Im Fried

[height_11]

So, iv been doing the regular 4 day 5/3/1 for the vast majority of this year so far, along side it i have been doing 2 crossfit workouts a week on off(cardio) days.

so a weeks training would look something like this:
M - am - Squat 531
T-am - cardio + abs, pm - crossfit
W - am - OHP 5/3/1
T - am - cardio + abs, pm - crossfit
F - am - Deadlift 531
S - off (recently arms and or abs)
S - bench 531

I have not had a deload week for a while now and with being on a fat loss diet, im completely fried.I dont want to wake up early to train, i dont put 100% in when i do train and im finding it harder to stick to the diet. I know full well i have tried to do too much all at the same time and its eventually caught up with me.

i was planning on taking the rest of the week off, so thurs,fri,sat,sun - no exercise. normally after 3-7 days off i feel fresh and ready to go again.

now i want to continue dieting down until im <10%, i think 5 weeks and i should be there. after that i want to try to add as much lean size as possible.

so really i want help to figure out how can i keep doing crossfit (1-2 times a week) while still cutting then making the transition to a mass phase.

any opinions on workouts i should do? and how to set everything up so i dont burn out after 4 weeks. obviously with being on more calories i should really be able to cope better but iv still got 5 weeks to go before then.

i apologise for such a wishy washy thread but i really would appreciate some advice.

i kinda get the feeling a decent 3 day split would resolve a lot of the issues. but i dont really like the look of most 5x5's or the 531 3 day split.

[Adam2433]

Maybe deloading like your supposed to and not having 8 training sessions in a week would be the common sense starting point. I am betting if you do all that than you are also doing a ton of assistance work too which is contributing to the problem.

If you are dead set on keeping the 4 way split and you have a life style that would allow for recovery on it I would do the following...

- deload NOW for a week or even 2 if needed
- replace cardio with crossfit on 2 days out of the week
- lower assistance work to 2-3 exercises per session volume up to you but NOT to failure
- push 2 of the 4 main lifts each week. just do prescribed reps on the other 2.
- keep diet conducive to fat loss as is

Diet will be most important for the weight loss. Post that up if you want the guys to take a look and help with that. But you are obviously doing too much work and need a break. I personally don't understand the obsession with guys wanting to combine Crossfit with other intense training programs as I think that is a reciple for overtraining. But I think if you sub out some cardio, do some cardio intensive WODs and back off pushing 5/3/1 all at once you'll be ok.

Pick what is most important to you. As Jim says, "You can't serve two masters."

Good luck.

[steel1970]

I agree with Adam.....if you're really pushing with the 5/3/1, how in the hell do you think you are even gonna remotely recover after mixing in cardio AND Crossfit? It seems to me like you should be fried, VERY fried. Too much work in with way too little recovery....

[mentalflex]

In addition to what has already been said, that much work will not only hamper recovery, but from all of the stress you are putting on your body you would likley have high levels of cortisol, which could be holding you back from reaching your ultimate fat loss goals.

Also, if you are overtraining then testosterone levels can become suppressed, which can further reduce your recovery ability and progress.

[height_11]

so really, its looking like drop the crossfit sessions. which is a shame but my goals are more physique orientated and i just cant fit it all in.
after iv cut the fat, i want to try to add some size. should i stick to 5/3/1 and do BBB or should i switch to a more bodybuilder-esq workout?

[mentalflex]

Focus on your fat loss now and evaluate your physique at that time.

By more bodybuilder-esq routine, what would you be refering to?

[height_11]

well, 5/3/1 is primarily strength focused right? so if im wanting to add more all over size, is there not a more suitable workout? or is it a case of just eating more?
i just wish i was strong and experienced enough for DC lol. maybe in a few years.

[big ross]

My man you don't have to drop crossfit but Adam nailed it on the head, be smart. If you wanted you could do 5/3/1 BBB without really pushing the reps than doing crossfit later. Crossfit isn't your problem, not deloading every fourth week like JW emphasizes in every book is. Whatever your goal is you have to workout for that goal. For example, why do you do CF? Cardio? Health? GPP? Fun? When you answer that you'll be able to set your priorities.

[height_11]

its cardio that i enjoy i guess. i prefer the more intense cardio, so treadmill sprints and crossfit. i guess not being a tool and deloading is a pretty obvious answer.
I think i have'nt used a deload week for a while as iv felt fine, but the past week and a half its just hit me like a bus.

[steel1970]

My man you don't have to drop crossfit but Adam nailed it on the head, be smart. If you wanted you could do 5/3/1 BBB without really pushing the reps than doing crossfit later. Crossfit isn't your problem, not deloading every fourth week like JW emphasizes in every book is. Whatever your goal is you have to workout for that goal. For example, why do you do CF? Cardio? Health? GPP? Fun? When you answer that you'll be able to set your priorities.

I agree and disagree with some of this.....he absolutely needs to deload, but if he's doing any amount of accessory work, doing the cardio AND Crossfit is gonna tax him and hamper his recovery, deload or not. It's just a tremendous amount of training in a week's time.....5/3/1 is pretty intense on its own if you can move any weight, and then the accessory work can put you very close to teetering on the line of overtraining......add in cardio and Crossfit and you're just begging to not recover IMO. Sounds like he's trying to cut fat, so I'm assuming his calories are restricted as well...if it were me, I would personally do one or the other, but not both. You can get strong and conditioned with Crossfit. And you can get strong and conditioned doing 5/3/1 and cardio.....I just think doing all of it is too much. I certainly know it would be for me.....

[Adam2433]

If you like cardio (crazy man haha) AND Crossfit why not do them as I originally suggested. Say 2 days of cardio and 2 days of WODs just not on the same day. If you choose the more conditioning/endurance based WODs they like complexes, bodyweight stuff, etc it shouldn't hamper your 5/3/1 workouts too much barring you don't push each main lift every workout.

I still think picking 1 goal, accomplishing it, then reevaluating and setting up a new plan is the best bet. If you try to accomplish everything at once you will just stall out and get frustrated which sounds like is happening.

Sounds like fat loss/conditioning is the goal right now. Hit that and put strength/size on the back burner until you are satisfied with your condition. Then reevaluate and replan.

[big ross]

If you like cardio (crazy man haha) AND Crossfit why not do them as I originally suggested. Say 2 days of cardio and 2 days of WODs just not on the same day. If you choose the more conditioning/endurance based WODs they like complexes, bodyweight stuff, etc it shouldn't hamper your 5/3/1 workouts too much barring you don't push each main lift every workout.

I still think picking 1 goal, accomplishing it, then reevaluating and setting up a new plan is the best bet. If you try to accomplish everything at once you will just stall out and get frustrated which sounds like is happening.

Sounds like fat loss/conditioning is the goal right now. Hit that and put strength/size on the back burner until you are satisfied with your condition. Then reevaluate and replan.

Bingo again. 5/3/1 is actually not that taxing (just dont do 20 sets of accessory or forced reps or any of that) if you follow it as prescribed and limit accessory work there is no reason you can't follow what Adam has said. Hit if you haven't deloaded in a while I'll guess that you haven't reset your maxes either. My reps for the 5/3/1 now are a few extra reps on the 5 week if I feel up to it, If not no big deal. 3's week I do 2 singles after the threes, nothing that I can't do or super ridiculously challenging. On the 1's week I try to rep out as many as possible. 5/3/1 for PL is a good read and JW addresses stressing conditioning or weight loss. Basically you can not do everything all at once without a trade off, as long as you understand that CF is more taxing than walking at an incline or that not deloading will eventually lead to staggered gains/overtraining you can design your program and adapt accordingly.

[height_11]

So reset my max's, 4days 531, cardio days are now just crossfit but more of the cardio based. And deload! Any more advice? Really appreciate the help guys!
Oh and hit the prescribed reps bar 3 week where I will try to rep out, then Utilise my deload week.

[liftweights]

Wait you cant DC train on the 3 day split, do crossfit, 5/3/1, and play hockey on the weekends all at the same time? SHIT

Edit: Almost forgot an hour of fasted cardio every morning.

[big ross]

So reset my max's, 4days 531, cardio days are now just crossfit but more of the cardio based. And deload! Any more advice? Really appreciate the help guys!
Oh and hit the prescribed reps bar 3 week where I will try to rep out, then Utilise my deload week.

That's sounds like a start. Just see how it feels after a few weeks. If you feel fine pump more reps, if not than don't. I have a feeling you're going to be able to all the stuff you were doing before once you start deloading and resetting your maxes.