Im sure this has been done a thousand times but…
do any of you have a hybrid training program of these 2 programs?
I have a good idea of how to make a great program from combining parts from both but I wouldnt mind seeing if someone has already given this a try.
Also let me know if you think it is a shitty idea.
I personally didn’t get much out of it. But I have seen it work. You might also wanna take a look at the RTS manual or the Cube Method. That way you can still get ME/heavy effort and speed work and work the comp lifts.
I agree with Fletch. Try the cube. Im running it and getting some good gains.
I have been running a 5/3/1 hybrid for more than 6 months with moderate gains. I am going to switch off soon I feel I will have better gains with something more simple.
Thanks guys, ive never heard of the cube so im going to check it out now
Too many people just grab stuff and string it together without any real thought, so before you start messing around with two training philosophies that work quite well on their own, perhaps ask yourself: why am I combining these two programs? What aspects of the two programs do I think will be complementary? What is redundant between the two?
I’m not saying you don’t have an answer to these questions, but I do think you ought to define them and have a better answer than “because it sounds like fun” or “because two programs are better than one!”
Also, “Westside” and “5/3/1” aren’t really “programs” so much as they are philosophies/templates for training. That’s why I think you need to answer a few questions.
Do you workout in your front yard
The Conjugate method necessarily implies that you are varying your main lifts more than 5/3/1 dictates. Furthermore, it would take you twice as long to complete a 5/3/1 cycle since you should be swapping the lower and upper body lifts as an ME movement every week.
If you are squeezing all lifts into one week, then I would presume you are adding higher % work to the “ME” lift. 5/3/1 for powerlifting already addresses this idea. Either approach sounds like a shitty idea to me, since you are diluting the admittedly slow gains of 5/3/1 and/or effectively nullifying the primary intent of the conjugate method.
If you want to add speed work to 5/3/1, I’m sure that’s been covered ad nauseam in the 5/3/1 forum or in the books. Also, the cube method, as others have mentioned, resembles 5/3/1 and incorporates speed work.
If you are concerned about the conjugate method not being suitable for raw lifters, the most drastic change you should make is replacing speed work with competition-style rep work. I’ve also seen some people advocate upping the % on speed work for raw lifters.
In any event, fusing two entirely different training methods is typically the bailiwick of the beginner. Is that you?
No one can serve two masters. Both are effective. Choose one or the other; but take the time to research them both.
[quote]IKWC wrote:
Do you workout in your front yard[/quote]
Sometimes.
Have you thought about my questions yet? Goldie and osu make some good comments here, they’re driving along the same lines that I am. I’m not telling you that it’s “wrong” to combine the two, but I am saying you’ll be better off if you consider WHY you want to combine them and think about which aspects of the programs actually complement one another rather than just wanting to combine them because they’re both good. Steak and peanut butter are both good, but you wouldn’t eat steak topped with peanut butter.
Or maybe you would. But hopefully you get my point. There should be a reason to combine the two programs besides “they’re both famous programs.”
I do 5/3/1 but look at my assistance/accessory work from a conjugate mindset, focusing on particular weaknesses, etc. With that, I nearly never do an assistance exercise more than 2-3 weeks in a row. My progress has slowed some in the last couple months than in the 4 or so months before then, but I am still experiencing progress.