This post is a follow up to my original 5/3/1 post. While the original detailed my personal progress with the program, today I’m going to highlight the progress of a group at CrossFit 626 utilizing Wendler’s approach to strength gains. Building on my personal experience (stupid mistakes) and refining the supplemental movements performed to support each of the main lifts has yielded some fantastic results. Prior to starting the program all participating members tested their one rep max in each of the four lifts to establish a baseline. These numbers are provided below.
| Bench Press | Back Squat | Shoulder Press | Deadlift | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damian | 245 | 295 | 155 | 385 |
| Virginia | 85 | 120 | 60 | 155 |
| Rod | 225 | 205 | 135 | 245 |
| Noodles | 245 | 295 | 135 | 365 |
| Razi | 165 | 305 | 115 | 355 |
| Jeanine | 80 | 120 | 60 | 115 |
After completion of the three week 5/3/1 sequence and an additional week for de-loading, the group retested. The results of which are given below.
| Bench Press | Back Squat | Shoulder Press | Deadlift | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damian | 255 | 315 | 170 | 405 |
| Virginia | 90 | 135 | 65 | 200 |
| Rod | 245 | 250 | 150 | 275 |
| Noodles | 250 | 305 | 135 | 390 |
| Razi | 195 | 315 | 125 | 355 |
| Jeanine | 90 | 145 | 70 | 145 |
To highlight relative gains, the percentage increase for each lift is provided in this final table.
| Bench Press | Back Squat | Shoulder Press | Deadlift | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damian | 4 | 7 | 10 | 5 |
| Virginia | 6 | 13 | 8 | 29 |
| Rod | 9 | 22 | 11 | 12 |
| Noodles | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| Razi | 18 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| Jeanine | 13 | 21 | 17 | 26 |
As a whole, the group increased their lifts by 410 lbs. This yields an average increase across people and lifts of 8.8%. You’ll also notice there are a few ridiculous jumps, like the 29% increase in deadlift. This occurred over a period of only 1 month! One important note here is that while the group has been participating in CrossFit for a period ranging from a little over a few months to over a year, most have never participated in a dedicated strength program. I think some of the gains can be attributed to the program and some just to people becoming more comfortable with the movements.
Moving forward I hope to document the continued success of this ongoing strength program at 626 and discern how effective 5/3/1 is as a long-term program. Stay tuned.
