I’m a former marathoner and triathlete who took to the weight room after finishing PT for some post surgical stuff. Somewhere, probably on T Nation, I found 5-3-1. I’ve really enjoyed using it to progressively add weight to the bar and gain strength. I’m just finishing up the Limited Time template, which really bore a strong resemblance to the “Jack Shit” template, and would like to re-introduce aerobic conditioning. I like the BBTU/ATL program, but I was thinking to add some tweaks to make it more triathlon specific. The main changes would be to do bike trainer workouts instead of the prowler/sled after the squat and deadlift days and to do it in a 3/week as can be done with other 5-3-1 variations. The supplemental and assistance would be done with the main lifts as your program describes and the running distances as well. Here’s the idea:
Week 1:
M: Press/Run
T: Swim
W: Squat/Bike
Th: Swim
F: Bench/Run
Sa: Bike (longer)
Su: Run (longer as per the program)
Week 2:
M: Deadlift/Bike
T: Swim
W: Press/Run
Th: Swim
F: Squat/Bike
Sa: Run (long)
Su: Bike (long)
Week 4:
M: Squat/Bike
T: Swim
W: Bench/Run
Th: Swim
F: Deadlift/Bike
Sa: Run(long)
Su: Bike (long)
Also, As I do have experience with running/biking/swimming, but am not in very good shape, I thought to do 3 cycles of the leader starting at 80% TM to give me time to slowly adapt to the new heavier workload.
I do something kinda similar, in that I will sometimes train for half marathons, play sports 2-3x a week, and keep up a 531 program. For me, I need at least one day off completely each week, so your template wouldn’t work for me.
Also, you could consider this: use trap bar deadlift for your squat/DL to help with recovery. So, do press, bench, TBDL as your main lifts, and use DB goblet squats as an assistance move on either/both bench and ohp days.
My schedule, in preparation for a 1/2 marathon:
M: OHP 531, super-setted assistance. Easy conditioning on airdyne.
T: Mobility, soccer.
W: Bench 531, super-setted assistance. Run 4-6 miles in the evening.
R: Mobility, soccer.
F: Off
sat: TB DL, super-setted assistance. Run harder, shorter.
Sun: longer run of 6-10 miles
I am not trying to do a half marathon for anything other than a fun challenge, and doing it with a friend. If I wanted to really compete at that, I would drop the lifting to 1-2X per week and add more running.
If this is the case, wouldn’t it be smarter to use a modified lifting program (as listed in the Forever book) until your body adapts to the conditioning? I believe it is and that is what I would recommend. I also wouldn’t do the “Bodybuild the Upper” for a triathlon - just stick to the lowest volume on each lift you need; your goal is to set a PR in a triathlon, not in a PL meet…or bodybuilding show.
From what you said, I think I’ll stick with the above lifting/conditioning template, but go with 5’s Pro with FSL for the lifts, keep the accessory 25-50, and ramp up my triathlon training/conditioning duration and intensity over the course of a few cycles.
I think what turned me onto the BBTU/ATL program was the explicit way you incorporated the running into the program. I wasn’t sure how to put it all together before that.