Sydney, I thought it did I should update it
How was the increase in strength? Should this be used later on when gains aren't as easy to get compared to starting out?
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How was the increase in strength? Should this be used later on when gains aren't as easy to get compared to starting out?
Bench Polkov
SIR BENCHALOT
Dammit, I didn't beat Scott the 5/3/1 hater here... 
Look up the 5/3/1 Beginner template. Far better for beginner lifters.
Look up the 5/3/1 Beginner template. Far better for beginner lifters.
Bench Polkov
SIR BENCHALOT
I spent around 2 years on 5/3/1, right up until my last comp last year. It worked great for me from the start (except for deads - I don't deadlift for AMRAP EVER) and as I became more experienced at the program I made my adaptations to fit my training better. I still use my peaking cycle on other lifters at my gym. Having said that I ran it for over a year as written by the Man himself (Praise the WENDLER).
Just out of curiosity, what kind of numbers should someone be lifting before contemplating 5/3/1 (and maybe similar programs)?
Bench Polkov
SIR BENCHALOT
That's a pretty hard to answer question without knowing a person's bodyweight and experience. I don't deal in generic numbers.
I'd suggest that prior to starting the 5/3/1 Full-body/Beginner cycle you'd spend at least a few weeks running something similar to the PTC Beginner program to develop some kind of motor skills so that you can handle AMRAP lifting safely. Beginner to intermediate lifters will get better results using the full-body template. Advanced intermediate should use the original template and run as is at least for a while until they have a better grasp of the periodisation. Advanced lifters can do what the fuck they want with the program. If you have to ask if you're advanced then you're not.
Me advanced? Ha!
Just wondering. In case 5/3/1 is for me, I weigh about 85kg (haven't checked for a while), and my best lifts so far have been 8x75 Bench (yep, it sucks), 8x76 Pendlay Row, 5x112.5 Squat, 5x160 Deadlift, and 5x60 strict OHP. About 6 months, give or take, of partly half-assed self-taught training, with some mucking around before that for a few months (machines, mainly).
Probably should just stick with a (beginner's) linear progression program, I guess. But it never hurts to ask.
Just wondering. In case 5/3/1 is for me, I weigh about 85kg (haven't checked for a while), and my best lifts so far have been 8x75 Bench (yep, it sucks), 8x76 Pendlay Row, 5x112.5 Squat, 5x160 Deadlift, and 5x60 strict OHP. About 6 months, give or take, of partly half-assed self-taught training, with some mucking around before that for a few months (machines, mainly).
Probably should just stick with a (beginner's) linear progression program, I guess. But it never hurts to ask.
I would have to go through my journal for exact figures but from memory i followed the BBB template as written and I think I ended up weaker after 8 months. In saying that if I tried it again I think I could get the program to work with my own tweaks this time but it would end up very different to the standard 531.
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Grippy
Fat Member
I am having a crack at it again, squats and deads went ok last time but bench sucked, so will not combine bench and mil press days together and add in more bench assistance work, have read through the book and figured out where I went wrong last time.
It seems with the BBB most people are having the best results not doing the main lifts assistance on the same day, even though I believe they will all help each other, ie Squat day do dead assistance etc, don't over complicate it or try and break records with assistance, but as quoted "its not a licence to be a pussy."
Freako, if I remember correctly from your logs ages ago, your thoughts on the BBB were different from how they were written in the program such as 3 x 10 instead of 5 x 10, also did you add in the massive amounts of chins/pullups as written? One point I picked up yesterday that I missed first time through was for every push move do 2 pulls or thereabouts.
It seems with the BBB most people are having the best results not doing the main lifts assistance on the same day, even though I believe they will all help each other, ie Squat day do dead assistance etc, don't over complicate it or try and break records with assistance, but as quoted "its not a licence to be a pussy."
Freako, if I remember correctly from your logs ages ago, your thoughts on the BBB were different from how they were written in the program such as 3 x 10 instead of 5 x 10, also did you add in the massive amounts of chins/pullups as written? One point I picked up yesterday that I missed first time through was for every push move do 2 pulls or thereabouts.
Bench Polkov
SIR BENCHALOT
I sometimes varied my assistance but the core of it was 5x10. Sometimes I did 5 sets AMRAP, sometimes I went for a heavy 5x5, sometimes I went for widowmaker sets but the essence was the same, I did buttloads of heavy assistance work.
I also did bulk chins. I didn't always super set them with pushing movements but I would aim for 50-100 a day.
I alsooften varied my assistance lifts for pressing, subbing in CG press, floor press, etc in place of more presses. For squats and bench I always squatted and benched.
Bench Polkov
SIR BENCHALOT
Me advanced? Ha!
Just wondering. In case 5/3/1 is for me, I weigh about 85kg (haven't checked for a while), and my best lifts so far have been 8x75 Bench (yep, it sucks), 8x76 Pendlay Row, 5x112.5 Squat, 5x160 Deadlift, and 5x60 strict OHP. About 6 months, give or take, of partly half-assed self-taught training, with some mucking around before that for a few months (machines, mainly).
Probably should just stick with a (beginner's) linear progression program, I guess. But it never hurts to ask.
You seem strong enough to use the full-body template IMO, I think it would serve you better than the 4 day split.
Grippy
Fat Member
Awesome stuff. Man the first few weeks are fukin light compared the 5 x 5. As long and deads and squats go up slowly as they have been with 5 x 5 I will be chuffed. I will add weight to the assistance as I go, I have been there and done the 50 reps chins per day for a bit just for shits and giggles and to prove to myself I could do it, and enjoyed it, any tips to stop the elbow aches they come with it though?
Bench Polkov
SIR BENCHALOT
Never had elbow ache from chins. Try a different grip?
Some advice for squats. Squat twice a week, possibly after or in place of deadlift reps. This is Wendler approved.
Grippy
Fat Member
Absolutely, I have found squatting twice a week to work well with 5 x 5/3, will definitely do them after deads as BBB or even do a few heavy sets at the end of the week after bench. Farkin 10 reps is gonna kill me
wingman
Super M0derator
I dunno, mate - if you're shitting 200kg, I'd look at changing your diet more than your lifts.
Lol