5/3/1 Assistance Exercises

[navy10]

Hello,

First let me start off by saying I did not buy the book. My friend has it I wanted some input on what everyone thinks of the assistance work I have setup for this program.

Day One (OH PRESS)
3x10 DB Military Press
3x10 Barbell Curls:
Day Two (DEADLIFT)
3x10 Chins
3x10 Lat Pulls
4x15 Hanging Leg Raises
Day Three (BENCH)
3x10 Incline Press
3x10 Rope Pushdown
Day Four (SQUAT)
3x10 Leg Press
3x10 Leg Curls
3x10 Weighted Situps

Too much? Too little? I'm training for a mix of strength/hypertrophy. Thanks in advance!

[Beaker]

looks pretty decent, im a big fan of the "boring but big" assistance setup as well, its essentially doing 5 sets of 10 after your main workout, so on a banch day you'll go through your 531 then do 5x10 at about 65% or so.

after boring but big i usually do one or 2 of the assistance workouts you have listed its been working pretty well for me, but you have to make sure and take it easy on the deload weak or it catches up with you quick.

im used to doing a lot of volume so boring but big also keeps my brain at ease knowing ive done enough work.

[navy10]

Actually my friend suggested that to me. I think this would be pretty effective.
Day One (OH Press)
5x10x50% Military Press
5x10 Chins

Day Two (Deadlift)
5x10x50% Deadlift
5x12 Hanging Leg Raises

Day Three
5x10x50% Bench Press
5x10 DB Row

Day Four
5x10x50% Squat
5x10 Leg Curl

Above percentages based off of my 1RM. How about it?

[ehopkins932]

Thats straight from Wendlers book bro. Its only 20 bucks to buy, well worth the investment.

I like doing like 2 exercises 3 sets of 5-10 for assistance depending on the movement and purpose of it. Allows you to use a bit more weight that way and I have been successful with it.

[navy10]

I know it's straight from his book, lol. I've been looking at my friends for a bit.. Seems like either way works I guess.

[LuNa]

Its assistance, so as long as you dont do millions of sets, i think you will be fine. Try it out and if you arent making progress on the 5/3/1 sets, cut back the assistance work until you are.

[-JM-]

I think you also need to consider what you are doing for assistance and why. Think about weak areas of your main lifts or weaker/smaller muscle groups that you want to improve.

For example....Lat Pulldowns and Chins are not going to help your deadlift if your weak point is your lower back. Leg Press and leg curls arent going to be the most effective help if you are getting stuck in the hole in a squat. These are just for talks sake.

You may already have considered this when choosing your exercises. I just think its an important aspect.

[Beaker]

also dont be affraid to vary your assistance, you can do boring but big one week, then the assistance you wrote down the next week, then the triumvirate (from book) the next week, and on your deload week just take it real easy and do whatever you feel like doing.

the MAIN reason i like boring but big so much is it takes a lot of the thinking out of it, you go in, do a ton of bench, then do whatever you feel like doing for 2 more exercises (if you feel like it) and then youre done.

i highly suggest typing up a few routines and keeping them in your bag, keep track of the weights youre using etc, this gives you something to go off of and takes a lot of the "guess work" out of your assistance. i hate being in the gym all fired up and then not really knowing what im going to be doing for the next set.

[Guido]

I think you also need to consider what you are doing for assistance and why. Think about weak areas of your main lifts or weaker/smaller muscle groups that you want to improve.

For example....Lat Pulldowns and Chins are not going to help your deadlift if your weak point is your lower back. Leg Press and leg curls arent going to be the most effective help if you are getting stuck in the hole in a squat. These are just for talks sake.

You may already have considered this when choosing your exercises. I just think its an important aspect.

Agree. Figure out your weak points of the main lifts and target those.

Looking at what the OP had down:

Day One (OH PRESS)
3x10 DB Military Press
3x10 Barbell Curls:
Day Two (DEADLIFT)
3x10 Chins
3x10 Lat Pulls
4x15 Hanging Leg Raises
Day Three (BENCH)
3x10 Incline Press
3x10 Rope Pushdown
Day Four (SQUAT)
3x10 Leg Press
3x10 Leg Curls
3x10 Weighted Situps

I'm not sure what doing chins AND lat pulls is going to do. Seems redundant. I'd keep the chinups but perhaps do something else for back, too, like RDL's, power cleans, or good mornings. Same with doing DB Millies after BB OH press. I might hit another movement that targets shoulders just for variety. But again, work on your weaknesses.

[navy10]

thanks for the input everyone.