5/3/1 assistance reps

[Frank1983]

My first real strength gains came from A 6 month run of Starting Strength, which really drilled into me the value of low reps and long rest periods. Then I switched to 5/3/1, which had assistance work with higher reps and lower rest periods. I've been running 5/3/1 for over a year now, and I'm able to add weight to all my major lifts almost every month- so, it's working and I don't want to **** around with something that's working. But I'm always asking myself:

I can rack up a ****-ton more volume in less gym time if my rest periods are low(60 seconds'ish) but am I sacrificing strength gains by not sitting on my ass for 3 minutes after every set of rows?

 

[RegisterJr]

I warm up with 1m rests, then 2-3 min between harder work sets on 5/3/1. Usually only needing 3m on really heavy singles, PRs, or AMRAPS. This still leaves me time to hit quite a bit of accessory work with short rest periods afterwards. Adding weight every month and getting bigger.

 

[herderdude]

You're thinking way too hard about this. For your main movement and maybe your second movement if it's heavy and multijoint you should think like a powerlifter, but after that it's time to go full BBer mode with supersets, rest pause, high reps, and pumps. Don't try to outsmart Wendler, man. He's been at it awhile.

 

[Frank1983]

I'm very aware that Wendler, along with all the powerlifting log posters I've browsed through, know better than I do, which is why I've kept the program as written for a year. This question is pure curiosity. The more I know the WHY, the better a lifter I'll be--- I hope. IE I'm exposing my pre-conceived notions about programming so that I can understand WHY The system works.

If you sat me down after starting strength, with no powerlifting logs, books, templates, etc and asked me to write my own program, I would do lots of sets of 5 on all my exercises with some singles thrown it. So, I have access to all these things and see that this is not the way it's done, by people who are much stronger than I am. But I want to understand WHY.

 

[herderdude]

The why is very simple: on the main movement we are practicing technique and training the nervous system. Low reps and long breaks are best for this.

After that, we want to build muscle in weak areas to make the main lift stronger. Bodybuilders learned long ago how best to build muscle. So we follow their lead.

If you'd like to get further into the whys and wherefores of why heavy, low rep, long rest is best for the CNS And why high rep, pump, short rest is best for hypertrophy, then I'll have to tap out, my knowledge gets shaky past what I've told you, but I hope that helps.