5/3/1 Full Body Beginner

Just read 531 2nd edition. Going to start next Monday. Need some advice/suggestions.

I have browsed 531 beyond, read Jim’s website, and as of today own 2nd edition…here’s what I came up with as my workout for the next numerous cycles/months and I need some guidance to make sure I have a grasp on the principles of 531:

I will use an A/B split: week 1- ABA 2-BAB and so forth…is this wrong as the website and the book has an ABA so to speak set up as it has no mention of continuing the B portion on the first workout day of the following week…hence the Beginner full body maybe? If that’s the case then scratch the beginner part and someone let me know if I’m applying the program principles properly anyway. I was also going to use a trap bar in place of a straight bar for the deadlift as I believe Jim said this is acceptable. I will move to straight bar after numerous months/cycles.

I would like to use a 5’s progression with joker sets used on main lifts every other week or so (or when I’m feeling good and want to ‘go for it’).

Assistance: A-glute ham raise, band resist push ups, chins. Using supersets all throughout warm ups of all main lifts. Jim said doing glute ham raises for 3-5 sets of 5 at the very beginning is cool if you’re not good at them…I’m not good at them.

Assistance B- db rows, dips, kb swings intertwining once again with main lifts.

Assistance A- alternate grip chins, GHD, and push ups same as previous A.

I would do sets of ab wheels and loaded carries where I can fit them after all other lifts.

I was wondering if 5x10 is absolutely necessary…can I up the intensity a touch (60% to 70/75%) and do a set or two less or will this defeat the whole ‘531 concept’? If so then 5x10 at 50-60% it will be.

Feed back and suggestions, advice, and guidance is insisted as I want to devote my entire self to this program but I want to do it right. After reading everything I can on 531 I’m a bit confused on how to piece together all the templates and guidelines with out breaking the rules.

What beginners template are you looking at? I highly doubt your following it correctly if you are going to combine Joker sets and BBB (ie. 5x10).

This is probably a pretty good source to get started if your a beginner. Its pretty well all figured out for you.

Honestly I wish I had this program when I started running 5/3/1 9 years ago when I started running it. Would have been great to move to after getting used to the base program. And when in doubt Original 5/3/1 with Triumvirate assistance is always a good place to go.

Thanks for your reply. I’ve read the beginner program several times and just went back
and read it again.

Jim says to do 50-100 reps on assistance and use whatever set/rep scheme you need to just get them done. This is up my ally.

He has the standard 531 scheme set up and I will use this at least in the beginning (I will add FSL/Joker sets down the road).

This looks looks like one of the more simplistic of the 531 programs.

531 should always be simple.