[quote]dez6485 wrote:
shitty workout tonight. oh well. considering cutting the next two workouts (bench and squat 5/3/1 days) and going right to deload. ive been sleeping worse than usual, which isnt great to begin with. more likely than not i am going into deload early.
oh well, im not going to cry about it. [/quote]
Definatley deload man, I was having serious problems sleeping so I moved straight to a deload week then hit the 5/3/1 template 3 days per week as set out in the book now I’m sleeping like a baby and feeling stronger than ever.
[quote]thekast wrote:
evitagen wrote:
^Because that’s what JW says, and JW wrote the goddamn program.
Think about it; if you add an extra week to all of the cycles, then after 4 ‘thekast’ cycles, you could have done 5 5/3/1 cycles. Plus, testing the maxes is just taxing on the body; your recovery is going to suffer, and you risk burning out prematurely.
For the record, this isn’t what I was suggesting I might do. I still don’t see why taking an extra week to test maxes would be the most horrible thing to do every 3 to 4 cycles,[/quote]
I agree. Definitely not a horrible thing to do at all. Maybe thinking about how you’re going to smash your old 1RM a few months from now gets you jazzed up and motivated, that’s great. But definitely not a every cycle thing.
[quote] and if I were to reset my working max afterwards based on the new tested max, I could potentially progress more quickly - which was your other objection. But you’re not going to agree with me on this, and your argument doesn’t make complete sense to me, so I’m going to have to decide for myself.
[/quote]
You could absolutely progress more quickly by doing what you’re suggesting, but only for a shorter period of time. Also, don’t forget the time cost of resetting more frequently. Let us know how it works out for you.
[quote]evitagen wrote:
thekast wrote:
evitagen wrote:
^Because that’s what JW says, and JW wrote the goddamn program.
Think about it; if you add an extra week to all of the cycles, then after 4 ‘thekast’ cycles, you could have done 5 5/3/1 cycles. Plus, testing the maxes is just taxing on the body; your recovery is going to suffer, and you risk burning out prematurely.
For the record, this isn’t what I was suggesting I might do. I still don’t see why taking an extra week to test maxes would be the most horrible thing to do every 3 to 4 cycles,
I agree. Definitely not a horrible thing to do at all. Maybe thinking about how you’re going to smash your old 1RM a few months from now gets you jazzed up and motivated, that’s great. But definitely not a every cycle thing.
and if I were to reset my working max afterwards based on the new tested max, I could potentially progress more quickly - which was your other objection. But you’re not going to agree with me on this, and your argument doesn’t make complete sense to me, so I’m going to have to decide for myself.
You could absolutely progress more quickly by doing what you’re suggesting, but only for a shorter period of time. Also, don’t forget the time cost of resetting more frequently. Let us know how it works out for you.[/quote]
Hill sprints for me. I do 10 rounds of ~25-second sprints at ~2 minutes rest. (nothing scientific about those numbers; it’s just the amount of time it takes to run up and walk back down the hill).
I recommend bringing a logbook along when sprinting. Sprinting sucks, but seeing improvement week after week is pretty cool, though.
i’m a big old fat guy, so I have to sprint dragging a sled, regular sprints tear my knee up. I just started, I do 10 each of 40 yards. I’d like to build that to 40 each. cuz Jim said that would be a good goal. I am lowering my training maxes by 4 months at the end of this cycle, because I am going nuts on trying to lose much fat, and when I diet hard, my strength drops. besides, even on my 4th cycle, i still feel like I didn’t start light enough.
[quote]Ballin4Christ32 wrote:
What type of sprints is everyone doing?[/quote]
If you are a washed up ex-athlete who will probably pull a hamstring with anything more than 50% effort, I HIGHLY recommned using Prowler sprints, running stadium stairs and Prowler pushes.
[quote]mjnewland wrote:
for your goals, i think moving bigger weight with better form for all reps would help you more than short rest periods.
On my work sets I time 3 minute breaks, and sometimes I will nearly double that for the money set. then i leave my watch set for 3 minutes, and superset the bbb accessories. for instance, on deadlift day, for accessories i do deadlift + decline situps. so I get my 10 on DL, hit the watch start, and go get my situps. i get to rest for about a minute between the end of situps and my next set of 10 on accessory dl.
And don’t get hung up on the percentage you use for the accessories, either. just make sure its a weight where you are getting clean reps, and remember, the work sets you train the movement, the accessories you train the muscles like in bodybuilding.
my $0.02. jim can answer correctly when he gets back from vacation[/quote]
This is correct. the only time to use a stop watch with rest periods is to keep yourself from talking/procrastinating. No one EVER got big or strong timing their rest periods no matter what people say. That’s a load of horse shit.
[quote]dez6485 wrote:
shitty workout tonight. oh well. considering cutting the next two workouts (bench and squat 5/3/1 days) and going right to deload. ive been sleeping worse than usual, which isnt great to begin with. more likely than not i am going into deload early.
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
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
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.
I have the Do-win Rogues from there (which are discontinued I think), and they are great shoes.[/quote]
I would probably pay $500 or more for the Metal Squat shoes if I had to. I’ve owned two pairs in my life and would never give these up for the world. Best shoes I’ve ever used to squat and pull in…and no…we don’t sell them.
[quote]sufiandy wrote:
I’m going to be starting this program soon but always have trouble figuring out the assistance exercises. These are not necessarily the ones I am doing but the answers to this may help. Of the exercises below which of the 4 days which you assign each too.
Upright row
DB Curls
Leg Curl
Row (Cable/barbell/db any horizontal type)
Pullups
Ab work
Pullovers
For example I’ve seen Rows in both the Bench press and Deadlift day. Does all this even matter that much or can you just completely switch the assistance ones every month since there is no right answer.[/quote]
Go to the FAQ in the back of the book - all the necessary assistance lifts are there. Also in the book there is a huge list of exercises to do. You should check those out too.
[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]
Just keep doing the deadlifts in the program and your grip will be fine - and if you need more work do the following:
Kroc Rows (as suggested in the book)
All BBB deadlifts with overhand grip
Don’t waste your time with static holds. If you are going to do an exercise in the gym, make it count for something. Bang for buck.
I missed the last two of my four days of 5/3/1 week camping. Could I do some “active rest” and wait until Th of this week to finish that week and then start the next week with the next cycle rather than deloading? I’m thinking that my time off acts like a deload. Should I do 5x10@50% of the exercises that I missed as assistance if I were to do this?
[quote]jsdool wrote:
I missed the last two of my four days of 5/3/1 week camping. Could I do some “active rest” and wait until Th of this week to finish that week and then start the next week with the next cycle rather than deloading? I’m thinking that my time off acts like a deload. Should I do 5x10@50% of the exercises that I missed as assistance if I were to do this?[/quote]
Just finish the final two workouts - I have no idea what you are asking in the second question.
[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
I would probably pay $500 or more for the Metal Squat shoes if I had to. I’ve owned two pairs in my life and would never give these up for the world. Best shoes I’ve ever used to squat and pull in…and no…we don’t sell them.
[/quote]
Jim, just curious then as to why you’ve worn the olympic lifting shoes in your squat vids over the last year or so?
Also, you’ve often said that if you miss a half a week, or a week of 5/3/1 because you’re sick, on vacation, whatever, to just continue with the program. What if you’re out for two weeks? Is there a length of time a guy could be out for where you think he’s best off jsut retesting his maxes and starting over again?
[quote]KBCThird wrote:
Jim Wendler wrote:
I would probably pay $500 or more for the Metal Squat shoes if I had to. I’ve owned two pairs in my life and would never give these up for the world. Best shoes I’ve ever used to squat and pull in…and no…we don’t sell them.
Jim, just curious then as to why you’ve worn the olympic lifting shoes in your squat vids over the last year or so?
Also, you’ve often said that if you miss a half a week, or a week of 5/3/1 because you’re sick, on vacation, whatever, to just continue with the program. What if you’re out for two weeks? Is there a length of time a guy could be out for where you think he’s best off jsut retesting his maxes and starting over again?[/quote]
I probably haven’t worn them in 8 months. At least. My last video, the 600x2 or whatever was done in Metal Squat shoes.
Keep continuing with the program as is if you are out a week. If you are out two weeks, you are going to have to make your own determination on what you can/can’t do. Don’t retest and start over though. Take a week to reacclimate and then go after it.
[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
dez6485 wrote:
shitty workout tonight. oh well. considering cutting the next two workouts (bench and squat 5/3/1 days) and going right to deload. ive been sleeping worse than usual, which isnt great to begin with. more likely than not i am going into deload early.
oh well, im not going to cry about it.
That’s because you sold your fucking bike![/quote]
[quote]KBCThird wrote:
Jim Wendler wrote:
I would probably pay $500 or more for the Metal Squat shoes if I had to. I’ve owned two pairs in my life and would never give these up for the world. Best shoes I’ve ever used to squat and pull in…and no…we don’t sell them.
Jim, just curious then as to why you’ve worn the olympic lifting shoes in your squat vids over the last year or so?
Also, you’ve often said that if you miss a half a week, or a week of 5/3/1 because you’re sick, on vacation, whatever, to just continue with the program. What if you’re out for two weeks? Is there a length of time a guy could be out for where you think he’s best off jsut retesting his maxes and starting over again?[/quote]
I’m just coming back from two weeks off without any strength loss. This is probably an individual thing though. I also had two weeks off at the beginning of summer. This really isn’t a bad thing.
[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
Ballin4Christ32 wrote:
What type of sprints is everyone doing?
If you are a washed up ex-athlete who will probably pull a hamstring with anything more than 50% effort, I HIGHLY recommned using Prowler sprints, running stadium stairs and Prowler pushes.[/quote]
For a younger guy how far would you recommend full on sprints for? 100 yards?
What are your thoughts on the 5/3/1 for strongman?
I am training for my first comp in November. I train at a great gym (TPS in Everett, MA), but I feel my workouts are losing some progress to complexity because of all the great equipment they offer. In short, my efforts are spread a bit too thin and I need to simplify my training.
I have a solid power base and I’m fairly athletic, but to be competitive I need to increase my limit strength. I also need to work GPP and event skill concomitantly. I need to balance limit strength training with events while avoiding CNS burnout and overt joint problems.
Do you think 5/3/1 can be useful for contest prep or would it be better suited for off season?