Switching Programs

[fattybuff]

Were the weights you listed your 1RM's? We could give you some ballpark numbers. I disagree with Michael a little about going up to hard (but not limit) sets. That is for a total newbie that not only gains muscle but also neuro muscular efficiency. You've been lifting a while, so it won't be the same as a brand new lifter. I would rather you undershoot a tad and have some running room to hit new PR's vs starting too heavy and hitting a plateau after 2-3 weeks.

Yes thats what my current lifts are at. Also my ohp max is 130lbs. OHP still a new movement for me, only have been doing it for 4 months or so.

[Les Hahn]

Yes thats what my current lifts are at. Also my ohp max is 130lbs. OHP still a new movement for me, only have been doing it for 4 months or so.

Ok, awesome! You still have to gauge it, but I would start somewhere around 75% of your 1RM. If that feels like you won't be progressing that long using that kind of weight, bump it back even a little more.

If you are on the standard 5/3/1 program, it will be an adjustment to go from squatting 1x per week to 3x (same for some of the other lifts), so even moving to advanced novice in short order may be an option. But using 75% of your 1RM for squat, you would be starting with 205. At 10# jumps every session, you will be back up to 275 pretty rapidly.

Best of luck! With some weight gain plus this kind of program, I think you will see better results than running 5/3/1, which is really for more advanced lifters anyways.

[fattybuff]

Ok, awesome! You still have to gauge it, but I would start somewhere around 75% of your 1RM. If that feels like you won't be progressing that long using that kind of weight, bump it back even a little more.

If you are on the standard 5/3/1 program, it will be an adjustment to go from squatting 1x per week to 3x (same for some of the other lifts), so even moving to advanced novice in short order may be an option. But using 75% of your 1RM for squat, you would be starting with 205. At 10# jumps every session, you will be back up to 275 pretty rapidly.

Best of luck! With some weight gain plus this kind of program, I think you will see better results than running 5/3/1, which is really for more advanced lifters anyways.

With less bench volume, will my bench get a little weaker with this program?

[Les Hahn]

With less bench volume, will my bench get a little weaker with this program?

What version of 5/3/1 are you on for bench? With one bench day per week, I thought the volume would be close on the off weeks and higher on the weeks where you bench 2x on SS. If you are worried though, you could always bench M and F with OHP on W. Just don't rotate the lifts. As you progress on this kind of program, you will eventually have a top set/drop set type thing going on. You could always add more drop sets too. But to start, I would just do 3 sets of 5.

[fattybuff]

I just bought the book, I was wondering if I should start with phase 1 or 2?

[Dave_M]

Probably Phase 2 if you are coming from deadlifting once a week on 5/3/1 and your DL max is already 90 lbs. higher than your squat. The first phase is really for someone coming in off the street with no training background to get the deadlift well ahead of the squat.

Have you done power cleans? Do you like them? Are you proficient at them?

[fattybuff]

Probably Phase 2 if you are coming from deadlifting once a week on 5/3/1 and your DL max is already 90 lbs. higher than your squat. The first phase is really for someone coming in off the street with no training background to get the deadlift well ahead of the squat.

Have you done power cleans? Do you like them? Are you proficient at them?

Nah I have never attempted to do power cleans

[Dave_M]

Nah I have never attempted to do power cleans

Give them a shot for a few weeks until you know the answers to the second two questions I asked then.

[crc]

I started running wendlers 531 for about 10 months and all my lifts have gone up. Current stats 5'5, 150 pounds

How much did you weigh when you started? How old are you? What are your goals? (how has no one asked these yet?) You say you're trying to gain weight but if you've been lifting for almost a year and you're only 150 you're not eating enough unless you started at like 110 pounds. If you want to switch to a LP SS routine - or even make better progress on your current program - you're going to need to eat more, unless you have already decided on some upper weight limit.

[fattybuff]

How much did you weigh when you started? How old are you? What are your goals? (how has no one asked these yet?) You say you're trying to gain weight but if you've been lifting for almost a year and you're only 150 you're not eating enough unless you started at like 110 pounds. If you want to switch to a LP SS routine - or even make better progress on your current program - you're going to need to eat more, unless you have already decided on some upper weight limit.

When I first started lifting a few years ago, I weighed in at 110 pounds ha. So would you recommended just started on phase 1 or phase 2? I actually just hit a bench PR today of 240!!!