a quick one, does this make sense:
sun: press, pull ups, dips
mon: dead, ghr, bb curls
wed: bench, db rows, scullcrushers
thu: squat, step ups, db curls
?
[quote]novocaine wrote:
a quick one, does this make sense:
sun: press, pull ups, dips
mon: dead, ghr, bb curls
wed: bench, db rows, scullcrushers
thu: squat, step ups, db curls
?[/quote]
yes, although I would switch dips and skullcrushers
On cycle 7 of 5/3/1, been on this for (you guessed it) around 7 months, maybe a little more because of a few setbacks.
My progress was decent for cycles 1-3, although the last cycle was shaky because of vacations and some inconsistency. I weighed around 190, my bests were as follows:
Squat: 317.53
Bench: 2453
Deadlift: 340*5
Press: I forget.
From cycle 4/5 onward, I started doing a gallon of whole milk a day. My PR’s this week:
Squat: 347.55
Bench: 262.53
Deadlift: going for 372.54
Press: hopefully 1653
My bodyweight is up to 210-215. I put on some fat, and I hit my weight goals, so I’m down to a gallon of milk only on my training days and I’m starting to lean up a bit.
Loving this program.
Jim, I’m in my fourth cycle of the 5/3/1 program now, and I have to say that I’m really enjoying it. The main reason is because it is just so damn simple, and it works. However, on my bench I have difficulty with handling the weights in my second and third week. They just feel very heavy, and I always feel like I am not properly warmed up, unlike the first week where I always feel strong and explosive. I also never hit the rep PRs in the 2nd or 3rd week, they always come in the first week. Last cycle I decided to just get the required reps in instead of going all out, but it only made me feel weaker on the third week.
Do you know anything that could cause this? I know food, stress and sleep have an influence on it, but I think that is not the cause because that stays fairly constant. I will show you what my training week looks like, and maybe you could give some advice on what I could do less, more or change.
Monday:
Chins: 40 to 50 reps, always weighted, sets always 5 to 8 reps
DB Rows: 4/5 sets of 15
Weighted planks: +20kg(44lbs) 1 minute on 1 minute rest repeat 5 times
Jump rope: 15 to 20 minutes
Wednesday:
5/3/1 Bench
Dips: Weighted, work up to 10 rep max, 5 to 7 sets
Face Pulls: 4x15reps
AB-pulldown: 4x15reps
Bike: Interval 20 minutes
Thursday: Conditioning
Saturday:
5/3/1 Deadlift
Bulgarian split squats 5x10
Back raise or SLDL: 5x10
Side bends: 3x15
Thanks in advance
DuncW
For cycles 4 and 5, I got 5,4,3 reps for the last set each week respectively. Should I continue with cycle 6 or should I reset?
[quote]Doenitz79 wrote:
For cycles 4 and 5, I got 5,4,3 reps for the last set each week respectively. Should I continue with cycle 6 or should I reset?[/quote]
I am in a similar situation on bench.
Cycle 4 I got 5, 3, 2
Cycle 5 I got 7, 3, 2
Cycle 6 I got 5, 4, 2
All other lifts are significantly higher reps. I may have started the bench max too high, or the others a bit low.
I am going to continue the bench cycle at least 1 more time because:
- Cycle 4 was in rugby season
- Cycle 5 was the first after the season
- I am feeling stronger and healthier cycle to cycle after the season.
I got the required reps on all days. Cycle 5 and 6, I exceeded reps on 2 of 3 days. I don’t really consider the cycle 4 numbers. I consider this as progress.
I also like to grind out lower reps. If I can get all required reps and exceed on more than half, I plan to continue.
After the next week(deload) i’m planning to change my routine to focus more on conditioning and lose a little fat (summer starts next week in south hemisphere lol). At first,I was thinking about keeping the 3 days a week template and adding hill sprints after the upper body days, but after reading this Jason Ferruggia’s Renegade Fitness , I’m considering doing something like:
Mon
Bench 5/3/1
upper body assistance
hills
Wed
Front Squat 5/3/1
Deadlift 5/3/1
lower body assistance (not much, after squats and deads)
Fri
Military 5/3/1
Pullup 5/3/1
upper body assistance
hills (or leave these to saturday if i know i will have time)
I usually have easier progress on lower body stuff than on the pressing exercises, so i think i could benefit of doing upper body more frequently than lower.
So, how does this look? Anyones critiques/sugestions are welcome.
Between October 17 and yesterday, the weight that was my 1RM on the bench became my 5RM. Thanks Jim.
[quote]BJack wrote:
Between October 17 and yesterday, the weight that was my 1RM on the bench became my 5RM. Thanks Jim.[/quote]
Jesus. Congratulations on the success.
alright im now starting my 3rd cycle. heres what ive been doing
monday
MP 5/3/1
dips 4x16
chins 9x6 (in the process of increasing reps and lowering sets)
tuesday
SQT 5/3/1
front sqt 5x10
ab wheel 4x10
thursday
bench 5/3/1
dips 4x16
chins 9x6
friday
DL 5/3/1
lunges 5x10
ab wheel 4x10
my chinups are sucking. im getting bored with doing these without much progress, i kinda want to switch to weighted chins, but didnt really know how to go about it on my weekly schedule. i was thinking weighted chins 5x5 after MP on mondays, and then db rows on thursday instead of any chins. maybe its time i start doing them before my dips, i dont know.
also, my MP was stalling before i started this program, and is still stalling. all my other main lifts are actually doing awesome with this program, but i think im gonna switch to pushpress for quite a while just for fun, and hopefully it will shake some progress loose with my OHP.
I have just started my first cycle of this program, Its hectic with the holidays and my gym being closed on days I want to lift. I feel great with the pogram as of now, the DOMS dont seem so bad, and my CNS is liking me again. I will come back here in 2 cycles to tell you how its going.
hey i was just wondering, if i only have a 3 to 4 month offseason in between rugby seasons, would the 5/3/1 percents be effective to use?
[quote]LA wrote:
[quote]Doenitz79 wrote:
For cycles 4 and 5, I got 5,4,3 reps for the last set each week respectively. Should I continue with cycle 6 or should I reset?[/quote]
I am in a similar situation on bench.
Cycle 4 I got 5, 3, 2
Cycle 5 I got 7, 3, 2
Cycle 6 I got 5, 4, 2
All other lifts are significantly higher reps. I may have started the bench max too high, or the others a bit low.
I am going to continue the bench cycle at least 1 more time because:
- Cycle 4 was in rugby season
- Cycle 5 was the first after the season
- I am feeling stronger and healthier cycle to cycle after the season.
I got the required reps on all days. Cycle 5 and 6, I exceeded reps on 2 of 3 days. I don’t really consider the cycle 4 numbers. I consider this as progress.
I also like to grind out lower reps. If I can get all required reps and exceed on more than half, I plan to continue.
[/quote]
I know some may disagree with me, but I see no point in resetting if you are hitting the prescribed reps (which you are). If you follow that model, and “only” get the prescribed reps, your bench press is going to go up “only” 60 pounds a year!!! Hard to argue with that. I would just keep following the program until you can’t hit the prescribed reps, then reset.
I’ve got a question for all of you using the BBB template, but first, some background. I’m starting my 5th cycle after New Years and have been using the triumvirate template thus far. My workouts usually look like:
- Squat, Leg Press, Leg Curl
- Bench, DB Bench, Rows
- Deadlift, Hanging Ab Raises, Hyperextensions
- OHP, Pullups, Dips
I see no problem pulling out the leg press for squats and the DB Bench for regular bench, but for the DL and OHP days, how are you all structuring your BBB workouts to minimize your time in the gym?
I’d really like to keep all of those assistance exercises, but don’t want to spend much extra time. Do you suck it up and just make those days 4-exercise days (with maybe lowered sets/reps)? Do you just throw out one of those assistance exercises? Maybe work out 5 days a week with one day being mostly the bodyweight assistance work?
Just pulled 405 today, adding 45 pounds to my previous max. This was after doing 3,5 cycles of 5/3/1: I just couldn’t resist pulling 4 plates in 2009. I’ve also increased my estimated bench to 225 and squat to 315, putting around 25 lbs to both.
My goal is to add another plate to every lift in 2010, thus achieving 405/315/495. Bench of course will be much, much harder than the other two lifts, but we’ll see what happens.
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
I’ve got a question for all of you using the BBB template, but first, some background. I’m starting my 5th cycle after New Years and have been using the triumvirate template thus far. My workouts usually look like:
- Squat, Leg Press, Leg Curl
- Bench, DB Bench, Rows
- Deadlift, Hanging Ab Raises, Hyperextensions
- OHP, Pullups, Dips
I see no problem pulling out the leg press for squats and the DB Bench for regular bench, but for the DL and OHP days, how are you all structuring your BBB workouts to minimize your time in the gym?
I’d really like to keep all of those assistance exercises, but don’t want to spend much extra time. Do you suck it up and just make those days 4-exercise days (with maybe lowered sets/reps)? Do you just throw out one of those assistance exercises? Maybe work out 5 days a week with one day being mostly the bodyweight assistance work?
[/quote]
I did
Bench 5/3/1, Bench 5x10, Kroc Rows
Squat 5/3/1, Squat 5x10, Abs 5x10
Military 5/3/1, Military 5x10, Chins (50 reps)
Deadlift 5/3/1, Back Extensions 5x10 (no 5x10 deads), Abs 5x10
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
I’ve got a question for all of you using the BBB template, but first, some background. I’m starting my 5th cycle after New Years and have been using the triumvirate template thus far. My workouts usually look like:
- Squat, Leg Press, Leg Curl
- Bench, DB Bench, Rows
- Deadlift, Hanging Ab Raises, Hyperextensions
- OHP, Pullups, Dips
I see no problem pulling out the leg press for squats and the DB Bench for regular bench, but for the DL and OHP days, how are you all structuring your BBB workouts to minimize your time in the gym?
I’d really like to keep all of those assistance exercises, but don’t want to spend much extra time. Do you suck it up and just make those days 4-exercise days (with maybe lowered sets/reps)? Do you just throw out one of those assistance exercises? Maybe work out 5 days a week with one day being mostly the bodyweight assistance work?
[/quote]
-
You will be hitting the big lifts a lot, so you will not need all of the assistance work, so I tend to just throw dips and hypers and such out. In fact, after doing the 5 sets of 10 OHP or Bench, I cannot really imagine wanting to do a bunch of dips, but try the template and if you feel you need dips at the end just add them in.
-
Are you already alternating your pullups and rows with your pressing movements? If not, this will save you a lot of time. You may also be able to alternate your ab work with your 5 sets of deads.
-
I cycle through a few templates (mostly BBB, Triumvirate and sometime throwing in some smaller work like in the Periodization Bible), so I do not worry about not doing assistance work I like (like rows or dips) for a cycle, as you can do it again the next cycle. So, I would just try the template as written for a cycle and then keep/abandon/change it as you need.
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
I’ve got a question for all of you using the BBB template, but first, some background. I’m starting my 5th cycle after New Years and have been using the triumvirate template thus far. My workouts usually look like:
- Squat, Leg Press, Leg Curl
- Bench, DB Bench, Rows
- Deadlift, Hanging Ab Raises, Hyperextensions
- OHP, Pullups, Dips
I see no problem pulling out the leg press for squats and the DB Bench for regular bench, but for the DL and OHP days, how are you all structuring your BBB workouts to minimize your time in the gym?
I’d really like to keep all of those assistance exercises, but don’t want to spend much extra time. Do you suck it up and just make those days 4-exercise days (with maybe lowered sets/reps)? Do you just throw out one of those assistance exercises? Maybe work out 5 days a week with one day being mostly the bodyweight assistance work?
[/quote]
So far my gym time for BBB is no longer than when I just did the bodyweight assistance movements. You just have to make sure you’re not taking too much time off between sets- it shouldn’t be as long as between the 5/3/1 work sets.
Don’t be afraid to abandon an assistance movement for a month or two. Remember, they’re assistance movements. They’re only there to assist in getting stronger in the main lifts. As long as the main lifts keep going up, you’re golden.
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
I’ve got a question for all of you using the BBB template, but first, some background. I’m starting my 5th cycle after New Years and have been using the triumvirate template thus far. My workouts usually look like:
- Squat, Leg Press, Leg Curl
- Bench, DB Bench, Rows
- Deadlift, Hanging Ab Raises, Hyperextensions
- OHP, Pullups, Dips
I see no problem pulling out the leg press for squats and the DB Bench for regular bench, but for the DL and OHP days, how are you all structuring your BBB workouts to minimize your time in the gym?
I’d really like to keep all of those assistance exercises, but don’t want to spend much extra time. Do you suck it up and just make those days 4-exercise days (with maybe lowered sets/reps)? Do you just throw out one of those assistance exercises? Maybe work out 5 days a week with one day being mostly the bodyweight assistance work?
[/quote]
I am on cycle 7. I have always done BBB because the whole point to switching was to spend less time in the gym
- Squat 5/3/1, GM 5x10 (supersetted with) pulldown abz 5x10
- Bench 5/3/1, Bench 5x10 supersetted with Kroc Rows 5x10
- Deadlift 5/3/1, deadlift 5x10 supersetted with incline situps 5x whatever
- OHP 5/3/1, OHP 5x10 supersetted with Pulldowns
Supersetting the antagonist accessories helps get through it fast. The only reason I don’t do squat 5x10 is that my knee won’t take it. I don’t do chins and dips yet because my fatness is still too high. As soon as I am strong/skinny enough to do them, I will do chins instead of pulldowns. I am also considering adding an accessory day where I just work chins, dips and abz.
Due to warm up differences, I am usually out of the gym in 40 minutes on bench and ohp day, and 60 min on squat and dl days. you may not need all the hip and back warmup that I do.
Just want to throw a question out to jim and you guy’s who are 5/3/1’n towards powerlifting. I plan on taking part in a couple of meets this year and although my 1RM is not the sole purpose of my training I have to know were i’m at if I want to compete. I’ve tried the suggested 1RM practice as per the manual and found that my 1RM actually decreased slightly in both Squat and bench. Do you guys have any other suggestions on how to approach 1RM’s as I havent tried in 6 cycles and like I said still cant workout the reason for the decrease as all my mains lifts are improving each cycle. Just as a side note I only ever attempt to really max out once a month. All advice from you competing PL’s greatly appreciated.
Cheers in advance
Irish.