So I’m trying to gain strength lifting 3x per week doing compounds with a few accessory lifts at the end of each workout
Today I had a shitty day it was OHP and squat went for 140 on OHP and it just felt heavy as fuck compared to Monday when 135 for 3x5 felt good I only got 140x 5,4,4 and for squat did 285 3x5 Monday and went up to 295 because I couldn’t find any 2.5 plates and same thing 5,4,4 so should I try the weights again and if I fail lower weight? OHP is always hard for me could this be due to weak shoulders or weak tris?
Deload after you fail three times in a row.
OHP is usually the first compound lift to stall hard and the hardest to improve in the long run - there is nothing weird going on with you. 
what program are you on?
You’re right about where I stalled on SL 5x5. After resetting a couple times, I moved on to 5/3/1. Even though there is a protocol for resetting and progressing, I felt like it started to be hitting my head against the wall. 5/3/1 allows for constant progress with the option to set a new rep PR in every workout while still having the option to just get the prescribed reps when you aren’t feeling it.
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
what program are you on?[/quote]
Well I was doing greyskull lp the only problem was I can’t do the prescribed 2.5 & 5 lb increases since the gym over here where I’m at doesn’t have 1.25 plates. But basically I’m doing every mom/fri squat and wed is power cleans and deadlifts.
Then alternate a/b/a with bench/OHP
This doesn’t include the little bit of accessory work and conditioning I do.
[quote]Silyak wrote:
You’re right about where I stalled on SL 5x5. After resetting a couple times, I moved on to 5/3/1. Even though there is a protocol for resetting and progressing, I felt like it started to be hitting my head against the wall. 5/3/1 allows for constant progress with the option to set a new rep PR in every workout while still having the option to just get the prescribed reps when you aren’t feeling it. [/quote]
My lifts are pretty low I can still milk some linear progression for hopefully till I hit 2/3/4 on main lifts
[quote]nighthawkz wrote:
Deload after you fail three times in a row.
OHP is usually the first compound lift to stall hard and the hardest to improve in the long run - there is nothing weird going on with you. :)[/quote]
Awesome I know most deloads say drop 10% but would dropping back to my last successful weight be okay if I fail two
More times?
[quote]SBerlin wrote:
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
what program are you on?[/quote]
Well I was doing greyskull lp the only problem was I can’t do the prescribed 2.5 & 5 lb increases since the gym over here where I’m at doesn’t have 1.25 plates. But basically I’m doing every mom/fri squat and wed is power cleans and deadlifts.
Then alternate a/b/a with bench/OHP
This doesn’t include the little bit of accessory work and conditioning I do.[/quote]
Move on to madcow or texas method
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
[quote]SBerlin wrote:
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
what program are you on?[/quote]
Well I was doing greyskull lp the only problem was I can’t do the prescribed 2.5 & 5 lb increases since the gym over here where I’m at doesn’t have 1.25 plates. But basically I’m doing every mom/fri squat and wed is power cleans and deadlifts.
Then alternate a/b/a with bench/OHP
This doesn’t include the little bit of accessory work and conditioning I do.[/quote]
Move on to madcow or texas method
[/quote]
Do those programs have power cleans in them? As well have room for like 2 conditioning days per week?
[quote]SBerlin wrote:
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
what program are you on?[/quote]
Well I was doing greyskull lp the only problem was I can’t do the prescribed 2.5 & 5 lb increases since the gym over here where I’m at doesn’t have 1.25 plates.[/quote]
Buy 1.25lbs plates and put them in your gym bag. They’re cheap, small and only weigh 1.25lbs each.
Dan John loads 5x5 by adding 10-20lbs make sure you can get atleast 1 set of 5, followed by 4 more sets of what ever you get, and keep that weight untill you get 5x5, few weeks probably, then add 10-20lbs more, and repeat process. I use this system when I’m training young lifter’s, it’s an easier loading system, and guys find it less boring. You get the same results year to year, but without needing micro plates. There’s an article about it here somwhere, but it’s simple and effective way to keep using 5x5, once you max out. Also don’t judge your progress on the other 3 lifts by the military, it’s the slowest moving of the bunch, and not a lynch pin exercise. 2cents. Goodluck !
This actually sounds pretty normal. If you add weight it’s gonna feel heavier and may be very difficult at first. Going 5,4,4 after doing 3x5 with 5 lbs less a few days before is not bad at all. It does take time to recover and adapt. Your body doesn’t think, “oh, it’s friday I have to be stronger because I’m squating again.” Think of all the variables that go into having a great session-rest, diet, stress, motivation, attitude. You aren’t going to kill it every day.
I do a lot of athletic field work so I only lift twice a week. I’ve been shooting for 4x6. Once I hit it I add 10-20 lbs. Some days I can only do 3x4 after getting 6,5,5,4 the week before. It doesn’t bother me. I just go right back to it the next session. I look at the crappy session as a natural deload. If I want to add 60 lbs to my squat this year I only have to add 20lbs 3 times during the course of the year. That is once every 17 weeks. It’s nothing. I know I’ll get it.
Don’t beat yourself up over one session from one week. Look at the big picture. If you add 10 lbs every 2 months you’re going to be way stronger in a year.
[quote]SBerlin wrote:
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
[quote]SBerlin wrote:
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
what program are you on?[/quote]
Well I was doing greyskull lp the only problem was I can’t do the prescribed 2.5 & 5 lb increases since the gym over here where I’m at doesn’t have 1.25 plates. But basically I’m doing every mom/fri squat and wed is power cleans and deadlifts.
Then alternate a/b/a with bench/OHP
This doesn’t include the little bit of accessory work and conditioning I do.[/quote]
Move on to madcow or texas method
[/quote]
Do those programs have power cleans in them? As well have room for like 2 conditioning days per week?
[/quote]
Texas method has power cleans and don’t see any problem adding them to madcow on one day a week either. Adding a bit of conditioning should be fine as long as getting decent sleep and supps etc.
[quote]tsantos wrote:
[quote]SBerlin wrote:
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
what program are you on?[/quote]
Well I was doing greyskull lp the only problem was I can’t do the prescribed 2.5 & 5 lb increases since the gym over here where I’m at doesn’t have 1.25 plates.[/quote]
Buy 1.25lbs plates and put them in your gym bag. They’re cheap, small and only weigh 1.25lbs each.[/quote]
Can’t right cause I’m over in Okinawa right now I’ll see if the gyms in Lejuene have them when I get back there.
[quote]AnytimeJake wrote:
Dan John loads 5x5 by adding 10-20lbs make sure you can get atleast 1 set of 5, followed by 4 more sets of what ever you get, and keep that weight untill you get 5x5, few weeks probably, then add 10-20lbs more, and repeat process. I use this system when I’m training young lifter’s, it’s an easier loading system, and guys find it less boring. You get the same results year to year, but without needing micro plates. There’s an article about it here somwhere, but it’s simple and effective way to keep using 5x5, once you max out. Also don’t judge your progress on the other 3 lifts by the military, it’s the slowest moving of the bunch, and not a lynch pin exercise. 2cents. Goodluck ![/quote]
Sounds interesting would you mind posting a article on it of not I’ll try to find it
[quote]BillyHayes wrote:
This actually sounds pretty normal. If you add weight it’s gonna feel heavier and may be very difficult at first. Going 5,4,4 after doing 3x5 with 5 lbs less a few days before is not bad at all. It does take time to recover and adapt. Your body doesn’t think, “oh, it’s friday I have to be stronger because I’m squating again.” Think of all the variables that go into having a great session-rest, diet, stress, motivation, attitude. You aren’t going to kill it every day.
I do a lot of athletic field work so I only lift twice a week. I’ve been shooting for 4x6. Once I hit it I add 10-20 lbs. Some days I can only do 3x4 after getting 6,5,5,4 the week before. It doesn’t bother me. I just go right back to it the next session. I look at the crappy session as a natural deload. If I want to add 60 lbs to my squat this year I only have to add 20lbs 3 times during the course of the year. That is once every 17 weeks. It’s nothing. I know I’ll get it.
Don’t beat yourself up over one session from one week. Look at the big picture. If you add 10 lbs every 2 months you’re going to be way stronger in a year.
[/quote]
That is true all my other lifts increased a lot over 5 weeks you can check my log if you want I’ll go in Monday hopefully hit PRs
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
[quote]SBerlin wrote:
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
[quote]SBerlin wrote:
[quote]RampantBadger wrote:
what program are you on?[/quote]
Well I was doing greyskull lp the only problem was I can’t do the prescribed 2.5 & 5 lb increases since the gym over here where I’m at doesn’t have 1.25 plates. But basically I’m doing every mom/fri squat and wed is power cleans and deadlifts.
Then alternate a/b/a with bench/OHP
This doesn’t include the little bit of accessory work and conditioning I do.[/quote]
Move on to madcow or texas method
[/quote]
Do those programs have power cleans in them? As well have room for like 2 conditioning days per week?
[/quote]
Texas method has power cleans and don’t see any problem adding them to madcow on one day a week either. Adding a bit of conditioning should be fine as long as getting decent sleep and supps etc.[/quote]
Cool I will look into them are there books on each one worth reading?
[quote]BillyHayes wrote:
This actually sounds pretty normal. If you add weight it’s gonna feel heavier and may be very difficult at first. Going 5,4,4 after doing 3x5 with 5 lbs less a few days before is not bad at all. It does take time to recover and adapt. Your body doesn’t think, “oh, it’s friday I have to be stronger because I’m squating again.” Think of all the variables that go into having a great session-rest, diet, stress, motivation, attitude. You aren’t going to kill it every day.
I do a lot of athletic field work so I only lift twice a week. I’ve been shooting for 4x6. Once I hit it I add 10-20 lbs. Some days I can only do 3x4 after getting 6,5,5,4 the week before. It doesn’t bother me. I just go right back to it the next session. I look at the crappy session as a natural deload. If I want to add 60 lbs to my squat this year I only have to add 20lbs 3 times during the course of the year. That is once every 17 weeks. It’s nothing. I know I’ll get it.
Don’t beat yourself up over one session from one week. Look at the big picture. If you add 10 lbs every 2 months you’re going to be way stronger in a year.
[/quote]
I’m pretty tall 6’4 so pressing is always hard I used to be stronger in highschool but even back then 225 on the bench felt heavy to rep out I’m currently on 205 for bench haven’t stalled yet but do you think it’s due to my long weak triceps? If so what is best for tricep stength?
9 Great Ideas to Improve Your Workouts
by Dan John ? 9/10/2013
- Embrace “Ish”
Steve Ledbetter has an idea that really works well with competitive athletes who aren’t competing in the Iron Game. He simply says “ish.”
The best example of “ish” is John Powell’s approach to the 5 x 5. Each year, he’d set a goal of doing a weight for 5 sets of 5. If he chose 365 as his target weight, he’d plop down on the bench once a week and test himself.
Workout One
365 for 4
365 for 3
365 for 1
365 for 1
365 for 1
He’d then add up the total reps of the workout (10 in this case). As the weeks and months progressed, he’d slowly work up into the teens, and then the low twenties. With a serious enough weight, it could take months to build up to the full 25 reps of a 5 x 5 workout. The upside of this workout may not be obvious, but it allows you to use heavy weights and slowly, steadily, build up the volume. Progress in life and the weightroom is as “ishy” as I can imagine.
Here he recomends a big jump in weight, probably 50lbs, and then work towards 5x5, I like my guys to take smaller bites, like 20lbs, so it ends up being more like this, if you got 315x5x5, the following week, you’d add 20lbs, and get
335x5
335x4
335x3
335x3
335x2
For the first week, then work towards 5x5 over the next few weeks, once you get it, add another 20lbs, and repeat the process. For me working with multiple kids at the same time, this makes loading alot easier, also, the kids don’t have to be the exact same strength to workout togeather, with the same weight. I think a loading template like this, allows guys to continue using 5x5, for years and years, without hitting walls, like people complain about with 5x5. Anyway hope this helps, goodluck !
for madcow just google it and there is a spreadsheet where its all worked out for you.
‘The Strongest Shall Survive’ by Bill Starr is the classic on this type of training and Texas method was first written up in rippetoe’s ‘Practical Programming’