5/3/1 Advice

[Tomwilkinson]

Hi all I'm looking for some advice,

Scenario. Having been weight training on and off for some time now and with no real purpose or direction and have decide to sort myself out, get in shape and look to Strongman as a sport to get involved in. As such I have come across Wendler's 5/3/1 programme and have been using that as it seems to be a good basis to start training for Strongman. So far I am loving it and am just starting my third cycle of the programme, having seen good results thus far.

Issue. I have been reading lots of articles around this and the progression and simplicity to me makes absolute sense and I believe in this programme. Where I am not so sure is regarding the accessory exercises, in particular what I should be doing, rep ranges and number of exercises. I have looked at BBB, triumvirate and just bodyweight stuff.

Reasoning. I have read many website as I want to gain strength, obviously, but I would also like to ensure functionality in bodyweight movements as I am in the military and need to remain as lithe as possible whilst using this programme. I also want to keep balance as my right side is dominant and I want to ensure my right side does not develop way ahead of my left. This has lead me to have the main 5/3/1 lift, an accessory of isolated movement at 3x10 and three bodyweight movemns at 5x to failure.

Question. Can I get some feedback on the training programme I have laid out below and tell me if I am in the right track.

Monday
5/3/1 OH Press
3x10 Lateral DB Raises
5x F Dips
5x F Hanging Leg Raises
5x F Uneven Push ups

Tuesday
5/3/1 Deadlift
3x10 Single arm BB Row
5xF BW shrugs
5xF Wide chin ups
5xF Clap press ups

Wednesday
5/3/1 BB Bench
3x10 Incline DB Bench
5xF Inverted Row
5xF Handstand Push Up
5xF Dips

Thursday
5/3/1 Squat
3x10 DB lunges
5xF Extended Push ups
5xF Narrow Chin ups
5xF BW shrugs

Friday
Farmers walks
5xF Weighted Burpees
3x10 Forearm curls
3x10 Hammer curls
3x10 Weighted Dips
Tyre Flips
5xF Narrow push ups

On top of this I am doing cardio, consisting of sprints and long slow runs.

Any feedback anyone has would be much appreciated. I think what I've laid out above is what Wendler was suggesting, but I want to make sure.

Cheers

[Black_Spit]

Strongman training isn't domething I know a whole lot about. 531 is though.

Either way, that's a LOT of volume. Id say half of that assistance work would be more appropriate probably. Maybe 2 sets of all those exercises instead of 5.

[Tomwilkinson]

Strongman training isn't domething I know a whole lot about. 531 is though.

Either way, that's a LOT of volume. Id say half of that assistance work would be more appropriate probably. Maybe 2 sets of all those exercises instead of 5.

Hi Black_Spit thanks for the reply.

I agree with your comment about volume, by the fifth set I'm usually barely able to move. I do need to keep a certain level of bodyweight functionality due to being in the military however and the physical fitness tests we do. Would you suggest that if I'm pushing hard on the 5/3/1 and maxing out on 2/3 set of BW moves then this would be achievable? For example, I'm looking to consistently break 100 push ups in two minutes.

[cirion0000]

I would say do what you gotta do and adjust recovery to accommodate it. For me because of my rather severe muscle imbalances I have to have a plethora of accessory work, and to handle this extra workload I just take more rest days than normal (so it can take me like 9-10 days to complete one "week" of 531 as a result). Yeah it's slower, but I have to do it this way because I need the extra accessory volume for shoulder and back health. I'm making gains, so I can't complain.

That being said, I wouldn't just add accessory work because "you feel like it", there better be a really good reason to have a lot of extra work if you want to make proper gains on the big 3. If you're performing the lifts correctly you shouldn't need any accessory work to progress, imo accessory work is primarily just to keep you from getting imbalances (though BBB can be fun, I don't find it necessary to progress).

[M1seryD1str1ct]

Just personal preference but I prefer fairly heavy dumbbell shrugs to bodyweight to help build grip strength, incorporate a bit of cable work for chest at a decline angle to help build it up, and I will incorporate REALLY heavy close-stance leg press once every 531 cycle to help with my leg drive for squats and deads. This is just ****e that works for me though and good luck with the training...all hail 531! hah

[gherkin123]

I don't know an awful lot about strongman either, but would basically echo what the others have said. Here's an article on elitefts about using 5/3/1 for strongman. I think Chase has written some other basic templates in the q and a a few times, too

http://articles.elitefts.com/trainin...for-strongman/

[Cleveland33]

I would skip all the stuff on there and just do the Boring But Strong template.