Lift 20KG More In 6 Weeks, But Forget 4 Week Abs – Wendler 5/3/1

Big thanks to Adam at SB for asking me to do a spot on his blog. For background i’ve spent the last 12 years training in some form. Weather that be military training, weightlifting as a teenager, mud runs or just to pass the time. The last 2 years iv spent a lot more time researching strength training and exercise to achieve my workout goals. I work offshore so my gyms vary from a set of kettle bells, adjustable dumbbells and bands, to a fully kitted out strength gym. There is always the nightmare of no weights and BW is the only option.  Hope you enjoy the next few articles.

Enjoy

Smokey87

4 WEEKS TO ABS and ADD 20KG TO YOUR LIFTS IN 6 WEEKS!?

I see these statements and like the countless others I look at the picture stare at his abs and think… maybe. Seeing a skinny to muscle transformation, or an amazing fat loss transformation advert pop up on youtube, or as an internet ad always catches my attention. Then BANG. Realty hits like a Chihuahua trying to doggy blast a Rottweiler, that shits not happening. Abs are made in the kitchen and no one can add 20kg to a lift in 6 weeks. Well im here to tell you two things. Firstly Abs are made in the kitchen unlucky…. BUT 20kg in 6 weeks… that’s  possible. 90% of gym goers are average Joes they put effort in but not enough they don’t push their self anywhere near as much as they should (myself included).

Now I’d like to give you my routine claim it as my own and be hailed as Jedi of the gym. However that, like 4 week abs, is a big fat hairy lie. I like countless others made my own routine, rep ranges and timings up myself and for years and got nowhere.

So I looked at the problem as if it was anything else, like fixing my motor. I would google the balls of it till I knew how to do it. Then I’d print out a step by step and wouldn’t alter a thing… You would never bake a cake and half way through add/removing random items or reduce the amount of sugar. Why should this be any different!

So I searched the internet, forums, magazines and talked to the big guy in the gym… The same answer kept popping up Wendler’s 5/3/1. So I got a copy of the PDF read it page to page and went for it. Here’s the secret WORD FOR WORD! Not rounding up or down or missing a set or adding in some curls WORD FOR WORD.

Now this programme makes no promises about 20kg in 6 weeks or even 12. It promises sweat blood and tears, and if done properly slow gains.

However I found myself pushing myself more and more… which finally led to 20kg added to my bench, 20kg to my squat, 10kg to my OHP and 20kg to my deadlift. This was through planning and pushing. Every third week you do heavy singles adding 2.5kg each time only stopping when you BREAK.

So the first question who the hairy monkeys is Wendler? Jim Wendler is a monster in the strong man world, much like our good friend Benedikt Magnuson, sponsored by Cheap Supplements supplier, MyProtein. Two things you need to know about Big Jim. Firstly he the size of small house, secondly he’s squatted over a 1000lb in competition! You need some big Cahooners to even attempt that. So this 5/3/1… What’s that all about?

Firstly you need to know what your TM (Training Max). Then plan your workouts like this.

Monday – Shoulders

Tuesday – Back

Thursday – Chest

Friday – Legs

CV is your bag. After training, in the morning whatever fits your life style? This plans talks about abs but mainly training them through your big compound lifts OHP and squats. There is however no reason you can’t add them in as an addition.

There are 5 exercises a session. The first two sets are your main lifts with 6 sets 3 warm up and 3 work sets. Then followed by the devils bitch the BBB BIG BUT BORRING. This is simply 5 sets of 10 reps of half of your TM. Now for reps your first set is always 10. In the first week its 5 reps in each set. Week two however the work sets drop to 3 reps. The final third week the work sets are 5 reps, 3 reps 1+. The heaviest single you can do, if you’re lucky enough to put it up then your unlucky enough to have to add some more weight to each side and pick that bitch right back up again. This ends at failure, nothing less nothing more. Repeat this twice through then have a deload week.

An example of Shoulders day:

Week 1

OHP

Bar x 10

5 x 45%

5 x 55%

5 x 65%

5 x 75%

5+ x 85%

BBB

50% x 10 x 5

3 x Assistance work.

Week 2

OHP

Bar x 10

5 x 50%

5 x 60%

3 x 70%

3 x 80%

3+ x 90%

BBB

50% x 10 x 5

3 x Assistance work.

Week 3

OHP

Bar x 10

5 x 55%

5 x 65%

5 x 75%

3 x 85%

1 x 95% (repeat till failure adding weight each time)

BBB

50% x 10 x 5

3 x Assistance work.

This programme is not an answer to everything and people who are constantly pushing there self’s won’t see massive gains but they will see slow positive progress. People like myself who don’t push every time will see massive gains. Enjoy the BBB sets there the devils bitch.

5 Key Take Aways

1. The last set either as many reps as possible or singles adding weight.
2. Don’t stop till you drop the weight.
3. That feeling of ‘I’m not coming back up with this, I’m going to be sick’ that normal. Now wipe your mouth load up the bar it’s your set!
4. This is not a full training programme. Go get yourself the PDF and read it. It’s cheap and if you’re a that way inclined I’m sure you can find a free copy just don’t let big Jim fight out!
5. Keep a workout journal to keep track of your lifts and progress.

Take a look at my training log if you want to have a look at the numbers.

http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/Recovery-and-rebuild-m5177072.aspx

Enjoy Till Next Time

Smokey87