[quote]DJHT wrote:
I am currently on the first cycle of the 5-3-1 program and love the approach and goals. The problem is I had to move because of work and start at a new gym. I found (after a long search) one with a power rack and that will let me deadlift. The problem is they don’t have anything or anyway to do dips.
I was really looking forward to keeping this in the routine for my current goals. Anybody have any advice on what to replace this with? [/quote]
close grip bench press
[quote]rhooper1 wrote:
So I bought the 531 book, but I went to download it and got a copy error when I tried saving it to my computer. Now I can’t use the link to try re-downloading it because you can only use it once. Anyone else have this problem? I emailed/sent message to elite but haven’t heard a response back (this was yesterday).[/quote]
Might want to just hit them back with a call. The same thing happened when I ordered it. But the lady on the phone is cool as a mofo. She hit me back with a email telling me she resent it and try again. So give it another shot.
[quote]rhooper1 wrote:
So I bought the 531 book, but I went to download it and got a copy error when I tried saving it to my computer. Now I can’t use the link to try re-downloading it because you can only use it once. Anyone else have this problem? I emailed/sent message to elite but haven’t heard a response back (this was yesterday).[/quote]
I had the same issue. I contacted customer service and they sent me another file format the next day that worked fine. I’m sure they’ll get back to you shortly.
[quote]four60 wrote:
rhooper1 wrote:
So I bought the 531 book, but I went to download it and got a copy error when I tried saving it to my computer. Now I can’t use the link to try re-downloading it because you can only use it once. Anyone else have this problem? I emailed/sent message to elite but haven’t heard a response back (this was yesterday).
Might want to just hit them back with a call. The same thing happened when I ordered it. But the lady on the phone is cool as a mofo. She hit me back with a email telling me she resent it and try again. So give it another shot.[/quote]
Yeah, I would definitely call
[quote]pumped340 wrote:
I have to finish getting through this thread but I’m going to look at buying the book now too. [/quote]
Don’t “look at” buying the book. Just fucking buy it. It’s $20 and you won’t regret it.
That is my sales pitch, LOL.
Pumped340-
My blackberry won’t allow me to respond to your pm, but “buy the book” is my response either way.
Wendler published a very worthwhile program, and has spent a lot of time going above and beyond answering questions and giving advice on here and other sites, you could do your part and float the 20 bucks for the book…besides the fact that it’ll answer all your questions.
And as a blanket statement to all, if you think you can piece together the program from this thread or other sites, well you can come close. But, there’s things “lost in translation” between reading it yourself and simply getting the jist of it from the internet. Many people think they’ve got it all figured out, but they still misquote the book or jim all the time, and essentially miss very fundamental things about the program.
rhooper1S
Set up the power rack to just above waist height and then put bars going across and do dips that way. Only problem would be keeping the bars from sliding. Maybe use towels under bars or something? The gym doesn’t have one of those assisted dip/pull up machines? Put a weight on the platform you stand/knell on and then do dips.
This is an interesting idea gives me something to play with. Probably wouldn’t slide if you put some weight on the bars. Pain in the ass to load to do dips, but nothing works like dips. Thanks
TheDudeAbides
Close grip bench.
Was the other accessory I was going to do. Thanks.
[quote]DJHT wrote:
rhooper1S
Set up the power rack to just above waist height and then put bars going across and do dips that way. Only problem would be keeping the bars from sliding. Maybe use towels under bars or something?[/quote]
I have done this before. It adds another degree of freedom to the movement, making it more difficult. Not a bad thing.
I have read both threads. I have the book etc. In the middle of my first deload week and must say I feel fat and lazy this week. Like I’m not doing enough. I understand the concept and not challenging it but curious if anyone goes all out on other stuff during the deload week. Like Arms, calves, maybe some incline Bench press etc… I am currently following the book exactly for Boring But Big. I cut the accesory work from 5 sets to 3. no direct arm work etc. The deload workouts are kind of a joke though. Its like 15 minutes and easy as hell. tomorow will be 6 easy sets of bench, 3 easy sets of rows and I’m outie. barely feel like i worked out.
So basically i know i need to take a break from these movements every 4 weeks. But can i push other movements that week or what?
DJS-
it sounds like maybe you could have rolled into another cycle without a deload. i dont think ive seen Jim “recommend” this, but im fairly certain he has given it the “OK” if people are feeling up to it through their first couple of cycles. So basically, you said youre halfway through the deload- if you want, scrap the rest of your deload and start the next cycle. my first deload i skipped two days in the gym and then just went into my next cycle.
I’m a nerd and it’s really tempting to be super organized each cycle about how many reps I want to hit, which exercises I want to take it easy on, and which ones I want to blast away. I get the feeling that Wendler’s is more of a “fly by the seat of your pants” guy, though.
Worst case scenario is a workout where I’ve planned beforehand to take it easy/only hit the minimum reps and I feel awesome, like I could get 3 more if I wanted to. This shit drives me nuts.
[quote]jonnyblaze wrote:
Interested to hear people’s thoughts on the accessory work for the days that you just don’t have “it” on the main exercise. I tend to overdo it sometimes when I get pissed that I didn’t get the reps I wanted or whatever in the main lift. But sometimes I find that my accessory work actually feels better and I can set PR’s there after feeling like garbage on the main lift. Anyone else experience this? Do most of yall go harder or lighter on the accessory work after a shitty performance on the main exercise?
[/quote]
Usually I always hit a PR in my accessory work, whether I PR my main lift or not. I go pretty hard on my accessory work, ramping up to one hard set, just like my main lifts. It’s been working out pretty well.
My biggest problem is this: I hate accessory work for squat and deadlift. I just can’t get into it like I do the upper body accessory work. I just don’t care if I PR in the good morning, leg press, step ups, some ab exercise, or what have you. But I’m stoked if I PR in my pullups, tricep extensions, cg incline bench, rows …
[quote]goochadamg wrote:
Usually I always hit a PR in my accessory work, whether I PR my main lift or not. I go pretty hard on my accessory work, ramping up to one hard set, just like my main lifts. It’s been working out pretty well.
My biggest problem is this: I hate accessory work for squat and deadlift. I just can’t get into it like I do the upper body accessory work. I just don’t care if I PR in the good morning, leg press, step ups, some ab exercise, or what have you. But I’m stoked if I PR in my pullups, tricep extensions, cg incline bench, rows …
[/quote]
Squats and Deadlift accessory is a goddamned nightmare for me. BBB, 5x10, with 90 seconds rest in between. And I lift outside in Florida. Christ.
I’m mentally much more relaxed for my upper body accessory work. I have to psych myself up for the squats and deads.
To Jim:
It seems Jason Adams on EFS id doing the 5/3/1 rest pause style for military and bench press, could you tell us why and is this a new template your working on?
Just curious!
[quote]dez6485 wrote:
DJS-
it sounds like maybe you could have rolled into another cycle without a deload. i dont think ive seen Jim “recommend” this, but im fairly certain he has given it the “OK” if people are feeling up to it through their first couple of cycles. So basically, you said youre halfway through the deload- if you want, scrap the rest of your deload and start the next cycle. my first deload i skipped two days in the gym and then just went into my next cycle.
[/quote]
Thanks for the thoughts. Not sure what I’ll do. Since week is half over I think I’ll take care of some stuff I neglected the first three weeks of the program like close grip bench and I think I’ll ramp my rows up and do some heavier work there since I’ve been doing 5x10 for 3 weeks. Not messing with the big 4 though. I’ll do those as prescribed.
[quote]I was really looking forward to keeping this in the routine for my current goals. Anybody have any advice on what to replace this with?
Set up the power rack to just above waist height and then put bars going across and do dips that way. Only problem would be keeping the bars from sliding. Maybe use towels under bars or something? The gym doesn’t have one of those assisted dip/pull up machines? Put a weight on the platform you stand/knell on and then do dips.
[/quote]
If the gym will let you, buy some little C clamps (one per side) and clamp them on the cross/safety bars of a power rack to stop the (dip) bars from sliding. Your body weight should hold one of the (dip) bars against the uprights and hold the other one against the C clamps. It will feel unstable slightly but works.
[quote]DJS wrote:
dez6485 wrote:
DJS-
it sounds like maybe you could have rolled into another cycle without a deload. i dont think ive seen Jim “recommend” this, but im fairly certain he has given it the “OK” if people are feeling up to it through their first couple of cycles. So basically, you said youre halfway through the deload- if you want, scrap the rest of your deload and start the next cycle. my first deload i skipped two days in the gym and then just went into my next cycle.
Thanks for the thoughts. Not sure what I’ll do. Since week is half over I think I’ll take care of some stuff I neglected the first three weeks of the program like close grip bench and I think I’ll ramp my rows up and do some heavier work there since I’ve been doing 5x10 for 3 weeks. Not messing with the big 4 though. I’ll do those as prescribed. [/quote]
no problem. a word of caution though- the deload is for recovery- physical and mental. i believe that if you dont get your mind out of lifting heavy weights, if even for a week, then youll start to lose that “attack” when you need it. i dont lift heavy at all during the deloads, just finished my 6th (i think?) cycle today, and im excited as hell for the deload! not only that, but your CNS needs the break. your CNS doesnt care where the stress is coming from- whether its lifting heavy, stress at work, road rage, etc- stress is stress. you may not realize the fatigue that is building up as far as the CNS is concerned, but its there.
one of the greatest lessons i have learned since starting 5/3/1 is not to try and rush this. i have had so many workouts, as im sure all of us have, where i have left the gym feeling pretty good about the workout, but then thought later “damnit, i meant to do upright rows at the end today” or i meant to do “X”, etc., but in the grand scheme, it doesnt fucking matter. so you forgot to do one exercise in one workout- its not going to make or break you. point being, dont feel like you have to make up for lost time or “catch up” on something you havent been doing- its all behind you, but there could potentially be a long road ahead of you, if you have a proper plan. try and jam everything in too fast, too soon, too much, etc, and youre going to shortchange yourself and end your time in this game sooner than you should.
i still have to check myself sometimes. i want to total elite, raw, at 220lbs by 26 years old. i turned 24 in june, and right now im about 250lbs off of that total. i definitely would love to get that elite total tomorrow, but i have just check myself and realize that the path im on is good, im making slow and steady progress, and to stick it out and ill get there.
anyway, im ranting, but hopefully some people got what i was saying. in summation- do what you want, but I would strongly encourage staying away from heavy stuff during the deload- you only have to wait a week to get back to heavy. a week’s nothing compared to how long i plan on doing this.
Lamest first post of all time but whatever…
On my First wave first week of 531… my next comp is oct 31 the saturday of my 3rd deload… Seeing as I will still be on high rep ranges, how should I go about finding openers?
Would dragging a sled or pushing a car be too much for conditioning, or should I just substitute them for one of my assistance exercises?
As for the e-book, it rules. Can’t start the program yet though =(. I want to get to where my knees stop caving in while I do a good morning during squats. Anyone know how to correct this? I have a good idea that more back, hip, hamstring, and glute strength will prevent me from bending over and doing a good morning, but I have no clue about the knees caving in.
I pull my avalanche for conditioning 2x a week