Some thoughts on 5/3/1 and how I might set it up
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Finished week 3, was feeling strong all week so am now subscribing to Gallowmeres deload week hangover theory.
Ill skip the deload next week and go into cycle 4 instead.
Im not putting the weight up this cycle, I struggled so much in 3 I want to complete it "properly" before progressing.0 -
Cycle 4 (cycle 3 version 2.0!) Week 1, Day 1, was a success.
I am now a 7th week deload convert!0 -
samhennings wrote: »Cycle 4 (cycle 3 version 2.0!) Week 1, Day 1, was a success.
I am now a 7th week deload convert!
I have a feeling that this is probably very common.
I'm actually taking it a step further in my current 38 week training leading up to my first meet in December. I am dropping deloads altogether, unless I actually end up needing one. This allows an extra two cycles in that time period, which is a pretty substantial amount.1 -
It is!
Though everything Ive read suggests a deload is very important, when, for how long, and how often really is on the individual isnt it?
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samhennings wrote: »It is!
Though everything Ive read suggests a deload is very important, when, for how long, and how often really is on the individual isnt it?
Yes, however I think you could make a logical argument that if you don't ever deload it's a possible indicator that you're not training hard enough.
You should be presenting an adequate stimulus to cause adaptations and this drives cumulative fatigue upwards. Eventually, fatigue prevents the expression of strength/fitness and fatigue needs to be reduced, and we reduce this fatigue by deloading.
I think every 4 to 6 weeks is going to be a good general target for most people to shoot for.
It is possible to autoregulate deloads however I think most people aren't good at this, and most people wait a bit too long.
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Do you subscribe to deloading specific exercises, rather than taking a week of light work?
Its just a thought, but Ive noticed over time I often have one specific exercise Im flagging in - while the others are still going strong.
Not really in a "this is too heavy and I cant lift it" way but presented much more as fatigue in a "I know I can lift this so why am I struggling?" kind of way.
Im a bit like it with Squats currently, while my Dealift/Bench/OHP are all going strong...
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samhennings wrote: »Do you subscribe to deloading specific exercises, rather than taking a week of light work?
Its just a thought, but Ive noticed over time I often have one specific exercise Im flagging in - while the others are still going strong.
Not really in a "this is too heavy and I cant lift it" way but presented much more as fatigue in a "I know I can lift this so why am I struggling?" kind of way.
Im a bit like it with Squats currently, while my Dealift/Bench/OHP are all going strong...
I subscribe to deloading as the program is designed and even when a part doesn't feel fatigued, especially for long term sustainability. I often don't need to deload legs, but I will say after my first deload (on BLS), I have performed exceptionally well.1 -
I do the 7th week deload. I have tried various versions of the deload from Beyond 5/3/1. I have to say that I liked my most recent ("high intensity") the best so far. It felt like a bit of a break but it was still worth the effort.
And, deload or not, the 5s week is always the most difficult for me.1 -
I do the 7th week deload. I have tried various versions of the deload from Beyond 5/3/1. I have to say that I liked my most recent ("high intensity") the best so far. It felt like a bit of a break but it was still worth the effort.
And, deload or not, the 5s week is always the most difficult for me.
Just out of curiosity, any idea why that is for you? Is it physically the extra volume? Just a mental hurdle?0 -
I do the 7th week deload. I have tried various versions of the deload from Beyond 5/3/1. I have to say that I liked my most recent ("high intensity") the best so far. It felt like a bit of a break but it was still worth the effort.
And, deload or not, the 5s week is always the most difficult for me.
Just out of curiosity, any idea why that is for you? Is it physically the extra volume? Just a mental hurdle?
Mental. I don't like sets of 5. I do them but I don't like it. I'd rather add a rep and do 6/6/6+. Volume-wise, it is the highest week but I like that part of it enough that I add a few 8-rep FSL sets.0 -
Oh, in that case, have you looked at the 8/6/3 variation of 5/3/1? I'm not sure I particularly like the idea, and am not sure it would work well for most people, but it's a thought.
That, or just go ahead and make it 6/3/1.0 -
Oh, in that case, have you looked at the 8/6/3 variation of 5/3/1? I'm not sure I particularly like the idea, and am not sure it would work well for most people, but it's a thought.
That, or just go ahead and make it 6/3/1.
I've run 8/6/3 on my upper body pretty successfully. I find that I do well with a few more reps on upper body than on lower body for the big lifts so I'll do one for upper and one for lower. I'm a complete rule follower so I always feel like Wendler is going to come around the corner and catch me and
when I do that. But I'm also far enough into this that I have a fairly good idea of what seems to work for me and what doesn't. 3 -
I do the 7th week deload. I have tried various versions of the deload from Beyond 5/3/1. I have to say that I liked my most recent ("high intensity") the best so far. It felt like a bit of a break but it was still worth the effort.
And, deload or not, the 5s week is always the most difficult for me.
Same here - specifically day 3.
I put everything into the Deadlift, and then the squats becomes a test of my will to live afterwards....0 -
Try putting DL and squat into the same day (as I have to), and see how you feel doing whichever exercise comes second...0
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Ach, bonus post just to get beyond #666.0
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That was me today, its brutal!
Particularly on 5s week.0 -
samhennings wrote: »That was me today, its brutal!
Particularly on 5s week.
Yeap. 5s week was exhausting when running BBB Less Boring. 5/3/1 squats followed by 5 sets of 10 65% deadlifts? Oh god, the black spots in the vision.1 -
This week is week 13 of doing the modified 5/3/1 schedule, a quarter year down. How have my lifts changed?
Bench 1/1: 271 (computed)
Bench 3/28: 245 (tested)
OHP 1/1: 127 (computed)
OHP 3/28: 135 (tested)
Squat 1/1: 394 (computed)
Squat 3/29: 405 (tested)
Deadlift 1/1: 405 (computed)
Deadlift 3/29: 405 (tested)
All the numbers are consistent, having barely budged in 3 months. Except for bench, which seems to have regressed. With me hitting age 40 this summer, I wonder if it isn't time to hang up my PL spurs and stick with higher-rep sets instead, especially since I already have a history of shoulder/knee issues which I'm currently managing but are ever-present in the back of my mind.
I don't wanna give up heavy-lifting completely, both for ego-sake as well as the benefits of being stronger. Maybe I should go lighter on bench and squat while staying heavy on DL and OHP?0 -
Am I missing something on the spreadsheet, or do I have an old version? Because the one I have from the links posted shows day 1 and day 3 both having squats main and deadlifts lighter weight higher reps. Are deads never main with this version ?0
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amyinthetardis1231 wrote: »Am I missing something on the spreadsheet, or do I have an old version? Because the one I have from the links posted shows day 1 and day 3 both having squats main and deadlifts lighter weight higher reps. Are deads never main with this version ?
I'll check it when I get home. I don't have access to the link on the front page.0
