5/3/1 Support Thread
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What do you do for upper back?
Honestly, all I've been doing is pull-ups and chin-ups. Each upper body session I do 5 x 10 for pull-ups. The last couple sets I can't get all 10 so I just rest-pause up to 10 reps. I vary my grips as well between standard wide pull-ups, wide neutral, narrow neutral, and chin-ups. One thing I discovered is that doing narrow-neutral pull-ups feels similar to doing DB Rows. So far so good, and I plan to keep rolling with the chins until I feel like i need something else. Not to mention DL'ing twice a week hits your upper back pretty decently too, so I'm not sure how much more is really needed.
Edit: Back when I was using the Cube Method I would do snatch-grip DL's and that was pretty amazing on upper back development too. That may not be a bad DL variation to try for the BBB movement.0 -
I was determined to pull 365 so I decided to go for it today after week 1 of squats. I got a rep PR on my squats and then was able to pull 365. My legs are fried but I was so pumped!0
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I was determined to pull 365 so I decided to go for it today after week 1 of squats. I got a rep PR on my squats and then was able to pull 365. My legs are fried but I was so pumped!
Dude that's awesome! A squat and DL PR in the same session?! Nice!
My last couple sessions have been average at best, although I was happy with today's squat session in hitting all of my joker sets. Last Sat I hit a small wall with my BP it felt like but it could be because the night before I hardly ate anything, had a few beers and a cigar. I'm not surprised my bench session was ****ty I guess. LOL! Hoping this weeks is better.
I'm really considering finishing this BBB session, doing a deload and then trying Beyond 5/3/1. I like the focus on max effort lifting. I'm thinking about maybe rotating Beyond 5/3/1 and BBB for like 6 weeks at a time. Get some volume, max effort, volume, max effort, and just see how it goes. I hate the fact that there are so many cool variations of 5/3/1 that I want to learn more and actually try more variations. I feel like I have training ADD but it's not really that, but rather me just wanting to learn more. We'll see how I feel after next week.0 -
Clarification on the 5 forward, 3 back thing. From Jim's reply to another post:
"You count the first cycle as "1". I don't know where you came up with these examples; do 5 cycles. Then go back 3. Then do 5 cycles. You can do it however you want though as it is the idea/principle that are important. Some people do 4/2 or something similar. "0 -
So I have been good and not doing 1RM work every week on 5/3/1, putting max effort into the last set. I have noticed that I can hit the reps to match my 1RM, but it is killer. I think that hitting the reps is much more challenging than just going to the 1RM. For example, today was 3 day and my last set weight was 320 lbs on DL. My 1RM for DL is 400. I did 8x320 which computes to a 1RM of 397 lbs. I nearly passed out and barfed at the end of that set. Holy crap.
Just looking for some assurance that this is the correct approach. Next week is 5/3/1 week and I am going to see where my 1RM is for all my lifts. Then back to reps.
Tom0 -
Hi Tom,
Yes, it is.. We don't have to hit 1RM's week in week out to get stronger, and providing the rep work we do is heavier enough, it will carry over to the 1RM test.
Nice work on the deadlifts.... I don't think you could PAY me to do more than 5 reps nowadays!!0 -
I agree. I believe Brandon Lilly explains it as "building strength, not testing it". You have to trust in the program. Testing maxes too often just produces unnecessary fatigue. (especially if you miss)0
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Yeah, you know I was even much happier on the program when I wasn't recording my AMRAPs. I'm off the program for now doing some PT, but when I start up again I don't think I'm going to track my lifts. Just going to make sure I'm hitting my reps and pushing.
Otherwise it just ****s with my head unneccessarily. For instance, on press, I hit 130 lbs for 4. Next cycle I hit 135 for 2... about equivalent. In fact, all of my AMRAP attempts with press have come out to within 5 lbs Est 1RM of one another.
Did I not make any progress? Doubtful, I wouldn't have been able to press 135 when I started.0 -
Need some advice. I have been going light on bench and OHP due to shoulder tendonitis the past 2 months. The shoulders are in good shape now and today was 5/3/1 day for bench. I decided to see where my 1RM was on bench. Did the normal 5/3/1 and my 1 weight was 165 so I did that for just 3 reps. Then 185x3 and 205 x1 (205 was my 1RM from a long while ago). I decided to go for 225 and got it up but the form was not good. After the 225x1 I went back down and did 165x8 and 135x8, soI definitely think I need to reset the program.
I am debating whether to use 205 as my new 1RM to reset my schedule or use 225 lbs. Thoughts?
Tom0 -
Well . . . how much better are your shoulders? If they're even a little bit questionable I'd bump it to 205; if they're 100% then you got 225 up, use 225.
If 165 is you're 1 weight then you're current max is 195? Bumping it to 205 isn't that huge a leap, you're only going 5 more lbs than you would anyway. But it is less than your 1RM. 225 is a 15% jump in one month. That is you're 1RM, but it could be hard on your shoulders if they're at all questionable.0 -
Well, I think I am going to finally pull the trigger on starting the 531 program. I tried to give Madcow its due with all exercises for 8 weeks (longer on squats since I hit 300lbs for reps earlier on), but my gains are about equivalent in increase as 531 has them programmatically built in and I'm thinking with the added day to help further separate muscle groups, my recovery will be better while still in my caloric deficit.
So my thinking is I will start out with just the principals in 531 and run one of templates that allow me to do heavy one day and light (assistance work) one day a week per compound (keeping the volume down some on light as I'm still cutting). Or would there be any benefit to utilizing principals in 531 Beyond to start off with?0 -
Well, I think I am going to finally pull the trigger on starting the 531 program. I tried to give Madcow its due with all exercises for 8 weeks (longer on squats since I hit 300lbs for reps earlier on), but my gains are about equivalent in increase as 531 has them programmatically built in and I'm thinking with the added day to help further separate muscle groups, my recovery will be better while still in my caloric deficit.
So my thinking is I will start out with just the principals in 531 and run one of templates that allow me to do heavy one day and light (assistance work) one day a week per compound (keeping the volume down some on light as I'm still cutting). Or would there be any benefit to utilizing principals in 531 Beyond to start off with?
Well I think I spoke too soon as Sarauk2sf suggested I first try and take a training and diet break, then stay on Madcow, but with 3 ramped sets instead of 5 (so similar to 531 in that regard) and higher volume in assistance if energy is there. I trust her and SideSteel's advice on these matters, so will give that a shot first.0
