Hi everybody!
A friend told me about a progression scheme where you drop sets when you can’t complete all the reps.
It would start as 10x3, progressing weight in every session.
When you get to a set and can’t do the 3 reps, you’ll drop that set for the next session but keep moving the weight up.
Example: 10x3@205, 10x3@210, 10x3@215 (failing on the last set), 9x3@220, 9x3@225 (failing on the last set), 8x3@230, and so on. You would finish with a new 1x3 rep max.
On the paper, it doesn’t sound bad. Volume will go down as intensity goes up.
But, coming from a simple 3x5 LP, I’m afraid it would be too much volume at the beginning if doing it for the big 3.
Any opinion?
Current stats:
39 YO
165 BW
250 Bench
335 Squat
395 Dl
It might work some, but unless you start your initial 10x3 pretty light, you won’t really add much weight before you can’t even do 1x3. And as you progress you will be only slightly adding weight, while drastically reducing total volume, thereby slowing your rate of progress.
I think the idea is to start around 70%.
[quote]Ecchastang wrote:
It might work some, but unless you start your initial 10x3 pretty light, you won’t really add much weight before you can’t even do 1x3. And as you progress you will be only slightly adding weight, while drastically reducing total volume, thereby slowing your rate of progress. [/quote]
This.
Progression schemes don’t have to be this complicated, what’s wrong with something like the Waterbury Method?
The thing with this method of progression, if you’re interested in gaining size, is that you’re getting less and less growth stimulus each week because the volume and total work done is dropping.
[quote]putdacream wrote:
Example: 10x3@205, 10x3@210, 10x3@215 (failing on the last set), 9x3@220, 9x3@225 (failing on the last set), 8x3@230, and so on. You would finish with a new 1x3 rep max.[/quote]
In this example, your first week (10x3@205) has 30 total reps and a total workload of 6150 pounds. Week 3 (9x3@220) has 27 total reps and a workload of 5940 pounds. Week 5 (8x3@230) has 24 reps lifting 5520 pounds.
Could it work? For sure. It’s classic linear periodization/peaking. But you are ultimately doing less and less actual “work” each week, so I wouldn’t expect huge size gains, again if that’s something you’re after.
It would obviously be double the volume to start, but would quickly drop off. However, if you’re really using 70% for weights, that’s pretty light for 10x3 work so it won’t be as stressful as you may think. Waterbury (the biggest advocate of the 10x3 scheme) generally suggests using around a 5-6RM (closer to 80ish% for most people).
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
so I wouldn’t expect huge size gains, again if that’s something you’re after.
[/quote]
On the contrary. I don’t want to increase my BW.
[quote]putdacream wrote:
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
so I wouldn’t expect huge size gains, again if that’s something you’re after.[/quote]
On the contrary. I don’t want to increase my BW.[/quote]
Then there you go. Give it a run and see how it is.
I do still think starting at 70% 1RM is relatively light for 10x3. What are the suggested rest period times?
90 seconds.
I think the idea behind the 70% thing might have something to do with not having to start dropping sets too early and getting used to the program.