Background
I've been running Wendler 5/3/1 for quite a while now and have seen consistent strength gains. One lesson Jim Wendler constantly emphasizes is using a lower Training Max, and I've learned firsthand how important that is. There's a huge difference between training and testing, and keeping my ego in check has made a big difference.
Before starting Building the Monolith (BtM), I ran a few cycles of Boring But Big (BBB), so I already had some experience with high-volume training. That said, the prescribed 100 pull-ups definitely intimidated
Stats
Age: 24
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 219 lbs
Running the Program
The program can be found here
At first, the 100 pull-ups and 100 dips looked brutal, but I figured, why not take on the challenge? Here are my biggest takeaways:
1. The first two weeks were rough.
Honestly, I felt weaker at first. I had to adjust my Training Max a few times because the volume hit me much harder than expected, especially with all the dips and pull-ups.
I also changed my gym from a local one to an old school bodybuilding gym. I don’t know if it’s a myth but people say that the old school gym weights feel heavier than the local gyms. Just wanted to throw it out. Not sure if that’s just BS or something to factor in.
By week three, though, everything started clicking. My lifts felt much smoother, my Training Max finally felt right, and my workout time dropped from around 2 hours to about 1 hour 30 minutes.
2. Pull-ups were the real challenge.
I could complete the 100 bodyweight dips without much trouble, but the pull-ups humbled me.
Initially, I could only manage around 70 bodyweight pull-ups before completely hitting a wall. Over time, my body adapted, and by the end of the program I was strong enough to start adding weight.
3. Negatives made a huge difference.
Instead of using the assisted pull-up machine to finish my remaining reps, I switched to negative pull-ups. I did the same for dips whenever necessary.
I feel like this helped me push past failure, accumulate more quality volume, and gradually adapt to the workload.
4. Conditioning improved a lot.
After about three weeks, I noticed a huge improvement in my work capacity.
I was able to:
- Add weight to both pull-ups and dips.
- Superset more exercises to reduce workout time.
- Run small circuits like shrugs, presses, and face pulls without feeling completely exhausted.
Early on, the volume crushed me, but by the end my conditioning had improved enough that the workouts felt much more manageable.
Diet
This was easily the weakest part of my entire program.
I basically ate whatever my mom cooked that day 😂. I wasn't overeating, but I also wasn't paying attention to calories or protein. This is why I got ‘em belly fat and love handles 😭
Most days looked like:
- Coffee in the morning
- Afternoon workout
- Whatever was available for dinner
Honestly, I'm surprised I made the progress I did despite having such an inconsistent diet. This is definitely something I plan to improve during my next training block.
Results
Overall, I'm really happy with the size I gained.
The biggest improvements were:
- Traps
- Back thickness
- Chest
- Shoulders
My upper chest is still lagging, and I'd like more back definition, but I know that's mostly a combination of improving my diet and adding some targeted assistance work.
Overall, I achieved the size I was aiming for.
Physique Pictures
These photos were taken on the final day of the program.
Unfortunately, I think I accidentally deleted my before pictures, which is pretty frustrating.
I also know the lighting isn't great. I was feeling lazy, snapped a few quick pictures, and the overexposure doesn't really show the muscle definition very well.
Even so, I definitely feel like I made solid progress.
Strength Results
[Edit] Strength numbers below
I did a TM test this week!
- Bench 225 for 2 (no change)
- OHP 185 -> 175
- Squat 315 x 1 -> 315 x 3
- Deadlift 405 x 1 -> 405 x 1 (noticed an increase in bar speed)
[Edit] So Bench and OHP remained stagnant. My lower body lifts that is deadlifts and squat improved. Makes me wonder what can I implement to improve OHP and Bench
I didn't test my Training Max afterward, so I can't give exact numbers yet. Have to check back in for this
What I did notice was that the same Training Max moved significantly faster as the weeks went on.
The biggest strength improvement was in my pull-ups and dips.
I went from 100 bodyweight pull-ups and dips TO 100 total reps with an additional 10-pound plate for both exercises.
Obviously, that wasn't one giant set. It was spread across multiple sets, but I'm still extremely happy with that improvement.
My grip and arm strength have always been weak points, so seeing such noticeable progress there was probably the biggest win of the program.
What's Next?
I have a competition on August 29th, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to structure my training.
Right now, I'm thinking about:
- Transitioning into a strength/Training Max-focused phase leading into the competition.
- Cleaning up my diet.
I'd also like to lean out without sacrificing strength. I'm considering starting with a very small calorie deficit (around 100 calories/day) and adjusting based on how performance and recovery feel.
I'd LOVE to hear what templates you all would recommend running next.
Thanks for reading, and as always, feedback is appreciated!