Coming from 5/3/1

[Westie1986]

Rip,

I'm 30, 6'3'' and 200lbs , I've been doing 5/3/1 for around 2 years now , I have gained around 60lbs of body weight and my current 1rm's are as follows

Squat - 130kg
Bench - 90kg
Deadlift - 180kg

I haven't stalled on 5/3/1 but progress is very slow as the program intends to do , looking back now I realise I started off with the wrong program , would I benefit from switching to starting strength now , I believe I have pretty good technique in the main lifts now and have a average strength base but where should I go from here ?

Thanks

[Eric Larousse]

Immediately switch to SS and gain weight

[perman]

Meh, you could have course gain some weight, but you're not a true novice, and an SS progression even with some weight gain probably won't last that long. I'd shoot for slow controlled weight gain in the same pace you're already doing, and I'd only do SS for a lift until 1 or 2 fails, fractional plates are probably required for linear progression in benching and pressing at this point. You're 30 years old, and programming changes should be more premature, cause you probably won't be able to squeeze out as much progress as a true novice. I suspect SS should only last for 1-2 months before going on TM, hard to say exactly how long of course.

[Westie1986]

Thanks for the replies

So are you saying TM is probably my best bet going forward ?

[Joe Jaloszynski]

I'm with the others. I don't think a Starting Strength run with a caloric surplus would be a bad thing. I don't think your 3x5 weight is that much. You probably have a bunch of room for growth.

[Brodie Butland]

Thanks for the replies

So are you saying TM is probably my best bet going forward ?

No, advanced novice is--though as others observed you probably won't be on it for too long. TM is usually premature for a 1RM squat of 130kg, so without further information it's a safe bet it's premature here too.

[Fiddler]

I'd try going back to the original SS linear progression, if only for a few weeks to eke out any rapid gains that might be left, then switch to advanced novice until gains ran out. I wouldn't try TM until you've absolutely run out all the novice gains possible, and my bet is you haven't. I also wouldn't consider TM unless you're willing to be really dedicated to it and pay close attention to diet and recovery. It is as rough as people say. You could do HLM or a heavy-light split and make good gains.

I take my own advice: I'm not real strong but at my age I'm a solid intermediate, strong enough to be likely to win my class at nationals if I bothered to enter. I've been off my program for a month working, and starting out coaching a client, and I will go back to Linear Progression for a few weeks to catch up, and probably do some advanced novice and gain a little before I go back to my intermediate program.

Just my opinion, but I don't like to leave quick gains on the table.

[Meshuggah]

If 5/3/1 is still working, why change? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Joe Jaloszynski]

If 5/3/1 is still working, why change? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

He's been on 5/3/1 for 2 years and has a 1rm squat of 130kg. It not be broken, but it's not working.

[Westie1986]

I shall go onto starting strength novice as of next week and milk that until it's dry then move onto the advanced novice and do the same , as a lot of people have said already it might only be a case of a month or two

Even if I put 15kg onto my squat in this time that would be faster progression than 5/3/1 which I could always come back too after