Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 Questions

[rarv1491]

Hello, Today I started the 5/3/1. I went two days ago and got all my max and everything. Calculated and what not and now I have my sheep and my program ready. Today was the first day BUT I have a couple of questions and curiosities than I would like to clarify with somebody that already did the program and got good results.

1. When counting your weight do you calculate you 1RM % including the bar or not? (at first I did not wanted but at the end I did added 45lbs before calculating...)

2. After every 4 weeks cycle and when you start adding 5-10 lbs, do you add the lbs to the final calculated weight or before calculating? For example: Raw 90% of (1MR+5) = new 5/3/1 1RM ; OR final 1RM+5; OR 80% of final 1RM and then +5lbs?
That is pretty confusing and instructions were not clear lol...

3. GYM sessions are too short? Today I did Standing Overhead Barbell Press, Dips, and Chin Ups for a totall of aprox 45 minutes including warm up and that's it... Muscles were not nearly as tired as they usually are and I still had a lot of energy. I'm not even in gear... (I wish tho)

Maybe all this questions are answered in the eBook, if so let me know and I got check it out properly or something. Thanks in advance for the replies.

 

[Pitbull55]

1) Include the Bar

2) I think you are getting to caught up in the details, I would just add the 5-10lbs to your original max then do the whole calculate from 90% of your 1RM

3) Thats a personal thing man. I have always believed in quality over quantity.

 

[rarv1491]

Alright, I do ask the 5-10 lbs because It does have different effects on you I suppose. And yeah, quality always better. But still I felt with a lot of energy and barely got tired

 

[louman]

That's the magic behind wendlers it doesn't burn u out
It's a program u haw to stick with and stay consistent and it will eventually pay off

He has a more conservative approach
IMO this is a good plan for guys who have a lower exercise tolerance

I ran wendlers 5/3/1 bodybuilders template
Same as regular 5/3/1 but on accessory lifts you train in hypertophy rep range 6-15 reps

I saw great gains both in strength and size and I never felt run down or tired.

 

[louman]

Try 5/3/1 bodybuilding template if you feel you need more volume

 

[rarv1491]

That's the magic behind wendlers it doesn't burn u out
It's a program u haw to stick with and stay consistent and it will eventually pay off

He has a more conservative approach
IMO this is a good plan for guys who have a lower exercise tolerance

I ran wendlers 5/3/1 bodybuilders template
Same as regular 5/3/1 but on accessory lifts you train in hypertophy rep range 6-15 reps

I saw great gains both in strength and size and I never felt run down or tired.

Try 5/3/1 bodybuilding template if you feel you need more volume

Thanks for the feedback. I do need strength before anything. My weights are very low and I am aware of that. I usually don't care and do my stuff anyway, have a good form and just have fun with my single 45lbs plate on the bench. However, pretty much every time I went to the gym I used to make sure I hit my muscles from different angles, make sure I get that hypertrophy, and simply feel like I had a workout.

With 5/3/1 is different, you do heavy compound movements (even tho today didn't felt heavy at all, but I'm sure with 5-10 more pounds next week I will feel more) and then some more just a little more.

But if you guys tell me that it is normal and I will really see result anyway, I will trust you and trust 5/3/1 and stick with it. It just felt very weird because I'm used to something completely different. I'm used to get exhausted, and when I'm not I do some HIIT cardio just to waste the energy.

Again thanks for the feedback, would love to read some more.

 

[Pitbull55]

Thanks for the feedback. I do need strength before anything. My weights are very low and I am aware of that. I usually don't care and do my stuff anyway, have a good form and just have fun with my single 45lbs plate on the bench. However, pretty much every time I went to the gym I used to make sure I hit my muscles from different angles, make sure I get that hypertrophy, and simply feel like I had a workout.

With 5/3/1 is different, you do heavy compound movements (even tho today didn't felt heavy at all, but I'm sure with 5-10 more pounds next week I will feel more) and then some more just a little more.

But if you guys tell me that it is normal and I will really see result anyway, I will trust you and trust 5/3/1 and stick with it. It just felt very weird because I'm used to something completely different. I'm used to get exhausted, and when I'm not I do some HIIT cardio just to waste the energy.

Again thanks for the feedback, would love to read some more.

People will argue this I know but if you are getting stronger than you will get bigger, your muscles have to adapt.

Add 5-10lbs next week? You are suppose to add at the end of every cycle so after the 4th/deload week, not every week. Sorry if I am jumping the gun here, maybe next week is when you add but just want to make sure you understand.

As for adding in cardio, I wouldn't. Like louman said, 5/3/1 is about getting strong and the recovering. Also, personally I believe that once you add/change/subtract anything from a program you can no longer attribute your sucess or failure to that program because well it isn't the same program anymore. That being said guys that have been in this game long enough know how to manipulate according to their specific needs but by the sounds of it you are not there yet. Again, just my .02.

 

[rarv1491]

yeah my bad I mean at the end of my cycle. Next 3 week its just higher % and deload.

And well, as for cardio, I am not adding cardio on my routine. However every working day I exercise, sometimes I HAVE to go for a run and stuff like that (Im military) but I dont think that will totally change the results, just a bit. Maybe just keep the fat in the bay.

 

[Pitbull55]

Completely understandable, just make sure you are taking in more calories to offset if you are trying to gain.

Thank you for your service btw, much respect.

Keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[rarv1491]

Completely understandable, just make sure you are taking in more calories to offset if you are trying to gain.

Thank you for your service btw, much respect.

Keep us posted on how it goes.

Thanks, I was thinking of start making my own "mass shakes" with something like crackers, peanut butter, some berries, milk, and protein powder to counter the extra activity because I'm getting stuck in the same weight and Im running out of fat. So soon I might start burning muscle I guess. With my little knowledge sounds about right.