Building the monolith vs 531 vs upper lower split 4 days vs nsuns 4 days

[clayboy_123]

Which is better for gaining mass and strength ? I’ve been running 5x5 , Mad cow and alternate versions of each for awhile. I typically respond better to lower reps 4-6 vs 8-12. Thanks

 

[Hyde]

What’s your age, height, bodyweight, years of training experience & current 1RM for squat, bench, dead, & the strictpress?

Building the Monolith is easily the best short term routine for mass and strength, but remember it is to be paired exclusively with a caloric surplus and ideally every restorative effort at your disposal. It is an intense mass program that cannot be sustained indefinitely. You eat and recover like it’s your job for a finite period of time so you can murder yourself in the gym for a couple months or whatever it is. You have to be careful not to set the training maxes too high or injury or burnout becomes very possible.

5/3/1 is a more general training template that can be heavily modified based on needs through the secondary and supplemental accessories. Upper/lower is even less specific - 5/3/1 is also an upper lower split, and so are many American strength programs.

 

[wfreiling]

What’s your age, height, bodyweight, years of training experience & current 1RM for squat, bench, dead, & the strictpress?

Building the Monolith is easily the best short term routine for mass and strength, but remember it is to be paired exclusively with a caloric surplus and ideally every restorative effort at your disposal. It is an intense mass program that cannot be sustained indefinitely. You eat and recover like it’s your job for a finite period of time so you can murder yourself in the gym for a couple months or whatever it is. You have to be careful not to set the training maxes too high or injury or burnout becomes very possible.

5/3/1 is a more general training template that can be heavily modified based on needs through the secondary and supplemental accessories. Upper/lower is even less specific - 5/3/1 is also an upper lower split, and so are many American strength programs.

Thanks for this breakdown

 

[Hyde]

Thanks for this breakdown

Monolith about took me out bro. I can’t remember for sure, but I think I got injured that training cycle after about a month in. Just brutal. I keep thinking I pulled an erector but I can’t remember for sure.

All the little niggles blur together over the years

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

I've been thinking about trying monolith for a while. I already eat about 3 dozen eggs a week. My wife thinks I have a problem now, I can't imagine what she'll say when I double it!

Maybe I'll give it a go with some Ogre to help out, finally let my traps swallow my neck.

 

[Hyde]

I've been thinking about trying monolith for a while. I already eat about 3 dozen eggs a week. My wife thinks I have a problem now, I can't imagine what she'll say when I double it!

Maybe I'll give it a go with some Ogre to help out, finally let my traps swallow my neck.

Jim is a nice guy and all, but making blanket nutrition requirements will never be optimal for everyone. Some people will get fat AF on his minimum recommendations while others would be losing lbs a week. You need to look at the take home message: if you wanna bulk, you are going to have to put in work in the kitchen to eat a lot of quality calories. It doesn’t have to be beef and eggs. A lot of Jim’s target audience are fucking newbies who have no idea what it really takes to keep up with a training program that intense, so him spelling out an eating plan helps eliminate people falling prey to their own ignorance before they even begin.

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

Jim is a nice guy and all, but making blanket nutrition requirements will never be optimal for everyone. Some people will get fat AF on his minimum recommendations while others would be losing lbs a week. You need to look at the take home message: if you wanna bulk, you are going to have to put in work in the kitchen to eat a lot of quality calories. It doesn’t have to be beef and eggs. A lot of Jim’s target audience are fucking newbies who have no idea what it really takes to keep up with a training program that intense, so him spelling out an eating plan helps eliminate people falling prey to their own ignorance before they even begin.

Wholeheartedly agree. I spun my wheels for a long time not eating enough and I've found a rhythm that includes a large breakfast. I spent too long trying to gain weight but not EATING to gain weight. I think you're right in saying he's merely making an attempt to wake folks up to the fact that if you want to put on mass you have to EAT and eat WELL!

 

[Hyde]

Wholeheartedly agree. I spun my wheels for a long time not eating enough and I've found a rhythm that includes a large breakfast. I spent too long trying to gain weight but not EATING to gain weight. I think you're right in saying he's merely making an attempt to wake folks up to the fact that if you want to put on mass you have to EAT and eat WELL!

People have no idea what it can take. If you have always had abs/been lean, it’s going to be even harder. But in general, anyone is going to be uncomfortable.

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

People have no idea what it can take. If you have always had abs/been lean, it’s going to be even harder. But in general, anyone is going to be uncomfortable.

I was on the portly side as a child. Not overly fat but certainly "hefty", in the parlance of the kids clothing market. So after getting into better shape (which was just anything other than shallow chested couch potato status) it was always the fear of getting fat that was holding me back. I gave in and started adding in more calories and made sure the training was heavy and I realized what I was missing. Wanna get big, gotta eat big.

 

[Rad83]

I was on the portly side as a child. Not overly fat but certainly "hefty", in the parlance of the kids clothing market. So after getting into better shape (which was just anything other than shallow chested couch potato status) it was always the fear of getting fat that was holding me back. I gave in and started adding in more calories and made sure the training was heavy and I realized what I was missing. Wanna get big, gotta eat big.

I too once shopped in the “husky” section...

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

I too once shopped in the “husky” section...

Husky! That's what it was. I blocked it out!

 

[BBiceps]

My co worker, that’s a strong little dude, loves the 5/3/1 app after I introduced it to him and made great progress and got to his strongest. He tried the Monolith for a few weeks put stalled pretty fast and his lifts went down, it was too much for him. I looked at it and it’s way too much volume for what I try to do as well. I don’t think it’s anything you can do for a long period of time, it could be fun to switch it up and do a week or 2 here and there but not for long. I think 5/3/1 is great and like already mentioned you can modify it to better fit you.

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

My co worker, that’s a strong little dude, loves the 5/3/1 app after I introduced it to him and made great progress and got to his strongest. He tried the Monolith for a few weeks put stalled pretty fast and his lifts went down, it was too much for him. I looked at it and it’s way too much volume for what I try to do as well. I don’t think it’s anything you can do for a long period of time, it could be fun to switch it up and do a week or 2 here and there but not for long. I think 5/3/1 is great and like already mentioned you can modify it to better fit you.

Monolith is just supposed to be run for like a month right? Sort of in place of a cycle of 5/3/1?

 

[Hyde]

Monolith is just supposed to be run for like a month right? Sort of in place of a cycle of 5/3/1?

I think a month or two. In my opinion, it’s kind of a short term size plateau buster.

 

[BBiceps]

Monolith is just supposed to be run for like a month right? Sort of in place of a cycle of 5/3/1?

I’m not sure, I haven’t looked into it enough, but if that’s the case it could be a fun challenge to switch it up.

 

[clayboy_123]

Which 531 app are you referring to?

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

Which 531 app are you referring to?

The conversation turned to a discussion of the modulated version of 5/3/1 referred to as Building The Monolith. I have no idea about any of the apps, I use Excel.

EDIT: I just saw that post referring to the app, my fault! Sometimes my fingers get carried away

 

[BBiceps]

Which 531 app are you referring to?

It’s a few different ones in the App store, the one I use/like is Five3One. In that one you can turn your 5/3/1 into Monolith. I like the app a lot, it’s easy to track and log workouts/lifts.

 

[clayboy_123]

Is it 531 strength app? Or fivethreeone app?

 

[BBiceps]

Is it 531 strength app? Or fivethreeone app?

The one I have is called Five3One, I used I few others but this is the one I like the best.

 

[tyga tyga]

Nsuns 5/3/1 app is FANTASTIC

 

[wfreiling]

Nsuns 5/3/1 app is FANTASTIC

I looked into this app why is it not setup like 5/3/1 ? Seems to be a lot more volume

 

[Rad83]

From time to time I mess around on an app called tinder and it too has nothin but 5’s 3’s and 1’s (and they ALL think they are 7’s 8’s, & 9’s )