Made a few changes to the Potomac Crossfit Wendler 531 Spreadsheet.
Improvements:
- Rounds work sets to closest 2.5 lbs
- Automatically calculates weights for 24 weeks
- Graphs Theoretical 1RM based on last sets
For more info, check out the video:
To download a copy of the Potomac Crossfit Wendler 531 Spreadsheet, click here.
Post questions or suggestions to comments.
The video is a nice touch, thanks.
[...] New Wendler 531 Spreadsheet [...]
i am excited to try this!
Brian, is there a reason I get #NAME? under in the lower columns? Like under Squat the wt then where it should carry the weight down it says #NAME?
in all the columns where the amounts should carry down.
Brad – can you take a screen shot (CTRL + 4) and send that to me so I can see what you’re seeing?
Updated the spreadsheet above. If you already downloaded just change the formula in G7 to:
=D7
Brian,
I just wanted to take a sec to check in with you. I got to Kuwait on 1 August with one of my goals being to re-connect with my crossfit self. The time I spent being a slug was great time spent with my wife and daughter, but it didn’t do much to improve my fitness. So, I was all but starting over.
First step, diet. I am eating as Paleo as possible. Meats are usually easy to come by, and I do what I can with vegetables. Often I can get broccoli, greens, or green beans. I cant call it clean Paleo, because I don’t know of too many grass fed cows running around here, and who knows where the yard birds come from, but it is what I have at my disposal. I have been good with fish oil. I started out at about 188-190. I am down to about 180, and am leaning out and energy is starting to come back and strength is increasing. It is certainly not as rapid as when I was eating clean and had easy access to good fats, but it is progress and will get me set up for when I return home.
Second step, training. For workouts, I am able to use a blending of PCF programming and CF mainsite, depending on what equipment is required. I did bring my rings with me, so I have drastically improved the available equipment. I had some time in the evening when I didn’t feel like working on my MBA classes and took a second to read your blog. I found particularly interesting your post about coaching. I think that I am a moderately functional athlete, but I really enjoy coaching (kinda that do as I say not as I do syndrome.) Before I started at PCF I started a group at work that began as 2 and ended with 10 before I left. Now, here I am, and I have found a few folks who were fairly new and now we have our little PCF-Kuwait Branch. I would love to coach in a gym or open my own, but with 13 years of Active Duty left, that will probably be on hold.
Now, the problem I have had is getting my sleep right. Of course there are days when mission dictates how much I can get, but the days when I have a chance to get 8+ hours in, I have struggled a bit getting to sleep and lay there a lot. I was reading Aaron’s blog and he mentioned that in Robb Wolf’s seminar (man I wish I could have been there) he talked about the benefits of ZMA. I have done the research, and it seems as though the effects on your sleep as well as potential effects on cortisol levels make it worth a shot. Do you recommend it? Have you experimented with it?
Any other suggestions on sleep or anything else?
I look forward to stopping in and working out for a couple of weeks in December while I am on R&R. Sorry this e-mail is a little long. I hope all is well.
Chris Martindale
Chris – judging from your body type before you deployed, I’d diagnose you as a generally high cortisol type. Ensuring quality sleep is going to be your number #2 priority during your deployment (mission being #1 obviously).
Ensure a couple of things are right about your sleeping area:
-Extremely dark, you shouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of your face. No ambient light from computers, alarm clocks, etc.
-Cool temperature.
-As regular as possible, meaning same bed time/wake time.
I know these are tough, but do them right for a few days and see if there’s a difference. The Conex hooches that are in most bases now are pretty good with sealing out light and staying cool. Then it’s just up to you to try to be regular.
If you are just getting settled in than just changing time zones will do a number on you. Melatonin is solid for that (I use 1x3mg tablet from Source Naturals 30-60min before sleep when I’m traveling).
ZMA is good to go. I’ve used Now Foods Brand and take slightly below the recommended dosage. The rub with this is that I seem to be a little muddle headed if I take it too many days in a row, so I back off for a few days after taking it for a few days.
I’ve just recently switched to 1x250mg Magnesium Citrate before bed. Not as deep a sleep as with ZMA, but slightly better than nothing and no muddy head the next morning.
Give these a shot (environment being the priority) and let me know how it goes.
[...] Update: Check out the New and Improved Wendler Spreadsheet with video. [...]
@ Brad – if you see #NAME? in the Wt column, go to tools –> Add ins and check analysis toolpak & analysis toolpa-VBA and click OK.
I cannot get to the program to download it. Could you possibly email it to me??
Thanks,
Jason
Thanks Zvi! That little fix worked great!
Cheers
Darren.
First – thanks for putting together the Wendler 531 spreadsheet. It makes working out and calculating weights much easier.
I do have one suggestion. The calculation for 1 rep max seems to be a little optimistic. I put in my max 5 rep deadlift and it provided me with a 1 rep max of 80 lbs more then my 5 rep max. There is no way I could lift that much. With a little searching, I found a consistent formula that provided me with a much more realistic 1 rep max number based on reps/weights calculations.
Can I suggest the following formula to calculate this number?
weight / ( 1.0278 – ( 0.0278 * reps ))
Maybe a dumb question but im guessing that because this is a percentage based system your sreadsheet works regardless of whether you input llbs or kilos?
Yup.
Thanks guys. Epic sheet. Very cool.
i think that the monthy increases in weight i.e 5 and 10 pounds should be added to the 90% not to the 1 rep max.
[...] recent years. The CrossFit Strength Bias is SO 2009. A sturdy strength program, though. Wendler 531? 2010, girlfriend. Extremely effective for barbell stuff, but I guess people got tired of [...]
[...] try and find a new 1RM, take your 1RM that you did recently for Crossfit Total. Plug that into the handy spreadsheet here. Commence [...]
@jason – Taking 90% of your 1 rep max is only for the first mesocycle (4 weeks if going 4 times a week). After that, you add the 5/10 lbs directly to the 1 rep max and then re-calculate your percentages without taking 90% first. At least, that’s how I understand it.
[...] >> Download this spreadsheet and print hardcopy: CF Potoma Wendler spreadsheet [...]