I did stronglifts for 3 months while on a cutting diet. After plateauing in overhead press, bench and row and at my limit in squats and deadlifts, I decided to switch to 531 for 2 days a week. I read 531 second edition. I am planning to use option 1 of 2 day template. Which are the 2 best assistance work per day, to help my lifts. Also, are they done with additional weights or only body weight?
Just pick any assistance mentioned in the 5/3/1 book you have. My go-to assistance movements are:
Push: dips, push ups, triceps rope pushdowns
Pull: chins, DB/kroc rows
single leg/core: DB squat, DB SLDL+shrugs, ab wheel, hanging leg raises, roman chair back raises, weighted situps
If I had to pick only two assistance movements they would be dips and chins.
The assistance for the 2 day template can be ANY assistance mentioned in the book or only the ones mentioned in the 2 day program template?
Assistance is assistance; it’s used to balance your training. I lift twice a week and typically pick my assistance for the day, that day.
Jim now recommends doing assistance from 3 categories - push, pull, and single leg/core. I just cracked open my copy of 2nd Edition and see the 4 movements for day one and also on day two. He says pick two of them. I would change it up a bit and pick 3 movements, for a total of 25-50 reps during leader, and 50-100 reps during anchor. You should pick 1 push, 1 pull, and 1 single leg or core exercise and aim for a total amount of reps.
Edit: you can also choose to do no reps from a category if your volume in supplemental is high - if doing BBB for squat might not lend itself to doing single leg squats as assistance the same day. Same for bench, you may do BBS in bench and not want to do any more pressing that day and skip out on push assistance. Just make it for that day and don’t get to caught up in the little things. The main lifts are what’s important, the assistance is there to keep some balance in your training.
How are your results 2 days a week? How long have you been doing it?
Honestly, not too long. Just the last 2-3 cycles. I just did a TM test in the squat yesterday for 405x5. I knew I’d hit it without issue. The last time I did 405 for reps was a few cycles ago and I capped at 7 reps and thought I had a few more in me. Yesterday I felt like I could easily get 10-15 reps. I’m still hitting all 4 lifts per week, just doing Deadlift and bench on day 1, squat and press day 2. I’m following the original 5/3/1, but capping my top set at 10 reps, and also doing my first set at 10 reps (option 2 in the forever book). My assistance is much lower since only lifting twice a week, but it hasn’t made an impact. I’m 39 years old though, so if you’re younger, you might want more volume than what I’m after.
Do you do any assistance work on your non lifting days?
nope - with exception to band pull aparts; I do those almost every day.