5/3/1 Question

[METAL VIPER]

First, let me preface this with a hearty "TGIF" to all. Now, I've been looking over the 5/3/1 template and really like the program, but of course, I initially wanted to make a few changes if I decided to run it. Has anyone had success running something along the lines of:

Monday: Squat
5/3/1 as written
BBB deadlift, doing power cleans as a warmup to deadlift
pullups/chins
whatever assistance

Wednesday: Bench and Press combined
5/3/1 as written for bench
5/3/1 as written for press
BBB bench and press
dips

Friday: Deadlift
5/3/1 as written, doing power cleans as a warmup to deadlift
BBB squat
1 set Kroc rows
whatever assistance exercise

The reason I made this was because I didn't like only squatting once every 4 workouts and I would prefer to combine bench and press together. The only worry I have about bench and press together would be the volume of BBB with the two lifts, but I suppose I could do 3x10 for each. Any opinions?

[ColoWayno]

I definitely agree with squatting more than 1x per week. I'm just trying the BBB approach now (adding BBB squats to dead lift day), haven't run with it long enough to know much but I'm sure it's better than what I was doing.
On presses I think you're on the right track to drop the volume on the BBB part.
That, or you might consider just alternating which BBB part you do each cycle (or week):
Odd Cycle (or week):
5/3/1 Bench + 5/3/1 Press
BBB Bench
Even Cycle (or week):
5/3/1 Press + 5/3/1 Bench
BBB Press

This template also alternates which movement gets the benefit of being done first if that's worth anything. I think I would like alternating every 4 week cycle better than weekly.

[simonsky]

dont BBB on press/bench coz you are doing it on the same day, dips hit both exercises so i think its a good idea and you could follow that up with Db work.

or if you are doing it alternately like colowayno suggested alternate it every week not every cycle because you have to "stick with it for a few cycles" if you know what i mean.

anyway thanks for the idea of alternating the BBB squat and dead. me likey

[ColoWayno]

Yep, I kind of thought dips on that day in addition to BBB was a little much. So, you might think about doing dips or BBB but not both.

[Ryan Dell Whitley]

I guess this fall under the catergory of YNDTP, right?

[hatmanii]

If you really want to do Bench and Press on the same day, I would alternate going for rep maxes on each lift every week, and drop BBB for both exercises and opt for 1 assistance exercise that will benefit both lifts. Maybe dips or close-grip bench pressing, etc...

Everything else looks pretty good.

-Hat

[RobertFontaine]

I'm just starting into my 3rd month of 5/3/1 triumvirate.

.... Don't tweak the program. Wendler delivers a simple program that is intense as hell. Read the book and follow the fucking program.

You aren't smarter than Wendler. I promise.

[hatmanii]

I'm just starting into my 3rd month of 5/3/1 triumvirate.

.... Don't tweak the program. Wendler delivers a simple program that is intense as hell. Read the book and follow the fucking program.

You aren't smarter than Wendler. I promise.

Let me preface by saying I'm not trying to attack you, just discuss.

How exactly is he not following the program? Wendler himself states that the program is open to interpretation past the periodization, and I'm pretty sure he states in the FAQ that if you are going to perform two lifts on the same day that you just make sure on the second lift you use a weight you know you can do.

Personally I didn't much care for the 5/3/1 but I know of many people that have been successful with it. Good luck Viper.

-Hat

[Dastardly]

Could someone tell me what BBB is?

[hatmanii]

It's an assistance option to 5/3/1.

Boring But Big, 50-70% of your max at 5 sets of 10.

So if your Bench max is 100, BBB Bench would look something like 60x5x10.