[quote]fedaykin wrote:
what I’m asking would be stated much more clearly like this (I think):
How well do your deadlift rep maxes predict your deadlift 1rm?
I pulled 410x11 (which is a 558 on paper), but only 485x1 two weeks prior. Thoughts on this? I don’t think I have gotten that much stronger in 2 weeks.[/quote]
I don’t think 11 reps can accurately calculate a 1RM. Most calculators I have seen stop at 10 reps and I assume the closer you get to 10 the more its off. After doing this program for several months the results should be clear without having to test your 1RM. In 6 months you should be doing a weight closer to your current 485 1RM but for a good amount of reps.[/quote]
I think the calculator’s are a good guide to measure progress, but until you actually try the weight … well it’s only speculation.[/quote]
fair enough. Thanks guys! It has been helpful. I’m going to work on my technique some on this friday - tomorrow - (I do BBB deads following my squats and BBB box squats following my deads…) and I will see how it goes next week. I’ll try to post a video of one or two of my BBB sets on my log. I’m fairly excited because I haven’t seen gains in my pull since I dropped about 60 pounds of bodyweight and it would be cool to see my deads go back up again.
I know this has had to have been asked somewhere but what about replacing flat bench with incline bench for 5/3/1? the book says its great for military and bench assistance work. i know squats can be replaced with front squats, i didn’t know if this was the case with flat → incline bench.
[quote]UFgator11 wrote:
I know this has had to have been asked somewhere but what about replacing flat bench with incline bench for 5/3/1? the book says its great for military and bench assistance work. i know squats can be replaced with front squats, i didn’t know if this was the case with flat → incline bench.[/quote]
I don’t have the book with me(I’m at the uni) but I think if progress stalls on any of the main lifts, switching to a similar lift is probably fine.
Probably something along these lines are fine:
Conventional Deadlifts → Rack Pulls or SLDLs or Deficit deads or Sumo Deads
Back Squats → Front Squats or Box Squats or Zercher Squats
Flat Bench → Incline Bench or Decline Bench or Dips
Military Press → Push Presses
I’ll look this up in the book when I get home tonight.
I think you could replace the bench with Inclines, close grips or dips if you wanted too. I remember hearing something about that a while back. When you use dips you need to include a certain percentage of your bodyweight into the lifting calculations however…
It’s in the FAQ section starting on page 70. He says declines can’t be a main movement. But he approves push-presses, inclines, front squats, and trap-bar deadlifts.
Can you add more then 5 pounds to bench and 10 to squat + deadlift at end of cycle? The reason is because we are still sort of beginners and just limiting ourselves to such small jumps every month might slow us down, because were not that the point at where adding 5 pounds to the bench in a month is a big accomplishment. But we love the simplicity and effectiveness of this.
Liv92…maybe you’d benefit more from a linear progression like rippetoe’s starting strength or the texas method? Although, I’d say adding 60 lbs. to your bench in a year is pretty damned good progress.
[quote]Liv92 wrote:
Can you add more then 5 pounds to bench and 10 to squat + deadlift at end of cycle? The reason is because we are still sort of beginners and just limiting ourselves to such small jumps every month might slow us down, because were not that the point at where adding 5 pounds to the bench in a month is a big accomplishment. But we love the simplicity and effectiveness of this. [/quote]
I’d stick to what the book says. The beauty of the slow progression is that you will not be working at 100% strength which gives your body a chance to adapt and grow.
[quote]TisDrew wrote:
Liv92…maybe you’d benefit more from a linear progression like rippetoe’s starting strength or the texas method? Although, I’d say adding 60 lbs. to your bench in a year is pretty damned good progress.[/quote]
Idk my max bench is like 185, 245 in one year don’t sound that stellar. and i’m not doing SS, I already did SL5x5 for a while and i’m done with those type of programs.
What do you guys suggest about some bicepzzz work?
I dicked around for my first couple of months on this, trying to be too big for my boots and do the Triv assistance stuff because I thought I knew better.
Switched to Boring But Big, reset my maxes (just rolled back a cycle) and now I kick PR’s in the balls for fun. The program just fucking works if you dont dick around with it.
The only modification I have in at the moment, is I pull sumo for my main sets. I missed that you shouldnt pull sumo when I read the book first time. Re read the other night and found it. I’ll finish my meet preparation with sumo’s (as i’ll pull sumo in the meet), but switch that out for conventionals when the meet is over.
[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
"Idk my max bench is like 185, 245 in one year don’t sound that stellar. "
Really?[/quote]
Besides, that 245 becomes 305 next year and 365 the year after.
Or you could prick about like most do, switching things every ten weeks and end up stuck under 300? Its not a sprint to develop a 400lb bench press, it takes time to get yourself strong.
[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
"Idk my max bench is like 185, 245 in one year don’t sound that stellar. "
Really?[/quote]
Besides, that 245 becomes 305 next year and 365 the year after.
Or you could prick about like most do, switching things every ten weeks and end up stuck under 300? Its not a sprint to develop a 400lb bench press, it takes time to get yourself strong.[/quote]
I am also not sure I agree with the premise that adding 5 lbs. to your training max every month = 5 lbs. of gains to your 1rm. It could be more, it could be less. It depends largely on the effort you put into to the money set and assistance lifts and how much you eat, sleep and recover.
For example, I have had months were I have added the proper amount of weight and my reps went up over the previous month. I have also had months where my reps went down after adding wieght. Adding 5 lbs. and cycling through the 85, 90, and 95% range is just one way to vary your stimulous–it does not mean that you are limited to 5 lbs. gains per month and it is certainly not a guarantee that you will add 5 lbs. of strength.
[quote]UFgator11 wrote:
I know this has had to have been asked somewhere but what about replacing flat bench with incline bench for 5/3/1? the book says its great for military and bench assistance work. i know squats can be replaced with front squats, i didn’t know if this was the case with flat → incline bench.[/quote]
I don’t have the book with me(I’m at the uni) but I think if progress stalls on any of the main lifts, switching to a similar lift is probably fine.
Probably something along these lines are fine:
Conventional Deadlifts → Rack Pulls or SLDLs or Deficit deads or Sumo Deads
Back Squats → Front Squats or Box Squats or Zercher Squats
Flat Bench → Incline Bench or Decline Bench or Dips
Military Press → Push Presses
I’ll look this up in the book when I get home tonight.[/quote]
IIRC a lot of the suggestions you have here are discouraged by Jim. For deadlift, he recommends only the trap-bar deadlift as a suitable replacement. He also strongly discourages decline benching. I know he’s not a fan of box squats either. Haven’t heard him comment on Zercher squats.
[quote]Liv92 wrote:
Can you add more then 5 pounds to bench and 10 to squat + deadlift at end of cycle? The reason is because we are still sort of beginners and just limiting ourselves to such small jumps every month might slow us down, because were not that the point at where adding 5 pounds to the bench in a month is a big accomplishment. But we love the simplicity and effectiveness of this. [/quote]
I would say stick to the recommened gains.
What will happen is that if you actually gain more than 5lbs of strength on the bench, is that you’ll simply do more reps. So you will still be increasing the work in proportion to your strength gains.
[quote]TisDrew wrote:
Liv92…maybe you’d benefit more from a linear progression like rippetoe’s starting strength or the texas method? Although, I’d say adding 60 lbs. to your bench in a year is pretty damned good progress.[/quote]
Idk my max bench is like 185, 245 in one year don’t sound that stellar. and i’m not doing SS, I already did SL5x5 for a while and i’m done with those type of programs.
What do you guys suggest about some bicepzzz work? [/quote]
If you’ve already done something like 5x5, then why do you think you are a beginner?
[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
"Idk my max bench is like 185, 245 in one year don’t sound that stellar. "
Really?[/quote]
Besides, that 245 becomes 305 next year and 365 the year after.
Or you could prick about like most do, switching things every ten weeks and end up stuck under 300? Its not a sprint to develop a 400lb bench press, it takes time to get yourself strong.[/quote]
This spoke allot to me.
I have a HUGE problem sticking to things.
Does this program make your arms big too? ( I know I sound like an annoying noob) I did SL5x5 and everything grew but my arms. =[ I really don’t want put so much time in the gym and not have atleast decent arms to show off for it, you know?
Box squats vs. free squats- see the article I wrote for T-Nation on this subject.
Declines - no
Zerchers - no. We are not in prison, so thus…no Zerchers.
Sumo - Unless you are anatomically suited for these (see Rippetoe’s suggestions on this), I only recommend deadlifts.
As for building your arms - just do some barbell curls on one of your upper body days.
Thanks to all for helping answer questions - most of you have some great knowledge and it’s great that you are passing it down and helping others.
