5/3/1 Question

[TheBrewCrew**]

So how counter productive is it to try a new max during one of your cycles. I understand the concept he laid out is so that you don't burn out quickly but you make constant gains over time, but what if one day you are just throwing weight up like nothing, would it be detrimental to the routine if I were to max on that day?

Finally accessory lifts, this is a two part question, Front Squats as my Big But Boring after regular squats isn't a bad idea is it? Also same as above, I remember reading that Wendler doesn't want you to max out on accessory lifts, but front squats were feeling good the other day and I wanted to get a new max, I didn't but would that really be a big issue if I were to do that every now and then?

Thanks

 

[Meatpuppy]

How many cycles have you done?

 

[TheBrewCrew**]

lol I'm almost done with my first, but is it safe to assume you are about to make the point of wait until my progress slows, or at least wait for a few cycles?

 

[Meatpuppy]

bingo
I believe enright is the resident expert so he may have a better anwser but I am sure that is one of the first things he and others would ask.

 

[Gavin LeFever]

If you max out, I almost guarantee it will ultimately interfere with your progress in the following week(s).

You don't need to know your max. You don't get a a cookie for a milestone. Consistent progress is much more valuable to you.

Patience is one of the most important lessons you can learn from lifting. Learn it sooner than later. We all have to talk ourselves out of these impulses from time to time.

This applies to increasing increments too. If +5/session is working for you, but you feel you could manage +10/session, stick with the consistent +5s and your progress will last longer. It's easier to not get stuck than to get unstuck, so take your time. Your body gets strong not from lifting, but from recovering from lifting, so give your body its time.

Ride the wave.

 

[TheBrewCrew**]

Great advice, thanks guys. It seems the hardest part of this workout is in fact the patience and discipline to follow it.

So what about doing Front Squats as my Big But Boring after my regular squats, that isn't counter-productive is it?

 

[Gavin LeFever]

how long have you been on your program? i dont know if im familiar with 531, but it sounds like you're new to the program which means you're still in the easy phase.

that means shit is easy now, but gets harder soon. so, don't make judgments based on how you feel now. enjoy the easy part and dont fuck with it. come back in 3-6 months and ask again. you'll probably be in a position to answer your own questions from your own experience.

novice phases are more about getting you used to your new lifting schedule and mastering the lifts (technique) -versus- high intensity/volume. the latter will come. if you are adding weight each time, you don't need to be changing anything. come back with questions once you cant add more weight each time. that's when the hard part *begins*.


you'll always be asking yourself if you're doing too much or too little in the gym. you want to do enough to make progress, but you dont want to overdo it and hurt your progress. the answer to that question is: are you adding weight each time? as long as the answer is yes, continue with a green light. you come back to S&P when that answer is no.

 

[HitmanNO.1]

I am on the second cycle, and it get harder trust me. Dont max, it really doesnt matter how much your 1RM is unless you need an ego boost. Just stay the course, and you will get stronger and stronger. If you want something to compare your lifts to, wait til your second cycle and compare the weight/reps you do then to what you did during your first cycle, you will see the difference... for example, on the third wave you might have gotten 5 reps on your last set during the first cycle, but on the second cycle, you got 7 or 8 with ten more pounds (because you add ten pounds after every wave)... and even after heavier preceding sets. All that in just a month. Thats definite progress

 

[TheBrewCrew**]

I can completely understand that, I think I just got so excited that my form was feeling better and that I could feel the weight get lighter, even is just the first few weeks.

I've been doing these big 4 type lifts for more than just the two weeks of the cycle, I just never had a set direction I was going with my workouts. Think I could add power cleans into the workout with the same formula as deads and whatnot. So that I have 5 lifts that I'll be doing 3x5 then 3x3 etc?

 

[Warchild10]

According to Jim... YES.

TM: After reading some articles at TMuscle and EliteFTS about power cleans, I've decided to add them to my 5/3/1 set up. Will this screw up my squat or deadlift workouts? Any advice you might have is appreciated.

JW: First of all, power cleans aren't that hard to learn. It seems like everyone believes they're as complicated and difficult to do as organic chemistry. If that were the case, people who stock shelves at Home Depot and Lowe's would be the most amazing athletes ever. Picking something up and racking it across the shoulders is a natural movement, so don't let these experts ruin a fun exercise.

Now if you're going to be a competitive Olympic lifter it might be different, but you don't need to hire a quarterback coach in order to throw a football around with your friends, do you?

These aren't going to hurt your squat or deadlift in the least bit; for some this might actually increase their deadlift due to the extra upper back work. I usually have people do these as the first exercise of the day, right before they squat or deadlift.

Most of the time people get a good boost to their second exercise due to the explosive nature of the power clean. For sets and reps, I highly recommend people use my 5/3/1 set up; it's easy to follow and you might actually get stronger.

Here are some easy ways to teach yourself how to power clean:

1. First, be sure you can walk and chew Red Man at the same time.

2. Please be able to show me you have some kind of muscle development and coordination and can do pushups, sit-ups, dips, and lunges (without falling).

3. Pick the bar up with good form (i.e. deadlift).

4. Once the bar passes the knees, jump like you mean it.

5. Rack the barbell across shoulders and stand up.

6. Put the bar back down again.

7. Don't be a fucking pussy with this exercise or wimp it up.

 

[TheBrewCrew**]

Perfect find! Thanks, could I bother you for the source, not questioning it I just want to know where to look before I bother everyone here with questions, I'm assuming you dug it up on elitefts.com?

So now the big question, I split my workouts up so I workout almost every day during the work week (4 days), I know this isn't the optimal way of doing it but this is what I like. So each day features a main lift and then accessory lifts for that muscle group, typically I do some light trap work with the Overhead Press day, should I throw Cleans on this day, or on DL day or Squat day? Or am I thinking to hard and the real answer is "stop being a pussy and just lift the weight?"

 

[TheBrewCrew**]

Bump

Would it hurt the routine if I do squats twice a week? I never plan on going heavier than my target weight for that week, but I really wouldn't mind getting more squat work in during the week. Yay, Nay...and why so that I may learn in the ways of the S&P

 

[cXs808]

Bump

Would it hurt the routine if I do squats twice a week? I never plan on going heavier than my target weight for that week, but I really wouldn't mind getting more squat work in during the week. Yay, Nay...and why so that I may learn in the ways of the S&P

You must be early on in the 5/3/1 outline because at this point in my 5/3/1 plans, i couldn't imagine myself squatting the specified weights twice in one week, my legs would be toast. I think the 5/3/1 is geared towards medium to low rep - high intensity.

Have you tried the Boring But Big (BBB) assistance work? Every squat day i get about ~80-90 reps in while also going heavy.

 

[MatterOverMind]

I don't think 5/3/1 is a good program for someone at your level.

 

[TheBrewCrew**]

Yeah actually I do from squats with my BBB

I didn't plan on doing the designated weights twice a week I just wanted to get in like 3 sets of like 60-70% max just to get extra leg work in, but I suppose if I really concentrate on the BBB I should be wanting the week wait for next squat day.