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Thread: Critique my 5/3/1 routine

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    1,350

    Default Critique my 5/3/1 routine

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    It goes:

    Monday
    5/3/1 Squats
    4x10 GM

    Tuesday
    5/3/1 Bench
    5x3 Weighted Chins
    BBB Bench

    Wednesday - REST

    Thursday
    5/3/1 Deadlift
    3x6 Step Ups
    3x4trip or more Sled Drags

    Friday
    5/3/1 Press
    BBB Press

    Saturday
    BW Chins 3xfailure

    The BBB stuff is due to a lack of the necessary upper body musculature needed to counteract having a gut. Good mornings because my hamstrings are really the only weak link in my squat. Sled drags I'm not sure how much they carry over to deadlifting, but I feel are good for GPP and work capacity in general. Chins are done on saturday so fatigue from deadlifting doesnt effect performance, and done because I dont think 1 chin workout a week will be enough to spur progress.

    Constructive criticism welcome.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Weymouth, MA
    Posts
    1,459

    Default

    If I were to modiofy it a bit, here's what i would do:

    Monday
    Squat
    Good Mornings
    Ab Work

    Tuesday
    Bench
    Chins
    BBB Bench

    Thursday
    DL
    Step Ups
    Ab Work

    Friday
    Press
    Chins
    BBB Press

    Saturday
    Conditioning

    Basing this on what accessories you want and that you also want some conditioning.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    473

    Default

    I've been tweaking 5/3/1 for sometime now. Heres a few tips:

    - 4 days is pretty brutal for most people. I think 3 is better.
    - 3x10 for accessory work is a good parameter for those who dont like to regulate intensity.

    On your program generally:
    - Swap the GMs for the step ups on deadlift day (vice versa on squats) so that corresponding musculature is worked
    - I wouldnt worry so much about weighted chins, and I probably would do some kind of row. ditch the saturday too.
    - BBB like that is going to be brutal on your front delts. I'd probably do some dips after your overheads and maybe some dumbell presses or low inclines on your bench day
    - I'd probably do some ab work as a third exercise on the lower body days

    Eg

    5/3/1 Squat
    3x10 step ups
    3xfailure sit ups

    5/3/1 Bench
    3x10 dumbell press
    3x10 chin up

    5/3/1 Deadlift
    3x10 GMs
    3xfailure hanging leg raises

    5/3/1 Press
    3x10 dips
    3x10 bent row

    ---restricted for time set up---

    5/3/1 Squat
    *pull sled*

    5/3/1 Bench
    3x10 dumbell press
    3x10 chin up

    5/3/1 Deadlift
    *pull sled*

    5/3/1 Press
    3x10 dips
    3x10 bent row
    Last edited by cannibal.horse; 09-08-2010 at 09:35 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Weymouth, MA
    Posts
    1,459

    Default

    Regin, if you're willing to make significant changes to what you posted then I agree with c-horse. Here is what I was doing during my run with 5/3/1 and made some good gains.

    Monday
    Press
    Bradford Press
    Chins

    Tuesday
    DL
    GM's
    Weighed Situps

    Thursday
    Bench
    DB Bench
    DB Rows

    I'm not going to give a squat day example as my squat sucked horribly up until recently when I switched to high bar.

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