Deadlift
87.75 kg x 5
99.45 kg x 3
111.15 kg x 12
87.75 kg x 5 x 5
Deficit SLDL 62 kg x 5 x 10-15 alternating with Rope crunch 5 sets
Bodyweight walking lunges 60 total reps
That’s what I’m talking about! Super happy with my pr set. Grip is definitely my weak point tho.
Since I am in my 5/3/1 week, I’m debating whether I should deload for this first cycle or go two cycles before a deload. It’s been mentioned previously in this thread that Jim says the first deload week is optional or something? I haven’t been able to verify the source.
Workouts are definitely challenging but I think my performance has been on point. I don’t feel extremely tired just yet, but I am unsure whether an additional 3 weeks of hard training could have a detrimental effect. What would you do if you were in my shoes?
I’ve very rarely needed to do a 4th week deload. For me, my brain tells me when enough enough before my body does. YMMV
Edit: I’ve rarely needed to take a 4th week deload when my daily recovery was on point.
I know I’m not them, but I did 5/3/1 for half a year. Just take the deload. Trust me. You’re building, and you want to hit as many PR sets as you can before you start really struggling to hit them…keep the momentum going.
Oh don’t worry, anyone can chime in, I’ve tagged them because we spoke lots about the program in the past.
What do you do on your deload week for assistance work? Do you cut the volume, not push the sets too much, or both?
Yeah I think I can probably do better with a planned deload. It’s really frustrating for me when performance drops and I may not have yet the experience to accurately tell when I’m in need of a deload. Besides, if Wendler structured it that way it’s probably best for me to follow the template.
Honestly, before I started the program I thought I wouldn’t need a deload after the first cycle because I thought “start light” would mean “easy.” Far from it! Like I said, the workouts have been very challenging. The only difference between this program and virtually every other program I’ve done before is that at no point did I ever feel as if the schedule was asking me too much and I wouldn’t have been able to do the planned work. But still, it’s been hard.
I’m not very good at deloads, they don’t gel very well with my mindset. So what I do is whatever I want to do. I don’t recommend it. I’ve done some very stupid things on deload weeks like 1 mile of double bodyweight farmers walks or a 365 rep set of squats.
Tldr: don’t copy me, it’s stupid. Just deload like Jim says to do. His recommended deload is set out in the original book and (I think) beyond.
Jim is good with 2 training cycles and then a deload. If you aren’t feeling beat up, go for it. Otherwise, 4th week deload works.
Personally, I work up to a single with my Training Max, which I had set to 85% of my 1RM during my time on 5/3/1. I then cut the assistance volume in half. Sometimes, I won’t even do assistance work if I’m feeling super beat up. Just gauge it based on how you’re feeling.
When you get to your 4th week, if you don’t feel like you need a deload, you have the program’s creator’s blessing not to take one. Not much more to debate on the subject of if it’s okay not to take one.
However, due to a slight lack of patience on your part with regard to muscle building (no offense, I was that way too), taking a deload religiously every 4th week might be a good lesson in self control. In the grand scheme of things, it won’t make a difference if you take a week to back off.
When I’ve done 5/3/1 4 days/week I deloaded every 2 cycles, and have gone 10 cycles without resetting. When I do less frequently than 4/week I don’t feel the need to deload, and I’m old. It’s pretty hard to overtrain if you get good rest and food on the regular. Of course, that’s always been at a caloric surplus, it still remains to be seen how I do on a deficit.
Bench
58.5 kg x 5
66.3 kg x 3
74.1 kg x 12
58.5 kg x 5 x 5 alternating with rear delt raises
Db Incline press 28,28,26,26,24 kg x 10-12 reps alternating with
Db row 30,30,30,30,30 kg x 10-20 reps
Man, this workout SERIOUSLY messes me up. That db press db row combo kills me. After the third round I started having a severe headache and felt like passing out between sets. I’ve been home for two hours and my head still hurts. I had to rest longer between the sets of last two rounds because my performance would have really dropped and I was feeling like shit.
I don’t know if this has to do with my conditioning but man does it suck. Also the back of my neck hurts when doing rows, the movement kinda feels awkward.
Anyway, today I joined Jim Wendler’s private forums. Anyone else on there?
Jesus Christ
Squat
82.5 kg x 5
93.5 kg x 3
104.5 kg x 10
82.5 kg x 5 x 5
Leg press 120 kg x 5 x 15-20 alternating with Rope crunch 5x10-20
So I’m looking at my weight gain rate over the last three weeks and trying to assess progress.
The three numbers on the far right column are the three weekly averages. (Note that the dates are in day month year format)
I eat pretty much the same everyday, although I am allowing myself more leeway than I used to. On Saturdays I eat out and most definitely overeat, and go lower carbs on Sundays. That works well also because I eat so much in Saturday nights that I’m not very hungry the next day.
Do you guys think this rate of weight gain is good or could I be pushing the food a bit more? I am not seeing a huge fat gain and I like that, but I’d like to know that I’m maxed out on muscle gain.
Also this is my meal plan
I am taking some more liberty but the basic template looks like that. I have eaten a bit of junk food lately because I wanted to and figured that since I am eating plenty of veggies, fruit, and good stuff at most of the meals it wouldn’t really make a difference.
Hey man, I saw you tagged me, but nutrition is WAY outside my area of expertise.
If the scale is moving up, you’re good. Especially if you’re not seeing fat gain. Be patient, there’s no need to increase cals until the scale stops moving. You COULD eat more, but with your aversion to fat gain, you’re doing just fine where you’re at.
I agree with @flappinit, do remember, however, that a little bit of fat gain is fine. All that’s telling you is that your body has more than enough energy to use. (Which also means your muscle gaining rate is maximized)
You mean the proper way?
Press
30.55 kg x 5
35.25 kg x 5
39.95 kg x 15
30.55 kg x 5 x 8
Dip 15, 12, 12, 10, 10 alternating with
Pullups 10, 9, 7 switch to underhand grip 6, 5
Curls 2 sets
Tough workout. I’m still getting gassed between sets of assistance work. Hopefully my cardio fitness will get better with some time of consistently doing hill sprints every week and trying to rest no more than necessary between sets.
I pushed the FSL sets to 8 reps as the weight was relatively light, but I won’t be doing this on my 3’s week nor 5/3/1 week, I’ll keep the reps at five.
If you are ok and can stick to this diet plan then everything is ok.
If you find yourself eating junk food or eating out on Saturdays because of feeling your food choices are somewhat restricted following a diet plan maybe look into flexible dieting?
Also do you track/ are aware of how much fibre you are consuming?
