Monday
Power Clean 5/3/1
Front Squat 5/3/1
Pull Ups 3 x 10 (usually 2 x 10, then a double rest/pause set)
DB Bench 2 x 6 (RPE 7 out of 10 on these sets), 6-8-10 drop set (6 reps, drop weight, 8 reps, drop weight, 10 reps)
DB Row 2 x 6, 6-8-10 drop set
Lateral Cable Raise 2 x 6, 6-8-10 drop set
Romanian Dead Lift 2 x 6, 6-8-10 drop set (this sucks)
Wednesday
Front Squat 3 x 10 (40%, 50%, 60%)
Overhead Press 5/3/1
Hang Snatch Grip High Pull 5/3/1
Neutral Pull Ups 3 x 10
Reverse Cable Fly 2 x 6, 6-8-10 drop set
Bi’s & Tri’s 2 x 6, 6-8-10 drop set
Friday
Front Squat 3 x 10 (40%, 50%, 60%)
Bench 5/3/1
Deadlift 5/3/1
Cable Row 2 x 6, 6-8-10 drop set
Shoulder Press 2 x 6, 6-8-10 drop set
That’s the way it’s laid out for now but the assistance work is a fluid program. If I feel that something isn’t working with the 5/3/1 lifts then I’ll tweak it as I go. For example, my upper traps were smoked after the High Pulls today. I might switch out reverse cable fly for J Rope Pulls (credit to Lee Boyce).
The Hang Snatch Grip High Pull probably isn’t a 5/3/1 exercise (if you ask Jim). I just like the power movements and liked the 5/3/1 rep scheme so I threw it in there so I have a big pull every day that I lift. It may prove to be too much over time but I’m giving it a shot for now.
@Frank_C
Thank you. Looks like you’re into power building, yes? Interesting set up. Better not let Wendler see it, though:0
How long does it take to get through your training days?
That’s Wendler’s setup for total body from his original 5/3/1 book (plus the SGHP). He offers some assistance programs but he states that assistance is just that - - ASSISTANCE. You can use assistance lifts to address weaknesses for a certain lift or to address issues with your development. I like to focus on back hypertrophy as a priority with a secondary emphasis on shoulders. I’m using this to focus on strength but want to make sure I maintain size and keep my shoulders healthy. No one ever suffered postural problems from an over-developed posterior chain.
I don’t think Jim would mind my program. I look into his coaching forum and the biggest thing I notice is that he doesn’t disapprove of people tweaking his stuff but he won’t back it up because it’s not his. He also doesn’t like people changing his stuff and then telling people the program didn’t work (after failing to follow the program correctly). You won’t see me blaming him if my program falls short.
I’ve only just started the program, but I’ve actually increased my calories by 10% or so. Keep in mind that you are working out 6 days in a row vs 3-4. Although your workout time is less, there are 2-3 additional days that you are getting your heart rate up. Also, since the program is higher intensity, the additional calories have helped me refuel and heal at least through the 1st week. For my extra carbs, I’ve been sticking to primarily cyclic dextrin carbs in the peri-workout window.
Personally my nutrition/diet is a mess and I’ll be getting that sorted out very soon. I have noticed though that I am eating more, and still seeing good results (would be very interesting seeing what it would be like if my diet was on point!)
I find that with the 6 days of working I need that extra food because those last sets take a lot out of me.
For me anyway, this workout program is working perfectly…always seeing improvements in strength, and its almost like i’m constantly pumped throughout the day ( which seems a bit weird, but I like the feeling).
I do warm up a little before each workout though. For your example I hop on the stationary bike for 5 mins gradually increasing the resistance to get a good burn. Then before bench I will just have the empty bar and push out 50 to 60 reps to get the blood flowing. After all this I’ll start the 2 sets.
I’ll do all this because I’m really starting to ‘feel my age’ and these quick warm ups help me a lot.
Hope this helps and again there might be people out there that just jump straight into the 2 sets, but I do what feels right for me.
Again I cant stress how much this program is working for me and I just wish I started this 5 years ago!!
I’m curious is it possible to organize this program so it can be performed in home gym, where equipment is limited. I have rack for squat/bench/press, pull-up bar, dip station, barbell and plates, two dumbbells with adjustable weights.
I am in my 3rd full week and I am loving it so far. Per the comment above, I feel pumped all day and I am actually excited about my workouts again. My intensity levels are higher due to less exercises and I am not holding anything back. Now, when I look back on some of my other workouts that I have done, I realize that I did hold back early in the workout so I would make sure I was able to get through it. Now, I hit it with full intensity, sip on a good intra-workout, and then I am out. Lights out! I am looking forward to seeing the various versions of this workout moving forward!
I’ve combined 5/3/1 with this program. A warmup is still necessary in my opinion. I do 5/3/1 for my strength work and have been doing 6-8-10 drop sets on my assistance lifts. This week I added weight and I’m doing 4-6-8 drop sets. After I deload in a few weeks I’ll switch to double rest pause.
So far I feel like I’ve done something but I’m not dead. That’s a good thing because I only get one day until it’s time to hit the muscles again.
I’ve starting my 4th week. I do about 10 minutes of warmup like BW exercises, dynamic warm ups, jumping jacks, etc… I start with a non-technical OL variation, like SG high pulls, or SG muscle snatches.
Pros:
Quicker workouts of ~30 min work time, and less than 45 min total.
Doesn’t mentally or physically drain me, and I can play sports / do yoga without modifying me workout program.
It’s a “full body” type of workout (which are my favorite), but done in a way that allows for frequency.
Cons:
It is hard logistically to get into the gym 6 days a week. I can pull it off now, but depending on my work schedule it can be tough.
I don’t feel as pumped or drained after the gym. Not good or bad, but just different that I don’t every feel like I crushed it at the gym.
I miss doing more explosive workout, and I’m hoping to find a way to incorporate jumps, plyo moves, and sprints consistently into the program.
I do a bit more, adding normal ramp ups before hitting the 2x6 “feeler” sets (which I treat as work sets). Even more smaller moves, like lateral raises, I do at least one ~10 rep warm up before starting the 2x6 feeler sets. I am probably doing these a bit different than I’m supposed to, and using my working weight for my 2x6 warm ups (with a weight I can get ~9 times fresh).
Antiquity I think my style is closest to yours. I do my bodyweight/jumps for a few minutes then start on the main movmeent (press or pull).
Ramp up in 3’s until I hit a top training 3RM. Then do my one all out set. Move to the next exercise (already primed) and do the 2x6 no prob.
You can find some creative ways to incorporate this (even in a layer-ish structure). My main takeaway is to limit the ALL OUT SET to only one per muscle. Split into a push/pull that includes lower body, hit high frequency.
Ramping, focusing on performance to maximize that top set etc. still remain in my opinion. Don’t know fi that’ll be excessive volume (i doubt it) but we’ll see !
I’m half way through my 7th week, following the program as written, and I’ve missed only 2 of the 40+ possible workouts so far.
These have been my best workouts in a very long time. I’m able to hit every workout and top set with intensity. I’ve gained some weight and I don’t look noticeably less lean. My weights in each exercise continue to go up.
One of the best things is that I leave the gym feeling great, and I feel good throughout the day. During week 6, I did a slight deload in that I didn’t do any of the special top sets. So, for example, if I was to do 85lbs DB bench press for double rest pause on my top set, I just did 85lbs x 5-6 reps and stopped.
Another side benefit is that I knew I could never get to the gym 6 days a week if I worked out in the evening, so I’ve consistently woken up early to get to the gym before the day kicks off. I’ve never been a morning person, but I’ve now gone 7+ weeks waking up early and feeling better than ever.
I recommend it. And while I’m not old (32), I don’t feel like I used to when I was 18 and doing 1.5 hour chest workouts lol. These short, intense, daily workouts fit me perfectly.
First I must say that I’ve bastardized the hell out of the program due to injury and equipment restrictions, but with all reservations here are my observations:
The low volume is great for cutting. It allows you to progressively build and control workload through activities outside of the lifting program. When a large portion of your daily activity is in the volume of your lifting, you have less control over calorie expenditure. I’ve recently been sick and had very little appetite and was able to cut back on walking/conditioning work to prevent an overly large drop in weight (and probably muscle). The downside of this is getting through high intensity sets when you feel like crap. Days when I don’t feel well, I find it more challenging to get in a sufficient intensity set than to just grind out some volume.
It can also be tough to pick weights for the drop sets (this is at least partially due to my cutting which has been impacting my work capacity). I find myself wimping out and sticking to prescribed rep numbers rather than just gutting out tough sets when I pick a weight that ends up on the light side and kinda taking on some punishment rest pause type set on the last weight for wimping out.
I’ve also starting experimenting with incorporating some Olympic lifting. Currently I’m just using light c&j on push day and light snatches on pull day, as a warmup. I’m largely doing this to maintain the movements and mobility (and because I love doing them). I’ve also found it doesn’t take any extra time because everything is warmed up and I need far less warmup as I change exercises. If/as I decide to up the intensity or workload of the Olympic lifts I’m planning to cut back on some of the intensity of the lower body movements. So for example instead of doing a double rest pause set for the lower body movement I’ll move to a single pause or even to a single set to failure as needed.
Question for you guys that have been on the program for awhile. On the first two sets, I assume that you are progressing weekly when you achieve the 6 to 7 rep range. What happens when you start peaking out on those sets? In other words, those 2 sets now become quite difficult and you end up going to failure on those sets as well. Do you back off again on the weight for those 2 sets or do you use peaking as a good reason to supplement in a different exercise? Curious as to how you handle. Thanks.
Per CT’s article and instructions the 2 sets of 6 should have an RPE of about 7. I use a weight that I could do about 9-10 reps typically. I’m not pushing the weight on these sets and definitely not hitting failure.
I’ve gone up to 2 sets of 8 on reverse cable fly but that’s b/c the weight stack jumps too much per plate. I’ve learned that working too hard on the first 2 sets has a negative effect on the final, all-out set.
