My BBB Plan: What Do You Think?

Hi guys,

Here’s what I plan to start today. As I procrastinate, let me know what you think:

Using 80% TM’s:

Squat:
5’s PRO, BBB
superset with weighted dips, weighted pullups (alternate, accumulate 50 of each)

Bench press
531 (with PR set), BBB
superset BBB sets with rows
After BBB sets: Hanging leg raise (50), single leg deadlift (25 each side)

Deadlift
5’s PRO, BBB
superset with weighted dips, face pulls (alternating, accumulating 50 each)

Overhead press
531 with PR sets, BBB
Superset BBB sets with rows
After BBB sets: Ab roll outs (50), step back lunges (25 e side)

Conditioning: 3x a week. Either soccer, weight vest walk, or 5 mile run
Mobility: yoga 1x a week, plus 5-10 minutes of mobility work prior to each workout


Thoughts? I am only using 80% TM so I can progress and not burn out. I am 46, and I like to bike to work and play soccer and don’t want to feel beat up. That’s why I am running 5’s PRO on lower body, because PR sets take a lot out of me. I will try them for the upper lifts, though.

Looks good! Can’t blame you on the PR sets for lower body either, I’m just over half your age and they kick my ass for a few days. Ever thought of just rocking 5’s pro for all 4 lifts for 2 leaders, then going for PR sets on the anchor? The 5’s pro work helps groove good technique and then you can push that technique during the anchor.

Looks good to me. Any reason you’re doing upper body assistance with lower main work and vice versa? Not a criticism, just interested.

Is this a normal volume of weekly training for you?

I simply like to do upper body assistance (mostly bodyweight) with lower, as I learned doing Kryptiea. I like it mentally, and with squat and DL (plus lower assistance) I get enough lower body work for me.

As, about volume, I should have said: I will often run these as a “9 day week”, so will workout only 3x a week. On some weeks, if I have the time and recovery energy over the holidays, I will run them 4 days.

I may do this. Some thoughts on changes:

  1. 5’s PRO for all lifts for 2 leader cycles (actually, that’s probably a better plan.)
  2. 5x5 FSL for Deads. 5x10 Deads might be too much for me.

thanks for the feedback.

1 Like

If I’m not mistaken, you were running nuttys program?

I have been considering doing almost exactly what you have described here. I really enjoy nuttys program, but I’ve found that I ran myself into the ground with it (I’m guessing my recovery just isn’t up to par).

I’m thinking of switching back and forth between nuttys and bbb throughout the year. It took me about six months to really hit a wall with 531 w pr sets and fsl last time, and a little over 3 months with nuttys. Definitely gained a appreciable amount of size with nuttys program (higher volume?).

So my thinking is 531 for strength, nutty to pack on some size, then back to 531 etc. Any idea if something like this would work? Don’t mean to hijack your thread- I can delete and open my own if you want.

Where is ‘nutty’ program listed?

I believe it’s in the beginner section under “nuttys beginner program” or something along those lines. He has maybe 5-6 different templates to choose from. It’s a great program and I really enjoyed it, and made some serious progress on it for only doing it 3 months.

I believe the only thing that has held me back on it (or 531 for that matter) is recovery ability.

No, that wasn’t me. I have been running the Waterbury method for the last 8 weeks. I liked it, but wanted to get back to 531.

No problem. I tend to like 531 for most of the year, but then find something else to do between 531 programs. For me, my changes are mostly about keeping motivated and also looking for programs that have different emphases. So, I typically choose to do less benching, back squatting, and deadlifting on non-531 programs. This past year, I have done Dan John’s minimalist program, the Waterbury method, and Christian T’s 2-exercise plan (zercher and bench).

I can’t comment on Nutty’s program since I haven’t run it.

I would recommend not lifting more than 3 day a week, and being sure to schedule and get in both conditioning and mobility (or yoga) each week. This helps me with recovery.

1 Like

Sorry to sound like an idiot but what Beginner’s section? I don’t see one on this forum. I’ll keep looking. Started the Periodization Bible this morning as it seemed setup for what I like; really enjoyed it so gonna stick with it for awhile. Still, I’ll check the Nuttys program for future reference. thanks,

Disregard last, I found several references.

1 Like

Ah sorry about that, could’ve sworn I saw you in the committed thread mentioning nutty- must’ve been a different poster.

I appreciate the advice though, mobility and conditioning are two things I haven’t put a whole lot of effort into yet. Still pretty new to lifting (less than two years) so I’m still learning. I’ll have to thumb through my 531 book again and figure out how to program for 3 days a week, or do as you said in your first post and do a longer lifting week.

This is solid and well thought out.

Two things;

  1. Don’t be so quick to program the exact assistance exercises.
  2. As I’ve gotten older/wiser and my body has matured - the less I need. In fact, the less I do, especially the bigger lifts, the stronger I get - PROVIDED I remain active on off days.

Whether or not this applies to you now…I don’t know. But it will eventually.

Squats/deads/bench/press are awesome movements because they are so taxing.
Squats/deads/bench/press are shitty movements because they are so taxing.

Thus it all depends smart one is.

6 Likes