Wendler's 5/3/1 Program - Part 3

Training Powerlifting
361

[quote]revchad wrote:
burt128 wrote:
TheDudeAbides wrote:
burt128 wrote:
Diamond_D wrote:
burt128 wrote:
Does anyone else find that they just suck at high reps on one or more of the lifts? For me it is deadlifts. My fitness is fine but I’m on my first cycle and I barely got the required 5 reps. I’m using a true training max, but maybe I need to lower it for deadlifts due to my suckiness at reps. Thoughts?

Drop down to 90% of your max. Suck it up.

I’m already using 90% of the training max to calculate the weights. Are you suggesting that I take 90% of my 5/3/1 max and use that?

You would be correct. How many reps are you getting?

5 on the first week of my first cycle.

Some people even start by setting their training max at 85% of a true 1rm. If you are having that much trouble with the higher rep deadlift, then you may want to do that for this lift. In that case, your 5 week would be done with 85% of your training max that is 85% of your 1rm, or 72.25% of you 1rm. If you cannot get significantly more than 5 with that, then I would focus a lot on doing higher rep work to correct the issue.

Good luck.[/quote]

Thanks, I think I’ll give that a try. I’m not sure I want to be getting a ton of reps on my 5 day with the deadlifts – one of my concerns about the program in general is that it doesn’t have you straining with heavy weights (at least early on). By the same token though, barely eaking out 5 reps on my first week of the program isn’t going to lead to much long term progress. I’ll take 85% and see how it goes.

362

[quote]tommytoughnuts wrote:
What kind of free weight accessory work are yall doing for rear delts? I’m about to move to a gym without any kind of cables or anything so that’s out[/quote]

I’m having good results right now doing t-bar rows off of the ground for my upper back/rear delt movement, but rear delt raises with db’s (1 arm at a time) have worked really well for me in the past.

363

[quote]tommytoughnuts wrote:
What kind of free weight accessory work are yall doing for rear delts? I’m about to move to a gym without any kind of cables or anything so that’s out[/quote]

Miniband pullaparts done between sets of presses.

364

[quote]tommytoughnuts wrote:
What kind of free weight accessory work are yall doing for rear delts? I’m about to move to a gym without any kind of cables or anything so that’s out[/quote]

db rows/Kroc rows

365

[quote]Doug Adams wrote:
tommytoughnuts wrote:
What kind of free weight accessory work are yall doing for rear delts? I’m about to move to a gym without any kind of cables or anything so that’s out

Miniband pullaparts done between sets of presses. [/quote]

I’m ultra allergic to latex :frowning:

366

[quote]burt128 wrote:
revchad wrote:
burt128 wrote:
TheDudeAbides wrote:
burt128 wrote:
Diamond_D wrote:
burt128 wrote:
Does anyone else find that they just suck at high reps on one or more of the lifts? For me it is deadlifts. My fitness is fine but I’m on my first cycle and I barely got the required 5 reps. I’m using a true training max, but maybe I need to lower it for deadlifts due to my suckiness at reps. Thoughts?

Drop down to 90% of your max. Suck it up.

I’m already using 90% of the training max to calculate the weights. Are you suggesting that I take 90% of my 5/3/1 max and use that?

You would be correct. How many reps are you getting?

5 on the first week of my first cycle.

Some people even start by setting their training max at 85% of a true 1rm. If you are having that much trouble with the higher rep deadlift, then you may want to do that for this lift. In that case, your 5 week would be done with 85% of your training max that is 85% of your 1rm, or 72.25% of you 1rm. If you cannot get significantly more than 5 with that, then I would focus a lot on doing higher rep work to correct the issue.

Good luck.

Thanks, I think I’ll give that a try. I’m not sure I want to be getting a ton of reps on my 5 day with the deadlifts – one of my concerns about the program in general is that it doesn’t have you straining with heavy weights (at least early on). By the same token though, barely eaking out 5 reps on my first week of the program isn’t going to lead to much long term progress. I’ll take 85% and see how it goes.[/quote]

after 5 cycles I reset my maxes to about 82% of my original 1RM (I had started at 90%). My money set reps are in the 8-13 range. I am making real progress now, much more than I had in the past. Jim has said not to take 90% of a contest max, because that is too high. Take 80%-85% of your best recent max at the end of a full workout, or pick a weight you know you can do 5-6 (or 10) times, and do it as many times as possible - feed it into the rep max calculator, then take 90% of that.

You won’t worry about “straining with heavy weights” any more after you’ve strained to get the last 2 reps of 12. This program is about letting the reps make you strong.

at least, that’s my $0.02

367

[quote]mjnewland wrote:
burt128 wrote:
revchad wrote:
burt128 wrote:
TheDudeAbides wrote:
burt128 wrote:
Diamond_D wrote:
burt128 wrote:
Does anyone else find that they just suck at high reps on one or more of the lifts? For me it is deadlifts. My fitness is fine but I’m on my first cycle and I barely got the required 5 reps. I’m using a true training max, but maybe I need to lower it for deadlifts due to my suckiness at reps. Thoughts?

Drop down to 90% of your max. Suck it up.

I’m already using 90% of the training max to calculate the weights. Are you suggesting that I take 90% of my 5/3/1 max and use that?

You would be correct. How many reps are you getting?

5 on the first week of my first cycle.

Some people even start by setting their training max at 85% of a true 1rm. If you are having that much trouble with the higher rep deadlift, then you may want to do that for this lift. In that case, your 5 week would be done with 85% of your training max that is 85% of your 1rm, or 72.25% of you 1rm. If you cannot get significantly more than 5 with that, then I would focus a lot on doing higher rep work to correct the issue.

Good luck.

Thanks, I think I’ll give that a try. I’m not sure I want to be getting a ton of reps on my 5 day with the deadlifts – one of my concerns about the program in general is that it doesn’t have you straining with heavy weights (at least early on). By the same token though, barely eaking out 5 reps on my first week of the program isn’t going to lead to much long term progress. I’ll take 85% and see how it goes.

after 5 cycles I reset my maxes to about 82% of my original 1RM (I had started at 90%). My money set reps are in the 8-13 range. I am making real progress now, much more than I had in the past. Jim has said not to take 90% of a contest max, because that is too high. Take 80%-85% of your best recent max at the end of a full workout, or pick a weight you know you can do 5-6 (or 10) times, and do it as many times as possible - feed it into the rep max calculator, then take 90% of that.

You won’t worry about “straining with heavy weights” any more after you’ve strained to get the last 2 reps of 12. This program is about letting the reps make you strong.

at least, that’s my $0.02
[/quote]

Exactly! A lot of poeple seem hung up on the 90% thing. Setting your max lighter doesn’t mean you won’t be lifting just as hard, it just means you’ll do more reps.

368

[quote]mjnewland wrote:

You won’t worry about “straining with heavy weights” any more after you’ve strained to get the last 2 reps of 12. This program is about letting the reps make you strong.

at least, that’s my $0.02
[/quote]

^ This!

and his $0.02 is worth $1.02

I haven’t gotten under 10 reps in my last two cycle, am stronger, and joints feel great

369

If this has been posted than forgive me. My computer is too slow to go back and read the whole thread.

In my next cycle I want to do complexes 3-4 times a week to work on conditioning and fat loss.

I was thinking of seeting it up like the first like os 5/3/1 and just getting the prescribed reps than 4-5 lift complex after.

Anyone set it up like this?

370

Here’s a question for everyone, not sure if this has been covered in the previous threads. I’ve browsed a lot of 5/3/1 spreadsheets, and Iv’e found a couple that increase the lifts by % instead of by pounds. Like, 3% each month for the presses, and 6% a month for the squats and deads. Has anyone tried moving up with these increments instead of the usual 5lbs/10lbs?

371

I’m not sure whether i should train 3 or 4 days a week. Specifically, I want to progress as fast as possible so i’m hesitant about doing 3 days a week, when a full cycle takes 6 weeks that way. I’m also hesitant about 4 days a week because i’m worried that i wont recover fast enough etc…

help?

372

[quote]OT wrote:
I’m not sure whether i should train 3 or 4 days a week. Specifically, I want to progress as fast as possible so i’m hesitant about doing 3 days a week, when a full cycle takes 6 weeks that way. I’m also hesitant about 4 days a week because i’m worried that i wont recover fast enough etc…

help? [/quote]

I think people have done military press and deadlifts on the same day. You could train 3 days a week doing that and still complete a cycle in 4 weeks. The whichever lift you choose to do last might suffer, though.

373

[quote]OT wrote:
I’m not sure whether i should train 3 or 4 days a week. Specifically, I want to progress as fast as possible so i’m hesitant about doing 3 days a week, when a full cycle takes 6 weeks that way. I’m also hesitant about 4 days a week because i’m worried that i wont recover fast enough etc…

help? [/quote]

It may help to say more about why you worry about your recovery capacity and general information like age, training history, diet, rest, assistance work, other activities that may affect recovers, and such. Without any specifics, I will assume young and healthy enough, getting lots of food and sleep, foam rolling, and thus should go with four days a week. If you cannot recover from it, then switch to three (after making adjustments to diet/assistance/rest that may be needed).

374

[quote]OT wrote:
I’m not sure whether i should train 3 or 4 days a week. Specifically, I want to progress as fast as possible so i’m hesitant about doing 3 days a week, when a full cycle takes 6 weeks that way. I’m also hesitant about 4 days a week because i’m worried that i wont recover fast enough etc…

help? [/quote]

A full cycle on the 3 day a week schedule takes 5 weeks not 6 because during the deload week you’ll be combining upper body and lower body lift on the same day.

You go through 13 cycles in a year on the 4 day a week and about 10 cycles on the 3 day a week.

375

[quote]OT wrote:
I’m not sure whether i should train 3 or 4 days a week. Specifically, I want to progress as fast as possible so i’m hesitant about doing 3 days a week, when a full cycle takes 6 weeks that way. I’m also hesitant about 4 days a week because i’m worried that i wont recover fast enough etc…

help? [/quote]

You should be fine with 4 days. I’m 31 and do 4 days/week, three of them in a row. I had to do four days in a row last week because of scheduling. It is doable.

I do

M - military
T - squat
W - bench
F or Sat - deadlift

376

[quote]DF85 wrote:
If this has been posted than forgive me. My computer is too slow to go back and read the whole thread.

In my next cycle I want to do complexes 3-4 times a week to work on conditioning and fat loss.

I was thinking of seeting it up like the first like os 5/3/1 and just getting the prescribed reps than 4-5 lift complex after.

Anyone set it up like this? [/quote]

I still do all my accessory work and then do 4-5 sets of a complex and I’ve been making progress fine and been getting in better shape. I wouldn’t do complexes every workout though, twice a week works better for me and on the other two days I do sled dragging for conditioning.

377

[quote]ThirdUncle wrote:
Here’s a question for everyone, not sure if this has been covered in the previous threads. I’ve browsed a lot of 5/3/1 spreadsheets, and Iv’e found a couple that increase the lifts by % instead of by pounds. Like, 3% each month for the presses, and 6% a month for the squats and deads. Has anyone tried moving up with these increments instead of the usual 5lbs/10lbs?[/quote]

Stick with the recommended, if you increase by a percent like that your going to get uneven numbers and have to round up or down anyway. For example the bench press is 5 lbs or 2.5 on each side which is the smallest plate at most gyms meaning its the smallest increase possible, there is a reason for that. For a 500lb deadlift those numbers would mean you increase by 30lbs instead of 10, HUGE difference.

378

[quote]OT wrote:
I’m not sure whether i should train 3 or 4 days a week. Specifically, I want to progress as fast as possible so i’m hesitant about doing 3 days a week, when a full cycle takes 6 weeks that way. I’m also hesitant about 4 days a week because i’m worried that i wont recover fast enough etc…

help? [/quote]

I am 40 and made good gains 3 days a week as follows:
Tues: Deads + asst.
Thurs: Bench +asst.
Sat: Squat and Overhead Press + asst.

I have recently added a fourth day and moved Overhead Press day to Sunday. This has helped with my Overhead Press–which was the only lift that suffered from 3 days a week–and let me add in a little more junk assistence work on Sunday. If you go three days a week and double up on squat and overhead press, you really have to pick your assistence work wisely top recover properly. If you have the time, 4 days a week is great, but you can make good gains 3 days a week if that is all your schedule will allow.

379

Hey dudes, what’s your nutrition been like during the deload weeks? Any different?

I’ve never followed a program with planned deloads; I figure I’ll keep the cals high since the week is all about recovery, but I’m not sure if the drastic decrease in workload would make it a bad idea. Maybe I’ll increase the conditioning a little and not worry about it.

380

Yeah, i am a strapping young lad at the age of 16, so as you guys said i’m sure i’ll be fine.
I’m thinking of organizing it like this
S-military
M-squat
T-off
W-bench
T-deadlift