I’ve got a one year old son and both my wife and I have fairly tight schedules with university studies and part-time jobs, so I wanted to make sure that if, worst case, I don’t have time for more than two days of lifting in some weeks, I can still get my main lifts done in one week.
Therefore I programmed in a third (optional) assistance day, which can be ditched if the upcoming week is too busy.
Warm-ups: Limber 11
Chins between all sets of overhead press and bench press
After doing 5/3/1 for a year, I did the Cube Kingpin for some time, but I realized that 5/3/1 was a better fit for me, so I went back. I absolute love going for rep PR’s frequently! Keeps my inner competitor satisfied. However, the assistance day provides a nice break from the max repping and concern about, whether I hit enough reps on the last set etc.
I am doing 5/3/1 BBB (less boring version) with my own assistance lifts after the BBB assistance. I also swapped my 5x10 deadlifts for 3x3 power cleans.
Tuesday-
5/3/1 Deadlift
5x10 back squat
5x15 pull ups
5x10 bent rows or shrugs (optional)
Wednesday-
Crossfit WOD
Thursday-
5/3/1 Shoulder Press
5x10 Bench Press
Ring Dips (sets/reps optional)
dumbbell fly?s or ring push-ups (optional)
Friday-
3x3 Power Clean
5/3/1 Back Squat
5x10 Barbell curls (optional)
5x10 Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curls (optional)
Close Grip Chin-Ups (optional)
Crossfit WOD
Saturday-
I usually pick up any workouts I didn?t have time for during the week. If Friday?s Crossfit was a big one, I will move the Power Clean and Back Squat to Sat.
I also throw in some push-ups, core/ab work, walking and pull ups randomly throughout the week.
In the summer, I will also include some light swimming/biking and one day a week of beach volleyball or two days a week of softball.
I’ve only been on this schedule for about 3 months, but it seems to be working alright.
I don’t do assistance in the traditional sense, mostly just more volume with the main lifts. After I hit the top set(sometimes Jokers after a TM reset) I’ll drop down to “first set last” and do 5 sets of 5 with one minute rest periods. I’ll throw in chin-ups/Pendlay rows on the two pressing days. That’s it! The extra back off sets with FSL feel really good.
Currently running a version of Beyond 5/3/1. Not doing much conditioning as I’m trying to get as big and strong as possible. Most assistance is ‘meadows’ style antagonistic supersets to cut time down.
tues- bench 5/3/1, joker sets, FSL, (cg nuetral chins supersets with flat bb), bodybuilding assist- low incline DB press superset with DB row or chest supprt row, rev pec dec or rear delt ‘swings’ superset with side raises of some variety
wed- 2 mile walk
thurs- sumo deads 5/3/1, joker sets, FSL, bodybuild assist- same as monday
friday- standing mil press 5/3/1, jokers, FSL, (cg nuetral chins superset with all OHP sets) bodybuild assist is same as tuesday
sat- take wife & kids to diner for pancakes, then train arms, abs & 2 mile walk.
I also get some serious sprinting in friday nights playing flag football.
I’m switching from full body template to the below. Going to cut bodyfat way down and build back up but more muscle less fat this time. Therefore I’ll lift less, condition more.
Chins, rows, curls and abs are supersetted with the main work.
My schedule is
Tuesday: workout A
Thursday: Sled work
Saturday: workout B
Tuesday: Sled work
Thursday: workout A
Saturday: Sled work
Tuesday: workout B
…
This way I tax the lower back only every 4/5 days which should be good recovery with a caloric deficit. On Sundays I might do some more light conditioning.
Oh. This is cool. Im using 5/3/1 guidelines as well at the moment.
Monday:
Jump variation 6-5x3-2 reps (over benches for height or distance, one legged or two legged, weighted or bw… whatever i feel like)
3x5 Bottom paused squat @ 70% (week two i add 3x3, week 3 2x3)
3x5 Wide OH press @ 70% (week two i add 3x3, week 3 2x3)
3x8-10 Snatch grip box pull (week two is from 2,5cm lower, week 3 again)
Farmer walks for distance
Assistance: (weighted or standing) ab-wheel for low reps, side raises, chest isolation, neck raises or neck extensions
foamrolling + stretches + deadhangs
Wednesday:
6-5x3-2 barbell snatch or clean variation (whatever i feel like)
5/3/1/ deadlift
3x5 paused close grip bench or regular bench superset with weighted pullup variation
2/3x8-12 paused incline db presses superset with a bw pullup variation
2/3x8-10 Safety squat bar squats
Assistance: abs for high reps, rear delts, biceps, neck raises or neck extensions.
foamrolling + stretches + deadhangs
Friday:
Jump variation 6-5x3-2 reps
5/3/1 squat
5/3/1 wide grip oh press
Farmer walks for shorter distance and heavier weight
3x5 deficit speed deadlifts
Assistance: 3x8-10 weighted dips or ring pushups, leg curls, neck raises or neck extensions.
foamrolling + stretches + deadhangs
Saturdday/Sunday:
Biceps + Triceps + Calfs + Tibialis isolation.
From week 4 i add 5kilo to lowerbody lifts and 2,5 to upperbody and repeat the cycle. After two or three cycles i deload and do a (mock) meet. Last weeks i add in more bench instead of overhead.
Press 5/3/1
Row SST
Ring Dip 3 sets
Farmer’s Walk 3 sets
Push Press 5/3/1
Deadlift 5/3/1
FSQ SST
Kroc-type Row 1 set each hand
Hanging Leg Raise 3-5 sets
KB Swing 100 reps
Conditioning
Floor Press 5/3/1
Ring Push-up 3 sets
Weighted Pull-up a few sets
BB Curl a few sets
BB Shrug 3 sets
Clean 5/3/1
Squat 5/3/1
Squat (high bar) for a few higher rep back-off sets
A low back exercise
Hanging Leg Raise 3-5 sets
KB Swing 100 reps sometimes
Conditioning
I started off with BBB, but it was too unbalanced for me. I started with a strained rotator cuff, because my external rotators were too weak. Also my pressing strength was way more than my squat/DL/back strength, and I suspected I have a weak point in my glutes/hams because of where my form breaks down in lifts. I also have a couple of dark discs and wanted to get away from exercises that overload the lower back, so I use high bar squats and sumo DL. For these reasons I switched to the triumvirate model with assistance work to address my weak points:
High bar squat: crunches, Bulgarian split squat
Bench: Kroc rows, face pulls sulpinated grip
Sumo dead: wipers, GHR
Press: chins, dips
I’m going to jump back in 531 by doing the Boring But Big Challenge. Will do exactly as prescribed. With Prowler twice a week for conditioning. Only change is I will run two cycles back to back without a de load. And due to travel (going to US Open in June) I will deload for the week of travel. Because I’m off all summer and I’ll have the time I might throw in extra conditioning.
Once I’m done with the BBB Challenge I am planning on doing the Prowler Challenge. From July 1 - Mid September. I might hold off on that one but I like the idea of doing the challenges so I will either role into the Prowler Challenge or possibly the 100 Rep Challenge.
I’ve been doing the 5/3/1 full body training for a while. I want to work in some higher volume assistance work, but stay with a 3-day per week schedule. Any thoughts on the proposed program below are welcome:
Day 1
Squat 5/3/1
Press 5/3/1
Press 5 X 10 (boring but big weights)
DB rows
Day 2
Squat 3 X 10 (40/50/60%)
Bench 5/3/1
Bench 5 X 10
Chin ups
Day 3
Front Squat 3 X 5
Deadlift 5/3/1
Deadlift 5 X 10
Dips
Long time lurker - first time poster and simply want to say I love this program and everything it stands for. My current template is original 5/3/1 with the Big but Boring.
Day 1 - Press
Press 5/3/1
Press 5x10 at 50% max
Chin up 5x10 (often last set will be a failure, mixing grips)
Farmer walk 4 sets with half BW in each hand for as far as possible
Day 2 - Deadlift
Deadlift 5/3/1
Deadlift 5x10 at 50% max
Hanging Leg Raise 5x15 (may tweak the ab work to med ball slams)
Day 3 - Bench
Bench 5/3/1
Bench 5x10 at 50% max
DB Row 5x10
Farmer Walk 2 long sets with a bit lighter weight, 2 one arm walks
Day 4 - Squat
Squat 5/3/1
Squat 5x10 at 50%max
Leg Curls 5x10
Farmer Walk 4 over 1/2 BW in each hand as far as possible with a bit of rest between
2 days a week I go for a long walk or I push my truck about 4x100 yards or so and do sprints between
I was stuck following other routines at other “lifting” sites and got no where. In the few weeks I have done this I have never felt stronger and more confident in my lifts and form and power.