Feeling Fatigued on Assistance Lifts. Conditioning Problem?

Just started 531 for beginners yesterday after doing SL5X5 to regain strength after a big break. Had a quick question for the assistance. Obviously I do not want to complicate things since it is just the damn assistance, however I just wanted to make sure this was fine. I saw Jim recommend this for the assistance:

A Workout:

Squat - 5/3/1, 5x5 FSL/push-ups
Bench - 5/3/1, 5x5 FSL/chins/pull-ups or inverted rows
Rows/dips/curls

B Workout:

Deadlift - 5/3/1, 5x5 FSL/push-ups
Press - 5/3/1, 5x5 FSL/chins/pull-ups or inverted rows
Rows/Dips/Curls

I did the A workout yesterday as written there, supersetting the squat FSL with pushups and supersetting the bench FSL with chinups. Did Rows/dips/curls after done for 50 reps each. I definitely felt drained as hell doing the chinups and assistance work after. Normally I could do 5x5 weighted chins with a 25 lb plate, have also done 2 reps with a 45 plate. But I was barely repping 5 reps with bodyweight SSing it with the FSL. And the assistance definitely felt overtiring. Did I implement it wrong? Just fatigued after the main lifts? Or to put it bluntly does my conditioning just SUCK? For my conditioning I plan to alternate between jump rope and weighted vest walks.

Does Jim still recommend the version I posted above doing the main lifts SS with pushups and chins and then rows/dips/curls for 50 reps for the assistance. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

In prep school Jim only mentioned push ups and abs super settled with main lifts. No pull ups or rows.

After that he has you do an assistance circuit that is:

Kettle bell swing, or goblet squat
Push ups or dips
Pull ups
Ab wheel or hanging leg raises

I’m feeling it’s either TM is too high or yeah, your conditioning needs a little improvement

A big break, then Strong Lifts?

Sounds like you’re out of shape dude!

In another post about assistance from a while ago I saw he had the exact version above so I just followed it

Thought I started pretty fresh. I’d say my conditioning just absolutely sucks, not afraid to say it myself. Needs big work, definitely gonna be working had for the conditioning portion

Yeah you’re definitely right, maybe should have done a GPP phase before I started the 531 for beginners. I will make sure I am consistent with my conditioning. In the meantime, should I continue the template above to help build work capacity or cut some work out?

You could reduce the FSL to 3x5 like what I’m doing. Probably not a good suggestion but sometimes I just completely drop the second squat or bench on some days depending on how crowded the gym is or how I’m feeling. I’ve also never done AMRAP on the the second squat or bench day as well. Just hitting a rep in my mind, not necessarily a rep PR

The “main set” or “+ set” will be your best indicator.

It’s pretty common for dudes to get like 10+ reps on main the set for 5’s week. Did you get a solid set in, or just 5 or 6 shaky reps? A solid set means your training max is OK.

From there, doing the routine will build up your conditioning. It may be “tough” but if your main sets are improving, you’re doing OK. If they don’t progress, or go backwards you’ re doing too much assistance stuff.

I guess the problem is, that doesn’t help you right now. If you’re just dying, and can’t get the work in, you gotta cut the assistance reps down. Just have a plan to get it back up.

Like maybe do 30 reps of assistance week 1. Not killer, get through the workout. Then week 2 bump it up to 35 or 40 reps. If that goes well, increase again the next week. Use the program to build your capacity. If the main sets keep going smoothly, keep building up the assistance until you are where you want to be.

For outside conditioning, maybe stick to walks and make sure you can run the program for awhile before you add more intense jump rope.

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I got 9-10 reps on the 5+ set but the last few or so were definitely a little grindy.

I just feel like I was taking longer rest time than I should be for assistance work and especially on rows for example felt the fatigue quick. Yeah I was thinking of settling it down to 30 reps, but doesn’t Jim recommend the 50-100 reps?

Yeah man, he recommends 50 -100.

He also recommends doing a little less when you don’t feel great and a little more when you do. Like “auto regulation.” Its a complex idea that the System teaches you in a really easy, straightforward way.

Technically the for beginners vs prep school are a little different. Prep school being his most recent version in forever.

Personally I would recommend doing easier body weight stuff between lifts or leaving it out all together. The main lifts plus fsl plus assistance will get you far.

If your worn out you are either a)under recovering or b) over training

Since overtraining isn’t an acute thing, that leaves under recovering. Eat more food and rest. Scale back a bit of intensity, volume, or a mix of both. There’s no shame in doing less assistance and building up your work capacity and adding volume in assistance over time.