Hey Mr. Wendler,
I know you say that your grip strength improved greatly when you started training the deadlift for reps, but I have made good progress training the deadlift exclusively with singles. Also, I have injured my back training the deadlift for reps. I have just begun following your program, and I am following the BBB variation just like you have it laid out, but eventually I would like to try replacing the deadlift sets with singles. What do you think would be a good way to do this? My thought is this:
Week 1- 9 singles at 75% of TM
Week 2- 7 singles at 80% of TM
Week 3- 5 singles at 85% of TM
Deload- 10 singles at 70% of TM
Does this sound good? If not, how would you adjust it?
I use 8 seconds as a max rest between reps to constitute it still being the same set with deadlifts. There’s nothing wrong with resetting. Do that or do Beyond.
Beyond 531 is a bunch of variations and strategies rather then a program. Even with the Beyond principles like joker sets the program still call for multiple rep sets of 5 or 3. With my idea I was thinking it might be beneficial to add joker singles to the third week.
[quote]Mattyb83 wrote:
I use 8 seconds as a max rest between reps to constitute it still being the same set with deadlifts. There’s nothing wrong with resetting. Do that or do Beyond.[/quote]
Since I started running 531 I’ve been resetting between reps. I’ll either straighten my legs before bending again, or I’ll switch my grip when using a mixed grip. When I injured my back I was coming to a dead stop, but I wasn’t resetting. I’m hoping that resetting will help me avoid injuries, but I would still like to train exclusively with singles if that can be worked into the program, since I have made good progress that way in the past.
With the Beyond 5/3/1 - Training Maximally program (which really isn’t just a variation of standard 5/3/1) that’s in the Beyond book (page 35) you can choose to train exclusively for singles with any weight that’s higher than 60% of your training max, so you’re never moving really heavy weights for reps. That might be something for you.
[quote]ario wrote:
With the Beyond 5/3/1 - Training Maximally program (which really isn’t just a variation of standard 5/3/1) that’s in the Beyond book (page 35) you can choose to train exclusively for singles with any weight that’s higher than 60% of your training max, so you’re never moving really heavy weights for reps. That might be something for you.[/quote]
Ok, now I see what you guys meant by “Beyond 531”. I thought everyone was referring to the principles of the entire book, not the “Training Maximally” program. I like the program, but I have a few questions. Would it be ok to use Beyond 531 for my deadlift, but use the base program for everything else? Also, would it be ok to use BBB assistance with this program (I would use the Romanian Deadlift)? And is there a way to run this that wouldn’t be auto-regulated? I like to go into the gym with a goal rather then lift by feeling.
Hi OP, I am someone who is terrible at reps and progress better doing singles. Lately I’ve incorporated the SSPT deadlift table into my 5/3/1 deadlift training. Give it a quick google and see if you like it.
How I utilize it:
5-week: 5+ singles at 85% with 1 minute rest in between, typically aim for 8
3-week: 3+ singles at 90% with 2 minutes rest, aim for 5
1-week: 1+ singles at 95%, rest as needed, aim for 3
a PR set of deadlifts and then gong to singles ended badly for me as i would not be able to pull what i had just pulled the week before however it did work for the other lifts
[quote]fabiop wrote:
Auto-regulation doesn’t mean you lift by feeling; you use the daily performance to decide when is time to stop.
You’re not probably ready (yet?) to the “Training maximally” approach.
[/quote]
Auto-regulation is a combination of daily performance and feeling. Your decision to work back up to a training max rather than start performing joker sets would be based off of feeling. I’ve been lifting for over 10 years, so I know how to auto-regulate. I would just prefer not to, for the most part.
[quote]Whorange wrote:
Hi OP, I am someone who is terrible at reps and progress better doing singles. Lately I’ve incorporated the SSPT deadlift table into my 5/3/1 deadlift training. Give it a quick google and see if you like it.
How I utilize it:
5-week: 5+ singles at 85% with 1 minute rest in between, typically aim for 8
3-week: 3+ singles at 90% with 2 minutes rest, aim for 5
1-week: 1+ singles at 95%, rest as needed, aim for 3
[/quote]
This looks like a good method. Thanks for pointing out the SSPT deadlift table to me. I doubt that Jim would endorse this method, but I may try it eventually after I give his basic method a thorough try.