So i think i am going to do the 5/3/1

[bblazer]

hey guys... just curious: how important do you find the deload week to be? Even though I am not too experienced, I never really deloaded or took a break besides when going on vacation and it didn't seem to effect my progress. My workouts also consisted of a lot more volume than the 5/3/1.

I am going to follow the program the way it was designed, just wanted to get some input. Thanks.

It is VERY important.

Eventually.

I know that I couldn't train at the levels I do without a deload or a week off about every 6-8 weeks.

If you are young, you recover faster and more easily. After about age 22-25 things are a little tougher, and get worse from there.

B-

 

[b fold the truth]

If you are young, you recover faster and more easily. After about age 22-25 things are a little tougher, and get worse from there.

B-

You also become MUCH stronger (hopefully) after the age of 25 and with years and years of training. Heavier weights require more and more rest time.

I never feel that I need the deload week till I skip it, do the 5's, then crash again on the 3's...then wish I'd deloaded.

 

[JDid23]

You also become MUCH stronger (hopefully) after the age of 25 and with years and years of training. Heavier weights require more and more rest time.

I never feel that I need the deload week till I skip it, do the 5's, then crash again on the 3's...then wish I'd deloaded.

I am not performing at nearly the same level as you and bblazer, but shit today i did 255x11 on deadlifts and after that set i realized why the deload week is so important.

 

[b fold the truth]

It gives me such a mental break as well. The pressure that I feel on my week of 5's, 3's, and 1's on deads and squats is tough mentally. Having 1 week from 4 that I can relax is nice. You don't have to total deload on all your exercises though...you can still hit your GHR's hard, abs, etc... If you want to...

255 x 11...sounds like it is time to re-estimate your 1RM!!! 255x11 x 0.0333 + 255 = 348.4, or more in my opinion. Nice freaking job!

 

[JDid23]

It gives me such a mental break as well. The pressure that I feel on my week of 5's, 3's, and 1's on deads and squats is tough mentally. Having 1 week from 4 that I can relax is nice. You don't have to total deload on all your exercises though...you can still hit your GHR's hard, abs, etc... If you want to...

255 x 11...sounds like it is time to re-estimate your 1RM!!! 255x11 x 0.0333 + 255 = 348.4, or more in my opinion. Nice freaking job!

yeah thanks man. Do u think that's an accurate prediction of my 1rm? I know u haven't seen me train and other stuff but 348 seems like a hell of a lot for lighter weight and higher reps.

 

[b fold the truth]

I'm bad at high reps. Today I did box squats.
673 x 5. I probably had 1-2 more safe reps in me.

Lets say 7 was possible, which equals a 830 1RM
2 weeks ago I did a very solid and easy 800 x 2 AFTER my 5/3/1 sets which is a 853 1RM.

But that is me. I'm better with low low low reps as long as my form is perfect (as I can be anyway).

What you can do is take your current estimate and what the reps estimate it as and split the difference to use as your new 1RM estimate. You can also finish the 3 and 1 week to see how your strength CURVES and compare all of those rep max predictions.

IN MY OPINION you don't have to do more than 7-8 on your 5's week or 5 on your 3's week, or 2-3 on your 1 week. I like to have some left in the tank, but I don't have great recovery abilities either. We progress over time, not by training to failure. Strength is BUILT over time, not a set or three.

Does that make any sense at all? I'm tired and greatly over worked and underpaid today.

 

[ExtraMile]

To add to what b fold said muscle fibre type comes into it too, for example someone who is very slow twitch dominant may get 255x11 and only have a 1rm of 295 but someone who is very fast twitch dominant may be able to do 255x11 and have a 1rm of 380, close to100lbs higher than the other person.

I find my triceps to be very fast twitch dominant and it is always my tri's which give out on high rep pressing, I can do weighted dips with 45lbs on a belt for 4 reps but struggle to break into double figures with bodyweight. At one point I managed dips with an extra 36lbs for 8 reps and still could only manage 11 reps with bodyweight...

I think when b fold said he is bad with high reps he meant he is more fast twitch dominant so his numbers jump up alot when he lowers the reps and that is why he may find rep max calculators to be a bad estimate of his max

correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[b fold the truth]

To add to what b fold said muscle fibre type comes into it too, for example someone who is very slow twitch dominant may get 255x11 and only have a 1rm of 295 but someone who is very fast twitch dominant may be able to do 255x11 and have a 1rm of 380, close to100lbs higher than the other person.

I find my triceps to be very fast twitch dominant and it is always my tri's which give out on high rep pressing, I can do weighted dips with 45lbs on a belt for 4 reps but struggle to break into double figures with bodyweight. At one point I managed dips with an extra 36lbs for 8 reps and still could only manage 11 reps with bodyweight...

I think when b fold said he is bad with high reps he meant he is more fast twitch dominant so his numbers jump up alot when he lowers the reps and that is why he may find rep max calculators to be a bad estimate of his max

correct me if I'm wrong...

I think that a lot of people who move BIG weights have issues with higher reps. Not sure how much the fiber type really comes into play (yet I've always had issues with reps, even when I could only bench 225 x 3) so maybe you have a point. Technique comes into play big when you are talking about low reps and if you have ANY weaknesses, the heavy weights will find them.

But you make a GREAT point...probably correct! I also have very lean legs (cross striations and veins) yet not huge. My upper body is MUCH bigger than my legs yet I'm very weak at all pressing exercises. Who knows?

Everyone has to find a way to make the rep estimations work for them. In a few weeks he can really figure out his estimations better. Would help if we knew what he got on his 3's and 1's and what he estimated his 1RM at.

 

[ExtraMile]

I think that a lot of people who move BIG weights have issues with higher reps. Not sure how much the fiber type really comes into play (yet I've always had issues with reps, even when I could only bench 225 x 3) so maybe you have a point. Technique comes into play big when you are talking about low reps and if you have ANY weaknesses, the heavy weights will find them.

But you make a GREAT point...probably correct! I also have very lean legs (cross striations and veins) yet not huge. My upper body is MUCH bigger than my legs yet I'm very weak at all pressing exercises. Who knows?

Everyone has to find a way to make the rep estimations work for them. In a few weeks he can really figure out his estimations better. Would help if we knew what he got on his 3's and 1's and what he estimated his 1RM at.

I would be suprised if you were more fast twitch dominant, fast twitch fibres have a much better size and strength potential than small twitch fibres, and you are both strong and big...

And I agree with form, while long sets with lots of reps can cause breakdown of form, if there is anything wrong with his technique it will show when he is working with 1-3 rep weights...

 

[JDid23]

Yeah bfold- made sense and so did EM- thanks.