5/3/1 question reps

[ukero]

how do u track ur progress ? are u spose to beat the estimated 1r.m based on the numbers you've put up in the current cycle u r on in each last set or are u spose to beat the previous cycle 1.r.m estimation for that paticular week ?? e.g.

example of current cycle progression

week 1 1RM based on final set 150
week 2 1RM based on final set 160
week 3 1RM based on final set 170

or are you spose to beat the week in the previous cycle

e.g using the example above say i am in week 2 of the 2nd cycle am i meant to beat the 1RM for week 2 in the previous week or beat the 1RM of week 1 in this current cycle?

[workboots]

I don't understand your question and I don't think you understand the program. The book is like 20$

[Keoking]

I log my workouts in Excel, and have a page with my PR rep counts for each exercise by weight.

If I hit 185 for 5 on a 3+ day, and then later hit it for 6 on a 5+ day, I know that I got stronger.

I also record all my 1 RM calcs for my + sets, but this doesn't track well. My 1RM value is highest on 5+ sets and drops for 3+ and 1+ sets.

[SuperMario42]

As the above poster stated, I don't think you understand the program. But it isn't hard at all.



Find your 1 REP max. Lets assume we are talking about the Squat here.

Your 1RM is 250. You get 90% of that 250 and use it as your training max.

250 * 0.90= 225lb is your "max"


Follow the percentages on given week. I think week one is something like 65, 75, 85 each for 5 reps (I could be wrong about the exact percent, that can be easily found online)

225 * .65
225* .75
225*.85


Whatever those 3 numbers are, you should be doing 1 set of 5 with each for week one squat session.
Week 2 you repeat with different percentages but 3 reps. Week 3 you repeat with different percentages but for singles. Week 4 is deload, unless you chose to skip and do them every 2-3 cycles.

When you ADD yours 5lbs-10lbs to your max for the next cycle, you add them to your TM (Training Max)


So then on the week that you are doing 5 reps

235 x.65
235x.75
235x.85




Simple. And you repeat this process




Tracking progress is easy....you'll eventually lift heavier weight...

[ukero]

I log my workouts in Excel, and have a page with my PR rep counts for each exercise by weight.

If I hit 185 for 5 on a 3+ day, and then later hit it for 6 on a 5+ day, I know that I got stronger.

I also record all my 1 RM calcs for my + sets, but this doesn't track well. My 1RM value is highest on 5+ sets and drops for 3+ and 1+ sets.

As the above poster stated, I don't think you understand the program. But it isn't hard at all.



Find your 1 REP max. Lets assume we are talking about the Squat here.

Your 1RM is 250. You get 90% of that 250 and use it as your training max.

250 * 0.90= 225lb is your "max"


Follow the percentages on given week. I think week one is something like 65, 75, 85 each for 5 reps (I could be wrong about the exact percent, that can be easily found online)

225 * .65
225* .75
225*.85


Whatever those 3 numbers are, you should be doing 1 set of 5 with each for week one squat session.
Week 2 you repeat with different percentages but 3 reps. Week 3 you repeat with different percentages but for singles. Week 4 is deload, unless you chose to skip and do them every 2-3 cycles.

When you ADD yours 5lbs-10lbs to your max for the next cycle, you add them to your TM (Training Max)


So then on the week that you are doing 5 reps

235 x.65
235x.75
235x.85




Simple. And you repeat this process




Tracking progress is easy....you'll eventually lift heavier weight...

im using an excel spreadsheet that has been premade i punch in the number of reps i was able to do it and it gives me an projected 1RM based on the number of reps completed.

[bennmuz]

im using an excel spreadsheet that has been premade i punch in the number of reps i was able to do it and it gives me an estimate 1RM based on the number of reps completed.

Do the maths yourself, its not difficult. I don't really understand your question and I don't think you really understand 5/3/1.

You can find the program with all the percentages online.

And the 1RM calculations are basically Weight x Reps x 0.0333 + Weight = 1RM

[ukero]

Do the maths yourself, its not difficult. I don't really understand your question and I don't think you really understand 5/3/1.

You can find the program with all the percentages online.

And the 1RM calculations are basically Weight x Reps x 0.0333 + Weight = 1RM

question is should i compare those projected 1RM's with the ones completed in that cycle e.g. week 3 final set of excercise against week 2 final set of that cycle or should i compare the 1RM's to those weeks in previous cycles e.g in say cycle 2 based on the reps i completed in the last set of that excercise (the one u go all out in) week 2 of that cycle should i compare it to week 2 of the previous cycle before it to track progression.

[bennmuz]

question is should i compare those projected 1RM's with the ones completed in that cycle e.g. week 3 final set of excercise against week 2 final set of that cycle or should i compare the 1RM's to those weeks in previous cycles e.g in say cycle 2 based on the reps i completed in the last set of that excercise (the one u go all out in) week 2 of that cycle should i compare it to week 2 of the previous cycle before it to track progression.

The program does not suggest retesting your 1RM. It suggests adding 5lbs upper and 10lbs lower after each cycle.

The reps on your last set on each day of each week are irrelevant to the actual program but can definitely be used to measure progress and personal milestones.

[ukero]

The program does not suggest retesting your 1RM. It suggests adding 5lbs upper and 10lbs lower after each cycle.

The reps on your last set on each day of each week are irrelevant to the actual program but can definitely be used to measure progress and personal milestones.

yea which is what im trying to do meausure my progress based on projections of 1RM based on number of reps so ill always go into the last set with a certain number of reps in mind to increase that projected 1RM and how can they be irrelevant when theyre the most important set? its the set that ultimately drives ur projected 1RM . i understand my question now but i may have confused you guys. Another question though on the final set is it as many reps as u can do continually or am i able to maybe rerack the weight after a continuous set and then take another dig to get maybe 3-4 more reps out?

[bennmuz]

yea which is what im trying to do meausure my progress based on projections of 1RM based on number of reps so ill always go into the last set with a certain number of reps in mind to increase that projected 1RM and how can they be irrelevant when theyre the most important set? its the set that ultimately drives ur projected 1RM . i understand my question now but i may have confused you guys. Another question though on the final set is it as many reps as u can do continually or am i able to maybe rerack the weight after a continuous set and then take another dig to get maybe 3-4 more reps out?

I do not mean they are irrelevant per say, but like I said Wendler suggests 5lbs upper and 10lbs lower progression per cycle.
Your question is not clear. Of course keep in mind the reps you done on the last set to measure your progress, but Wendler does not suggest using these to recalculate the 1RM for 5/3/1 cycles.

Have you read the book?

[bennmuz]

Also, Wendler talks about joker sets in other incarnations of his book. Which is what I think you mean in your other question.

I suggest you google these things as the actual reading material can give you a lot more information than I can.

[Keoking]

For me, I find that my calculated 1RM is highest from 5+ sets, and drops for 3+/1+ sets. As such, it undulates within each 3 week cycle. I pretty much compare 5+ sets against previous 5+ sets, and the same for 3+ and 1+ sets, to gauge progress.

[jj218]

how do u track ur progress ? are u spose to beat the estimated 1r.m based on the numbers you've put up in the current cycle u r on in each last set or are u spose to beat the previous cycle 1.r.m estimation for that paticular week ?? e.g.

example of current cycle progression

week 1 1RM based on final set 150
week 2 1RM based on final set 160
week 3 1RM based on final set 170

or are you spose to beat the week in the previous cycle

e.g using the example above say i am in week 2 of the 2nd cycle am i meant to beat the 1RM for week 2 in the previous week or beat the 1RM of week 1 in this current cycle?

Okay so you have the right idea in the second example but are a bit confused on how to compare. 5/3/1 is about rep PR's and not calculated 1RM. Calculated 1RM's are not something you want to compare in this program (or really that much at all in my opinion). The formula and calculators while helpful, can get screwy when putting anything higher than five reps in. And you should be achieving more than five reps on some plus sets for quite a few cycles, assuming you started with a proper training max (90% of actual 1RM). So comparing the 5+ sets with say the 1+ sets will not give you a perfectly accurate reading. Now there are two ways that I tracked progress according to rep PR's when I ran this program and using them both will give you the best insight of your progression.

1. As a above poster said keep track in a log, excel, or whatever the weight you use and the number of reps achieved on all of the + sets. So lets say your TM is 240 so cycle 1 week 3 you bench 95% at 225lbs for 5 reps on the 1+ set (95% of 240 is 228 and you round down to 225 cause your smart and want long progress). As you continue to add 5lbs to your bench press TM in two cycles your TM will be 250. This means that Cycle 3 week 2 it will tell you to hit 90% of 250 for 3+. 90% of 250 is 225 so you are back here again for another plus set only this time its 3+ not 1+ and its been 2 complete cycles so you should theoretically be stronger. If you lift 225 for anything more than 5 reps you are in fact progressing.

2. Another way is to keep note from cycle to cycle the number of reps you are achieving on each of the + sets. Lets say cycle 1 week 1 your bench TM is 240 so you do 90% of that which is 215 for your 3+ set and achieve 7 reps. Next cycle on week one you bump your TM up 5lbs so it is now 245. so cycle 2 week 1 is 85% of 245 which is about 220 for your 3+ set. If you aim for 7 reps again and get it you are progressing because you hit the same number of reps at a higher weight. Basically You try to at least match the reps on each + set from cycle to cycle. Eg. cycle 1 week 3 you get 5 reps. Cycle 2 week 3 you want to get 5 reps again, or more if you can manage.

You want to track in both ways because if say on your second cycle with the above example you only manage 6 reps at 220 that doesn't mean you have not increased in strength necessarily. It could be bad sleep, eating that day, or any number of factors. You'll want to remember that 215 for 7 and 220 for 6 and when one of those comes up again at the 5+ you can try and beat you rep PR. If you do, your progressing.

This is the most in depth way I could possibly explain it. If you havn't already, definitely get the books. They are important to run it correctly. Hope this helped a bit.

[LWPL]

I don't think you've read the book. Go buy the e-book. It's cheap and theres a lot of good info in it beside the program itself

[pntbll687]

yea which is what im trying to do meausure my progress based on projections of 1RM based on number of reps so ill always go into the last set with a certain number of reps in mind to increase that projected 1RM and how can they be irrelevant when theyre the most important set? its the set that ultimately drives ur projected 1RM . i understand my question now but i may have confused you guys. Another question though on the final set is it as many reps as u can do continually or am i able to maybe rerack the weight after a continuous set and then take another dig to get maybe 3-4 more reps out?

As for your question of comparing estimated one rep maxes, just don't worry about them. They are estimates for a reason. And with reps over 5 the calculator gets thrown off.

As far as racking and taking the weight again, that's called rest pause training, and it's covered in the beyond 5/3/1 book.

[tylerkeen42]

yea which is what im trying to do meausure my progress based on projections of 1RM based on number of reps so ill always go into the last set with a certain number of reps in mind to increase that projected 1RM and how can they be irrelevant when theyre the most important set? its the set that ultimately drives ur projected 1RM . i understand my question now but i may have confused you guys. Another question though on the final set is it as many reps as u can do continually or am i able to maybe rerack the weight after a continuous set and then take another dig to get maybe 3-4 more reps out?

Compare your 5+ week to your last 5+ week. You're just trying to set new rep maxes. You may be really good or bad at reps which can throw your 1RM estimates off. For example Keoking says that his 5+ week is his best, I on the other hand suck at reps so my 1+ set is normally my highest projected 1RM.

I personally just hold it. If I'm feeling good enough to really push it I try not to let + sets last less than a minute or so. Just hold the weight in between reps, don't be a Nance :P

[abronxtale]

Your question wasn't clearly written but I think i get it.

You should NOT be able to beat your 1RM for reps, in your first month and if you did, you didn't do a true 1RM.

Did you read the book?

You don't typically retest your 1RM for at least 3-6 months. Your training max, depending on how many cycles you do, will eventually be higher than your 1RM.

Remember you don't always have to base you gains and strength off a 1RM. If your 3RM and 5RM are going up, you are getting stronger.