bigger stronger smarter

This week for shoulders:

1. Fat bar overhead press- 12, 10, 8, 6 (last set to failure)
2. Upright rows- 12, 10, 8, 6 (last set to failure)
3. Barbell shrugs- 12, 10, 8, 6 (last set to failure)

I encourage some leg kick on the shrugs (hate away). This is a power movement and great for developing thickness in the traps and upper back.

Some footage of Liam in the gym this morning.

bigger stronger smarter

Hi Craig

I am into my 3rd cycle of 5-3-1. It is going well. I tested my 1RM at the start and then took 90% as you suggested. My only concern is that I am getting much higher than 5-3-1. Last night I squatted and it was my “5″ week. I got 14 reps. Is this a problem. I feel as though I should be adding weight and getting much closer to 5-3-1. Thoughts?

Greetings

This is common. I think it is far less of a problem than if you had started with your 1RM too high. The you would potentially be in a situation where you were missing reps or just getting them. This then becomes a battle mentally.

My advice would be to stick with your plan for the next couple of cycles. I expect your reps will slowly move closer to 5-3-1 as you add weight to your calculations. But again, I would rather see you getting good reps with good form and growing in confidence. As long as you are improving.

Getting big and strong is largely physical of course. But there is a huge mental component. You need to approach each session with confidence. Set yourself a target of reps and try to exceed this.

I am seeing my guys thrive under 5-3-1. I attribute this to the structure of the program but also to the powerbuilding nature of the training. One of the big three lifts followed by bodybuilding assistance type training seems to be the perfect formula for getting bigger and stronger.

If you are prepared to commit to the program you will reap the benefits. Stick with the plan and keep up the good work.

bigger stronger smarter

Liam has been doing weights for about 10 months. I look at the individual before deciding whether they are ready for 5-3-1. Some say you need up to 2 years experience. This is too simplistic. I consider:
- physical maturity;
- mental maturity;
- coordination;
- attitude.

You can tell if the approach is going to suit the individual. If they are not likely to be consistent then it will never work.

This is a good example of what 5-3-1 often produces. In testing his 1RM was 160 kg. In this footage he did 12 reps on 122.5 kg. I stopped him at 12 as he has been unwell this week and I didn’t want to destroy him for the rest of the workout.

Some will argue that 12 reps is too many and that the weight should be higher. I disagree. This program promotes regular increases in strength and there is a mental as well as physical aspect to progression. Over the next few weeks the reps will move closer to 5-3-1. But it is important that we don’t miss reps. Remember that the top set is generally taken close to failure.

I expect my rugby and league players to deadlift 2.5 times bodyweight by the end of the off season.

bigger stronger smarter

bigger stronger smarter.

I keep the exercises the same as the previous 3 weeks. So we squat, bench and deadlift and then follow with assistance exercises. The difference is the percentages. Generally I use the following for the core lift:

Warm up
60% of 1RM for 5 reps
65% of 1RM for 5 reps
70% of 1RM for 5 reps

If the lifter is showing signs of fatigue we may drop these weights further. We have been known to go as low as 40-50% of 1RM and even skip the core exercise completely. Experience is the key here. Remember, this is preparation for the next 4 week cycle where we want to shift as much weight as possible for as many reps as possible.

All going well, the intensity on the assistance exercises should be maintained. Again, this can be modified if there are signs of fatigue.

I have updated the sample program below to include the deload week.

Sample program

Jackson is one of my boys. He is a powerlifter who is using 5-3-1 and he is killing it. Today was his bench day and it is week 3. His top weight was 117.5 kg and the reps were 1+. Jackson has got very strong quickly and therefore he has been exceeding the rep range by a long way.

I took this footage today to demonstrate the warm up progression. His top weight was 117.5 kg.

Bar x 25 reps x 2 sets
60 kg x 15 reps x 2 sets
92.5 kg x 5 reps (approximately 80% of top set)
105 kg x 3 reps (approximately 90% of top set)
117.5 kg x 1+ reps (top set)

The footage kicks in on the second set of 60 kg.

As usual the boys from Diesel Strength and Conditioning outdid themselves with a terrific and detailed blog post on THE SQUAT! Their last article I posted was on the bench press, which was very informative; the squat however had to have a longer post with more information as the squat just requires it. I have to thank the boys over at DSC again for taking the time to put something like this together for the strength and conditioning community. We all benefit from material like this being shared freely on the internet. Enjoy!

Article Link:

http://www.dieselsc.com/how-to-squat

Well, I have posted on almost every really popular strength program out there in the web world. I have not however posted on Jim Wendler’s 5-3-1 program which happens to be a very popular program, and successful for many who have used the system. Is this detailed T-Nation article we get an overview of the Wendler 5-3-1 program from Jim Wendler himself. Have a look, determine for yourself if this is the program of your dreams. I don’t follow this program per say, but I do a mix and match of a similar repetition scheme with a slight addition of higher rep assistance work (beach muscle stuff you know). Enjoy.

I am a great believer in structure. Structure helps us in a number of ways:
- keeps things simple;
- gives us a clear direction;
- enables us to set goals;
- promotes consistency and discipline.

Structure can be achieved in a number of ways. It may be as simple as having set training days where specific body parts are worked. Training systems such as Wendlers 5-3-1, Westside for Skinny Bastards, Sheiko and Smolov seem to becoming more popular. While these approaches all have their merits, they are not a magic bullet. But their nature and structure does promote consistency and discipline that might otherwise be lacking.

Another important point is sticking to your chosen structure for a reasonable period of time. I see a lot of guys constantly chopping and changing routines in the hope that they can fast track their gains. The reality is that gaining size and strength takes time and consistency. The first step is to begin with some structure.

Second, go read this article about 5/3/1. The program is unimportant but the concepts he lays out are critical. If you took the lessons he lays out there and applied them to any program, you’d make progress. Not that 5/3/1 isn’t a good program…

Third, really, go buy the Ebook.