Hello first time posting on forums. I was training for a competition but got full before i could enter so now have remade my program and added in more volume and accessory lifts.
I’m 16 male 84 kg 25%ish bf and lifts are 110/82.5/157.5 and a 55 Overhead.
I’m wondering if this set up will work and is the right amount of volume.
My main goals are to increase big 4 and also add size overall.
(Note SS A means first superset/giant set SS B means second superset/giant set) Deadlift Day
5 3 1 Deadlift
Squat Volume at 50% 5x10 Front Squats Ab Wheel going into wall for 5 sets
OHP Day
5 3 1 OHP – 90%
Bench Press 50% for 5x10 Lat Pulldown for 3x10
Farmers Walks for 50-300 steps
Dumbbell Rows 5 sets of 10-20
SS A Curls (any type) for 3x10
SS A Tricep
Rope Pushdown for 3x10
SS A Face pulls for 3x10
Squat Day
5 3 1 Squats
SS A Deadlift volume at 50% for 5x10
SS A Chins
Hanging Leg raises for 5 sets
Bench Day
5 3 1 Bench – 90% of 40 = 36
Overhead Press 50% of max for 5x10
SS A Barbell rows 3x10
SS A Close Grip Bench 3x10 SS B Curls (any type) for 3x10
SS B Lat raise3x10
SS B Face pulls for 3x10
You’re 16 and your BF is quite high, outside healthy range for males. Also you’re obviously new to lifting if you’re 16. Don’t worry about entering a competition for a few years yet buddy. Work on your health and getting some good training under your belt first.
To put it simply I would not advise doing this program you’ve written. It is inconsistent and all over the shop. Every day has varying volume and is all over the shop. Why do your upper body days say 531 at 90% and your lower body lifts don’t? There’s never really a reason to do farmers walks in the middle of your workout, and 50-300 steps is an obscenely large margin. I could go on. But you’re young and you don’t have the knowledge yet to write programs properly, not trying to be rude trying to get you on the right path.
For your age I would advise something like this, including some extra volume for exercises you clearly want to do:
Day 1
Deadlift 5’s PRO, FSL
Squat Varation 4-5x10
Hamstring Exercise 4-5x10 Abs 3x12-15
Day 2
Bench Press 5’s PRO, FSL
Press Varation 4-5x10
Back Exercise 4-5x10 Upper Back, Arms 3x12-15
Day 4
Press 5’s PRO, FSL
Bench Varation 4-5x10
Back Exercise 4-5x10 Upper Back, Arms 3x12-15
Anything in Italics is OPTIONAL, the main work is what matters. Arms can come in a few years even. Condition 2-3 times a week with some sprints/Farmers carries. That’s it. In fact that will work for anyone of almost any training age.
I’ve tried to rework it like this without the 5s PRO as I’m 5 cycles in on 5//3/1 and am getting the same number of reps whilst adding weight. Would this still work with the exercise selection I have chosen. I might also choose the volume 5x10 exercise to be different like use close grip.
Then do the farmers carries as conditioning.
Monday
• Deadlifts 5/3/1, FSL
• High bar back squat/front squat 5x10 at 50%
• RDL/GHR 5x10
• Ab Wheel 3X10-15
Tuesday
• Overhead Press 5/3/1, FSL
• Bench Press 5x10
• Barbell Rows 5x10
• Upper Back, Arms 3x12-15 Facepulls and Curls/Pushdown
Friday
• Squat 5/3/1, FSL
• Deadlifts 5x10 at 50%
• Lunge Exercise 5x10
• Abs 3x12-15, Hanging Leg Raises
Saturday
• Bench Press 5/3/1, FSL
• Overhead Press 5x10 at 50%
• Chin Ups 5x10
• Upper Back, Arms 3x12-15 Facepulls and Curls/Pushdown
Thanks in advance.
I think the problem is you’re combining two assistance templates. Either do boring but big (5x10) or FSL but I don’t think you’re supposed to do both at once.
The program @Benanything linked you to above will definitely take you towards your goals. From what I’ve been told don’t start messing with the program until you’ve been using 5/3/1 for a while.
All the best.
Edit: Also don’t do farmers carries as conditioning, I’ve seen Jim advise against that.
That templates good. Very similar to what I use in fact, but what these guys are trying to say about the BBB stuff is to simply drop the 50% idea on assistance. Generally not advised to run that much volume for assistance whilst doing FSL. And doing variations is fine, that’s what I do. So if we just change your template like this:
Monday
• Deadlifts 5/3/1, FSL
• Front squat 5x10
• GHR 5x10
• Ab Wheel 3X10-15
Tuesday
• Overhead Press 5/3/1, FSL
• Close Grip Bench Press 5x10
• Barbell Rows 5x10
• Facepulls and Curls/Pushdown 3x12-15
See how much more simple and straightforward that is already? Leave your percentage based focus on the main lift and get some good volume in for the assistance. You don’t want percentage based assistance if you’re doing a variation as you don’t know your true mac for that specific variation. Simply for the assistance star light and use the same weight for two weeks in a row and then up it.
I’ll run that with a routine like this :
Monday
• Deadlifts 5/3/1, FSL
• High bar back squat 5x10
• GHR 5x10
• Ab Wheel 3X10-15
Tuesday
• Overhead Press 5/3/1, FSL
• Close Grip Bench Press 5x10
• Barbell Rows 5x10
• Upper Back, Arms 3x12-15 Facepulls and Curls/Pushdown
Friday
• Squat 5/3/1, FSL
• Romanian Deadlifts 5x10
• Lunge Exercise 5x10
• Abs 3x12-15, Hanging Leg Raises
Saturday
• Bench Press 5/3/1, FSL
• Overhead Press 5x10
• Chin Ups 5x10
• Upper Back, Arms 3x12-15 Facepulls and Curls/Pushdown
OHP instead of dips as they irritate my shoulder.
RDL as preference over SL DL
High bar as I struggle with Front squats and normally do Low bar as the volume work.
Also for my FSL am I meant to do a 5x5 with first sets weight or a AMRAP with first weight.
Update:
I have been following the template laid out and am Making good progress on all my lifts.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to post on this and help me.
Sorry @Benanything I did completely forget to respond to you when this thread was fresh, I think it was because I did a half assed BBB for a few months and thought I couldn’t do it again so soon. My bad sorry.