickHead made significant gains on his prep, having started a new bodybuilding style split routine, and I’ve also been making progress and getting stronger throughout my prep.
Yeah, I really like his stuff and used his bodybuilding template program for about a year, and my current program is pretty much still that template with some tweaks. I think any standard bodybuilding program is pretty much what he outlines in that template, and will provide great gains. As I usually like to emphasize, aside from sets/reps/exercises, really thinking about the MMC and contracting the working muscle as much as possible, with slower controlled negatives, will really bring some serious gainzzzz. Can’t wait to see your progress on the adjusted program!
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Thanks for taking the time to answer even though you’re so deep into the prep (I kind of felt bad asking you, knowing you’re currently amidst a battle in Mordor!)
Good note regarding the focus on MMC vs pure weight lifted as I’m used to. This will be something that I will need to remind myself of often during the workouts as to really get the most out of the increased TUT.
I’m anticipating this additional volume per workout to really aid in shredding off some fat as well.
AM: 20mins on the treadmill @ 3mph @ 3% incline
PM: Will edit with my bench workout tonight.
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DUDE NOOO!!! BB style is fine just not that split/program.
Better program for “BB style” would be compound movements in the 8-15 rep range. This will do all the things you want but more effectively and have better carry over when you go back to lifting heavy things.
Still build your workouts around: Squats, Dead, Bench, Bent Over Rows
Assistance: Pullups, T-Bar Rows, Dumbell Rows, Various angled Presses including Dips, Lunges
Added assistance: Delt, calf and arm work done on the corresponding days. Biceps with back etc.
Arnold called those exercises the golden 7 or 8 or how ever many are there.
PPL is a pretty popular way to organize the exercises and for good reason. You get to focus on a movement (thus the muscles doing that movement) and have adequate recovery time but you are not wasting time by recovering too long.
The compound movements are unarguably superior for building strength (and thus muscle) so USE THEM!!
The higher reps will add to your muscle endurance/cardio while acting like a deload and will help build your joints/tendons.
The muscle building benefits of higher reps vs lower reps really comes down to joint health and ease on CNS. Sure Time under tension helps but the difference in muscle building capabilities is like 7 of 10 vs 8 of 10. Look at any powerlifter who has gotten under 15% Body fat.
Sorry to tantrum rant in your log…if it’s any consolation I deleted half of it 
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I appreciate all feedback in here! I like how there are differences of opinion and different options for me to use going forward.
The program that I mentioned does start each workout with the major compound movements (Bench, BB Row, Deadlift, OHP and Back Squat), then followed by the bodybuilding assistance work. Or was your concern more the rep ranges that I have for those movements? (5x5 for bench, 4x6-10 for BB row, 3-4x6-10 for dead, 4x5 for OHP, 4x10/8/6/15-20 for squat)
Do you have a specific split/article that you suggest for exercises and muscle groupings on particular days?
I did follow a PPL split for a bit (awhile ago), but I’d have to do some digging to see what I did and if I liked it or not…it could have just been a brief stint in my program hopping days.
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02/23/2017
5/3/1 Bodyweight Template
W2D3
Bench Press
45 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
245 x 3
275 x 3
305 x 6 ← Rep PR
Decided to add a little volume here, so I did a FSL(ish) AMRAP
225 x 15
Happy to get 15 after the top set at 305lbs.
Between sets I was doing banded shoulder work as well as some one arm rows with the 70lb DB…
Pushups
20 x 4sets
Chins
12, 12, 11, 10, 10, 10, 10
Another great pump following the pushups and chins.
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Rep ranges are great. Mix it up, high reps should have a place in most programs. It’s the assistance work I am not a fan of.
A lot of it is too easy/fancy or filler. They are trying to use a feather duster to shape a rock. If you do the compounds all those little muscles will be taken care of…and much more efficiently. If at the end of the compounds you feel you missed something then feather dust it.
That fancy stuff will also have less carry over to your Strongman training.
This is the PPL program I did for years and am still using. The only thing that has changed is that I have adapted it to PLing (generally fewer reps and most of the assistance work is back off sets of the big 3).
Warm up by slowly adding weight to the bar and do sets in the rep range you want to work in that day.
Thanks man.
I admit: I’m one of those lifters who reads something new and shiny and has an urge to try it. I’ve dabbled with ‘BB Style’ programs before, but the lack of chasing PR’s tends to lead me back to a 5/3/1 template.
But I feel like a lot is currently missing from my workout, and honestly, I just want to add a little more hypertrophy work to the routine. Eliminate the small percent of people who ask “So, are you still working out?”…
This all could be happening because I’m currently running a Bodybuilding Template of 5/3/1 that is very low volume and I’m not really feeling like I’m pushing it in the weight room which makes me start thinking about other programs…usually this occurs during a deload week.
My plan was initially to give Wendler’s full 28-week plan a try from his Beyond Book. This would jump into significantly more volume than I have been doing recently, and I could focus on the assistance that you recommended.
Weeks 1-6:
6 weeks: 5/3/1 + AMRAP FSL + 5x10 of opposite lift (i.e. Military 5/3/1= Bench BBB)
BBB: 50% of TM
Week 7:
Deload
Weeks 8-13:
6 weeks: 5/3/1 + AMRAP PYRAMID + 5x5 of opposite lift
Pyramid – Work back down through weight and AMRAP on top set AND each down set
5x5 BBB: 80% of TM
Week 14:
Deload
Weeks 15-20:
6 weeks: 3/5/1 + STRENGTH PHASE + 5x3 of opposite lift
Strength Phase: 1x AMRAP @ TM on 3 and 1 week.
5x3 BBB: 90% of TM
Week 21:
Deload
Weeks 22-27:
6 weeks: 5/3/1 + JOKER SETS + 5x1 of opposite lift
Joker Sets: 10% jumps over top set, increase until you cannot perform prescribed number of reps
5x1 BBB: 100% of TM
Week 28:
Deload
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IMO BB style is just more reps and less rest between sets. Exercise selection should be the same across all programs (compounds).
For more volume you can train more days. PPL is perfect for 5+ days a week. Just always hit the next workout when you have time or are recovered.
OR
You can add in more of those compounds for reps after your 5-3-1 work.
No matter what though you will just have to find what works for you.
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Great points.
Also, side note: I bought a couple 10lb bags of potatoes and am going to do a BOTSLAYER POTATO BLAST! Gotta get myself more consistent with my diet. This seems like a great way to do it. How do you prepare your taters?
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Pressure cooker (3-5 minutes of steam noisey thingy) or microwave in a tuberware of water (17 to 23 minutes depending on amount and how small the pieces are)
I think you will love the results!!
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02/24/2017
5/3/1 Bodyweight Template
W2D4
Squat
45 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 3
405 x 6 ← Didn’t really have a goal going in, ended up just being a mediocre set.
Really getting the itch for more volume so threw in a 20-rep squat set for ‘fun’.
225 x 20 ← I surprisingly ripped through this set pretty quickly. I did 12, pause for a couple breaths, 3 reps, pause, 3, pause, 2. No grinding, no laying on the floor afterwards…looks like my next widowmaker will be heavier!
BW Bulgarian Split Squats
15, 15, 15, 15
Sit Ups
15, 15, 15, 15
Decent workout. 1’s week next week, then I think I’m going to do some 5/3/1 FSL with BBB assistance.
EDIT: Also, I just cooked up my potatoes for the day. Holy, 1500g of potatoes is a lot! Cooked up my chicken last night. Had my eggs this morning. Family Bday party later today, so I’m going to try not to eat anything there!
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A couple lifts from this week to keep the log more than just text. Nothing too crazy here.
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@BOTSLAYER I won’t pretend like I know as much as you do about strength training, just throwing some thoughts out there. When programming for hypertrophy/bodybuilding, there’s a lot more to consider than more reps and less rest (rest periods are way overhyped IMO.) Exercise selection is not the same between bodybuilding and strength routines. Bodybuilders definitely use compound movements, but the primary concern is to achieve a well rounded, symmetrical, proportional physique. Isolation movements, adjustments of angles and hand positions, attachments, range of motion, rep ranges, volume, frequency, etc., all come into play, rather than more reps and less rest. There seems to be a misconception out there that bodybuilders aren’t strong or don’t train for strength, which isn’t true.
One primary difference between a bodybuilding routine and strength routine is bodybuilding routines will rarely have any very low rep work, like singles or triples, because it’s not enough time under tension, and is more prone for injury. As a bodybuilder, I’m more concerned with having a hard, full, round chest than worrying about how much I can bench. For me, starting my chest session with 5x5 incline bench is training for strength, I’m sure you’d approach it differently.
Just pointing out that aside from more reps and sets, exercise selection, frequency, volume and numerous other aspects are considered when training for physique oriented goals.
@littlesleeper I think if you decided to do a full on bodybuilding routine for a little while, considering your current strength levels, you’d have some beastly results. Sure if you decide to go back to pure strength training some of your lifts might go down, but that’ll only be temporary, but you’d have more of a physique that would leave no doubt that you live in the gym. I agree that a bodybuilding template of 5/3/1, while probably more hypertrophy oriented than the original, isn’t as much volume or TUT as a more traditional bodybuilding template.
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I love it! So much great advice!
I’d have to admit that I did get my greatest muscle gains from running bodybuilding splits at the beginning of 2015. While my strength has skyrocketed since then, I haven’t had any noticeable muscle gains doing purely 5/3/1.
For comparison, this was for a 3-month challenge on another bodybuilding site (Jan 1 - March 31, 2015):
I’m not going to even pretend the lighting isn’t more favourable in the second one, better angles, flexing, etc. But clearly there was noticeable muscle gain in those 3 months, and not much since in nearly 2 years, maybe even slight size regression since then…
I used the programs from Jim Stoppani “Shortcut to Size” and “Shortcut to Shred” for this transformation.
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Straight beast mode SLEEPER!!!
Hey sorry man I didnt mean to come off that way or be overbearing, I just get excited and over opinionated sometimes.
All of the programs will yield great results.
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I’m pretty sure you just took a photo of Jason Stathem and concealed the face.
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Hey man! I definitely did NOT intend for that to come off as aggressive in any way or anything like that, I apologize if it did! I just meant to say that you obviously know more about strength training than I do, so anything I have to offer about program adjustments combining strength training with more hypertrophy style might not be totally on point for @littlesleeper’s goals, just throwing some thoughts out there brother. Again apologies if it came across any other way!
@littlesleeper holy crap man, you look ridiculous! Especially seeing those photos, just my thoughts, I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to take your current strength levels and physique and apply then to a more bodybuilding style split for a while. You look fantastic bro.
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