I’m 5’7", 165-170lbs during a typical week, just turned 35. I worked out in college but quit when I graduated. A buddy inspired me to start up again and I’ve been lifting for about 16 months now. My #1 goal has been to get stronger and I’ve made great progress. I haven’t had a real program other than just trying to get 1 more rep on the same weight or adding 5 lbs to the bar.
I heard a lot about Rippetoe and bought his book. I just started his program and have done 5 workouts, but tonight I really struggled and I’m wondering if I’ve already plateaued (am no longer a “beginner”). Pre-Ripp, my 5 RMs were 205 BP, 275 SQ, & 335 DL. For my 1st 3x5 workout I started lower than all 3 above #s. I set my increments according to the book: 5lbs for BP, 10lbs for SQ, 20lbs for DL. (Except for my 3rd SQ workout which was a 20lb bump.)
Tonight I managed 205x5x5x5 on the BP which tied my best but I nearly didn’t get the last rep. Squats went like this: 275x5x0 (not even 1 rep!), 265x5x5. I couldn’t finish the 1x5 on DL so I completed it in 2 sets: 355x3x2.
So what should I do? Smaller increments? I can’t make < 5lb jumps on the BP (smallest plates are 2.5lb). Go for 270 on SQ and 345 on DL? Switch to another strength-based program? How do I know when my CNS is “maxed out” and it’s time to add muscle?
You’re not a beginner, don’t do a beginner program.
Try a double progression. Instead of doing 5 reps, do 5 to 8. Try to get 1 more rep that the workout before and once you hit 8 reps put the weight up 5 lbs. You could try a Bill Starr type program and settle for weekly increases.
Jamfly & redsox,
Maybe I do need a week off. Today, I tried backing off 5lbs but it didn’t help. Squats were 270x4, 245x5x5. Press was 115x5x4x1, 105x5.
stronghold,
My sleeping and eating are mediocre. I’m a night owl so I’m fortunate if I make it to bed before midnight, and I get up 7-7:30 for work. On workout days I drink 2 8oz protein shakes, but none on off days. Other than that I don’t know what my protein intake is.
stuward,
I’ll google for Bill Starr. Maybe I shouldn’t do squats everyday, but alternate with deadlifts.
Yes, do double progression, alternate squats with deadlifts (but the second deadlift of the week you should keep light and focus on form, or do something liek Romanian Deadlifts instead of conventional ones). Also I would recommend sticking to 5lb increments.
[quote]Phydeaux wrote:
Jamfly & redsox,
Maybe I do need a week off. Today, I tried backing off 5lbs but it didn’t help. Squats were 270x4, 245x5x5. Press was 115x5x4x1, 105x5.
stronghold,
My sleeping and eating are mediocre. I’m a night owl so I’m fortunate if I make it to bed before midnight, and I get up 7-7:30 for work. On workout days I drink 2 8oz protein shakes, but none on off days. Other than that I don’t know what my protein intake is.
stuward,
I’ll google for Bill Starr. Maybe I shouldn’t do squats everyday, but alternate with deadlifts.
Hmm, Madcow’s version looks great. I’ve tried powercleans a few times and my technique is horrible.
If I’m reading it correctly, I don’t start right away on Monday ramping up to my 5RM; rather I start 10% below it and hit it my 4th week, then hopefully set a new PR each week after for the next few weeks. However, that’s basically what I did for Ripp so I may just start at my 5RM next week.
You should start a little bit below, take a week or 2 of deloading first. This is a little different than Rippetoe in that the sets are ramped instead of straight across. It should let you hit some higher numbers.
Question about Madcow’s version. If I’m doing DL and press just 1x/wk, I don’t have the opportunity to attempt a triple 2.5% higher than my previous 5RM best. Even though Wed is supposed to be a light day, do I try to improve those lifts 2.5% weekly?
I’ve done my 1st two workouts. So far so good. I was forced to make one change. I had to do db bench because the 4 benches we have were occupied the entire time I was there.
I think I will stick w/ db bench instead of bb. In the last 6 months I’ve bb benched regularly but have db benched just 3 times. Hopefully the future gains on the db bench combined w/ benching dbs instead of a bb will spur gains on the bb when I go back to it next year.
Well, I missed the 3rd workout of week 2. I was feeling really crappy all day Sat and took a 3 hr nap. Tonight I went to the gym. I tried to decide if I should do the missed workout or move on to week 3 workout 1. I decided if I could only do 3 reps on the 5th set it would be the missed one, otherwise 5 reps would make it the regularly scheduled one.
So naturally I hit 5 reps on squats, 1 rep on db bench, and 3 reps on bb rows. Ugh. I did 85x5 on db bench last Tuesday but could only muster 90x1 tonight. That was nearly a 6% jump, but there aren’t any dbs w/ smaller increments.