Beyond 5/3/1: Simple Training for Extraordinary Results (18 page)

want to follow trends and be a puss. I made my choice many years ago.

Now it’s time for you to either follow the fasting and no carb trend, or eat

like you want to win. Let me let everyone in on a secret – fad diets have

all come and gone. It’s a 10-20 year cycle and what is popular today, will

be replaced by some other no-name pencil neck trying to use scare tactics to

make you follow his lead. You are smarter than that.

Strength Challenge – Weeks 1--‐4: The Singles

Things are programmed a bit differently than in the 5/3/1 for Powerlifting

book. I’ve streamlined it to make it easier to follow with ZERO confusion.

Seriously, this is the easiest way to included singles into your training. To

make it even easier I will explain in both words AND a sample program.

Remember on the first and third week of this month we will go for max (but

NOT to failure) reps on the final set of the day AND do a heavy single.

The big question is going to be “At what weight will I perform the heavy

single?”

The answer? It will be your Training Max.
This will ensure that you will

be hitting AT LEAST 90% of your real max. Provided you do the 5/3/1 Year

Program, you have already done three months of the 5/3/1 program (which

starts at 90% of your max) and you will be more than ready to do the singles

at your training max. So if your training max for your bench press is 300

pounds (remember, this is not your actual max, but the number on which your

training is based) you will perform a single using 300 pounds when bench

pressing.

You will not need to do a set between the final set and the single

– you can if you really need to but I highly doubt that you will ever need to

do this. During the first cycle, after your last set on weeks one and

three, you will do one set of one repetition (1x1) with your training

max.

You will do the max reps AND the single for the squat, bench press and

deadlift. Doing max reps and single for the press is NOT recommended nor

is it part of the program. This is because it was not tested when the

program was written and I cannot say it wil work and cannot approve it.

If you do wish to do this, you will do

so at your own risk and realize it may compromise the entire program.

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If you plan to compete with knee wraps, please begin using the knee wraps

when you perform the heavy single. Do NOT use then knee wraps on your

last work set. This will help you get used to the knee wraps. Also be

sure to use a belt and wrist wraps if you plan to use them during the

competition.

Strength Challenge – Weeks 1--‐4: The Last Set

There has been a lot of confusion about the last set in the 5/3/1 training

program,

all for which I take full responsibility. While you should push this last set

hard when you feel good, you don’t have to. You can still push hard and NOT

set a record. Although it feels great, it’s not always about the personal

records on this set. It’s about getting the requisite reps and pushing forward

to the next week. So the only thing that really matters is that you get the

required reps. Anything else after that is extra, a “good” extra, but not always

necessary.

I highly recommend setting a goal for the end set. For me, this happens

weeks in advance and I will tweak that goal as the day edges closer. I

may feel better or worse than expected and this will reflect in the revised

goal. How do I choose my goal? There is no rhyme or reason to it;

sometimes it’s just awesome to be that guy that who can overhead press

225 pounds for 8 reps on his 5/3/1 day.

But whatever you do, leave a rep (or more) in the tank. Do not go to failure.

In month four of the 5/3/1 Year Program, the last set will be pushed hard but

not to failure. If you don’t know where/when to stop when doing the set, err on

the side of too early. No need to be plastered to the floor, rack or bar.

Strength Challenge – Weeks 1-‐‐4: Deload

On the deload week, perform the regular 5/3/1 deload sets and reps. Do not

go for extra reps on any of the deload sets. For the assistance work,

do only three work sets instead of the normal five. Conditioning work on

the deload week is as written; no changes are to be made.

Strength Challenge – Weeks 1--‐4: Conditioning

I recommend doing three days of conditioning work during this month. You

can mix

and match any of the following conditioning exercises. These are the only

ones that I recommend as I have used them all, and can attest their

effectiveness for the given

template. If you feel another conditioning tool or protocol is in your best

interest to

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achieve a strength goal, that is your choice but I cannot nor will I

approve of it. I can

only approve of things that I have used and have worked.

Remember that you choose one of the following three days a week. You can

choose to do one conditioning tool for all three workouts or choose three

different ones in a week. So you can walk one day a week and push the

Prowler two times per week.

Or push the Prowler three times per week. The choice is yours; just make sure

you

get the work in.

• Prowler push – 90 pounds added to Prowler, 6-8 pushes for 40 yards, high

handles. This can be done while sprinting or walking.

• 2 mile walk

• Weight Vest Walk – 1-2 miles

• Air Dyne – 20-30 minutes

Strength Challenge – Weeks 1--‐4: Assistance Work

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Press – 5/3/1 sets and Deadlift – 5/3/1

Bench Press –

Squat – 5/3/1 sets

reps

sets and reps

5/3/1 sets and

and reps

reps

Pressing exercise for 5 Multi-joint leg

Pressing exercise

Exercise for lower

exercise for 5

for 5 sets of 10

sets of 10 reps

sets

reps

back for 5 sets of

of 10 reps

Pulling exercise for 5

Abdominal work: I Pulling exercise

10

for reps

Abdom

inal work: I

recommend

recommend

sets of 10 reps

choosing the

5 sets of 10 reps

choosing the

abdominal wheel,

abdominal wheel,

hanging leg raise,

hanging leg raise,

dumbbell side

dumbbell side

bends or

bends or

weighted sit-ups

weighted sit-ups

for 5 sets of

for 5 sets of

10-30 reps

10-30 reps

1-3 extra exercises for

1-3 extra exercises 1-3 extra exercises

1-3 extra exercises

triceps, biceps and

for quads,

for triceps, biceps

for quads,

upper back (optional) hamstrings and

and upper back hamstrings and

grip (optional)

(optional)

grip

Day Three –

(optional)

Bench Press

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Notes:

I recommend using press and bench press exercises that target your weaker

areas,

or one that you know will improve your bench

press. These exercises include but are not

limited to:

• Dumbbell Bench Press

• Dumbbell Incline Press

• Dumbbell Press

• Swiss Bar/Football Bar Bench Press

• Swiss Bar/Football Bar Press

• 2 Board Press

• 3 Board Press

• Incline Press

• Dips/Weighted Dips

• Floor Press

• Dumbbell Floor Press

Keep the reps and volume high on these sets for this month; 5 sets of around

8-12 reps. This will give you added tension and volume on a weaker area of

your lift, build muscle mass and keep joint stress down. You are welcome to

change and switch the exercises from day to day and workout to workout.

The important thing is to get the work in. You are free to do all five

sets at a given weight or work up/work down.

I recommend that the pulling (lat) exercises used on the press and bench press

day are full-range movements done with high volume (again, 5 sets of 10-20

reps). This will build much needed muscle and balance for a strong bench

press. You are free to do all five sets at a given weight or work up and work

down. These exercises include but are not limited to:

• Dumbbell Rows

• Barbell Rows

• T-bar Rows

• Chest Supported Rows

• Lat Pulldowns (various bars/handles can be used)

• Chin-ups/Pull-ups

• Any seated rowing machine

The optional exercises done on the press and bench press day should not be

stressful “big” exercises; these should be exercises chosen to round out the body

and

should be done without care for the amount of weight lifted. You should

expend

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very little emotional or physical energy when performing these exercises.

Limit yourself to small, isolation exercises that you feel that you need to do in

order to remain balanced and injury-free. Do no more than three exercises per

workout. Do no more than 1-3 sets and the reps should fall between 10-30.

These include but are not limited to:

• Triceps Pushdowns

• Triceps Extensions

• Curls (any kind of curl is fine)

• Face Pulls

• Dumbbell Lateral Raises

• Dumbbell Rear Raises

The assistance work on your deadlift day will include a big multi-joint leg

exercise. This is an exercise that will help complement the strength of your

deadlift and your squat. These will be done with a higher volume (again 5

sets of 8-12 reps) to help build and strengthen the legs without the stress of

heavier weights. You are free to do all the sets with one given weight or

pyramid up and down. Exercises include but are not limited to:

• Front Squats

• Box Squats

• Safety Bar Squats

• Leg Press

• Hack Squat

• Power Squat

The assistance work on your squat day will include a big strength exercise

for your lower back. You may have a favorite exercise that you believe will

help your lower back get stronger; if so, use it. We will use a higher volume

on this exercise (5 sets of