It doesn’t matter I don’t think. Whichever way you feel is best. Personally I prefer split squats, but it’s much of a muchness. You could always do walking lunges for a cycle, then reverse lunges for a cycle, etc.
Thanks, I’ll try to not overcomplicate !
That’s what I thought with the assistance and change the exercices between the cycles.
Thanks again.
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DL/Press day
During the DL set, I was chatting to the trainer in the gym and he corrected my form: I was too upright si he said it looked like a squat ahah My shoulder were to much backwards compared to the bar so I brought them just above.
I changed my position with higher hips and it does make a difference: the weight definitely feels lighter and I feel it more on the front of my quads.
Main sets
5x73
5x84
5x95.5
FSL 3x5, everything SS with pull ups 6x5
Press
5x34
5x39
5x43
FSL 3x5 everything SS with pull ups 6x5
Assitance
5x15 back raises
50 dips and more pull ups to get 100! (8x5)
I weighted 74.9 because I didn’t eat as much yesterday and had a running session. felt strong though!
edit : I’m away this week end so I’m doubling up and doing my squatting day tomorrow instead of saturday.
C4W2D2
Squats
Main sets
5x63
5x72
5x81
FSL 5x5
Everything supersetted with pull ups 10x5
Assistance
5x10 DB Bench with 20 kg
5x10 DB rows with 26kg (2) then 22(3).
Hanging knee raises 5x10
Weight: 76kg
This week end will be swimming/running so I have a break of weight until Bench day on tuesday 
One thing I noticed since starting 5’s pro and lowering the TM is I don’t have a sore back after DL day, I don’t think I could have done a proper squat session in my earlier cycles.
This week end:
2 swims of 3K
1 easy bike ride 50k
3 runs: 2 interval sessions and 1 easy
My legs were tired and I cycle into uni yesterday and today so i didn’t do front squats or lunges but abs instead.
C4W2D3
Bench Day
Main sets
5x44
5x50
5x57
FSL 5x5, everything supersetted with pull ups 50 in total
Accesory:
Hanging knee raises 50
DB rows 5x10 with 24kg, DB Bench 5x10 with 18kg
weight:77kg, probably from eating a lot of food to recover, and also I went to the gym a different time than usual.
Riiight, C4W3D1, DL/Press day
My legs are still tired from the endurance training this week end, so for once my press felt better than my DL.
DL
Main sets
5x80
5x90
5x100
3x5 FSL
Press
Main sets
5x36
5x41
5x46
3x8 FSL
Everything supersetted with pull ups, 12x5
Assitance
10x5 dips and 8x5 pulls up for 100 total
Back raises 5x10
Weight: 75.5kg
Next week is the end of this cycle, which is my second 5’s PRO. I am going home in 3 weeks where I won’t be able to train as much (exams too). I might switch back to two days for the cycle where I’m at home to focus on exam revision.
C4W3D2
Squat day
Main sets
5x68
5x77
5x86
5x5 FSL paused
Assistance
100 pulls ups total
100 DB Bench with 18kg
Abs: planck variations, ab wheel roll out
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Bench day!
Main sets
5x47
5x53.5
5x59.5
5x5 FSL, SS with chins 10/7/7/6
5x20 DB rows with 20kg
5x10 DB Bench with 16kg
5x15 lunge for each leg with 16kg on opposite hand
weight: 76.8kg
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Note about the deload starting thursday:
I am thinking of using the Deload 3 described in the 531 book (work up to a triple with 85% of TM), or even using the high intensity deload (work up to a single with TM) to keep working with heavier weight.
My workouts have all been light these two cycles so I feel like this is ok.
What I’ve found works well during deloads if you absolutely must use heavier weight (which is something to be careful with at the best of times) is to follow these two rules:
- no belt use during deload - pretty much guarantees you keep the loads sensible
- if you must go heavier, use a variation (front squat, snatch grip or opposite stance DL, DB bench, etc)
Bonus rule is no set above 8 RPE and no set of less than five reps.
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Thanks for the answer MarkKO!
I don’t have a belt so I never use one anyways! (when wuld it be useful to get one actually? I feel like even my DL is still light enough to not need one)
Good idea for the variations actually, that will limit the weight for sure.
For Bench I feel like DB Bench is really different ! Maybe because I’m not really used to it but doing sets of 10 with 20kg is hard already!
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A belt is a tool, like wraps or straps. How useful it is depends entirely on how well you are able to use it. So, to that extent, there is no reason to not get one. However, your ability to get tight - especially in your midsection - without a belt will determine how much benefit you get out of a belt when you do use one.
As a very broad rule of thumb, I think when you can squat two plates and deadlift two and a half to three plates AND you weigh under 180 lbs/80 kg IE a good time to get a good belt and start learning how to use it. If you weigh between 180 and 220 lbs, wait until you squat two and a half to three and pull three to four plates.
When you get on, a 10 mm single prong buckle belt will serve you for years so get a good one: Inzer, Titan Toro, SBD, Metal, Elite FTS and Pioneer are all good.
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Thanks for the precisions, maybe when summer comes around I’ll look into it depending how my lifts are going !
My weight went from 71kg (october) to 77kg so I should be approaching 80kg in 3-4 months.
Start of Deload: C4W4D1
DL
Main sets
5x70 (snatch grip)
5x80 (snatch grip)
5x90
1x100
Press
5x35
5x40
1x45
Assistance
100 pull ups between all sets, 15x6 + 2x5.
50 dips, 10x5, they felt much easier without the sets of press !
back raises 5x10s
I feel good and the weights moved fast. I’m glad I’m doing the deload, my workout was shorter too!
Edit:
For my next cycle I think I’ll be doing PR sets again as I’ve been missing them and as you suggested a few weeks ago @MarkKO (2 leaders, 1 anchor) . I’ve just completed 2 cycles of 5’s PRO, and doing the deload just now is a good way to prepare for the PR set cycle I believe.
I also think it’s a bit more balanced than doing 3 Leaders and 2 Anchors
Also the TM’s will correspond the the TM’s I used a few cycles ago so I’ll be able to compare and see if I progressed!
Jim’s new book is also on pre-sale in a few days so I think I’ll order it !
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Good idea both with the leader/anchor and getting the new book.
C4W4D2
Deload Squat
Worked up to a single with 95kg ™ by doing triples. It flew up, I felt great.
100 chins in between sets and DB Bench 50 reps with 20 kg.
Weight 76.9kg
@MarkKO I was re-reading your post from a few weeks ago talking about programming a few months in advance: I feel like it’s my biggest weakness as I have no idea how to program things and what I’ll be doing in 2-3 months.
My goal is to bench 100kg, and keep progressing on all the other lifts.
I don’t realy know which template to use for my next Anchors: I was reading about the 531 for powerlifting where you change the order of the weeks with 3/5/1 and use jokers in the 3’s ad 1’s week to work up to a heavy single, do you think that would be a good idea at my level ?
Of course the PR set would always have priority, and I would have a 3x5 FSL there too. The working up to a single would just happen in case of a good day (like jokers basically).
Assistance would probably be about the same as I’m doing now, 50-100 reps for each category.
For Leaders I feel like 5’s PRO + FSL 5x5 is great so I won’t change that.
That’s why I’m interested in Jim’s last book as it’s no more templates but proper programming. Thanks again!
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There’s no reason not to use 3/5/1 for your anchor, but my understanding is that it doesn’t really include PR sets except in the last week and doesn’t include FSL either. It’s a different iteration of the system.
Absolutely, plan months in advance, but you might do well initially to pick a leader/anchor setup that suits you and just recycle it for a while.
Oh I didn’t know there was not FSL then, do you think I could add it in ? I will check for the PR sets.
Yes that’s my plan, get my leader/anchor right and do 2 cycles/1cycle each and the use 5 forward/ 3 back for the TM as I’ve read on this forum.
Thanks again for our help
Double check the book, but I’m pretty sure 3/5/1 isn’t meant to include FSL. I probably wouldn’t add it in, that’s for sure. Volume is good, but when you’re pushing intensity it needs to be backed off.
Resist the temptation to combine elements of different templates. Instead, pick the ones that really excite you and set aside a few cycles to try each one. For example, I’m currently doing leader/anchor followed by a peak. Then I’m going to do Training Maximally for three months, then do Full Body Full Boring for two months.
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I am not sure I can quote exactly the book on the forum, but in the chapter “training for non-competitive lifters”, Jim does say that we should keep pushing rep PR’s.
In the 3’s and 1’s week, we work up to a single at no more than 95% of estimated max.
It is explicitly written to not hold off on the last set to work up, the last set always has priority.
You are right for FSL though, Beyond was written after 531 for powerlifting. I looked around the forum and found this
Where Jim is talkng about the 351 set up for rep PR’s, so apparently it would be OK to have 3x5… But Jim is talking about rep PRs, and there is no mention of singles so it might be better to just leave it out.
So I would do this twice, deloading every 2 cycles:
Leader (2cycles): 5’s pro + 5x5 FSL
Anchor(1 cycle); 3/5/1 + single on 3’s week and 1’s week
That looks fine. You’d have a fair idea by the end of what did and didn’t work too, and could then try a different template if you wanted.
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