5/3/1 for the time concious individules and newbs

[Numpty]

Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 - my variation

My driving factor is my BJJ and MMA training so im keeping things simple.

First thing you want to do is spend a couple weeks getting used to the movements and building up to a one rep max. Once you find your one rep max follow the program. I can only talk from a beginners perspective but I feel this is a great workout for any other beginner or those on a busy schedule.

Each time you do a particular day(Day 1, Day 2, Day 3) You will perform one of 1 through 4 , in order, in the following list. The percentages are a percentage of your one rep max for that lift.



1. Warm up, 75%x5, 80%x5, 85%x5*
2. Warm up, 80%x3, 85%x3, 90%x3*
3. Warm up, 75%x5, 85%x3, 95%x1*
4. Warm up, 60%x5, 65%x5, 70%x5

* You are to perform no less then that number of reps. Do as many as you can.


Day 1
Deadlift Barbell Deadlift
Bent over row Barbell Underhand Bent-over Row

Day 2
Bench press Barbell Bench Press
Chin ups/pull ups Weighted Chin-up / Weighted Pull-up
Curls Dumbbell Curl

Day 3
Squat Barbell Full Squat
Over Head Press Barbell Military Press



Once you have done 1-4 you add 10 pounds onto your previous max. Now repeat 1-4.

Example:
Current max for deadlift is 255 pounds
Day 1 - 75% of 255 is 191 so perform a deadlift 5 times at 190 pounds. 190x5. 80% of 255 is 204 so 205x5, 85% of 255 is 216 so 215 x AS MANY AS YOU CAN but don't go to failure. You should do no less then 5 on that day

Some time goes by and you are back to Day 1. This time we do workout "2".
80% of 255 is 204 so 205x3, 85% of 255 is 215 so 215x3, 90% of 255 is 230 so 230 for as many as you can do but no less then 3.

Some time goes by and you are back to Day 1. This time we do workout "3"
75%- 190x5, 85% -215x3, 95% - 245x As many as you can do but no less then 1.

Some time goes by and you are back to Day 1. This time we do workout "4". This is active recovery day. I do these reps as fast as I can to build explosiveness.
60%-165x5, 70%-180x5, 75%- 190x5. Just do five for each on this day.

Some time goes by and you are back to Day 1. This time we do workout "1". Whats changed however is that your Max is no longer 255 but now 265.

Just apply this example to each of the exercises you do and you have the program.



Special note is I only do this for the big compound movements, as in Squat, deadlift, Over head press, Bent over row and Bench press. Everything else its up to you. You can add more exercises if you want but your probably wasting your time but then again you still want to have fun so if you love leg extensions by all means do them(as seen by the curls in my workout). Only thing I would say is missing is a really good hamstring exercises like good-mornings or even better Glut ham raises(there hard to find)
After doing the program for four months I have decided to add only 5 pounds onto my overhead press instead of the customary 10 pounds. After the last max attempt day(two days ago) it was EXTREMELY difficult to just get one rep up. I only bring this up because as you workout it gets progressively harder to make large gains.


In four months I have been able to increase my max in each of the lifts by 50 pounds. As well what used to be my old max's I can now rep out for ~10. Just goes to show you don't need to be doing any high rep bullshit workouts. Stop wasting your time and do this program!

Highlights of the program are:
1. Its simple
2. Quick to do
3. Constant gains at a healthy pace.(less injuries and down time)
4. Able to workout almost everyday due to not over training.
5. Your able to get a rough estimate on how long it will take to hit your goals.
6. Includes every muscle in your body if you do the same exercises as listed.
7. You don't feel exhausted

I'm able to workout nearly everyday and still hit the bjj/kickboxing 6 days a week.

[Numpty]

Started program June 1st 2009
Spent two weeks working up to some sort of max

Bench - 150
Deadlift - 255
Squat - 165 - dont spend you life sitting in a chair and/or being bed ridden due to back injury.
Over Head Press - 95
Bent over row - 155
Pullups/Chinups - three sets of 5


My current goals are :
Bench - 250 -
Deadlift - 400 -
Squat - 300 -
Overhead press - 175 -
Bent over row - 200 -
To be able to do multiple sets of 10 pullups and chinups - Obtained October 7th 2009
Chinups and pullups - 3x10 @ 50 pounds -

[MIDMOBOX]

welcome to the logs

[Numpty]

Thanks for the reply.

Once I have obtained my first set of goals im going to have to evaluate how much time im going to put into strength training. I would like to transition to more plyometric exercises but I have a level of strength I want to hit and im very far from obtaining it. It's ultimately going to depend on how fast my gains keep coming.

[Numpty]

As a MT, Bjj and MMA practitioner I want to ensure any training I do, past training techniques, revolves around those three things and not replace or interfere with them.

People get caught up in everything else other their then original purpose to train that they lose focus and try to do everything and end up over training. The consequence is that everything suffers. Keeping things simple will keep you on the mats and off the couch.

For a long time I tried to do everything. Train, waste time using all the fancy machines at the gym, heard cleans and snatches were awesome so did those and all kinds of crazy plyometric stuff, ran and did cardio drills. All I ended up doing was missing class due to exhaustion, my strength stayed stagnant and I doubt I was doing enough plyometrics to notice any sort of a difference. I ended up not doing enough of anything to help.

There are four priorities that every "fighter" should concentrate on.

#1. Technique - This should always be your number one priority. Training good technique will make you stronger, faster, more efficient, and better conditioned. Everything else you do should come second and never interfere.

My trainer doesn't lift weights anymore and hasnt for years but feels like its all he does. He knows how and where to apply pressure, force, and his bodyweight to make everything look and feel effortless. Having him take you down and roll with you feels like your fighting a 300 pound monster and not the 140 pound man that he is.

#2. Strength -This should stay your second priority until your happy with your strength. Keep it simple. Compound movements. Low volume. If your not squating, deadlifting, bench pressing, over head pressing, doing weighted chins/pulls and bent over rowing, your doing it wrong. When we train technique, we train using perfect form. But when we roll or fight things are never going to be perfect and every little deviation from perfect form requires more and more strength to then pull off the move.

Were not bodybuilders and were not power-lifters so don't train like them. I'm not saying there way of strength training is wrong its just that they put every ounce of there time and effort into getting bigger or stronger and thats okay because that all there training for, but were not. Compound movements with low reps is the key to building strength without over-training. The premise behind Jim wielder's 5/3/1 program works for me and I would assume will work for you too. Ive detailed what I do in a earlier post if you want to review. You may be, no you better be familiar with 5x5 routines(read the faq), its a solid program too but in my experience it is to demanding on the body to maintain and be able to train everyday.

There are those of you out there that scoff and laugh at meat-head looking guys but don't kid yourself, strength is huge. All things being equal the stronger man will probably win. I don't train to fight nobody's, so I assume every person I meet knows what I know and it may very well be that little bit of strength that puts you ontop. Im sure you have rolled with that one frail kid and how easy it was to do as you pleased to him, don't be that kid.

#3 explosiveness - plyometrics. I wouldn't concern myself with this to much until you have hit a level of strength that your happy with. If your training properly your already doing this by performing the techniques as fast as you can in class. Everyone wants to have explosive power or strength but how do you expect to have explosive strength without first being STRONG. Cleans, power clean, Snatches, use of sleds, bands, explosive body-weight exercises, thrusters, Jerks, simply lowering the weight and doing your core lifts as fast as you can. Plyometrics are very demanding and cardio intensive so as a bonus when your in this stage of your training it leads right into priority #4.

#4 Conditioning - Again if your training properly your already training your gas tank while in class. If you got the time between class and strength training more conditioning will never hurt you. This will become a much higher priority if you plan on fighting competitively.

To summarize Technique should always be your number one priority. Strength should come second until you feel people are not over powering you. Once your confident with your strength switch to a plyometric style of strength training. As you become more competitive start to concentrate on your cardio.

[Numpty]

Well I feel horrible. Was sparring with a relative new person and ended up lighting him up. We were going light, I slipped his jab and a, what felt like a light left hook connected to his on/off switch. I thought the guy was just playing around but unfortunately he was not. The glassy eye stare is like looking into the eyes of a dead person.

Technique technique technique. He didn't tuck his chin when he threw the jab and was concentrating to much on his punch that even though there was no intent to harm it was enough to put him down. It was simply a demonstration on good technique vs bad technique. I didn't out gun him, it was the beginning of the round mabey 4 punch exchanges in so cardio was not a factor. Train hard everyone and be safe.

[Numpty]

Today was a good workout day. Ive been working on making the three sets of 10 chins/pullups @ BW very easy. Last workout I felt that I had accomplished that so I added 25 pounds to the last set of pullups and managed to do 10.

Next goal: Three sets of 10 @ 50 pounds

[Numpty]

Ive dropped curls since they are bothering my elbow and forearm. I would like to put in some hamstring exercise's in there place.

Chins/pullups
Bench
Glute hame raise

Im going to have to make due with loading a barbell up on the floor and hooking my ankles underneath it. Ive done it once.. and I can only do negatives. OUCH.

[Numpty]

Ugh sick with the flu the last couple days, damn you h1n1.

[Numpty]

Took first place in Bjj tournament over the weekend. My cardio really limits my performance, im afraid to do anything explosively or anything that requires any sort of a fight because im afraid of gassing.