Is it a bad idea to mix BBB workouts with Triumvirate? So maybe for some lifts like bench you follow BBB but other lifts like squat you follow Triumvirate.
You can use different supplementary protocols for different lifts.
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I did this. And it works very well.
A common one would be to use BBB with one of the “lower body” lifts and one of the upper body ones and go with triumvirate for the other two. I did something like this once doing BBB for the squat and press and 5s pro and fsl 5x5 for the other two. Works just fine and is easier from which to recover.
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Yeah fine.
Another option do triumvirate as written and then one day a week after say bench, really go to town on isolation /weak point work -hamer curls, pushdowns delts all for 5x20, supersets etc
I should try this one day.
I’m self programming now, so working my way up for 3x10 - 5x10 BBB style for Squat, Bench amd RDL
I’m happy to hear others have tried it. I enjoy Beefcake but will want to eventually move to something else but I plan to try mixing these two programs and maybe extend my time on Beefcake that way.
Yeah one thing I’ve found that works very well for me is lowering a set of supplemental every week. For example if bbb, do 5x10 week 1, 4x10 week 2 with the heavier weight then 3x10 week 3. Or with second set last do 5x5, 4x5, and 3x5. It probably won’t be for everyone bc the whole point is to handle a bigger workload each week. But I have pretty decent strength levels, so 5x10 with 75% gets to be a lot, especially a couple/few cycles in. Or I’ll go by feel and plan 5 sets for all but maybe just cut sets like that when I feel like doing all 5 sets will be counterproductive.
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I really like this idea. My plan was to do smaller increments of 2.5/5 lb to milk BBB longer. But yeah, week 3 doing deadlifts @ 75% for 5x10 is a bit much. Especially if you’ve been progressing 10 lbs per cycle on it. I’ll keep that in mind. If I think I can go 5x10 I’ll go for it, but if I feel like I need to back off a bit maybe it’s for the best.
Beefcake is a 6 week program anyway. It’s time to move on.
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Oh really, I’m on cycle 4 - week 2 of it. Can’t I just keep running it a bit longer? What to do next?
You’ve been doing something where the supplemental work is hard so the main work and conditioning is easy. Now do something where the supplemental is easy to the main work or conditioning can be hard.
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I’m thinking of switching to Triumvirate next cycle. Not sure if that aligns with what you’re suggesting though.
Is the supplemental work easy and the main work hard?
I guess I can make it so that’s the case.
Unless there’s an updated version of Triumvirate that I don’t know about, its a template from the original 531 and therefore has no supplemental at all.
What changes would you need to make to it?
I think I’m confusing accessory work with supplemental work.
To break it down, there is no accessory work. Jim uses the word “assistance”. Assistance refers to non-barbell work (dips, chins, DB work, single leg work, core, etc).
Supplemental work is the barbell work you do that is NOT the main work. BBB sets, FSL sets, BBS sets, etc.
Main work is the 5/3/1 work. You’re either pushing for PRs or doing 5s pro in most cases.
If you haven’t read 5/3/1 Forever, you owe it to yourself to do so.
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X2
531 has changed massively since 2nd edition.