Adding a ME day to 5/3/1

[Raleighwood]

I am currently running a 4-day (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri) 5/3/1 + high volume assistance work.

All my numbers are going up nicely, except for my bench!

My bench seems to have declined after ending my madcow/starr 5x5 program. For example, I could get 250x5. And now, I struggled to put up 235x5.

I am thinking that the bench has suffered from the decline in volume.

My idea is to add a max effort day of a horizontal press/bench variant on Saturday. This gives me at least 1 day rest between all pressing days. Switching the movement up each cycle.

The work out would be: warm up to a 1 rep max and then follow that up with some tricep and bicep pump work for da beach muscles. On the deload week, I would take 60% of the highest max and do 10x3 dynamic work.

Thoughts on this idea?

[gzt]

I think this just means that you chose a too-light max for your bench and now it's suffering. It should catch up. What are you using for your assistance exercises? I think adding an ME day is a bad idea.

[Raleighwood]

I think this just means that you chose a too-light max for your bench and now it's suffering. It should catch up. What are you using for your assistance exercises? I think adding an ME day is a bad idea.

Why do you think that?

On my SOHPress day, my accessory work is 1x10 sohpress of 65% of my max press. 4x10 weighted dips. Weighted Chin ups 5x5 + 1xmax unweighted. Then a tri-set of (JM Presses, Close grip lat pull downs, DB lateral raises) 3x~10

On my bench day, accessory work: 1x10 of 65% of max on bench press. 4x10 DB Bench press. 5x10 Pendlay rows. Tri-set of (Elbow extension Push Ups, Chest supported rows, Front raises 3x~10. Then I do some chest supported shrugs 2x10.

My goal is to get stronger and bigger, with out putting on excess fat.(original huh?). I am pleased with my physique progress so far. I also seem to be slowly adding body weight and maintaining/reducing body fat%.

[Joel Chapman]

Try doing the volume benching on your press day, and your volume pressing on your bench day. That way you will be benching twice a week, but keep all the volume and intensity the same.

[Raleighwood]

Try doing the volume benching on your press day, and your volume pressing on your bench day. That way you will be benching twice a week, but keep all the volume and intensity the same.

I think I may try this... I try to do a little extra benching today and just wasn't feeling it.

[cannibal.horse]

No you will fry. How about you try some of wendler's recommendations first:

1. Gain weight - this is almost impossible to recommend right now. The whole world is on a skinny jeans kick and visible abs are "in". What is also in-style is not being a narcissitic pussy. Performance trumps looks EVERYTIME. Just ask the next woman you sleep with.

2. Train your shoulders - Use the standing shoulder press as a main/core exercise and also supplement with things such as the bradford press, incline press, standing DB press and other full range pressing movements. The best way to bench 400lbs is to press 300.

3. Be patient - of the 3 big lifts, the bench press will go up the slowest. Despite the rumors being spread via magazines and other charlatans claiming thins such as "Gain 30lbs on your Bench Press in 4 Hours". Patience will serve you well - empty promises will not.

4. Upper back/Lats - everyone knows that these things are important but here is the Rx if your lats suck.

Do this for 2 years:

* Chins - 3-4 times/week
* DB Row/BB Row - 1 time/week
* CS Row - 1 time/week

Sets/reps are NOV style as is the days you do them. NOV style = by any means necessary. Because of this, no questions are to be asked.

5. Train your biceps - I've seen numerous people increase their bench press by training their biceps. Mostly because they neglected them for so long. So if you have been neglecting your biceps, do 5 sets of 10 reps with a straight bar one time per week on whatever day you want/choose.

[Joel Chapman]

No you will fry. How about you try some of wendler's recommendations first:

1. Gain weight - this is almost impossible to recommend right now. The whole world is on a skinny jeans kick and visible abs are "in". What is also in-style is not being a narcissitic pussy. Performance trumps looks EVERYTIME. Just ask the next woman you sleep with.

2. Train your shoulders - Use the standing shoulder press as a main/core exercise and also supplement with things such as the bradford press, incline press, standing DB press and other full range pressing movements. The best way to bench 400lbs is to press 300.

3. Be patient - of the 3 big lifts, the bench press will go up the slowest. Despite the rumors being spread via magazines and other charlatans claiming thins such as "Gain 30lbs on your Bench Press in 4 Hours". Patience will serve you well - empty promises will not.

4. Upper back/Lats - everyone knows that these things are important but here is the Rx if your lats suck.

Do this for 2 years:

* Chins - 3-4 times/week
* DB Row/BB Row - 1 time/week
* CS Row - 1 time/week

Sets/reps are NOV style as is the days you do them. NOV style = by any means necessary. Because of this, no questions are to be asked.

5. Train your biceps - I've seen numerous people increase their bench press by training their biceps. Mostly because they neglected them for so long. So if you have been neglecting your biceps, do 5 sets of 10 reps with a straight bar one time per week on whatever day you want/choose.

I am not sure how you know in no uncertain terms that Raleighwood will "fry" by doing this. I certainly don't "fry" by doing this, and I am not young anymore. Also, this method is written by Jim in the 5/3/1 book under "Assistance Work #4 Periodization Model", so you could say he recommends it.