5/3/1 and Crossfit questions from Wendler

[Joshua Morgan]

Wendler just presented the topic of combining Crossfit with his 5/3/1 program. I didn't get to see the presentation. But he did tell me to email him some questions and he will answer them.

So, if anyone has any specific questions they'd like answered, let me know and I'll shoot them over to him.

[Júlíus Magnússon]

To what degree do metcons replace assistance exercises?

Say I'm doing presses for my 5/3/1 of the day, should I chose to do Fran and then go home or do you recommend an assistance exercise or two and then Fran?

Or do you keep the two completely separate? As in doing 5/3/1 presses, 5x10 dumbbell presses, 5x10 dips and then something like a 2k row for your metcon?

[Leslie Powell]

My thought was to turn the assistance work into a MetCon. So if it's OHP day, you might do 5 rounds of ten of rows and db press. I'd be interested to hear if he likes or dislikes that approach. I haven't tried it, so it's entirely theoretical as far as I'm concerned...

[Leslie Powell]

Oh, I guess my other question (sorry) was how or if to program in Crossfit if you're doing a 2-day 5/3/1. Monday 5/3/1, Tues Crossfit, Wed rest, Thurs 5/3/1, Frid Crossfit, Weekend off? Or something totally different?

[David Meverden]

The question about working assistance work into a metcon is my #1 thing I want to know. Expanding on Julius question, if the movement that day is squats should we:

1) Squat, followed by metcon that involves dumbell lunges or similar?
2) Squat, do a metcon that doesn't involve too much squatting, then do assistance exercises?
3) Squat, do assistance exercises, then do a metcon?
4) Something else entirely?

Originally Posted by Leslie Powell

Oh, I guess my other question (sorry) was how or if to program in Crossfit if you're doing a 2-day 5/3/1. Monday 5/3/1, Tues Crossfit, Wed rest, Thurs 5/3/1, Frid Crossfit, Weekend off? Or something totally different?

Which 2 day are you talking about? Squat Bench monday, Deadlift press thursday? Or the other one where you spread the 4 lifts over 2 weeks?

I'm wondering if he would prefer a 2 day version similar to the one you presented:

Mon: Squat, Bench
Tues: CrossFit Metcon
Wed: rest
Thursday: Deadlift, Shoulder Press,
Friday: CrossFit Metcon
Saturday: rest
Sunday: rest

or if he thinks something like the following would be better:

Mon: Squat, short metcon
Tuesday: Bench, short metcon
Wed: Rest
Thursday: Deadlift, short metcon
Friday: Shoulder Press, short metcon
Weekend: Rest

[George Noble]

If it were me I would do it as follows:

Include assistance exercises which I need to keep in order to progress. For example my raw bench doesn't go up unless I dumbbell press and my deadlift doesn't do much unless I barbell row, so I will keep doing those. This is obviously an individual matter. Squat and overhead press tend to go up OK just from training those, so I would do metcons on the squat and press days and assistance on the bench and deadlift days. On the assistance days I'd add in ab work and any work I feel vain enough to do to target aesthetic weaknesses, like curls and shrugs.

If you use the Dave Tate method of taking every exercise you are doing and asking yourself honestly "why exactly am I doing this?" then you will probably find the program quite devoid of assistance anyway which leaves plenty of time for metcons.

Dropping assistance exercises you actually need in lieu of metcon is stupid, but an honest assessment of whether you actually need them is certainly not.

Just my opinion - I'm not Jim, as anyone who knows me will find too obvious to point out.

[Drew Cloutier]

The question now lies in the what is necessary to whom.

For example: doing curls for arms might be in vain for some, but some sports, jobs, activities, etc might require strong biceps/forearms.

This is in relation to assistance work.

Think about it, powerlifters don't compete in Curling events, yet many/most do direct biceps work.

[Matt Corley]

Originally Posted by Drew Cloutier

Think about it, powerlifters don't compete in Curling events, yet many/most do direct biceps work.

There actually are curls and power curl events at some meets.

[Matt Guingrich]

Is there an article or video about this, or did Wendler address this at a seminar?

[George Noble]

Originally Posted by Drew Cloutier

The question now lies in the what is necessary to whom.

For example: doing curls for arms might be in vain for some, but some sports, jobs, activities, etc might require strong biceps/forearms.

This is in relation to assistance work.

Think about it, powerlifters don't compete in Curling events, yet many/most do direct biceps work.

Well yes. That's why individuals do their own evaluations and the internet does not.