Big Jim,
First post on T nation after reading all your articles and purchasing both your books (Mrs weejimmy buys the best presents) I’ve been running your program for about 14 months now and still find I’m progressing although much slower now.
I read an interesting article over at starting strength regarding dropping the threes week if you’re still to be considered an intermediate. I was wondering what your thoughts on this were (titled Karl Schuldts 5/1) I’m no one to mess with programming but wondered what you thought to the idea.
The reason I ask is I’m in my rugby season at the moment and only lifting twice per week. Would you advocate still pushing the final set for rep PR’s or just get the desired and move on. I don’t want to burn out and detract from my rugby but also don’t want to drift south towards vag! Also de-load weeks… Should I keep doing them or see how I feel as im only training twice per week?
If you have time to answer my queries I would be really appreciative
Weejimmy (currently all banged up from today’s game!)
wee,
What is you schedule like during the week? What days are your matches? Need a little bit of info here. Also what are your TM’s?
I also play rugby and my advice would be this:
1- Keep lifting twice a week
2- Push hard on the final sets for the upper body lifts. Your upper body doesn’t take as much of a pounding from practice so keep training it hard
3- For the final set on the lower body lifts, play it by how you feel. If practice has your legs really beat up, just do the required reps, and if your legs are fresh, then go ahead and push it. In general, I would go for extra reps, but not to a maximum
4- If you have access to it, consider using a trap bar for deadlifting. It’ll help keep your lower back a bit fresher
Thanks for the replies. Matches are Saturdays, Sunday rest day, Monday squat bench and accessory stuff, Tuesday rugby training, Wednesday press and deadlift + accessory, Thursday practice, Friday off before the game.
My 90% TMs are: squat 201.5, bench 142.5, deadlift 261, press 101
Always wanted a trap bar but could never extend my budget to afford one! Having to deadlift with straps this week as managed to dislocate my thumb so grips knackered!
Do you recommend keep doing the deload weeks?
I have all my fighters do the 2 day a week, 2nd version from book 1, page 62. 5’s and 3’s are never pushed. And we’ll push the 1 day, ever to failure. Assistance work is cut down, and some times cut out, or done at different times and days depending what work load they have for the rest of the day, like if they have to go teach class or spar later that night.
Wee,
Your layout seems like it is the only feasible way to get your training in. Do you feel like you need the deload weeks. I think you should skip the deload and go to either the body weight accessories or i ain’t doing jack shit. How long is your rugby season? You can’t have the best of both worlds, go into a maintenance phase until the season is over. I dunno what the problem is? I used to go on patrol’s six days a week in Iraq in 120 degree weather and still find time to lift and improve. Im not saying throw caution to wind man but fuck, its rugby it not like your getting shot at. I used to the three day a week splits with prowler work 4 days a week. I had my best gains on my yearlong deployment. I’ll stop ranting…just figure out what you want in training and achieve it.
[quote]weejimmy wrote:
Thanks for the replies. Matches are Saturdays, Sunday rest day, Monday squat bench and accessory stuff, Tuesday rugby training, Wednesday press and deadlift + accessory, Thursday practice, Friday off before the game.
My 90% TMs are: squat 201.5, bench 142.5, deadlift 261, press 101
Always wanted a trap bar but could never extend my budget to afford one! Having to deadlift with straps this week as managed to dislocate my thumb so grips knackered!
Do you recommend keep doing the deload weeks?
[/quote]
I wouldn’t, since you’re only lifting twice/week. I like to deload the week after the fall and spring seasons. Maybe once during the summer