2 day 531 split

[tonyv107]

Hey guys I've got a question about the 531 routine for folks who can only lift twice a week. It involves a 2 week cycle that incorporates doing 2 of the 4 big compound movements once a week. Compound lifts are Bench press, overhead press, squat and dead lift. Reps are 5 3 1. While all assistance work is 5x10 which is geared around hypertrophy.

For those who don't know it was posted on T-Nation and looks something like this

Week 1: Monday- Squats + assistance work
Thursday- Bench + assistance
Week 2: monday-deadlift+ assistance
Thursday- overhead press + assistance

I'm just wondering if anyone has tweaked this to perhaps doing two 531's in a day. Like on Bench day you also do bent over rows, or on OH press day weighted pullups. I ask because I'm not really interested in hyptertropjy and want to focus more on strength gains with my push and pulls.

[seiken steve]

Personally I wouldn't mess with the routine too much mate.

Wouldn't bent over rows be considered accessory work on a bench day?

And ditto of weighted chins?

[seiken steve]

Also buy the book.

[tonyv107]

Just bought the book =]. I was just wondering if anyone went heavy with the assistance work and if they had any trouble with it. I was doing bench, OH press, rows and pull ups all heavy on the same day and I didn't feel I was having trouble with it.

[seiken steve]

good man.


whenn going heavy with asistance i would do 3x5 or something similar rather than 531.

tiss just assistance so singles etc aren't that nessisary IMO

[tonyv107]

Thanks Steve, that is what I was planning on doing for the assistance work. I'm gonna have to separate my bench and OHpress then =].

[seiken steve]

Yeah, personally I really like higher rep pressing (6-12 reps) as a bench assistance move also push press rocks at lower volumes. (1-5 reps)
Obviously that's just me, maybe not ideal but whatever.

Eg: bench 531 assistance standing press + Kroc rows
Press: 531 assistance dips + some kind of clean variation
Squat 531 assistance unilateral leg move and abb work
Deadlift 531 assistance front squat, good morning and bent over row.