Been working with the 3 day work for a wave using the Big but Boring template. Squat and Deads are right on track. But bench is lacking as is military. This is nothing new to me, being that I’m 6’1" and just 212lbs.
I was wondering if anybody has had the same problem and what they have done to rectify the situation. Planning on doing a NASA meet in the end of Feb in Tyler, TX. Not sure if I need to add some extra assistance work or just keep on plugging away. Thanks guys.[/quote]
What do you mean when you say they are “lacking”? Are you missing lifts?
He doesn’t specify in the book, I did 50/55/60 when I did “boring but big” though.
The 5x10 deadlifts left my hips very very beat up. I still do 5x10 squat for squat assistance because I keep seeing great gains from it (the extra form work helps a lot for a newbie like me).
For those that don’t know, in the Boring But Big plan, you follow the 5/3/1 main lift with 5 sets of 10 with 50-60% of your max.
Do you increase the percentage each wave?
wave 1 - 50%
wave 2 - 55%
wave 3 - 60%
No, I did not buy the book yet. I asked Santa.[/quote]
I suppose you could. It’s really just accessory work. I don’t remember exactly what percentages I did, but I know I started with less than 50% and added weight each week.
Yeah, started light as hell…and still had a tough time working through all the reps. Your right, probably a conditioning issue. DLs and Squats are tough and make me sore, but I can usually work through the sets fairly well.
I am one of those guys who is more explosive than grind it out strong. It is either get it easy or don’t get it at all. Was hoping that the 5x10 would help me learn to strain longer and with correct form during a fatigued state.
Also, set my “max” squat at a real light 405. Did my first 3x3 and got 360 for a pretty damn easy 10 reps. Do you guys think that I might have undershot my weights too much??? Or just shut the hell up and keep pounding out reps?
Starting to enjoy this template, allows you to just go up and down and not think about ME lifts, DE lifts, assistance according to current weaknesses, band %s and all that stuff. Getting to like the whole no thought process.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
50% for 10 reps should be pretty easy…[/quote]
My big but boring workout:
3 warmup sets of about 5 reps`:
then 3 work sets of 5/3/1(depending on weeks)
and 5 sets of 10 reps at 50%.
Total 11 sets:
Take Squat for example: Hanley i know your a Sheiko fan and you are probably used to high volume. But for some people not used to high reps on squat(people who did riptoe,billstar,madcow 5x5)…
From my experience after 11 sets of squat…they will be drained after the workout!
[quote]TWP wrote:
Also, set my “max” squat at a real light 405. Did my first 3x3 and got 360 for a pretty damn easy 10 reps. Do you guys think that I might have undershot my weights too much??? Or just shut the hell up and keep pounding out reps?[/quote]
I asked Jim about this, he said to just keep going up after each 4 week cycle, you’ll eventually get to where you need to be.
[quote]xb-C wrote:
I just wanna say I’m on my 2nd wave of 531 and have been getting PR’s each consecutive week for the last 6 weeks.
[/quote]
Did you start 10% lower? In my head (mathematically?), I wouldn’t think anyone would see PR’s until the second or third cycle. I don’t know though. Anyway, good for you!
[quote]Uncle Fester wrote:
TWP wrote:
Also, set my “max” squat at a real light 405. Did my first 3x3 and got 360 for a pretty damn easy 10 reps. Do you guys think that I might have undershot my weights too much??? Or just shut the hell up and keep pounding out reps?
I asked Jim about this, he said to just keep going up after each 4 week cycle, you’ll eventually get to where you need to be.[/quote]
I totally agree. I started out easy and I am making good progress. I based my first deadlift wave on 560lbs and I had pulled 650lbs several times in competition. My second wave was based on 580lbs and I hit a 27.8lbs PR on my deadlift in a meet. The biggest mistake is to start too heavy. I know a few guys that had to start over with lower weights.
I guess the whole patience thing is just going to have to take priority over any real heavy work for a while. Fine with me, need to up the mass anyway, slow and steady will be the order for the next few months.
Spoke with my training partner today after some prowler, sled, bag training for some much needed gpp and we decided to stick with the 5x10 work until the meet. I don’t know if that is the best idea for a meet cycle, but guess we will have to see how it pans out.
How are you guys setting up the deload weeks? For the higher rep stuff, thinking about dropping pecentages and then also just make it a 2-3x10 and just go by feel??? Opinions?
[quote]TWP wrote:
I guess the whole patience thing is just going to have to take priority over any real heavy work for a while. Fine with me, need to up the mass anyway, slow and steady will be the order for the next few months.
Spoke with my training partner today after some prowler, sled, bag training for some much needed gpp and we decided to stick with the 5x10 work until the meet. I don’t know if that is the best idea for a meet cycle, but guess we will have to see how it pans out.
How are you guys setting up the deload weeks? For the higher rep stuff, thinking about dropping pecentages and then also just make it a 2-3x10 and just go by feel??? Opinions?[/quote]
To be honest, for my deload weeks I usually don’t even do my main lifts. I just do some other stuff and take an extra day or two off.
I did a phase of boring but big and used 60/55/50/45/40 for descending sets. I had asked Jim about this and he replied boring but big was more about getting the reps in that what weight you were using.
I was sore for days after squatting like this. Same thing for Deads. Remember the first time you did squats and how you felt the next couple of days? Yeah, like that, maybe worse.
Bench and mil press boring but big template didn’t make me as sore though.
[quote]TWP wrote:
How are you guys setting up the deload weeks? For the higher rep stuff, thinking about dropping pecentages and then also just make it a 2-3x10 and just go by feel??? Opinions?[/quote]
I have been following the recommended percentages for the deload week and taking it easy on the accessory work, but this week I decided to not deadlift. Next week when I start the next wave I will see how my deadlifts feel after taking a week off from pulling.
[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
xb-C wrote:
I just wanna say I’m on my 2nd wave of 531 and have been getting PR’s each consecutive week for the last 6 weeks.
Did you start 10% lower? In my head (mathematically?), I wouldn’t think anyone would see PR’s until the second or third cycle. I don’t know though. Anyway, good for you![/quote]
Yes I did.
I have gotten rep PR’s every time I’ve benched. After my first cycle I added 5lbs to my working sets and have been getting more and more reps. This is a really simple system and I enjoy it.
Did anyone (Boring but Big template) change the 5x10 military press to dumbbell press instead? I’m thinking of doing this for variety sake … Same for the bench, use db bench.
Can this be done for 4 days?Something like front squat, DL, Bench, and chinups as main lifts?
Also can somebody give me an example of what they do for assistance work? Thanks!