When to move up on accessory lifts?

Galatea_Stone

Honestly, read the book instead of making a new topic every week about some component of 5/3/1... Or, you can check out his website too

If it bothers you that I've posted 2-3 5/3/1-related questions in the past two weeks (on a forum designed for nutrition/fitness questions), feel free to ignore them. No one's here to rattle your cage.

I've got the book. I'm in the process of reading the book. I'm still new at this program, so I haven't made it all the way through yet and hadn't gotten to this part yet. So sue me.

I think what is going on here is that people are seeing that you aren't yet experienced enough to use Wendler's program. I don't say this to be harsh. I used it when I first started lifting thinking I knew what I was doing and that I was an "intermediate" lifter. I was wrong.

A year and a half later, and I am JUST NOW getting to a point in my lifts where the 5/3/1 program can be of real benefit to me. I look back and I wish I hadn't wasted all that time being a beginner lifter and thinking 5/3/1 was right for me.

Trust the advice you're getting. You're really not ready for the program and would be better with a different program. Read Strong Curves and Starting Strength while you're at it. I have both of these as well as 5/3/1. Don't be in such a hurry to categorize yourself as an intermediate lifter. You have the rest of your life to progress and develop your program.

I hear you. However, I actually don't consider myself an intermediate lifter. I know I'm still very much a beginner. I was doing 5x5, did it for 12 weeks, and was getting bored with it. I needed more variety because I refuse to have a workout routine that I don't actually enjoy. I looked into other programs like Starting Strength, Strong Curves, and NROL4W, but none interested me the way 5/3/1 did. Maybe I should have read the book cover to cover before I even started, but I didn't. I read the information on Wendler's site and a few articles written on the program and decided to go for it. I am in the process of reading the book because I know it's important, but I don't have a whole lot of extra time for reading, so it's a process.

I think certain people here are making me out to be a lot dumber than I am regarding lifting. I'm no expert, I know that, but I'm not completely clueless. I ask a couple of questions on the forums, thinking people will either be helpful (and some have) or ignore me (which is fine), but instead I'm getting a lot of snotty remarks from people that seem to think I should have it all figured out by now and I'm a complete moron for asking a couple of questions. Would it be better for me to just wing it instead of asking? I don't think so, but I think I'll find somewhere else to ask my questions from now on. I posted this question on another forum at the same time and got nothing but useful answers, not people saying, "uh, maybe you should read the book" over and over again even after I say that I am.

Also, according to Wendler himself, 5/3/1 CAN be modified for beginners. I'm not doing anything harmful and I believe that, as long as I'm lifting, that's the most important part. I know I'll miss out on some beginner gains by moving on from 5x5 before stalling out, and I'm okay with that. I have no desire to be a bodybuilder - I just want to get a little stronger and look and feel a little better, and I don't want to think of workout out as a chore as opposed to something I look forward to. Not everyone starts with 5x5 or SS - just because MFP says that those are the only acceptable programs for beginners doesn't necessarily make it true.

But thank you for being honest without being a *kitten*. Apparently that's pretty difficult 'round these parts.

Just giving you some advice from someone who did "modify it for beginners" and didn't progress nearly as well as I wanted - either in strength or in body recomposition - Wendler is like any other person out there trying to sell books. He will say it can be catered, but it is not what he was envisioning when he created the program. I personally ended up spinning my wheels trying to turn it into a beginner's program. It wasn't until I quit it that I had explosive strength gains and real body changes.

There are many programs out there. The reason 5x5 and SS are pushed so much is because they work to develop a strength base. The four compound movements play off each other well when it comes to progression. If you've only been lifting 12 weeks, you're leaving a lot of strength undeveloped; and you're not maximizing your potential 3 weeks out of 4.

DavPul

Any other ideas are welcome.

Sidebends. I recommend Sidebends. Have you tried Sidebends? I hear they are really good.








Has someone mentioned Sidebends?

Capt_Apollo

Any other ideas are welcome.

Sidebends. I recommend Sidebends. Have you tried Sidebends? I hear they are really good.








Has someone mentioned Sidebends?

DavPul

Perhaps you should actually read the book.

CRAZY TALK! OP should continue making threads that ask basic questions and then proceed to ignore the advice given.