Thank You Jim! 531 Rocks

Bigger Stronger Leaner Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Coaching
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I’ve wanted to write this for a few months, but I also wanted to wait until I’d been through a meet on 531.

First of, thank you Jim. Your system is great. I haven’t ever enjoyed training as much and at the same time I’ve never recovered better. If that wasn’t enough, I’m stronger than ever and leaner too.

Now, when I say stronger, I don’t just mean in limit strength. I started using 531 in March 2016. I was hovering between 220-230 lbs. My best lifts for singles and reps were:

Press
3x165 lbs
5x154 lbs

Deadlift
1x583 lbs
3x506 lbs
5x495 lbs

Bench press
1x297 lbs
4x264 lbs

Squat
1x517 lbs (wraps)
5x440 lbs (sleeves)/8x440 lbs (wraps)
13x352 lbs (wraps, to box)

Over the course of the last seven or so months I’m weighing in at just under 214 lbs. Now my best lifts are:

Press
1x203 lbs (grinder)
3x181 lbs
6x176 lbs
10x159 lbs

Deadlift
1x577 lbs, but I haven’t tested a max in a while
3x539 lbs
5x500 lbs
8x478 lbs

Bench press
1x302 lbs
2x297 lbs
4x269 lbs

Squat
1x539 lbs (wraps)
2x517 lbs (wraps)
1x500 lbs (sleeves)
6x462 lbs (sleeves)
8x440 lbs (sleeves)
11x423 lbs (sleeves)
13x412 lbs (sleeves)

Not to mention, in March my raw total in the 220s was 1331 lbs after a water cut. On Sunday I totalled 1386 lbs in the 220s with no cut: 22 lbs squat PR and a 38 lbs meet deadlift PR, giving me enough to qualify for 2017 nationals. Bench I didn’t PR due to a bicep injury three weeks out but I still managed 280 lbs and missed 302 lbs halfway.

I’ve been running four week cycles (shift work and a young family just makes four week cycles easier, plus I recover better). First two I ran BBB, then a cycle of FSL AMRAP and since then FSL multiple sets. Every session I go in with a definite goal of a rep PR in mind for the plus set. For conditioning I jump rope between assistance sets. and walk carrying a 48 lbs Bulgarian bag. I’ll admit to being slack with the walking. To get ready for the meet all I did was cut plus sets to minimum reps two cycles out and instead add in heavy singles.

Anyway, thanks Jim. Looking forward to another six months or so of rep PRs.

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Mark,

Thank YOU for taking the time out of your day to write this/share it. Yes, it does feed the ego but really, I’m just happy you got better. THAT makes me happy. Keep training, learning and evolving.

-Jim

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If I had to describe what 531 does in few words, they’d be at the top of the list.

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great job congrats on the pr’s the one that stood out to me was the squat that is great increase, same weight same reps but one with sleeves and the before with wraps.

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Thanks. Yes, squat and press are the two that have really come up. But, across the board everything feels better. I never used to think I could deadlift for reps, for example.