Applying Jim Wendler's "Simplest Training Template"

T-Nation article here: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... g_template

This is purely theoretical, in an attempt to fill my head with a bit more programming knowledge. The template laid out in this article is pretty solid for weight lifting. But how does it apply to gymnastic work?

What would a sample plan look like if you took out the weight lifting and added FBEs to the mix?

You would come in and do your WU and mobility stuff.

Then basically you would probably stick to FBE or a mix of FBE with static holds at certain positions. 1 push, pull, core, leg. Maybe 2.

Then basically circuit training with much easier progressions. If you want it to have a conditioning effect, you can try stations of 20s on/10 off or 30on/15off. 4 rounds, 3-5 stations under 10 minutes.

However, it can be difficult to work even basic explosive progressions without some level of basic strength; especially when it comes to working with BW. This isn't necessarily the case when working with a barbell.

It really wouldn't be terribly different from the WODs, but you'd have one press, one pull, one multiplane, and one leg/core day per week. That would be your big difference. You would be doing three sets on your maximal strength exercise, choosing SLS for legs, full ROM dip variation (weighted when all variations are easy enough to do 3-5 reps with) for pressing, pull up variation for pulls (same as dips, weight them when necessary and don't forget about 1 arm chins when you are strong enough), muscle up transition for multiplane, and either weighted decline sit ups, HLL, or body lever depending on how strong you are. As you get to where you can do full HLL I would switch to those for strength and move decline situps to the accessory work part of the day, and when you can do body levers I would move HLL to accessory work as well, and when you can do 10+ body levers you switch between doing HLL or body levers for the strength exercise on leg/core day.

Remember, strength exercise is done with 5 or less reps for three sets on Jim's protocol, typically with 5 and then 3 and then 1 rep, getting slightly harder each set with the 1 rep being a training max. You may want to stick with 3 reps for your last set, going for max reps on that third set. In other words your goal is 3, but if you get 7 then that's great and it means you should move up slightly in difficulty next week.

To note that article didn't really talk about reps and set like Jim's 5-3-1. If you were to try that rep scheme, I would look at the percentages he uses.

Still, I do not think percentages of max for BW exercise and barbell are exactly similar.

You're right, there's no way to estimate bodyweight leverage work like you can with external loads. That's the big flaw with trying to use a percentage based system with something that can't really be put into a percentile ranking without some serious analysis.

You just have to do it by feel.

That's true, you need Jim's manual to look at the percentages he recommends. Only the last set is pushed to the limit. Everything else is done by the numbers no matter how much stronger you feel. That's the big secret of why 5/3/1 works. You don't need more than one set done that way. The rest just functions as some extra volume and to prime the body for that one serious effort.

Yeah, I really dig how there is the build-up volume and then the 3 worksets. It's deceptive as their is a lot more volume than you see than just the 3 work sets.