5/3/1 Forever

Gallowmere1984
Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
edited November 18 in Social Groups
Anyone who has ever read anything by Wendler is likely aware of his new book by now. I finally received my copy yesterday (preorder backlog was huge), and I have to say, this is some of the most well thought out stuff that I have ever read.

Key points so far:
-The built-in deload is dead. It's been replaced by something Jim calls 7th Week Protocol. There's a few options for it, but even the deload option stays the hell away from the silly light weights that the original involved. My personal favorite is the TM Test, which is basically 70%x5, 80%x5, 90%x5, 100%x3-5, and if you miss a rep, you need to recalc and drop your TM.

-Many of the programs now use a 5s progression across the board, instead of 5s one week, 3s the nexts, singles the last. The percentages still oscillate as they did with 5/3/1 and 3/5/1 progression. This definitely serves to up the volume a bit, while leaving the rep PR on the table as optional. He appears to have gone the more consistent route of allowing for higher volume without it being based solely upon a single murderous set. Some do still include the PR set though, so it's still an option.

-The program cycles are now set up as leaders (increased volume of supplemental work, lower assitance volume, less jumps and throws, easier conditioning) and anchors (less volume of barbell work but higher intensity, more assistance, more jumps and throws, harder conditioning). The options for setup are 3/2, 2/2, and 2/1 (l/a). I will be interested to see how this form of periodization plays out.

I'm only 60 pages in so far, and he's already completely turned everything he's written before (other than core principles) on it's head. Evolution of training protocol is definitely interesting, to say the least.

Anyone else starting getting through it yet?

Replies

  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    I'll wait for the ebook.
  • jessiefrancine
    jessiefrancine Posts: 271 Member
    What's the title? I just did a quick Amazon search and didn't see anything new since 2013.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    edited May 2017
    heybales wrote: »

    Yeap, not sure when it will be on Amazon, and Jim's already said that the Kindle version will be a few months at least. I can see why, honestly. This is one of the most comprehensive programming/template books that I have ever read, so it's no shock that he wants a break before starting on the project of getting everything format switched.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I've gone back and forth on getting this. If I do, I want the hard copy because I find the Kindle versions of his books maddeningly frustrating as far as flipping back and forth between sections. I am a huge ebook person for the most part but it seems like getting hard copies of training books works best for me. But I also think he is a confusing writer and feel like maybe his ebooks are missing section headers or something.

    Do you all belong to his forum? My understanding is that a lot of this book is stuff that has been all over his forum but now his forum is not open to new members so it's pretty much buy it or stick with old style 5/3/1. Which is fine, he's doing the work and deserves to get paid for it. But right now I just bought Practical Programming and have switched back to it for now to follow Rippetoe's training suggestions for women.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    I've gone back and forth on getting this. If I do, I want the hard copy because I find the Kindle versions of his books maddeningly frustrating as far as flipping back and forth between sections. I am a huge ebook person for the most part but it seems like getting hard copies of training books works best for me. But I also think he is a confusing writer and feel like maybe his ebooks are missing section headers or something.

    Do you all belong to his forum? My understanding is that a lot of this book is stuff that has been all over his forum but now his forum is not open to new members so it's pretty much buy it or stick with old style 5/3/1. Which is fine, he's doing the work and deserves to get paid for it. But right now I just bought Practical Programming and have switched back to it for now to follow Rippetoe's training suggestions for women.

    Nah, I never bothered subbing into his forum, as 5/3/1 and Beyond 5/3/1 gave me more than enough to work with for a long time. From what I understand though, all of the stuff has been on his forum, but it's also always been a paid member forum, so buying the book is still cheaper than what it would have cost to keep that membership rolling for very long.

    As for the presentation of this book, it's FAR superior and more polished than his previous work. Everything is much more cohesive and explained better, though there's a LOT of new stuff to digest compared to the previous books.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    As an addendum, I am really looking forward to using his Krypteia template after my meet. When most people think of 5/3/1, circuit type training is probably the last thing that comes to mind, but this looks pretty damned fun.

    Basically, it's broken into three phases: a prep cycle done twice, a leader cycle done twice, and an anchor cycle done once. For the prep, it's 4x/week of 5s progression paired with 5x5 FSL, and you don't increase TM on these two cycles. On upper body days, you superset each main set, including warmups and FSLs with DB squats and DB SLDLs for ten reps, alternating between the two. So basically benchx5, DB squatx10, benchx5, DB SLDL, repeat until done. On lower body days, you superset with weighted dips and weighted chin-ups. The goal is to complete each session in 45 minutes; you don't move on to the leader until you can do so.

    On the leaders, it's essentially the same, except the overhead press day is dropped (making it 3x/week), and you start increasing TMs between cycles. Again, you don't move on until you can complete it in 45 minutes or less, without compromising the reps.

    On the anchor, it exchanges 5s progression for the original 5/3/1 rep scheme with a PR set. Again, 45 minute completion is the goal. To quote the book "any more than that and you are not in good enough shape, or you fart around too much."

    As an added challenge, once you're nailing it with time to spare, he gives the option of doing both assistance movements between each main lift. Your goal is still to finish in 45 minutes. From what he says, he's run the template on about 75 people in his weight room, and only three have been able to complete that. I'd imagine it takes one hell of a work capacity.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    I've also been going back and forth on getting this. I loved the original because of the simplicity. The Beyond book had some really good additions making the program MUCH more flexible, but it was almost overly complex for a recreational lifter like myself. I probably read certain sections 5+ times before I figured out what the methodology was. I'll probably get it at some point, but it's not really MUST READ material for me at this point.
  • krokador
    krokador Posts: 1,794 Member
    I'm really interested in the book, I've read 5/3/1 and beyond in pdf version, and it was a pain but the info was def worth it... I'll hafta wait on this one too. The book + shipping would run me over 65$ US, which is way beyond the budget I have for a training book when I already have so many options, and I'm running my own take on the original 5/3/1 anyway...

    Although the Krypteia stuff really does poke at my curiosity bear. But my general warm-up mixed in with exercise specific ramp ups usually takes me around 30 minutes on its own, so I'd be in trouble with that one!
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
    I'm interested in reading it, but more because I feel all pumped to lift some heavy *kitten* weights after I read Wendler. I'm of the opinion that as long as you're following some kind of decently thought out program it doesn't matter overly much what it is as long as it's something you believe in and/or enjoy.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 11,630 Member
    I've never paid for workout information, just using internet research. (Which in hind sight probably explains a lot of my progress, or lack thereof in some areas, lol.)

    If I were to get this newest book, would it be sufficient by itself? Or does it require you to have previous purchased/read previous editions of his work?
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    nossmf wrote: »
    I've never paid for workout information, just using internet research. (Which in hind sight probably explains a lot of my progress, or lack thereof in some areas, lol.)

    If I were to get this newest book, would it be sufficient by itself? Or does it require you to have previous purchased/read previous editions of his work?

    He recommends reading the other stuff too, however I find that it stands on its own perfectly fine. Everything from the principles, to the warmup stuff he recommends, to each and every template is given in very good detail.
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