Wendler 5-3-1 Starts Monday Jan 16...Be Ready!!!

Monday, January 09, 2012

Starting this Monday, January 16th, we will be adding The Wendler 5-3-1 Strength Program into our CrossFit programming. Extremely popular amongst the CrossFit crowd, the 5-3-1 system is a very simple and effective program for dramatically increasing strength, power and lean muscle mass.

In case you haven't noticed, we've been doing a lot of heavy singles and "3's" over the past week and a half, giving everybody the chance to find their 1 and 3 rep maxes on the 4 big lifts, Squats, bench, Deadlifts and Standing Press, as knowing those numbers is a prerequisite to knowing how to plug into the program, so if you don't have those numbers yet, get in here this week and get them!

Lastly, before I share this program with all of you I want to emphasize a couple of points to help you get the most out of it:

1. Create a log, both a hard copy and on your computer. The hard copy should come with you to the gym every time you workout and will serve as your guide to all of the numbers and percentages of exact weight that you should be using on all your major lifts. When you get back to work/home - enter all of that days workouts into a spreadsheet like Excel so that you can see the big picture over time. I cannot emphasize this point enough; without a journal there's no point in even doing the workout, as it's all based on ongoing progression and knowing your exact numbers.

2. Be Consistent. Like anything in life, showing up and taking good, focused action consistently is the key to progress. Don't skip or miss workouts unless your in the hospital or dead. Even if you travel a lot you can still do this program as you can get the workout off my blog each day and do it at a CrossFit gym nearest to wherever your at. If you suffer an injury, then we modify and work around it. if you do miss a workout or two or three then we just go back a week in time and then go from there. NO EXCUSES!!

All right...enough yappin'. here's the deal: This is kina long, but you need to have all the details, so read it over a couple times, get a notebook before next Monday, create a spreadsheet and get ready to kick some ass!

The Beginning 

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 (don't worry ladies...you won't get bulky...I promise!) and strength will absolutely follow.

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

If you are still having trouble understanding the program see the sample routine below. 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.

THE EGO

If there is one point on which Wendler is adamant, it’s the ego; you must check your ego at the door and focus on the program. If the game plan says you’re in for 3 reps with 275, don’t try to impress all your co-bros by attempting 325. The whole program is periodized such that you are riding bigger and bigger waves and constantly making progress. Jumping the gun in week one will set you back in week two, creating a domino effect. Over-exertion will only leave you spinning your wheels.

This doesn’t mean you must trust the program blindly, but give it a chance to prove its worth. Follow it for a couple of weeks and then make adjustments as necessary. Just as you keep your ego in check during your gym sessions, keep your ego in check during the many months that you follow the 5/3/1 with regards to progress. 5/3/1 does not immediately seem like the fastest gainer out there, but it proves itself in the long haul, with consistent gains month after month.

With this in mind, expect to gain no more than 10 pounds a month on the squat and deadlift, and 5 pounds on your bench and press. That may seem a bit of a bitter pill to swallow, but remember, these are very strong consistent gains. You should be able to increase your deadlift from 405 to 525 in a year, for a example, or your bench from 315 to 375. After each cycle, add 10lbs to the previous 90% figure that you had been working with for squat or deadlift, and 5lbs to your 90% bench and military press.

Calculate your working sets and start lifting.


VARIATIONS AND ACCESSORY WORK

What I've just presented to you is the "Meat version", but to round it off we need to add the potatoes. (For those of you confused right now, I'm just using analogies...stay with me, it's get better.) To get the maximum gains we need to add accessory work as well, but in the interest of keeping this blog under 27,000 word, suffice it to say that Wes and I will be programming in all of the extra stuff and telling you what, when, how and why, so all you need to do is show up with your notebook and we'll do the rest!

Feel free to e-mail me or Wes or just pull us aside after class if you have any questions ; )

This is Jim Wendler...any questions?

WOD
Warmup
1/4 Mile Run
8 Mins Active Stretching
Strength
3-3-3-3-3 Deadlift, find 3 Rep Max
Conditioning
15 Min AMRAP
10 KB Swings American Style 24kg/16kg
10 Air Squats
5 KB Clean and Press 24kg/16kg Right Arm
10 Squats
5 KB Clean and Press Left Arm