[quote]Thishurts wrote:
I’m in my third week of 531 and have been making gains the whole way.
However, today on my bench, my total reps (9 @ 190#)for the last set, indicate (based on Jim’s formula)a 1RM of 5 lbs. less than last week (12 @ 180#).
Maybe it was an “off” day.
I have completed all of the required reps on all of the 1st and 2nd sets without stalling, but what about when your 1RM, based on your last set, begins to decline? [/quote]
It’s nothing, don’t let this get into your head. When I started 5/3/1 I wanted to break ‘formula 1RM’ every workout. This is great, but when I didn’t do it, I started thinking what went wrong. I could have good workout but the ‘formula PR’ was messing my head. I dropped 5/3/1 after 2 cycles - me being a pussy.
Now I’m doing second run at 5/3/1 and in my 5th cycle and I’ve change my attitude. I still enjoy breaking PRs but it is not my goal to have kick-ass workouts day after day. It doesn’t mean you are not getting stronger.Be patient and enjoy the process, try to picture how awesome you’ll be after year of 5/3/1
Hope I could help, sorry for my english. [/quote]
awesome! I used to be a 1RM calculator junkie all the time but now I try really hard not to. I still do it sometimes, but it’s typcially just when I know the number is going make me happy haha.
I’ve been using 5/3/1 for 13 months. I haven’t used the Rep or 1RM calculator once that whole time. I initally subtracted 20% which hurt my ego but I’m glad I did use such a low weight when I started. I just do the required reps then BBB. After several months I had to recalculate by subtracting 10% because I stalled out, but in the long run I’m still getting results.
I have tried:
65%, 75%, 85%, 75%, 65% then BBB
70%, 80%, 90%, 80%, 70% then BBB
75%, 85%, 95%, 85%, 75% then BBB
I am currenty trying option 2:
75% 80% 85% 70% then BBB
80% 85% 90% 80% then BBB
85% 90% 95% 85% then BBB
This is a great idea. It will help visualize overall progress as opposed to just looking at a set of numbers.
I have been logging my workouts in excel, so it won’t take but just a minute to set up a graph.
Thanks[/quote]
I’ve been writing my workouts down for years but only recently started graphing them. And I love it. It’s also kinda crazy to see how much some lifts jump around.
Day 3
Military press 5/3/1
Military Press/High incline press 5X10
Chest supported rows SS with Straight arm pull downs 4x10
Dips SS with barbell curls 3x10
Day 3
Military press 5/3/1
Military Press/High incline press 5X10
Chest supported rows SS with Straight arm pull downs 4x10
Dips SS with barbell curls 3x10
[/quote]
Looks like too much assistance work to me. But I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t really like dicking around with a bunch of extra stuff.
Day 3
Military press 5/3/1
Military Press/High incline press 5X10
Chest supported rows SS with Straight arm pull downs 4x10
Dips SS with barbell curls 3x10
[/quote]
I mean this in the nicest possible way, but there is no way in hell your day 2 workout is going to work out well. Squatting and deadlifting are the two most intense exercises in this program for most, and if you have enough energy (physically and mentally) to do both of these exercises in the same day plus your assistance work, I’d have to question the intensity of your workouts. I’m on my fourth cycle of 5/3/1 and on my DL days, I’m absolutely wiped out from the last set. But I suppose if you are a beginner and your lifts are not very heavy, it could be possible.
If you want to do two lifts on one day, I would recommend doing bench/military presses in combonation. This is what Mr. Wendler recommends in his e-book. Remember, if you do two lifts in one day, try to keep them in the same order so your training max calculations are consistent.
Hey, I hope everyone checked out today’s article on yoga!
At the recent seminar with Jim & company, he gave us a few streches for hip mobility to improve squat form. Not suprising to me, they were based on yoga asanas. If you haven’t looked into yoga, do yourself a favor and check it out. Ask dez about the crecent moon pose.
Day 3
Military press 5/3/1
Military Press/High incline press 5X10
Chest supported rows SS with Straight arm pull downs 4x10
Dips SS with barbell curls 3x10
[/quote]
I think your day 2 is way too much. If you want to limit your workouts to 3 a week, I would suggest doing it as Jim has it outlined in the book. As stated by Jim, if you change it up from what is prescribed, you aren’t doing 5/3/1 anymore.
Day 3
Military press 5/3/1
Military Press/High incline press 5X10
Chest supported rows SS with Straight arm pull downs 4x10
Dips SS with barbell curls 3x10
[/quote]
You have 2 options here.
Combine Squat and OH Press for the day you choose to do 2 lifts. Assistance is then 1 vertical pull movement like (pullups/pulldowns/etc) and another for lower body. Optionally can do some extra OH Presses after the main set but nothing like BBB.
Keep Squat/DL day but alternate which one you are doing 5/3/1 for, you can still do the other but as assistance or just anything where your not doing max reps.
[quote]sunshne wrote:
Hey, I hope everyone checked out today’s article on yoga!
At the recent seminar with Jim & company, he gave us a few streches for hip mobility to improve squat form. Not suprising to me, they were based on yoga asanas. If you haven’t looked into yoga, do yourself a favor and check it out. Ask dez about the crecent moon pose. ;)[/quote]
[quote]Quidlicker wrote:
I appreciate all the advice so far.
So I think I’m going to change my day 2 into the following;
2A
Squat 5/3/1
RDL 5x10
Lunges 5x10
Abs
2B
Deadlift 5/3/1
Squats 5x10
Leg curls 5x10
Abs
Would this be any better?[/quote]
So one week you would do workout 2A and the next week would be workout 2B?
I guess that would work. Personally, after I DL using 5/3/1 I couldn’t imagine doing squats. But it’s assistance work so I guess you could lighten the load a little to make it manageable.
[quote]Quidlicker wrote:
I appreciate all the advice so far.
So I think I’m going to change my day 2 into the following;
2A
Squat 5/3/1
RDL 5x10
Lunges 5x10
Abs
2B
Deadlift 5/3/1
Squats 5x10
Leg curls 5x10
Abs
Would this be any better?[/quote]
Why don’t you just workout three days per week and just give all the exercises their own days? That’s what I have been doing for four cycles now, and I’ve made great progress.
I just don’t see why it’s so important that you get both leg exercises in on the same day. Give them their own day and really put some intensity into it. Combine bench and military if you really want to get each “wave” done in a week.
[quote]Quidlicker wrote:
I appreciate all the advice so far.
So I think I’m going to change my day 2 into the following;
2A
Squat 5/3/1
RDL 5x10
Lunges 5x10
Abs
2B
Deadlift 5/3/1
Squats 5x10
Leg curls 5x10
Abs
Would this be any better?[/quote]
Why don’t you just workout three days per week and just give all the exercises their own days? That’s what I have been doing for four cycles now, and I’ve made great progress.
I just don’t see why it’s so important that you get both leg exercises in on the same day. Give them their own day and really put some intensity into it. Combine bench and military if you really want to get each “wave” done in a week.
[/quote]
Yeah I suppose I could do that. I’ve just come off WS4SB and liked maxing out on exercises each week rather than every 9 days. But, the general consensus is that I stick to the 3 day template so I think I’ll go with that for a few months and see how it works.
Sure this question has been asked before (maybe even by me, haha) BUT I am asking anyway! I know every so often you need to re set your maxes and take some weight off. The whole 5 steps forward, 2 steps backward mantra. I haven’t re set anything in about 7 cycles, but I was wondering, do I wait until i can’t make the perscribed reps before I reset? Or is it when I am getting to the point where my as many reps as possible set isn’t any more than the number I am supposed to do??
[quote]Spock81 wrote:
Sure this question has been asked before (maybe even by me, haha) BUT I am asking anyway! I know every so often you need to re set your maxes and take some weight off. The whole 5 steps forward, 2 steps backward mantra. I haven’t re set anything in about 7 cycles, but I was wondering, do I wait until i can’t make the perscribed reps before I reset? Or is it when I am getting to the point where my as many reps as possible set isn’t any more than the number I am supposed to do??
[/quote]
Keep going until you cant get at least the prescribed reps
[quote]Spock81 wrote:
Sure this question has been asked before (maybe even by me, haha) BUT I am asking anyway! I know every so often you need to re set your maxes and take some weight off. The whole 5 steps forward, 2 steps backward mantra. I haven’t re set anything in about 7 cycles, but I was wondering, do I wait until i can’t make the perscribed reps before I reset? Or is it when I am getting to the point where my as many reps as possible set isn’t any more than the number I am supposed to do??
[/quote]
Keep going until you cant get at least the prescribed reps[/quote]
[quote]Spock81 wrote:
Sure this question has been asked before (maybe even by me, haha) BUT I am asking anyway! I know every so often you need to re set your maxes and take some weight off. The whole 5 steps forward, 2 steps backward mantra. I haven’t re set anything in about 7 cycles, but I was wondering, do I wait until i can’t make the perscribed reps before I reset? Or is it when I am getting to the point where my as many reps as possible set isn’t any more than the number I am supposed to do??
[/quote]
