RP-21 (7x3) Question

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hope this is the right place to post this.

I’ve been wanting to hop from 5/3/1 to an RP-21 style workout (Lift Like a Monster, Look Like a Hero) as I love triples, and I think I could benefit from the “conditioning” aspect of this style.

However I also love the periodization of volume and intensity such as in 5/3/1. So I was thinking of doing something like

Week 1: 7x3 (70% 1RM per article), 6x5 for assistance per article.
Week 2: 5x3 @ 80%, no change to assistance
Week 3: 3x3 @ 90%, no change to assistance

After this either increase 1RM and repeat, or take a deload week first if needed.

Does this sound like a good/terrible idea? Are the percentages ok?

2

I think its great! I think you should rotate 5s back in there at some point, but if you’re getting 5 rep work from assistance, you should be good?

3

Thanks. I think you’re right about the 5s. 5s week is my least favorite week in 5/3/1…but if I hate it I probably need it.

What if I did 3x5 deload for the main (7x3) lifts every 4th or 7th week, ala 5/3/1?

4

I’m not a big fan of completely deloading every 3 weeks, but I think a 5x5 at slightly lower volume than your 7x3 would be a good transition.

5

That’s probably fine (except that 3x3@90% will be… tough). But, and this is kind of a big deal, after week one this routine is absolutely nothing related to RP-21. So you’re doing your own plan entirely.

The RP-21 routine has its own progression clearly explained and it doesn’t use percentages. Your week 2 and 3 workouts will deliver none of the conditioning you said you were looking for.

6

How about 65/75/85% instead of the current 70/80/90?
I do understand your second point. But wouldn’t the short rest periods (and the heavier weight compensating for fewer sets) still give a similar effect? Maybe not as pronounced as an effect, but I hope it’s a good mix of the conditioning effect and strength?

Or maybe, and I just thought of this after rereading the article, progressing on 7x3 until I stall, then move to 5x3 until I stall, then 3x3…until deloading and going back to 7x3?

7

Sticking to the program’s original design is best. Or do something different. Frankensteining rarely works.

Short rest periods are incompatible with heavy weights. It’s one or the other, unless you’re doing something like cluster reps which just changes the overall approach again.

Again, the RP-21 plan already says what to do when you have trouble progressing/stall:
“Success requires struggle and there will come a time in RP-21 when you can’t get to 21 reps. Anyone who’s training hard will eventually get folded. So let’s say you fail and the total rep number for your chin-ups is 15 for that day. You’ll just try to improve on that number the next week. If you can’t reach 21 at a certain weight within 3 workouts, sub out that move for a different one that targets the same muscles.”

8

Thanks, I appreciate the advice. Guess I’ll just stick to RP21 until I plateau, and then switch to a different program. Because I wouldn’t want to substitute any of the main lifts.