T Nation

5/3/1 BBB and Yoga/Conditioning

Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Coaching
#1

Currently doing 5/3/1 BBB and enjoying. Generally in the gym Mon/Tues/Thurs/Friday in the AM.

I want to start adding in the following:

Monday PM- 1 hour conditioning class (I would’ve hit the weights early in the AM)

Wednesday PM- 1 hour hot yoga class (No weights this day)

Saturday- 1 hour hot yoga class (No weights this day)

Sunday- Heavy rest day

Basically I would still hit the weights 4 days a week per 5/3/1 BBB, just hitting the 5/3/1 and BBB sets, no other lifts and then on Mondays have the AM/PM session, and Wednesday/Saturdays use those as dedicated yoga days and Sunday rest completely.

I know 5/3/1 advocates adding in conditioning and stretching work, but I do want to stay mindful and not over do it. My primary focus is still getting bigger/stronger, but I also enjoy the way yoga makes me feel. My training maxes are 255/205/400/130 Squat/Bench/DL/Press so I’m far from the strongest guy in the gym.

Is this a situation where I should try it and see how it goes, too much, etc? Maybe just do yoga 2x a week? etc. All feedback is welcome

Thanks

#2

I’m admittedly not doing a 5/3/1 program, but I have been doing hot yoga regularly for about five years now, and I think one or two yoga classes per week are fine and dandy as a compliment to weight training of any kind.

FWIW, I generally do my heaviest and hardest overall workout of the week on Saturday morning, then a yoga class on Sunday morning as my stretching and “active recovery.” Been doing this for most of a year now and it works great. Key is just to make sure you’re properly hydrated and eat well to be refueled for your hard training sessions. But there’s no reason at all 2 hot yoga classes per week should be problematic for recovery - if anything, they ought to be beneficial.

#3

Sounds like you should be fine, as long as you aren’t crushing yourself with the conditioning and hot yoga. Also, make sure you get some quality carbs in after your lifting and conditioning/yoga classes to help rebuild and keep that muscle glycogen topped off.

#4

Thanks for the feedback. Keeping calories and hydration up is definitely a priority.

#5

Sounds fine to me. I would suggest looking at some upper body pulling for balance though.

#6

If you are adding three days of new stressors - it would make sense to pull back on something until your body adapts. That is why we program training and allow for this. BBB is not the time to do this.

#7

Thanks for the reply Jim. I have done yoga in the past for over a year and some change, but I’ve only been running BBB for about a month. What about dropping the Wednesday yoga session so that way I have two full dedicated days of rest, Sunday and Wednesday?

#8

You can do what you want - but we do things fairly strict with this stuff and program everything so it falls perfectly. In general, we program 4-5 cycles of everything in advance. It gives you the best possible chance at long term success.

So when things are added, things are taken out. And when you do that, you get better and that is what I’m trying to do. Again, it may work, it may not work but things need to have some balance.