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Experience on Wendler 5/3/1

macca

macca

New member
Hey,
I'm looking at trying the wendler 5/3/1 program and seeking some feedback from those that have experienced it through their own trials or that of clients etc.

Planning on training 4x p/w with deadlift, bench, squat, press day's and 2 assistance lifts each day. With 2-3 conditioning day's of either intervals or a kb circuit.

How have you found it? little concerned about the lack of weight and volume being lifted, don't want to lose strength initially.

Any input?
 
it worked well for me :) - as long as you put in the effort you will get the results you want..

however, it will not give you the OMG it added 40kg to my squat in a month!

it is slow and consistent progression over a long period of time.
 
If you're concerned about initial strength loss due to the low numbers work up to a few singles after the 5/3/1 working sets @85% + of your actually 1RM (basically as 5/3/1 powerlifting dictates).

Skip the deload week too if you don't need it.

El Freako is the 5/3/1 master on here so hopefully he sees this thread and gives his 2c
 
Looking at your current stats I think it would work well. Just use the BBB template then adjust from there unless you know what your specific weaknesses are then pick assistance based on that.

You have 2 max effort days for upper and lower body each weak, I think that sort of volume is fine for everyone but the beginner trainee
 
A beginner should be doing straight linear anyway so progression is as fast as possible (taking advantage of n00b gains yo). 5/3/1 is more of a wave cycle which is fine for "intermediate" lifters
Really they should be doing 3 'max effort' days a week (3x full body, add 2.5kg a session yada yada yada)
 
Don't worry, you won't lose strength in the initial weeks when you're repping high. It will help you develop much better form in fact. And if you do BBB for assistance you'll probably be pretty axed afterwards.

If I were to give any advice it would be to switch straight to the 5/3/1 for PL template for deads. I fukcing hate high-repping deadlifts though.
 
The Hamburgler said:
A beginner should be doing straight linear anyway so progression is as fast as possible (taking advantage of n00b gains yo). 5/3/1 is more of a wave cycle which is fine for "intermediate" lifters
Really they should be doing 3 'max effort' days a week (3x full body, add 2.5kg a session yada yada yada)
Click to expand...

ye, although I do like his beginner full body 3x a week template
 
His 'beginner' template is only good if you've already got some decent numbers.

Punch a 30kg military press in there and see what happens.
 
I won't be looking to alter the program at all on the 4 main lift's. Iv'e never had a periodized program with weigths laid out for me, so that's part of the attraction of the 5/3/1.
I'm aware that the program is good for gradual gain's which is what i'm chasing, as i said previously, i just don't want to lose numbers early with the low volume and weights prescribed.
 
macca said:
I won't be looking to alter the program at all on the 4 main lift's. Iv'e never had a periodized program with weigths laid out for me, so that's part of the attraction of the 5/3/1.
I'm aware that the program is good for gradual gain's which is what i'm chasing, as i said previously, i just don't want to lose numbers early with the low volume and weights prescribed.
Click to expand...

As I said, use Big But Boring, no risk of lack of volume.

5/3/1 is great, I've been running it fully or in part for nearly 2.5 years and its served me well.
 
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Yeah no drama's freako, i remember reading the boring but big program on t-nation. Will get a copy and put it to action.
 
I've been on 5/3/1 since about March(?) this year after a significant amount of time from heavy lifting and some serious injuries requiring numerous surgeries. Since the start of the year, my squat has gone from 120kg x1 with terrible form and depth to 180kg x2, deadlift 190kg to 220, Bench from 130 to 140kg (pretty sure could do 150 but its not tested).

I am following to this to beat a squat of 200kg and bench of 150 by December. 5/3/1 is simple, it focuses on all the big lifts, uses basic overload progression and has inbuild recovery/deload. It's basically idiot proof. I love it. I occasionally think I should switch to a proper Westside structure (i.e. introduce speed training) but its not broke, so why fix it. I cannot say enough about this program.

- J.
 
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The Jake said:
I've been on 5/3/1 since about March(?) this year after a significant amount of time from heavy lifting and some serious injuries requiring numerous surgeries. Since the start of the year, my squat has gone from 120kg x1 with terrible form and depth to 180kg x2, deadlift 190kg to 220, Bench from 130 to 140kg (pretty sure could do 150 but its not tested).

I am following to this to beat a squat of 200kg and bench of 150 by December. 5/3/1 is simple, it focuses on all the big lifts, uses basic overload progression and has inbuild recovery/deload. It's basically idiot proof. I love it. I occasionally think I should switch to a proper Westside structure (i.e. introduce speed training) but its not broke, so why fix it. I cannot say enough about this program.

- J.
Click to expand...

I got nothing out of speed training for bench personally, except for sore shoulders. But I still use a form of it for squatting when I occasionally use paused squatting to work on drive.
 
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I think both Tate and Defanco have said that people generally don't get much out of dynamic bench training until they have a pretty decent bench already. Decent as in 4+ plates raw. They both recommend the repeated effort method for bench press which is pretty much covered in 531. You also need really good form to benefit from speed training with any lift as you need to perform it with exactly the same groove as a max effort otherwise you're just speeding up a different groove!

Powersnatches are great if you need a bit of lower body DE though
 
For you guys doing 5/3/1: are you supposed to continue with the same weights for consecutive months and attempt to increase reps on your main work set? Or do you test your max at the end of the cycle and reset based off 90% from that?
 
@jzpowahz, you increase every set by 2.5kg for pressing and 5kg for squat/deadlift every cycle. Run a few cycles before you test maxes, then recalculate with 90% of your new numbers.
 
leachy said:
@jzpowahz, you increase every set by 2.5kg for pressing and 5kg for squat/deadlift every cycle. Run a few cycles before you test maxes, then recalculate with 90% of your new numbers.
Click to expand...

I think you worded that slightly wrong. Just to clarify:

Say your 1rm is 100kg. You take 90% of this and that is your training max. So for the first month your percentages are taken from your training max of 90kg. At the end of this your training max goes up to 92.5kg and this becomes your new training max to calculate your percentages from.
 
I thought it was your real 1RM got increased?

Then you take 90% of that etc.

And you can improve your 1RM by as much as you want, just doesn't have to be 2.5kg
 
The Hamburgler said:
I thought it was your real 1RM got increased?

Then you take 90% of that etc.

And you can improve your 1RM by as much as you want, just doesn't have to be 2.5kg
Click to expand...

Yeah you can increase it by whatever, but it's your training 1RM that increases. When you stall you take 90% again

Both methods would work well though
 
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