ExRx.net

I've got myself a bit tangled up here. This is one of those cases where I know the answer, but can't take my own advice.

After completing 3 cycles of 5/3/1, with increases across the board, my choice of accessories for lower body is getting downright brutal. In cycle 2 it was only wave 3, but in cycle 3 it was the 2 later waves. Yesterday after doing 2 squats at 95% I looked at the program "Intra-set lunges/planks" followed by "Pause squats" and said, "Who is the sadistic bastard who wrote this?" Um, that would be me.

Since I've been hammering legs heavy for 2 cycles, my basic question is, would it be horrible to just take them out completely for a cycle to make life worth living again? If somebody asked me I'd say, "of course." But well, I like to hear some opinions.

The foundation of my program for next cycle will be:

Press day: chins and pause press
Deadlift day: curls/planks and deficit deads
Bench day: rows and pause bench
Squat day: pause squat

I'm thinking with all of those pause variations, which seem to be working very well, I can do a lot of small muscle intra-sets like rear delt work, lateral or front raises, and just kind of enjoy a light cycle.

After all, those all out sets on the main lifts are still going to be there.

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The Angels have the phone box.

I'm on the same program, though on mesocycle 4 and I'll tell you how I would approach your quandry: take out the assistance lifts that are killing you.
Aside from making gains and setting PR's, the whole program is supposed to be fun. I don't think any lifter takes Wendler's advice when, in the book, he says what to do when youre having a bad day, which is do the lifts and leave. Seems no one does or would want to do that. So, if you don't want to do that adjust your assistance lifts. Remember, focusing on those is like 'majoring in the minors', there's no reason to allow that to be the factor that burns you out or ruins your recovery.
Long story short: pick different and/or limit your assistance exercise but don't quit doing squats and dl's. What i would do anyway.

Yes! What Abe said.

5/3/1 should not be brutal anything in 3 cycles! Assistance lifts=accessory lifts. They aren't supposed to be the hard part of your workout. I just spent some time catching up on Jason Ferruggia's website. One of his recurring themes is deload. He not only recommends a deload week for every 4-6 weeks of training, but 2-4 weeks completely off at least once a year (actually he says once or twice a year). My young training partner just came back from almost 6 months away, and hadn't trained significantly during that time. Right off the bat he's 3-repping his old 1RMs.

Whatever you do, when you're feeling beat up, change something. Yes, give your legs some time off, then come back with a kinder, gentler plan for your accessory exercises!

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Nick and Doc, thanks.

As for Wendler's comment about quitting if you don't feel like it, that was a headsmack when you said that. Of course I've read the book 3 times, and read that said by him more than that. But I just decided to ignore it, because, you know, I'm a bad-ass. He could learn from me.

Thanks for the reality check guys.

_________________
The Angels have the phone box.