I am 46 and mostly doing a 3 day a week program sort of Starting Strengthish. Heavy compounds moving up about 5 pounds per workout. Just wondering if anyone had any advise once I stall on my lifts how my program should change to maintain strength and keep muscle.
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I like 531 or conjugate for heavy compound progression once LP stops being linear.
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Good deal…Thank you !
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Well, I personally don’t like to use a “forced” progression (meaning that you have to add weight at each workout).
The fact is that except for beginners, the average weekly rate of strength gain is much lower than even a small increase in load.
For experienced intermediate lifters, strength can be gained at a rate of around 0.5 to 1% per week. Advanced will be even lower at 0.25 - 0.5%.
Let’s say that you squatted 315 x 5 (for example) a 0.5 to 1% rate of gain, this means that you are 1.5 to 3lbs stronger for a set of 5.
If you go up to 320 right away you rate of increase in resistance is higher than your rate of strength gain.
You will be able to sustain that for a few weeks, but you will hit the wall pretty fast.
At first, you might think that it’s “working” because you compensate the deficit in strength gain by getting your sets closer to failure or using worse form/a shortened range of motion (or cheating).
For example, maybe your 315 x 5 was done with 3 reps left in the tank… so the next week you might be able to get 320 x 5 but with only 1-2 reps in the tank… it doesn’t mean that you got 5lbs stronger though.
Think about it: adding even a small 5lbs per week on a lift will lead to a yearly increase of 255lbs… 510lbs more every two years, etc.
What I prefer to do for long-term progression is to use the triple progression model.
Step 1. Pick a reg range (8 to 10, 6 to 8, 4 to 6 or 2-4), I suggest starting at 8-10 for a longer progression.
Step 2. Select a number of sets to be done for that rep range (let’s say 4 work sets for the sake of our example)
Step 3. Select a starting weight for each lift, a weight that you will use for all of your work sets.
Step 4. The goal is to be able to do all of your work sets (4 in our example) with the same weight,at the top of the selected range (“10” for the 8-10 range).
When you can complete all four sets at the top of the range with the same weight with proper form you are allowed to add 5-10lbs at you next session.
e.g. if you get 315 x 10, 315 x 10, 315 x 9, 315 x 7 you are not allowed to add weight
If at the next session you get 315 x 10, 315 x 10, 315 x 10, 315 x 8, you have progressed, but not enough yet to justify adding weight.
Then at the next workout you are able to do 315 x 10 for all 4 sets… you can now move up to 320 or 325 and start the process again.
Step 5. When you stall or regress for 2 consecutive workout (you cannot add at least 1 total rep over all of your work sets) you switch to the next rep range. If you were at 8-10, you move to 6-8 and start the process again with 5lbs more.
Step 6. When you again hit a plateau with that zone you move to the next zone (moving from 6-8 to 4-6).
Etc.
One you hit a plateau for 2-4 you either take a week off and start over at 8-10 or you can go back up to 8-10 with new exercises.
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Hi Coach,
that’s double progression and it always worked very well.
What did you think about dynamic double progression?
Thanks!
Actually, it’s triple progression. The double progression part is when you either add reps or weight (while staying in the same rep range). The triple progression part is changing to a lower rep range when you plateau.
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Thanks Christian. I always learn something with you. I really like your way of explaining things.
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This looks great…I will for sure start lifting this way…Thank you !
Should I be doing one main lift a day or keep doing 3 days a week full body?
Well, it is unrealistic to expect progress at every session when you have three sessions per week. But I do like the higher frequency lifting.
Here’s what I recommend: do all three lifts on all three days but only put the emphasis on one. Meaning that that one lift is where you give your maximum effort and try to progress. For the other two, use 10-20lbs less than your “hard” weight and still stick to the same rep range.
So that still gives you 3 weekly stimuli as well as technical practice, without draining you.
For example. Let’s assume that your three lifts are the 3 powerlifts and that you lift M\W\F
Monday
Squat = hard session, use the triple progression model, trying to get to the top of the range for all of your work sets
Bench = Moderate session, use 10lbs less than your top weight and get all of your work sets with that weight, somewhere in the range you selected, but not getting to the point where the reps are grinded
Deadlift = Easier session, use 20lbs less than your top weight, stay in the range, no grinding
Wednesday
Bench = hard session, use the triple progression model, trying to get to the top of the range for all of your work sets
Deadlift = Moderate session, use 10lbs less than your top weight and get all of your work sets with that weight, somewhere in the range you selected, but not getting to the point where the reps are grinded
Squat = Easier session,use 20lbs less than your top weight, stay in the range, no grinding
Friday
Deadlift = hard session, use the triple progression model, trying to get to the top of the range for all of your work sets
Squat = Moderate session, use 10lbs less than your top weight and get all of your work sets with that weight, somewhere in the range you selected, but not getting to the point where the reps are grinded
Bench = Easier session,use 20lbs less than your top weight, stay in the range, no grinding
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Yes Sir…This looks awesome…Thank you so much !
It’s my pleasure