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?
Thanks,
BB
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Bruce - get with Murph on this one. He’s the owner of TPS and I think he’s done some work with strongman/531. If not, just fucking do it. Eat a shit ton of food, lift hard and whenever there is some question or doubt about what to do - don’t do it.
As the saying goes - if there is a doubt, there is no doubt.
[quote]Ballin4Christ32 wrote:
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.
For a younger guy how far would you recommend full on sprints for? 100 yards?[/quote]
Jump Shots for Jesus,
This depends on quite a few things - so the sprints could be from 10 yards to a 400m. Too many variables. If in doubt, go run up a hill. This seems to cure every problem known to man.
[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
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?
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]
Thanks Jim, i was going off the 540x7 video, didnt realize you had gone back to the Metals. If they are that good then $150 is nothing.
I did a 5/3/1 1RM estimator/calculator which counts your 1RM using the formula R0,0333W+W. Here’s a teaser.
In my scientific mind it would be cool to see a graph of the progress when I have a few more cycles under my belt, that’s why I did this originally.
I figure it’s okay if the 5-rep and 3-rep weeks are 7 days long and the 5/3/1-week is 9 days? It’s my first year in a Finnish University of Technology and my drinking is somewhat harming my training.
Need your input fellow 5/3/1’s, Had a piss poor Squat session today failed to hit my reps and technique was really shite, rather than resetting my maxes I was considering switching to low box squats and really working on technique rather than weight, I’ve already bought the book and read it many times so I dont need referred back to it, just want to know if anybody in 5/3/1 land has had similar experiences to this and any outcomes or suggestions as the best way to approach this. Cheers in advance Irish
I had a bad bench session this time last cycle (5/3/1 week/wave bench). I tried really hard not to worry about it and to just keep driving on. Things got better.
What I feel is helping me is fighting the urge to add crap to my training and make the best out of the exercises that have done me justice in the past.
[quote]irishlifting wrote:
Need your input fellow 5/3/1’s, Had a piss poor Squat session today failed to hit my reps and technique was really shite, rather than resetting my maxes I was considering switching to low box squats and really working on technique rather than weight, I’ve already bought the book and read it many times so I dont need referred back to it, just want to know if anybody in 5/3/1 land has had similar experiences to this and any outcomes or suggestions as the best way to approach this. Cheers in advance Irish [/quote]
i would say youd be best to scale the weights back some and start again. it seems as though it was really popular for a while for everyone to be screaming the praises of box squats, but now people are getting over that, and realizing it’s ok to say box squats didn’t work for them. it seems im reading more and more “box squats only helped me improve my box squat”- so i would suggest you stick with the free squat. just my opinion though.
Jim- I really like the book. It seems you always reccomend at least 10 reps per set for assistance exercises. Is this because you think that going any lower then that( say 4x6) would be detrimental to the program? Thanks.
On a side note: You into Black Dahila Murder? New album sounds pretty brutal.THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos
Forgive me if this was already asked - obviously missed it somewhere in these 80+ pages!! Does anyone see a problem in using weighted dips and pull ups on both bench and military press days? I’m considering doing a 5x3xY for Dips and pull ups, adding 1 rep a set each session for MP - light weight, build up strength endurance. On bench days I’d do a 3x3 with dips and pull ups increasing 5lbs every workout in weeks 1-3, deload then begin a new cycle with 5lbs lighter then my last session, working back up (will start light so I can progress longer). Bench days I’d also include 1 set of Kroc rows (+2 warm up sets). Thoughts?
^I can’t recall any posts on the topic. However, for my current cycle, I am also doing chins on both the press and bench press days, though I moved dumbbell row from bench press day to squat day. I’m liking the set up so far, but I haven’t been doing it long enough to say whether it’s leading to higher numbers.
It looks like our program matchs up…somewhat, did w.dips and w.chins on both days last week, but ran out of time in the gym on bench day (had class) so I pushed rows to the next day (squats).
Last week I did a 4x3x45 pull ups and 4x3x60 dips on MP day and 5x3x25 pull ups, 5x3x40 dips on bench day with a few easy sets xBW of each. Though I’ll be swapping the assitance work around (MP to B, B to MP) I do like the setup. Just looking for the “OK” from Jim or some of you guys before I put all my focus into it.
Other then that Im liking the feel of the program, doing the 4 day split triumvirate (MP, DL, Rest, B, S) - with the exception of the added kroc rows. Each session is quick and I feel strong leaving the gym. Doesn’t take everything out of me either, so I’ve been pumped for the next day.
[quote]FERCHCORE wrote:
Jim- I really like the book. It seems you always reccomend at least 10 reps per set for assistance exercises. Is this because you think that going any lower then that( say 4x6) would be detrimental to the program? Thanks.
On a side note: You into Black Dahila Murder? New album sounds pretty brutal.http://www.myspace.com/blackdahliamurder[/quote]
not jim but i do it and i go as low as 2-3 reps(anderson squats) and the progress is quite good
Does anyone have trouble squatting for reps on the last set? Today was my squat day of the 5/3/1 week and on the last set I only got 4 reps. I’m sure I could’ve done more but there was no one at the gym I’d have trusted with spotting me.
I squatted in a squat rack (for the last set; I prefer a squat stand) and ended up setting my catches (slightly) too high. Completely messed up my technique since I was focused on trying not to hit the catches.
I started this cycle 4 weeks ago (on deload now) and bench went like this
Week 1: 85%x10 (good)
-switched gyms, started college and lost a little weight
week 2: 90%x3 (Terrible)
week 3: 95%x3 (better but still bad)
Since I only got 3 reps for my 90 and 95% weeks what should I do next cycle? Still add 5% or so and see how it goes or what? That would suck to have to use the same weights as before but I’m not sure…
Thanks
As an aside, Military Press has strangely been doing well and no issues really with most other lifts
Week 2 you had a lot of stuff going on, so don’t get discouraged about not getting the reps you wanted.
You hit or exceeded your rep targets, and your .85 reps look good; so add 5 lbs (not percent, pounds) to your E1RM and proceed as normal. Reevaluate at the end of the next cycle.
[quote]pumped340 wrote:
OK guys I have an interesting problem here
I started this cycle 4 weeks ago (on deload now) and bench went like this
Week 1: 85%x10 (good)
-switched gyms, started college and lost a little weight
week 2: 90%x3 (Terrible)
week 3: 95%x3 (better but still bad)
Since I only got 3 reps for my 90 and 95% weeks what should I do next cycle? Still add 5% or so and see how it goes or what? That would suck to have to use the same weights as before but I’m not sure…
Thanks
As an aside, Military Press has strangely been doing well and no issues really with most other lifts[/quote]
When was the last time you reset your maxes? If it has been awhile, my instinct would be to keep the weights the same for the next wave and see if you can improve. If it has been relatively recent, then add 5 lbs (not sure where 5% came from) and see what happens.
