5/3/1 Question

Thanks!! I’m doing a rest week every 4th week (this week is my rest week). I’ve still been hitting 4-6 reps on the other lifts on the 95% weeks so I’m glad to hear his prescription isn’t re-setting all of them. I need to figure out which variant to switch to for next week/cycle, so if you have any experience with others I am all ears.

I don’t have the books. I’ve pretty much been going off of an article Wendler wrote for T nation and one of his posts about BBB on his website for the last 10 months. I figured it was about time to change it up which is why I finally created a TD account so I could ask about this. Thanks for the link, I’ll start taking a look!

My main goals are to get 3 plate bench, 4 plate squat, and 5 plate deadlift while putting some size on my arms. Not sure if there’s a specific template that works best for working towards that. Thanks again for the link.

Getting stronger and eating more is how you get size. BBB is probably better for that because of the volume.

quote:

---

I don’t have the books

---

well now you do

read the 2nd addition then beyond then forever. Actually read them. forever is the best but you need to start and read from the beginning so you understand all the concepts. In forever, He goes over the 7th week protocol. You can also always do the 5 cycles forward, 3 back approach where you add weight for 5 of the 4 week cycles and then reset TM back to what it was after the 2nd cycle.

In general, like deaf mentioned, if the goal is simply to get bigger and stronger, eat and sleep like a mad man.

531 is a lifetime system if applied correctly and when i prescribe it as a lifetime system, I usually have people do 80% training max. that makes sure the bar speed always stays high. Jim has talked about this a bunch in his articles on his site and in the private forum.

as far as the goals you have set out, those are very reasonable. Main thing is need to stop missing lifts so start with a lower training max, in forever jim recommends 85% for most lifters. Also you will need to learn what works for each individual lift. BBB is a great program but many times people stall in the press and deadlift on it.

So to kind of short cut you

on forever on page 17 of the book, the "Programming your training" section starts and Jim explains Leaders and Anchors"

On page 57 Jim says " BBB is always a leader template, After finishing 2-3 cycles of BBB, you will change to an Anchor template" He then list mutiple anchor templates to choose from.

After you read what leaders and anchors are, go to that page and look at the ones he list and choose one from there. I personally suggest PR set and First set last option or OG 531.

But look at each one and look in the book and see what those are and choose which one looks like fun for the next 6 weeks. Now do the template you choose for 2 back to back 3 week cycles and then perform the 7th week protocol listed in the book.

After that, choose your next adventure in the form of one of the leader templates. Do 2-4 cycles of it. I usually have people do 2 of the 3 week cycles, perform 7th week protocol and then repeat. so 14 weeks of training in total, then perform the listed anchor for 2 cycles plus 7th week protocol, so total of 21 weeks of training. then choose new adventure.

Hopefully you can go find those pages and understand how the year macro cycle looks.

essentially leader templates- increase in barbell work in the form of supplemental work. i.e. BBB. But that is balanced with less intensity, less volume on the assistance, less hard conditioning with a focus on easy conditioning. Also less jumps and throws (i.e. less dynamic work, less max effort work and more focus on the rep method if thinking in terms of westside)

anchor templates- less volume on barbell work and more emphasis on intensity in the form of PR sets and joker sets. Increase in assitance work to make up for drop in supplemental work. More hard conditioning. (i.e. more focus on the max effort and dynamic work)

essentially you can look at leaders as the hypertrophy block and the anchor as the realization/intensity block in terms of periodization.

quote:

---

The more I’ve thought about it, I think I’d probably change what my physique goals are for the next few months. I’d say working towards the strength goals i mentioned are first priority but rather than gaining size as next priority I think I’m at a point now where I need to start leaning out to 12-15% body fat from the 20-22% I’m at right now.

---

Thats pretty simple if that is the case. I would suggest you run the anchor template as planned. After look at krypteia, off season for conditioning and the prep&fatloss templates. I suggest Krypteia if is feasable for you to run in your gym. Watch your diet, hit the conditioning as laid out in the forever book/powerlifting book and well.....profit

quote:

---

Dang I should of read Forever. Reading that over, I am going to be changing my 5/3/1 with that info. I was way too dated.

---

OG still works for many many people. But eventually many people hit a wall if they train with any consistency. That is where forever really explains things.

stick to the plan. be better off in the long run. Just up the conditioning for now like the book descibes and start supersetting all of your assitance work so that you are prepared for the krypteia.

and no problem.