Monday 17, June 2013

Today we start a new strength program and cycle.
You MUST have your 1 rep max on your major lifts by this week.

In his book, Jim Wendler, an elite powerlifter, remembers a time at the zenith of his career, when he could barely walk outside the gym, his health was failing, and despite stellar equipped lifts, his unequipped capabilities were desperately weak. To reclaim his life and strength, Wendler developed a plan: cut out all the excess and get back to basics.
5/3/1 is about simplicity. You do three (maybe four) workouts a week with the focus on the ‘big four’: squat, bench, deadlift and military press. Focus on these movements and size and strength will necessarily follow.

How does it all work?

The program is split up into cycles, each cycle consists of four waves. Each wave is made up of four workouts, one for each lift. In other words, if you train four times a week, you hit each exercise once per week.  Each wave focuses on a 5, 3, or 1 rep max, giving the program its name.  Each workout is based on three sets of the major movement followed by a variety of accessory work detailed below. Sets and reps remain the same for the main movements in each wave.  During the fourth, and final, week of the cycle, you return to a 5 rep scheme using submaximal weight.  This built-in deload week allows for recovery and recuperation, setting you up to come back stronger with each passing cycle.
Before starting the program, you will need to know your one rep max for each of the big four.  From there, calculate 90% and use that 90% figure as if it were your real max, i.e. to calculate the percentages below. The idea is to undershoot so as to get better quality work and avoid failure.
Here’s the basic structure:

Wave 1: 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5 or more
Wave 2: 70%x3, 80%x3, 90%x3 or more
Wave 3: 75%x5, 85%x3, 95%x1 or more
Wave 4: 40%x5, 50%x5, 60%x5

 

On the final set, Wendler also recommends going all out and attempting as many reps as possible (i.e. beyond 5/3/1). As he puts it “[the final set should be the one that] puts hair on your balls”. He does emphasize, however, that you should not attempt failure, as that would be detrimental to your efforts. You should never fail on a rep.
5/3/1, it no longer equals 1.66666666666666666666667.

Skill:

For the week

HSPU

Strength:

Front squats

3-3-3-3-3
Not part of Wendler cycle above

Stabilizer:

100 old school sit ups

Metcon:

3x
400m run
20 KB swings
5 TGU
20 KB upper cuts
5 TGU