kind of frustrated

P

Proteinboy

2
hello, all. i apolagize for my leap of absense; college has started.
but i have a bit of a problem, hoping someone can give me some insight.

in january i started the 5/3/1 program by jim wendler. i had such high hopes because of all the testimonials saying how it helped them get so much stronger.

i started light, as perscribed(took 90% of my 1rm and based my percentages off that training max). i ran the program for a whole 6 months, upping the poundage for bench and military 5lbs per month and 5 or 10lbs per month for squat and deadlift. i trained 4 times a week: 2 upper body workouts and two lower. i also took deload weeks every 4th week in which i used 50% of my training max for very easy sessions.

it turns out, after 6 months, i have gotten stronger in squat, and deadlift(which is what matters), but military and bench have seemed to have done nothing. i have aso gained 2-3 lbs of body weight, putting me at 153.

i still feel just as strong when i rep 115 for military and when i rep 180 for bench. my rep maxes have not increased. also, i was supposed to hit 115x5 for military and 180x5 for bench this week, as perscribed by the program's progression, and i accomplished both feats, yet it was very close to reaching failure, which is not good. i dont want to come close to failure for reasons of wearing out my CNS and b/c strength gains are closely correlated with that...

so i think i have several options:
1)decrease the weight on both exercises' training max about 15lbs, and work back up to allow my body to re-adapt and rest while training in sub-max poundages
2) both lower the weight and "change things up" by switching to a similar main exercise such as close grip bench for bench. after all, it has been 6 months of the same exercises.

i also do not feel very accomplished on my squat or deadlift, as i attribute my gains in the squat to the fact that i started with >135lbs due to changing my form to low bar position. as for deadlift, i have always been at a max around 300lbs, and i still am. therefore, i am left to believe i am not very accomplished.

also, when do i know when i should back off about 10-20lbs on my lifts and work back up? 255x5 for deadlift felt heavy, and my training max is around 300 now. how do i know when its time to re-cycle? i dont want to burn out.

i simply do not know what to do; should i stick with this 5/3/1 for longer?
do i simply need more rest?

i feel like this bench press and military press plateau is stubborn, but there is a way to overcome it with knowledge and experience. so please, help. thankyou.
 
Seems like the program isn't working for you. Do you feel tired or fresh before your workouts?

I don't know much about the program itself I'm afraid.
 
but i dont understand why it wouldnt. its so basic...
i thought i understood the basics of strength gain:
-challenge the muscle within reasonable limits(not going to failure)
-the body is then in a state of alarm
-rest enough to allow for supercompensation, and not go into the state of exhaustion
-after you have rested enough, the body will have adapted and gotten stronger?

i mean, theres a lot of factors that go into it, but i feel i have accounted for them(8+ hours of sleep, enough rest?)

maybe i went overboard on the assistance exercises.

im sorry, i guess there are too many variables to consider to simply expect someone to know exactly where i went wrong.

i usually feel fresh going into a workout, and i try to end the session in under 40 minutes. im not destroyed after either.

i just dont know what to do next? switch to another program? rest more...perhaps train 3 times a week?

i was thinking about the texas method.........but i feellike this program can work for me i just dont know whats wrong.

either way, it will be interesting trying to find a way around it in experimentation with my body.

how are you doin karky?
 
I'm doing fine. Recently got a shoulder inflammation that kind of sucks, but it's getting better.

Maybe it's time you started experimenting with making your own programs.
 
1. 300 pound deadlift @ 150 pounds body weight = 2x bodyweight, pretty good
2. bench press body weight + 20% for 5 reps, also pretty good

A couple of thoughts:
1. Are you eating enough? Gaining appreciable strength at your size and age may require you to add some body fat. Most people need a significant caloric excess to add lean body mass (strength and muscle).
2. Maybe a couple of weeks of higher rep stuff (12-15 rep range, going to complete failure on the last set) might help blow through plateaus. When I was younger and lighter that seemed to work for me. And as you mentioned maybe changing up exercises like doing SDL's instead of conventional deadlifts (SDL's are better for higher reps anyways). I increased my bench press a lot when I was a teenager by doing pre-exhaustion type workouts, either: 1. flyes, then bench press with no rest, ~12 reps each to failure, 2 cycles; or 2. bench for 12 reps to failure, rest 30 seconds, lower the weight by 25%, bench to failure (around 12-15 reps), rest 30 seconds, add 25% (back to original weight), bench to failure (6-8 reps), 1 cycle only. Later I added a lot to my bench press by doing 12 rep to failure flyes, triceps extensions and bench dips after heavy bench sessions. I think those 5x5 and 5/3/1 workouts work long term for a select few individuals.
 
thankyou, DS withers. i appreciate it.
and perhaps you are right karky. making my own programs sounds fun again.

as for the 5/3/1 i believe it is a sound, smart program. i will ride this out and eat more. i recently cut out night eating a little bit, and had a cold for a week. plus summer school started at college so all those things added together probably accounted for a tough week.

im going to drop the weight down a bit if bench keeps being stubborn. thankyou for all your help, guys. i really appreciate the support.
 
not really sure on the 5-3-1,but you say you are doing 2 upper 2 lower workouts per wk,remember neural learning is a big factor in strength training ie (the more you do it the better you get at it) maybe you could do some extra benching/millitary on other days with lighter weights,also it seems its your pressing thats failing you,maybe your tris are letting you down.
also 5x5 is a good strength routine to try.
 
5/3/1 is one of the best ways to gain raw strength unfortunately many people try it when they are not ready and without reading the whole ebook.
 
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