Wendler 5/3/1 Program - pt 2.

Training Powerlifting
801

[quote]KBCThird wrote:
goochadamg wrote:
TheDudeAbides wrote:
PB Andy wrote:
Just out of curiosity, what are your guys’ squatting shoes? I’ve been using my Oly shoes but I’ve been thinking of just switching it up to the regular old Sambas.

I have been using an old pair of Asics running shoes. Just bought a pair of knock off Chuck Taylor’s at Walmart last night for $10. Deload week so I get to try them next week.

Yeah, I wear chucks too. I’d like to get a pair of Oly shoes, actually!

I’m considering getting the METAL squat shoes. I’ve had some issues with getting pulled forward in the squat recently that may be due to my chucks being 4 years old now. Or it may be a technique issue, but regardless, Jim has spoken highly of the METAL squat shoes[/quote]

Metal squat shoes are just too damn expensive for me. I think my Sambas will be just fine. I’ve worn chucks before (not while lifting), and I think Sambas just feel more stable.

And if you are interested in Oly shoes, I think a good site for cheaper shoes is: http://www.werksanusa.com/products-shoe-shirts.asp

I have the Do-win Rogues from there (which are discontinued I think), and they are great shoes.

802

[quote]mjnewland wrote:
gabex wrote:
danjo228 wrote:
gabex wrote:
danjo228 wrote:
gabex, I see the Y’s and Ext rotations as prehab/rehab exercises. For them to be effective rehab exercises, the weight should not get over 5lbs. When rehabilitating athletes I rarely got them over 3lbs. I don’t see them being taxing enough to be effective assistance exercises.

Should I sub in facepulls or something to that sort? How does the rest look?

It depends upon your goals and weaknesses. I’m only on my third cycle of 5/3/1 so I’m not an expert on it. BBB by the book says 5x10 of the accessory, I see you have 4x10 and Kroc rows are only 2 sets. The deadlift doesn’t seem to follow BBB, but overall I guess it looks okay.

I did BBB for 2 cycles, which is 5x10 @ 40-60%. This isn’t BBB.

The book recommends 5x10 of basically all accessory lifts, regardless of template. Doing BBB, its 5x10 of the main lift and an antagonist exercise. triumverate[sic] is 5x10 of 3 different exercises.

If you are having trouble on a lift, try this: drop the weights of whatever accessory template you are using - 5lbs for dumbells, 10lbs for barbells. Why? if you are too heavy on your accessories, it could be messing with your recovery, which messes with the next session. I am doing this now, because my tendency was to go as heavy and hard as I could on the accessories as well as the main lifts, but my main lifts stopped progressing. Jim says in the book several times to make sure that your accessory work does not eff with your recovery. I think we need to remember that the accessory lifts are done for bodybuilding purposes, to build the muscle, not the movement. You still need to use effort, but you might just be going too hard on the accessories. I am going to continue with BBB because its the shortest template, and I have to work out around my work schedules. I am dropping my acc. weight on Militaries from 110 to 95, and on close grip bench from 195 to 175.[/quote]

Its not that I am switching it up because of stalling… I just feel like I may need some unilateral training. I am still doing 5/3/1, and then a back off set. Followed by unilateral work. And then a few extra supplemental things like I guess face pulls, a 2 sets of curls and 2 sets of probably pushdowns.

My right thigh is a full inch bigger than my left. And my left upper body is bigger than my right. I notice these imbalances when doing the BBB lifts and am hoping to try and correct them.

803

[quote]PGA wrote:
dez6485 wrote:
PGA wrote:
Question for Jim. Do you suggest any work-up sets or do you suggest doing some light warm-up and hitting your reps?

what, like doing 70% x 3, 80% x 3, then 90% x 3+? that would be crazy…

Can’t tell if this an attempt at sarcasm.

If not sarcasm: No, I’m talking about 4-5 sets of 50% max for 5 reps or so as a light warm up or 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60% x 5 to work up to whatever day it is.

it was most definitely sarcasm, as the warm up %'s have been discussed either in the book or between the two threads on here.

hell, maybe i even imagined reading it somewhere, but here’s what i use, and for me it works just fine:

40% x 8-10
50% x 5
60% x 3

then i go into whatever it is that day, 5’s, 3’s, etc. I always drop that warm up at 60% to 3 reps instead of doing another 5, because somehow it is a mental boost for me, before getting into the work sets.

hope that helps.

If it IS sarcasm: Blow Me! :-)[/quote]

804

[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
Apostate wrote:
BlackLabel wrote:
So… I have a meet on Sept. 19th. My plan is to do the normal 5/3/1 cycle, and use the de-load as my off week. So far Ive done my bench and squat for the 5’s week. Im planning on doing my normal 3’s week, but for the 5/3/1 week I was planning on working up to my opener on squat bench and deadlift, and then take the week off before the meet. So this will all look like this.

week 1: Normal 5’s

week 2: Normal 3’s

week 3: work up to openers and do light assistance.

Week 4 de-load

Meet on saturday.

What do you guys think?

I have a meet on the 12th and I am doing nearly the same thing. The only thing I am doing differently is that I am only working up to the prescribed reps on the 3RM week and shutting it down. I figure there is no sense in me killing myself with an all out rep max that close to the meet.

Good luck at the meet!

I like Apostate’s idea for all the lifts other than deadlift. From my (limited) experience and the advice of others most guys take their last heavy deadlift ~14 days out. So depending on where in the week it lies you may want to work up to the deadlift opener on week 2 (3/3/3) rather than the week 3 (5/3/1).

Apostate, I know you have have more experience than I, had you considered this option? [/quote]

Rugger- Personally I have never had a problem with hitting my deadlift opener about 10 days out just like I laid it out in the plan above. BUT that being said I always open with something I could pull for 3-5 reps, because you never know what will be going on by the time you get to the deads and I always want to finish the meet. So basically pulling my opener is not very taxing since I always open light on deads then jump 50-60lbs for my second attempt.

I hope that makes some sense.

-A

805

Thanks for the replies regarding the bench press.

I am going to re-set my training max and start my next cycle really light (80% max) and when the reps start coming down I will start ‘picking my battles’ more. Also going going to add some tricep specific work as assistance

Cheers

806

[quote]PGA wrote:
dez6485 wrote:
PGA wrote:
Question for Jim. Do you suggest any work-up sets or do you suggest doing some light warm-up and hitting your reps?

what, like doing 70% x 3, 80% x 3, then 90% x 3+? that would be crazy…

Can’t tell if this an attempt at sarcasm.

If not sarcasm: No, I’m talking about 4-5 sets of 50% max for 5 reps or so as a light warm up or 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60% x 5 to work up to whatever day it is.

If it IS sarcasm: Blow Me! :-)[/quote]

How about you buy the book and read what Jim says about warm up sets. This is NOT sarcasm.

807

[quote]pf wrote:
PGA wrote:
dez6485 wrote:
PGA wrote:
Question for Jim. Do you suggest any work-up sets or do you suggest doing some light warm-up and hitting your reps?

what, like doing 70% x 3, 80% x 3, then 90% x 3+? that would be crazy…

Can’t tell if this an attempt at sarcasm.

If not sarcasm: No, I’m talking about 4-5 sets of 50% max for 5 reps or so as a light warm up or 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60% x 5 to work up to whatever day it is.

If it IS sarcasm: Blow Me! :slight_smile:

How about you buy the book and read what Jim says about warm up sets. This is NOT sarcasm.

[/quote]

agreed. the book is pretty clear about warm up sets leading up to the 3 work sets

808

[quote]PB Andy wrote:
Just out of curiosity, what are your guys’ squatting shoes? I’ve been using my Oly shoes but I’ve been thinking of just switching it up to the regular old Sambas.[/quote]

Barefoot for all lifts…except for overhead press which I do in my garage. My home gym in basement has low ceiling. Nice to have an extra barbell set.

809

I’m squatting with Ironworks. Love them, very stable.

Was messing around tonight, after 5/3/1 back squat sets I cut back to approx 50% and did 5 front squats, 15 seconds rest and then 10 reps back squat with the same weight. Liked it. 4 sets of that should be fun.

810

I use unlaced wrestling shoes (I really like these) and unlaced chucks as a backup when I go to the gym. Bare feet at home.

811

I’m going to try BBB Deadlifts after 5/3/1/ Squat and BBB Squat after 5/3/1 Deadlifts next cycle. I miss doing squats more than once per week and I could work on my deadlift grip more.

812

^The flaw with that plan is the BBB deadlift loads won’t be nearly as heavy as the working sets. If you need to increase your grip strength for the deadlift, how about ending some workouts with some static holds for time in a squat cage?

813

[quote]evitagen wrote:
^The flaw with that plan is the BBB deadlift loads won’t be nearly as heavy as the working sets. If you need to increase your grip strength for the deadlift, how about ending some workouts with some static holds for time in a squat cage?[/quote]

Granted. My grip strength tends to fail more quickly with more reps rather than more weight. So, 10-20 deadlift reps at <60% is one method I was thinking would help. You did remind me though that I will need to do more touch-and-go (or with a deficit and don’t touch at all) with the BBB deadlift as opposed to how I try to do 5/3/1 deads “dead” from the floor. Regardless, static holds are a good idea.

This wasn’t the only thing I use for grip. I do plate holds, gripper work, etc.

814

hey guys,

what do you think if i implement one ro two short olympic lifts(i like them) training sessions in the morning when i have my squats or dl sessions in the afternoon? (i know Jim says to do this kind of training right before the main lift but now i have this option…)

thanks for the input

815

whats the girls name in you avatar, and maybe well answer your question…

816

[quote]dez6485 wrote:
whats the girls name in you avatar, and maybe well answer your question…[/quote]

BU! 10 not funny points from TC!

817

[quote]totti13 wrote:
dez6485 wrote:
whats the girls name in you avatar, and maybe well answer your question…

BU! 10 not funny points from TC![/quote]

?

818

[quote]totti13 wrote:
hey guys,

what do you think if i implement one ro two short olympic lifts(i like them) training sessions in the morning when i have my squats or dl sessions in the afternoon? (i know Jim says to do this kind of training right before the main lift but now i have this option…)

thanks for the input[/quote]

That would be completely fine, as long as you know how to manage your recovery with two-a-days. I often did this with Oly lifting back when I did it and it was great.

819

Started 5/3/1 today :slight_smile:

I’m just sticking with the boring but big template.

Today was military day. Went super light on the 5x10 boring but big like it said in the book for the fist time. Got a super pump in my shoulders regardless.

For assistance I just did 10x5 on pull ups, and am going to try to eventually get to where I can do 5x10.

Conditioning I just did 5 half gassers on this big field. I’d say the sprints were 130 yards long each.

good day and good start to 5/3/1

820

I made the mistake of not deloading…

1st cycle: Excellent progress

2nd cycle: Little progress

3rd cycle: NEGATIVE progress

I learned my lesson. I’m deloading right now.

My diet and rest were in order, so not deloading is the only thing I could think of that would kill my gains.