max_boost 5/3/1 work out

[max_boost]

Sorry mis-leading title. Originally I was going to post my workout log but instead just wrote up the actual workout guide.

I had a few people PM me asking about 5/3/1. Seeing how some of you guys are too cheap to pay the $20 lol Here's the guide for "Boring but Big" and I'm writing it to the best of my knowledge/memory. (Remember this is just one part of the book. There's also a triumvate version where the accessory work takes on things like chinups and db rows.) I lost the PDF when my computer crashed. It really is a good program. I personally think it's gold. Slower gains but it's all about progression.

4 lifts: squat/press/deadlift/bench

Monday: Squat
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Press
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Deadlift
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Bench

Repeat but always leave 1 full day rest in between lifts. That would complete 1 week and take about 5 weeks to complete a full cycle.

You need to calculate your 1 rep max for each lift. Here's the formula.

Weight X reps X .0333 + weight = 1 rep max

E.g. (Bench) 135 X 5 X .0333 + 135 = 157

From that number, subtract 10%. So your max for bench is 142. Use that number and multiply by the % below.

Warm Up

1X5 at 40%
1X5 at 50%
1X3 at 60%

Week 1

1X5 at 65%
1X5 at 75%
1X5 or more reps at 85%

After, do 5X10 at 65% (Accessory work, must do)

Week 2

1X3 at 70%
1X3 at 80%
1X3 or more reps at 90%

After, do 5X10 at 65% (Accessory work, must do)

Week 3

1X5 at 75%
1X3 at 85%
1X1 or more reps at 95%

After, do 5X10 at 65% (Accessory work, must do)

Week 4 deload

1X5 at 40%
1X5 at 50%
1X5 at 60%

After, do 5X10 at 65% (Accessory work, must do)

That completes 1 cycle

For cycle 2, add (to your 1 rep max) 5lbs to the bench and press and 10lbs to squat and deadlift and multiply by those % and do it again. So in the previous example your 1 rep max for bench was 142, now it's at 147.

[max_boost]

By following 5/3/1 in the last 3 months.

Bench: 5 reps 115 to 135.
Press: 5 reps 85 to 105.

No squat or deadlift numbers because, well, frankly, I'm lazy and haven't done any in 6 months.

[liquidboi69]

Squat and deadlift are the most important lifts.

Bench and press is useless imo. Even if you have naturally big legs, I would say still just do it and stick with it!

[max_boost]

Original Post Removed. (Please read the Forum Rules and Terms of Use before posting again, or risk getting banned).

[Mibz]

I can send you the PDF if you want it.

[bigbadboss101]

Originally posted by liquidboi69
Squat and deadlift are the most important lifts.

Bench and press is useless imo. Even if you have naturally big legs, I would say still just do it and stick with it!

Bench and press are useless? But squat and deadlifts alone would not build my tri's, bi's, and chest directly. Defined pecs and deltoids are nice to have and I don't see them getting developed if we skip bench and shoulder presses. This is especially when we are not doing simple exercises like flyes, dumbell raises etc.

[Oz-]

Naturally big legs? Some funny shit there. I still squat and deadlift, then go for runs and play football. I might not be on my feet all day, but after your initial DOMS for the first week your body will adjust.

I don't have the book handy, but press - day off - bench? I was under the impression that it was press-legs-press-legs pattern. With a Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Friday days for a 4 day lifting week.

[max_boost]

I'll edit my original post.

[dandia89]

it doesn't really matter which one is better for you, just do everything. i stopped doing squats for awhile just because my hip flexor always hurt whenever i did any amount of weight, but after doing a couple weeks i overall feel so much better.

[liquidboi69]

Originally posted by bigbadboss101

Defined pecs and deltoids are nice to have and I don't see them getting developed if we skip bench and shoulder presses. This is especially when we are not doing simple exercises like flyes, dumbell raises etc.

Not everyone works out to be "defined." Some people workout to be athletic and strong.

In which case, bench is pretty useless in comparison to squat and dead. Pressing is not very functional for sports compared to the other lifts. I'm a bencher myself, with my squat being my shittiest lift, and I still think bench is unless. Also, deads do develope Bi's...not that it even matters. Bi's are the most useless vanity muscle anyway.

IMO you should do them all. But if I were to rank importance of lifts for development of strength, it would be squat/dead being first, bench/press being second. If I could only pick one exercise to do out of all of them, I would pick squat.

[Oz-]

If I remember correctly, Poliquin said that to gain 1 inch on your bicep measurement you will need to gain 15lbs of lean body mass. That means you need to squat and deadlift to gain the defined look. Otherwise you will look like a skinny crack addict.

I agree with liquidboi that the squats/deads would be the first priority and bench/press would be the last 2 in line. This program doesn't care about isolation exercises much, it is about larger compound movements and has accessory work that helps compliment those compound movements. Don't worry about the pecs, read delts, etc. Just do the work on this program and you will get the "defined" look.

A guy that looks like a skinny crack addict will not be able to deadlift 500 lbs or bench 315lbs. To get strong you need to(and will) gain muscle mass.

[cdnsir]

Any tips on doing deads and overhead presses? I want to start the 5x5 next month but I'm a bit intimidated by these 2 exercises. Seems like it's easy to pull something if I don't keep my form tight.

[lint]

Originally posted by cdnsir
Any tips on doing deads and overhead presses? I want to start the 5x5 next month but I'm a bit intimidated by these 2 exercises. Seems like it's easy to pull something if I don't keep my form tight.

have you read 5x5 yet? you have plenty of time to work on form when you start with the bar

[max_boost]

Originally posted by cdnsir
Any tips on doing deads and overhead presses? I want to start the 5x5 next month but I'm a bit intimidated by these 2 exercises. Seems like it's easy to pull something if I don't keep my form tight.

www.stronglifts.com

[cdnsir]

I'm about half way into that ebook. But it seems like he's spending most of his time saying how well the program works and how not to be greedy, rather than talking about actual lifting techniques.

I guess I can find exercise demos like that on youtube, but I was expecting the reading to be more... educational you know? I was sold on strength = size a long time ago so I'm not doubting in what he has to say at all. But the way it's written makes it more like he's trying convince rather than educate that's all.

[lint]

Mehdi has a ton of instructional videos on his site. You can also search for any of the Starting Strength vids from Rippetoe.

And maybe there's a reason for down playing the actual lifting techniques. You don't need to be a form nazi, there really are just a few key points to each lift, make sure you don't hurt yourself and just move the weight. Don't turn it into cult-fit where you're training suddenly becomes a sport.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by lint


You don't need to be a form nazi, there really are just a few key points to each lift, make sure you don't hurt yourself and just move the weight.

You ask 10 different people about your squat, you are going to get 10 different answers.

I use to be so concerned with form, basically over thinking it hahaha but then realized exactly what lint just said.

Ya know, just do it and you'll figure it out. That's why starting strength was great. Noob program, kept the weights light and you work your way up. You'll know if you are doing something wrong.

[mdeleon]

A question about 5/3/1. Why is it that the back is not a main exercise and rather considered as an assistant exercise instead? I always saw the back equally as important as the chest.

I'm doing 5/3/1 as well at the moment. It says not to change anything around, but I put my chest and shoulder days together so I can work on my back for the next upper body workout.

Also. After each cycle, why not just find out what your new 1RM is and work from that instead of just adding a certain amount of weight on your exercises? I'm pretty sure after a month you'll be able to push more than 5 & 10 lbs. Or are you supposed to do a set number of cycles before re-calculating your 1RM?

[max_boost]

This is an intermediate program for those who have maxed out their novice gains, stuck and need a change in program to break through plateaus. It's about slower progression, you don't have to constantly lift at your max to maintain your max. Noticed how on the last set (85, 90, 95%) you try to do as many reps as you can? Use that # to calculate your new 1RM but doesn't mean you have to start next month's lifts based on that.

When you finish a cycle, you add 5lbs and 10lbs to your lifts.

Think about it, that's 60lbs to your bench and press and 120lbs to your squat and deadlift in a year.

If you want to add weight and go up in a linear fashion, do 5X5 www.stronglifts.com or Starting Strength by Rippetoe which is fairly similar.

How is the back (squat and deadlift) not considered a main exercise?

[mdeleon]

Oic, hmmm, well I'm going to give a cycle a shot and see where it takes me. I'm just getting back into it after about half a year of being lazy and slacking off so it should still help.

I recognize deadlifts and squats working the back, but I was referring to pulling exercises such as upright/bent over/DB/BB rows, pull/chin ups, lat pull downs.