3-Month Challenge Progression

Bigger Stronger Leaner Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Coaching
1

I haven’t seen it addressed specifically in Beyond 5/3/1 or any T-Nation.com articles so here I am.

Am I supposed to increase the TM with each month on the challenge, or keep it the same for the 3 months? Thanks in advance.

2

[quote]canefanatic wrote:
I haven’t seen it addressed specifically in Beyond 5/3/1 or any T-Nation.com articles so here I am.

Am I supposed to increase the TM with each month on the challenge, or keep it the same for the 3 months? Thanks in advance. [/quote]

Yes, it’s right in the first paragraph of the Beyond 5/3/1 book under Big Lifts:

“The first part of the Boring But Big Challenge is that you will continue to perform the squat, bench, press and deadlift with the 5/3/1 sets and reps. You will increase the normal five pounds on the upper-body lifts and 10 pounds on the lower-body lifts after each cycle; nothing changes with regards to the progression. Make sure you begin this challenge with your training max set at 90% of your actual max. If you have to reassess your training max, then do so. The one thing that you will change is that you will NOT go for any extra reps on the last set. You will only do the required reps and move on.”

3

[quote]JR249 wrote:

[quote]canefanatic wrote:
I haven’t seen it addressed specifically in Beyond 5/3/1 or any T-Nation.com articles so here I am.

Am I supposed to increase the TM with each month on the challenge, or keep it the same for the 3 months? Thanks in advance. [/quote]

Yes, it’s right in the first paragraph of the Beyond 5/3/1 book under Big Lifts:

“The first part of the Boring But Big Challenge is that you will continue to perform the squat, bench, press and deadlift with the 5/3/1 sets and reps. You will increase the normal five pounds on the upper-body lifts and 10 pounds on the lower-body lifts after each cycle; nothing changes with regards to the progression. Make sure you begin this challenge with your training max set at 90% of your actual max. If you have to reassess your training max, then do so. The one thing that you will change is that you will NOT go for any extra reps on the last set. You will only do the required reps and move on.”[/quote]

Thanks. I guess reading comprehension got the best of me this time.

4

[quote]canefanatic wrote:

Thanks. I guess reading comprehension got the best of me this time. [/quote]

Also, remember when your TM increases each cycle, so does your BBB bar weight on the 4 core assistance lifts, i.e., your 50%, 60% and 70% of 1 RM calculations for the sets of 5 x 10 will need revised each month to be based on your current TM for that new cycle.