Looking at my work and family demands that will take hold after Christmas, along with my commitment to keeping up a high level of conditioning (I just like running, for good or ill), it looks like I’m going to need to make the switch to training two days/week.
I plan to run the program basically as Jim outlines on pp. 59-70 of Beyond 531, i.e., alternating SQ/DL and BP/MP as the main foci each upper/lower body day and alternating six week hypertrophy and strength phases. Likewise, the Beyond 531 Training Maximally ™ approach makes A LOT of sense to me (flexibility and autoregulation are increasingly my keys), and I have two questions about setting this up:
(1) Would using TM instead of the normal 531 set/reps, especially during the hypertrophy phase, be ______.
a. a fool’s errand
b. something worth a try
c. a fucking fabulous idea
(2) Would using the “lighter” sets for the main lift not being emphasized that Jim mentions on p. 70 as part of the “Two-Day a Week – New Template” along with TM for the main lift being emphasized be _____.
a. a fool’s errand
b. something worth a try
c. a fucking fabulous idea
Finally, Jim is is it still your view that, all things being equal, a guy shouldn’t need a whole lot of de-loading weeks when training two days/week, as you said in the original 531 Manual 2nd Ed.?
Thanks to anybody who gives these questions some thought!
[quote]jmadden wrote:
Looking at my work and family demands that will take hold after Christmas, along with my commitment to keeping up a high level of conditioning (I just like running, for good or ill), it looks like I’m going to need to make the switch to training two days/week.
I plan to run the program basically as Jim outlines on pp. 59-70 of Beyond 531, i.e., alternating SQ/DL and BP/MP as the main foci each upper/lower body day and alternating six week hypertrophy and strength phases. Likewise, the Beyond 531 Training Maximally ™ approach makes A LOT of sense to me (flexibility and autoregulation are increasingly my keys), and I have two questions about setting this up:
(1) Would using TM instead of the normal 531 set/reps, especially during the hypertrophy phase, be ______.
a. a fool’s errand
b. something worth a try
c. a fucking fabulous idea
(2) Would using the “lighter” sets for the main lift not being emphasized that Jim mentions on p. 70 as part of the “Two-Day a Week – New Template” along with TM for the main lift being emphasized be _____.
a. a fool’s errand
b. something worth a try
c. a fucking fabulous idea
Finally, Jim is is it still your view that, all things being equal, a guy shouldn’t need a whole lot of de-loading weeks when training two days/week, as you said in the original 531 Manual 2nd Ed.?
Thanks to anybody who gives these questions some thought! [/quote]
I bet Jim loves taking multiple-choice tests. LOL! In all seriousness, are your questions referring specifically to the Beyond 5/3/1 training variation or another 2-day split?
Since you haven’t already done 2-day/week training before, I would do the program exactly as written for several cycles before modifying anything. It’s a different approach when you only train twice a week. Each session has to be a focused ballbuster to make up for the lack of training days. Don’t change things around until you have a feel for this training style.
In addition, Jim, himself, has been training twice a week for quite some time now, so the 2-day/week programs in the book are well-planned out, to be sure.
Finally, de-loading is something you shouldn’t need as much since you have several days between sessions sometimes. Use these times wisely, though, don’t just sit on ass! Stretch, walk and work on mobility.
@Jay: I had in mind specifically the the 2-D/Week scheme on pp. 59-70 of the new manual, which is distinct from the 2-D/Week scheme Jim mentions in the “Training Maximally” discussion. Whenever I’ve sent Jim a question over the years, I’ve always used multiple choice. If I spent as much time as him answer questions, I’d like the opportunity to give some single character responses. I was working on writing a final exam for my students anyway today, so a couple more questions felt natural.
@ Joey. Thanks, and your points are well taken. I actually had some pretty good success with some of the earlier iterations of Jim’s 2-D/Week template a couple years ago. The TM approach looks very tempting since it’s so flexible, and it lets you push for a ball buster whenever need be. I realize, however, that the fact that I’ve had success with the basic 531 2-D/Week is probably all the more reason not to go screwing around with TM just yet! I’ve also never run 531 with Jokers or FSL, so maybe I should work with those techniques before going TM. Thanks for helping me “think out loud.”