How long did you stay on program with the lowered TM?
A lot of this may have been from an article on Jim’s website.
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However long ago, sorry for your loss. I had to put an Alsatian to sleep 18 months ago. It was devastating.
Thanks.
Yeah, some people don’t think a dog is worth the fuss which always throws me off. I can get that’s how they feel especially if they grew up on a farm and see things a bit more real than most of us, but it’s also sort of sad that they don’t know how great a companion that animal can be.
Super hard to let them go and you never feel like you are being as loyal to them as they were to you over all those years but after you get past that tough day you begin to realize you made the right decision. I didn’t want to “dog” again for quite awhile after but finally got a new pup recently and it’s been the best decision.
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It is pretty decent programming. I have listened to a lot of different takes on programming and if I were chasing numbers I would probably be looking hard at Conjugate. However, 531 is definitely better than walking into the gym and grinding every week on the same lifts using the same weight.
There are 531 calculators online you can find, I won’t mention them by name here because I think it does Jim harm by not needing his books. I personally own all of his books, so I don’t feel bad using one.
If you are going to buy one book of his, 531 Forever is the best, however he uses terms in there that you might not get because he is assuming you have read his other books. Good thing is, if there is something you don’t understand you can quickly google or ask in the Wendler 531 coaching section of this forum.
The Krypteia, as mentioned by mechinos, is a good program but you can run much simpler templates. Just reading what he wrote, I am sure there is a lot on there that makes no sense to you. Don’t be overwhelmed by thinking this is some kind of hard programming to understand. It is actually really simple.
It is basically just a rep scheme, where you program off a percentage of your 1 rep max, usually 75 to 90 percent, depending on what template you are using. This is called your TM or training max. You do this for a block of 4 weeks and you add weight at the end for the next 4 week block. Each block is 3 weeks of lifting, 531, and a deload week on the 4th.
Week 1 is 5 reps at 85 percent of your TM.
Week 2 is 3’s reps at 90 percent TM
Week 3 is a single at 95 percent of your TM
The kicker is that you don’t stop at 531 on your top sets. You will shoot for AMRAP but leave a rep in the hole.
It is worth checking out.
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I live in the country and a lot of people have dogs. My neighbors treat theirs well as far as I know. After we had to put our German Shepherd to sleep I was truly rocked, it happened quickly. So I am down and out for two months. I get home from work that late summer as school was starting, and get the surprise of surprises. I walk in and there, staring at me is an 8 week old German Shepherd pup. My daughter decided I needed a friend. It took a couple of months to warm up to him, but he is my pal now. He goes wherever I go. We had to put up a fence because he decided chasing cars was an Olympic sport. But he is great. My very young grandkids love him. I wake up in the early morning, he is laying on top of me. I guess I have realized life without a dog is somewhat empty.
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Yeah good point, I just copy-pasted what I had as notes on my phone. A lot of what is in there is Jim’s 5/3/1 abbreviations for things you can find in his books (5’s PRO, FSL, Yatta Yatta). The jargon is helpful to shorthand the instructions for a program but in reality all the abbreviations are stuff you probably have done before just under a new name.
I don’t think Wendler did this to invent something new but rather to spell out what he found works and I am grateful to have that information because he has forgotten more about training than I will ever know on this topic.
I also recommend checking his books out. I own a few of them and if I had never read any of them I would start with the 2nd edition for $20 on his site and if you like it go in for the Forever book which takes it to another level. I was pretty well versed in the program and terminology before buying 5/3/1 Forever (read many articles, purchased 2nd edition and Beyond); so I was sort of prepared for what I was about to read. If you were brand new to Wendler & 5/3/1 I could see how the Forever book could be a bit of a frustrating read for some as you will encounter things in the initial chapters that you are expected to know or pick up on some small detail that are not explained until later on in the book (or in previous books).
The program I posted/used is free on his website as an article so I don’t feel too bad reposting here but maybe I should delete my initial post upon reflection.
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You didn’t need to. I appreciate the input.
3/12/2024
Bench
Bar,135,185,225 x 5
245 x 1
280 x 3
280 x 2
280 x 1
225 x 10
205 x 6
SS
INCLINE SIT-UPS
10 x 5
Started on antibiotics Thursday night for a sinus infection. Did not know how down I was until I started feeling better. I thought daily sinus flushes infused with antibiotics would have prevented a sinus infection.
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I’m making a commitment to avoid temptation and not train for the rest of the week.Yesterday’s session exhausted me for the rest of the day and I’m sure set back my recovery from the sinus infection. I even found myself making a salad for dinner.
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Sometimes, as much as we hate it, rest is what works. Hope you feel better soon.
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Good idea to rest. Your body needs it. Most of us are overachievers in here. It takes real discipline to NOT workout when we are sick.
Let your body rest and you will be back at it much more quickly.
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Yeah, salad for dinner is a good indicator for rest.
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3/18/2024
Squat
Bar,135,225 x 5
275, 315, 365 x 3 so much better than last time. Fairly easy but did not push it.
Banded squats
225,245,275,225 x 3
Skipped farmers carry because of right wrist pain.
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3/20/2024
Yesterday I was able to relegate the whole day to working outside. Cutting up trees, loading them into the pickup and unloading. Felt good to do real work. I was feeling it in my glutes and hamstrings before I even got to the gym.
DL
135 x 10
225 x 5
315 x 2
405,455 x 1 ( thought about getting more volume in but I have more trees to cut
down.
Kneeling leg curls
70 x 10right 6left x 3 sets (?)
HS high row
2pl, 3pl a side x 8
4pl x 8 x 2 sets lat pull-downs were being used. I like the feel of this machine.
Rear delt machine
60 x. 10 x 2
I had been searching for my down vest for a couple of weeks. I came back to my old gym today and it was hanging up in the locker room. I told my fiancé I found it. She said I was lucky it was still there. I told her that there is another jacket that has been hanging in there since I was a full time member, 5 years ago. I imagine that some day in the distant future when that building is demolished, that jacket will be in the rubble.
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3/22/2024
Bench
Bar x 10 x 3 sets
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
245,265,285,305,265 x 1
225 x 5 x 5
Even though the lighter weights didn’t feel that good, 305 went up real smooth. I thought I should throw on another 20lbs and go for a post cancer PR. No safety bars or anyone I would ask for a spot, I was tempted to just go for it. I chickened out. It’s good I did. When I backed off to 265 for reps, it felt heavy.
Incline sit-ups
10 x 5
Cable tricep extension
170 x 6
150 x 8
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3/27/2024
Missed Monday’s training because of being snowed in since Sunday night.
Squats
Bar x 10
135,185,225 x 5
275,315,365 x 3
405 x 1 (went up easy enough but lacked the courage to do reps)
Banded squats
225,275 x 3
245 x 2
225 x 3 x 2 sets
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“Lacked the courage to do reps”. You were activating maturity.
No less strong.
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3/30/2024
DL
135 x 10
225 x 5
315 x 3
405,455,495 x 1 (smooth and fairly quick)
RDL
315 x 5 x 2 (second set much easier)
365 x 5
HS high row
3 plates x 12 x 2
Had to cut it short. I had company come home early. I’m hosting Easter for the first time this year.
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Happy Easter then!
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