Wendler 5/3/1 Week 3

I've just started week three of Wendler's 5/3/1 plan. Next week is supposed to be a deload week, but I may instead crank things up a notch. The reason is simple: My body feels rested and ready to be challenged. The structure of the plan means that I'm not overworking myself--my body has plenty of time to recover. Too many cookie-cutter routines just aren't suited to everyone. For me, the Wendler plan had a clear ring of truth to it.

The last couple of weeks, I started realizing how much the SL 5x5 plan was taxing me. But don't you want to be taxed? Isn't that the point? In a word, no. Yes, the idea is certainly to challenge your level of fitness, to challenge your muscles to grow and get stronger (don't get me started on that whole hypertrophy vs. strength crap again). The problem is, without proper recovery, the only result is going to be frustration.

You can see progress on any program--and I mean any program--for at least the first few weeks. It's what happens in the following weeks that should tell you whether it's the right program for you or not. SL was great--for the first two months. After that, I started to hit the wall and was facing those same old frustrations all over again. Let me state quite clearly right now that I have nothing against the SL 5x5 plan. Many, many people will follow it religiously and will have a lot of success with it, but I suspect more than a few others, like myself, will hit the wall.

It's natural when that happens to blame yourself. You make all kinds of excuses that point to you: Oh, I was trying to progress too quickly; I wasn't eating enough; I wasn't trying hard enough, etc.

Often these roadblocks occur for none of these reasons. It often boils down to a simple issue: You're probably overtraining. You're probably following a plan that just isn't right for you.

When I started lifting decades ago, I followed all kinds of ridiculous plans that were tailor made for guys who had a genetic predisposition toward bigger muscles or for guys who were using performance enhancers. Yes, I made some progress, but you'd hardly know it from looking at me that I lifted regularly. I was getting nowhere. Finally, at some point, I stopped blaming myself and my commitment and instead started thinking in terms of following a program that was geared more toward regular guys.

That brings me to why Wendler may be the better program for me. First, it's a split routine. For some reason I cannot fathom, it seems that "split routine" is becoming a dirty word (okay, two words). The idea of the whole-body workout is coming back with a vengeance. Back in the olden days when I was first getting into weight training, the Law was to do three full-body workouts per week. Again, that's a fine plan and will work just great for many people--for the first month or so, maybe two.

Split routines have a number of advantages, the most important of which is that you typically don't do multiple "big" lifts in the same workout. Think about it: If you do five sets of squats at a weight close to or at your 5RM, how much are you going to have left in the tank to do a set of deadlifts? Every ounce of effort you spend on one big lift takes away from another.

Following a split routine lets you focus more one big lift at a time and gives your body more time to recover for the next workout.

I discovered early on that I made the fastest and biggest strength gains when I separated the big lifts.

Another reason the Wendler plan fits me better is that it incorporates periodization. This is another strategy to slowly ramp up workout intensities and to occasionally give your body a break to recover. You build up to your most intense week and then back off before ramping back up. Experts keep recommending it because it works.

Yes, you're right--progress on such a plan is gradual. And it should be. The number one mistake every beginning and intermediate lifter makes is trying to climb the ladder too quickly. For people like me that's an especially huge mistake that will lead to nothing but failure and frustration. In the game of strength and mass building, slow and steady is the way to go. Impatience is never rewarded in weight training.

And then there's the 5/3/1 assistance work. I am a firm believer that no routine is complete without chins and dips. The idea of doing more high volume work after the primary lift makes sense to me. Following the Triumverate provides plenty of variety in the exercise repertoire. And there are no hard and fast rules about what you do--it's entirely up to you. Just go for reps and volume after the main workout. Let me tell you, it feels great.

Sure, I grant you, most plans look good on paper; it's the results that matter. I can provide my own anecdotal evidence that 5/3/1 is working for me.

The first thing I noticed is that the OHP, or standing military press or whatever you like to call it, isn't kicking my butt any more. On SL I made some good linear progress up until I hit 115 lbs. Part of the problem was that after doing five sets of squats at close to my 5RM, I was pretty sapped. In one workout I was able to perform five sets of five at 115. The next time around after the squats nearly did me in, I could barely get three reps. The next week, I pulled some plates off and went to a lower weight. That's obviously not what anyone wants to do. Those offering advice suggested maybe I wasn't eating enough to maintain my energy level. Bull. I know I'm eating enough because I've actually gained weight over the last couple of months. The fact is, I'm heavier now than I ever have been in my entire life. And I'm consuming plenty of protein, so that couldn't be it.

Yesterday, I was able to do 10 reps at 105 in my last and heaviest set. Wendler doesn't advocate working to failure on sets, but he does say on the last set to do as many as you can. Ten reps at 105 was pretty easy, to tell you the truth. If I've erred in any way following 5/3/1 it's that I underestimated my 1RMs on everything. And that's fine. Wendler even recommends low-balling it at first.

If you take a little visit to the Fitocracy forums for the SL group, you'll find a common theme. At least one day a week someone will complain that they're having trouble with the OHP. The idea of switching from the SL plan, however, is never considered. It's always "eat more" or do this exercise or that exercise.

I'm also seeing an improvement in the deadlift. I'll be finishing up today at 295 for as many reps as I can do. Based on last week, I'm guessing I can do at least three. I'm going to try for five.

It's up to every individual to experiment and find out what works best for them. Strict adherence to a cookie-cutter program is likely to stymie anyone who isn't willing to consider alternatives.