These last few posts have been GREAT posts and a nice reminder to hear. Thanks to all the guys who posted. Just wanted to say that…
Around 4:20 there’s some good information on the topic of warming up to a max, and around 6:50 as well. All his videos are great though.
So you guys would say 3-5 sets 90%+ is what you should be doing? Usually I go for 3 but maybe will try push it a little more. I do feel at times that I hit the PR and strained hard but, you know, go back down to 90% and I’ll still hit it. It’s not like suddenly I’ve been utterly destroyed by it. That depends in all honesty but I ask because at times I strain and it kills AFTER but then and there it’s not terrible.
Like a set of 20 rep squats would be a fuck load harder.
[quote]michael_xyz wrote:
So you guys would say 3-5 sets 90%+ is what you should be doing? Usually I go for 3 but maybe will try push it a little more. I do feel at times that I hit the PR and strained hard but, you know, go back down to 90% and I’ll still hit it. It’s not like suddenly I’ve been utterly destroyed by it. That depends in all honesty but I ask because at times I strain and it kills AFTER but then and there it’s not terrible.
Like a set of 20 rep squats would be a fuck load harder.[/quote]
You’re majoring in the minor. If it’s there and you can get some extra work in then do it! If it’s not then don’t. Simple as that. There are days you’ll be able to get more in and days you’ll only be able to get some in. On the days you’re good and everything is firing properly, take advantage and get the work in. On days you feel like shit simply do the smart thing and take what you’re capable of and don’t miss lifts. It comes down to a personal feel and learning what you’re capable of and when it’s time to push it or back it down. Avoid missing lifts.
Ah, finally back on the Westside train. 9 weeks out. Two weeks accumulation, deload (visiting my brother in Illinois, so it’s a forced deload of sorts), four weeks of intensification, one week of transformation, then meet week. I might end up rearranging things a bit, we’ll see. I’m trying to move down a weight class so I’m not looking to hit any huge PR’s for this meet.
[quote]michael_xyz wrote:
So you guys would say 3-5 sets 90%+ is what you should be doing? Usually I go for 3 but maybe will try push it a little more. I do feel at times that I hit the PR and strained hard but, you know, go back down to 90% and I’ll still hit it. It’s not like suddenly I’ve been utterly destroyed by it. That depends in all honesty but I ask because at times I strain and it kills AFTER but then and there it’s not terrible.
Like a set of 20 rep squats would be a fuck load harder.[/quote]
Using the way anything feels is not a great judge of if it is effective or not. I’m sure heroin feels awesome but, that doesnt mean it’s good for you.
Always keep in mind you are training the bodies working mechanisms. Unless you have something like an OmegaWave on hand, it is almost impossible to determine where you are at in terms of daily/weekly/monthly biorythms and normal up and down cycles that we all have. What I am getting at is:
Make the plan. Stick with the plan. The only way to tell if it works is when you compete. Not how you feel when you train and not how you feel during one specific modality.
Does that make sense?
For people on here who do carb back-loading, how do you go about it especially if you are trying to stay at a certain weight class and or lean out. Do you backload every day or what and is there an adjustment period where your lifts suffer before getting accustomed?
This cab backloading thing sounds extremely intersting. I also heard that this Keifer person has wrote some articles on fasting, which is another thing that interest me alot.
STB, I kind of posted this earlier, but I decided I should repost it and maybe get a couple suggestions. I’m 9 weeks out, and this is my current plan for my training:
- Accumulation
- Accumulation
- Deload (I will be visiting my brother in Illinois and going to Chicago during this week)
- Intensification
- Intensification
- Intensification
- Intensification
- Transformation
- Meet week
Due to a couple problems, I might not be taking that week 3 deload, so I could do another week of accumulation.
A problem I might run in to is that I’m not deloading after my intensification block, and moving straight in to transformation. For me, a one-week transformation block would basically be a deload, and because I tend to do pretty much nothing in the gym during meet week, I think I could handle it without dying.
Thoughts?
I tried a 4 week intensity block and I was getting minor strains and lots of joint achiness my last intensity week and even on my deload week. Bare in mind that I have a small frame so you might be able to handle it.
To contrast, what I did last time was this:
1-4: accumulation
5: intensification
6: forced deload, spring break week away from college
7-9: intensification
10-11: transformation
12: meet week
Why not run 5 weeks Accumulation, deload, 3 weeks Intensification, 1 week Transmutation then you have meet week. Do those numbers add up right? My head is killing me right now, just started Intensification and it was a good Upper DE workout. I don’t think it’s wise to deload in the middle of Intensification, if you ran the 5 weeks of Acc, that would line you up with your spring break and you would be fresh and ready to kill Intensification. Get your Transmutation in and then do what you want during meet week. Just a suggestion. The best of luck with whatever you choose brother
[quote]Chicksan wrote:
Why not run 5 weeks Accumulation, deload, 3 weeks Intensification, 1 week Transmutation then you have meet week. Do those numbers add up right? My head is killing me right now, just started Intensification and it was a good Upper DE workout. I don’t think it’s wise to deload in the middle of Intensification, if you ran the 5 weeks of Acc, that would line you up with your spring break and you would be fresh and ready to kill Intensification. Get your Transmutation in and then do what you want during meet week. Just a suggestion. The best of luck with whatever you choose brother [/quote]
You’re mixing up my two posts. Read them again.
I’ve got a quick question regarding DE days.
For squats the guidelines are pretty well explained. I’ve found with straight weight to use 70%, 75% and 80% for a wave and if using 20-25% accomodating resistance to use 50%, 55%, and 60%.
My problem is that I can’t find reccomendations concerning bench and deadlift besides just using 60% with no wave. Is that 60% straight weight that would translate to 40% weight +20% accomodating resistance?
Thanks for the help, this thread has been amazing in helping me sort out westside training.
How often do you ya’ll end up beating your ME records? I find I’m not even breaking records have the time when I do them again. This time, my previous ME was 235x5 for box front squats and this time it was only 225x5 for the same exercise. I just can’t help but feel like I’m doing something wrong.
[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
How often do you ya’ll end up beating your ME records? I find I’m not even breaking records have the time when I do them again. This time, my previous ME was 235x5 for box front squats and this time it was only 225x5 for the same exercise. I just can’t help but feel like I’m doing something wrong.[/quote]
I believe breaking records means nothing as long as it transfers to the platform. But I break records every week in my acc. block, which helps me know I’m doing something right. My int. block, not always, but usually. Even in week 3 I’ll end up matching a PR. Wouldn’t care if I didn’t though, since int. is supposed to fuck you up.
I’d think it would be the opposite though.
Intensification you hit singles. I find it’s easier to hit a PR on a single than to get 5 reps when your max was 4 reps out of the same weight.
I don’t know if that’s just me but to me it sounds a little more logical. In the sense that one day you may have really grinded out 4 reps but the next you just missed it. It’s still 4 reps, but you are stronger if we exclude how you feel etc.
[quote]michael_xyz wrote:
I’d think it would be the opposite though.
Intensification you hit singles. I find it’s easier to hit a PR on a single than to get 5 reps when your max was 4 reps out of the same weight.
I don’t know if that’s just me but to me it sounds a little more logical. In the sense that one day you may have really grinded out 4 reps but the next you just missed it. It’s still 4 reps, but you are stronger if we exclude how you feel etc. [/quote]
If you hit 5 reps at 200, and then 4 weeks later hit 3 reps at 200, there’s a problem, IMO. In that 4 weeks you shouldn’t have lost 2 reps. You should have either maintained or advanced. But, that’s just me. I only do triples and singles, and I know if I leave something alone for 3 weeks, when I come back to it, I should add 5lbs. I consider 5rm better for people who need TUT or technique work. I don’t really need practice with technique on good mornings or box squats, and I’m big enough that I don’t actually NEED more muscle.
Of course, in the int. block when you’re performing singles I usually break records on week 1, sometimes on week 2, and by week 3 I’m hoping just to match my PRs.
This all depends on how much weight you’re actually lifting, considering a 5% +/- in strength is pretty normal. But if you squat 315 vs. 750, that 5% will vary greatly. So if you squat 315 one week and then 5 weeks later squat 305, it’s something to think about. But if you squat 755 one week and 5 weeks later squat 745, that’s probably normal. But again, that’s just how I think.
Sure but I don’t think that really was my point…
Well, unless it’s a total crap day for obvious reasons, I rarely go below that 5+/- percent range. So I guess it’s good that I’m at least getting that much.