I did this about 4 years ago for 6 months. I have the book and read it in its entirety. I did what was written to a T and it worked ok. If I don’t remember shit exactly it’s because it was a long time ago. I do remember my conclusion on it and that is that it’s not the best for weak beginners.
If it’s 5% or 10 pounds is not the point. The point is that you do that once a month. Wendler himself says in one of his articles “You progress slowly. It will not add 40 lbs to their lifts in 12 weeks. People are scared of the 90% thing but when I ask them how much they increased their bench in the last year, they hang their head in shame”
There’s more wrong with 5/3/1 for a weak man. You base your starting lifts off of your 1 RM and take 90% of it. A beginners 1 RM increases every workout, therefore this is not possible. I get that it’s just once and it doesn’t really matter as you progress still, but it is still not the most effective way to do it. It wastes time.
You can demagogue further but I think the point is clear and I still have to hear a logical argument why it is better to add once a month than to add every workout if you can. If you want to take it slow that’s ok but my point is about effectiveness in progress FOR A BEGINNER. If I do 5/3/1 or you do it, then that makes sense as progress generally is slower. But if you squat 90 lbs max, then taking 81 pounds as a starting point to calculate is pointless.
If you are speaking about a very specific template from wendler which you think is the best for a newbie, tell me, I’ll look into it and I’m willing to give you an opinion.
Man you make this extremely annoying. Here, I’ll cite from his book then, there’s a whole section.
“ Progress Slowly
This goes hand in hand with starting light. Slow progress might not get you the best rewards today, but it will tomorrow. The longer you can progress, even if it’s by one rep or 2.5 pounds, the more it means that you’re actually making progress. People always scoff when I want their bench to go up by 20-25 pounds their first year. They want the program that will put 40 pounds on their bench in 8 weeks. When they say this, I ask them how much their bench went up in the last year, and they hang their heads in shame. I can’t understand why someone wouldn’t want progress – even it’s just 5 pounds. It’s better than nothing. It’s progress.
The game of lifting isn’t an 8-week pursuit. It doesn’t last as long as your latest program does. Rather, it’s a lifetime pursuit. If you understand this, then progressing slowly isn’t a big deal. In fact, this can be a huge weight lifted off your back. Now you can focus on getting those 5 extra pounds rather than 50.
It’s always been one of my goals to standing press 300 pounds. In the summer of 2008, I did just that. When someone asked me what my next goal was, my response was simple: “305 pounds.” If you bench press 225 pounds and want to get 275, you have to bench 230 first.”
How? How do you progress as fast as on SS with 5/3/1? Please elaborate.
Take any of Jim’s programs and run it as written. Find a way to progress every workout. Do more reps, move the bar faster, take shorter rest times between sets, get your assistance work done in fewer sets, gain more bodyweight, jump higher or further on the jumps, throw further on the throws, set conditioning PRs, etc etc. The trainee just needs to give full effort.
Do I understand you correctly: You circumvent the 10 lbs on squat in a month by just repping out AMRAP on your last set, so give full effort? So instead of doing 5/3/1 it would be 10/8/5 ?
Or
You define progress not as strength gains = reps x weight in a defined setting but as
My problem is: Why add weight only once a month when you can 4-8 times a month? You could do higher reps if the weight feels light but that wouldn’t be exactly the same effect.
I actually think we differ on what progress means. I define it as strength as I think this is the most important parameter to increase in a newbie.
Because you don’t need to add it 4-8 times a month to progress. And again: that is only TM progression.
We discussed that earlier. You have a very narrow definition of progress. This individual wants to look better. That form of progress doesn’t matter much to him.
Ok then we’re on the same page. I think it’s not as efficient and you say so too. So no problems here.
Yes that point can be made but in my experience and what I see in the gym with all my buddies there and what I read matches the dogma that if you get stronger, you’ll look better. Assistance work is important for looks but you get the most bang body wise and strength wise from getting stronger on key lifts. Paul Carter says that a lot for example who thinks looks are important in comparison to Rippetoe. So yes, that point is just my opinion: if you get stronger first, you’ll look better faster than if you concentrate on other not as easily definable parameters.
These are in direct contradiction. You can’t say “You don’t need to add weight more often than x even if you can” and simultaneously say “it’s as efficient as adding weight every time” because efficient contains the time component.
My view on 5/3/1 vs SS is, 5/3/1 works longer as it includes monthly periodization, SS works faster but shorter as it includes jumps from workout to workout. So SS must be thrown out the window when progress is not possible any longer (or adjusted), with 5/3/1 that point will come later in the training career.
I also just realized there is another contradiction. You say that he should do 5/3/1 but strength isn’t his objective. Why do you advocate for 5/3/1 if getting stronger in key lifts is not the main point? IIRC that’s what it’s there for.
That’s ok. I wanted to cut this off anyways. Time is sparse haha
I don’t think your advice was bad by the way. He could do 5/3/1 and it will help him make progress. I think he also can do SS. He can try for himself, eventually every trainee will do most programs if he stays in the game long enough (decades).
This ^ follow a program thats been proven to work with the vast majority of trainees.
After training for years with not a hell of a lot of progress i tried madcow 5x5 and my lifts shot up in 9 weeks. I would recommend the novice 5x5 though as your starting from a lower point in lifts then i did. Madcow is more novice/intermediate.
At least until you stagnate. The deload, rinse, repeat. Eventually 10lb increments turn to 5lbs, then increments each workout turn to increments every week/months/3 months etc
Otherwise we would all be Larry wheels after a few years of working out. I find even if not training strictly for strength, getting stronger becomes a byproduct of training. Similar to how hypertrophy is incurred as a result of training primarily for strength.
It isn’t one or the other, rather training stimulus can amplify a certain quality sought after
If OP is more stressed about appearance, is training in low rep ranges really necessary? When moving heavy weight it’s pivotal one has decent from/engrained biomechanical movement pattern, otherwise susceptibility to injury comes into play.
