T Nation

3 Month Challenge [3rd Month In]

Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Coaching
#1

Hi,

Im done with the first week of month 3 in the challenge. While my volume strength has increased Im not sure if my max 5 rm 3rm and 1rm has increased.

e.g deadlift 1rm 190kg - 3month deadlift volume is 120x5x10 which is heavy to complete but doable. But on my heavy deadlift days it still feel heavy to do 150x5 since i never actually increase my 531 lifts.

Ive gotten to month 3 and the first week was heavy but doable. Should I expect a strength gain? Im not sure if i have made any at all since i never actually increase my main lifts. Size wise i have gains more tone in my muscles, especially in my back and arms since i never did any real volume in the past. coming from madcow.

if anything i might feel sort of detrained in my max lifts since i never hit them like in other programs like madcow which i made crazy squat gains in.
i did 135 easily, but now in my 3 month challenge 120x1 feels heavy since i never get the chance to increase.

as for my lifts if interseting in KG:

squat 140x3
deadlift 170x5
ohp 60x5
bench 100x3

any toughts?

#2

Shouldn’t you be increasing your TM each month?

Anyway, finish the challenge, it’s an accomplishment you should be proud of.

From there, take the long term view. Focus on your lift 6/12/24 month s from now.

#3

In my experience 3rd month tends to be a reach. You’ll see the gains next month when you drop the volume down to FSL or 5x5@80 or whatnot. Push hard, eat, and sleep, and good things will come in time.

#4

[quote]tsantos wrote:
Shouldn’t you be increasing your TM each month?

Anyway, finish the challenge, it’s an accomplishment you should be proud of.

From there, take the long term view. Focus on your lift 6/12/24 month s from now.[/quote]

yes maybe, its been dreadful with all the volume, but if my max lifts in the end might even be detrained, was it even worth it? Maybe some size gains but that might be about it.

Maybe OHP will have the most significant increase because my working sets are so close to my real rm. but in squat 120 is not even close to 140 which im not even sure i can do now since ive been doing bunch of volume and not hitting 140 atleast once a week like in madcow5x5. The same goes with deadlift.

Bench is the same as with OHP since my working set are so close to my 3rm(100) last cycle volume is 70.

#5

When you recover from the volume/intensity of month 3, you’ll notice the benefits.

#6

[quote]tsantos wrote:
When you recover from the volume/intensity of month 3, you’ll notice the benefits.[/quote]

I have thought about this that when finished and i maybe take 1 week complete rest or light deload and start some more heavy traning close to 5rm or 3rm it will feel lighter or more chill since i dont need the dreading volume. dunno well see. 2 week starting tmrw.

#7

My best advice would be to either start believing in the program or quit. NOTHING gets accomplished without belief and the fact that THOUSANDS of lifters have used this program/template with success shows that you are either unfamiliar or haven’t read or choose not to believe anything about sub-max training.

So get on board. it works.

#8

[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
My best advice would be to either start believing in the program or quit. NOTHING gets accomplished without belief and the fact that THOUSANDS of lifters have used this program/template with success shows that you are either unfamiliar or haven’t read or choose not to believe anything about sub-max training.

So get on board. it works.[/quote]

Thanks for ur reply JW.

Obviously I wont quit when I only have 3 weeks left.

If I ate or slept too little Id prolly not even be able to push trough the first week of the last month so i must be doing something correct. I was only asking since I feel like my max lifts is not what they were when I used to hit them every week almost. But Im prolly wrong as u say. I have gained size though, but Im a chump if i didnt get any stronger according to ur self :stuck_out_tongue: