I am doing BBB and am in my fourth cycle. On my press I failed at 110x4 during the first week of the fourth cycle. I got 110x4 instead of 110x5. So, when I calculated 110x4 it comes out to a 125 max…which is what I calculated when I started. Then multiplying that by 90% started with 110 as my TM. So, I went four cycles and stalled at my same max as before, essentially I guess “not moving”. Should I reset my press to lower than my original TM?
Also, Im feeling the same thing on the bench, about to stall at what seems the same weight. However, I started real low with my DL to make sure I have perfect form and am not close to my max yet and in my squat it feels that I will pass my previous max this cycle. Any thoughts?
What was your training max in cycle one? What is your current training max, not the max you determined from the formula? If you’re using 110 on your 5 week you should be working on a 130lb TM. The way you’ve stated it, it sound like your training max was 110 in cycle one and now that you’re in cycle four you’re still at 110.
Are you recalculating your training max at the end of each cycle or are you increasing your upper body movements by five pounds like the books state? And don’t round down with your calculations, round up.
Im adding just like the book says. And I started with a 110 TM now its 130, thats correct. And when I calculate the weights for the sets I always round down, my thinking was that it would just be better for longevity and slower, longer gains.
First, you should round to the nearest value. If you calculate 112, then round to 110. If 113 probably round-up to 115, when in doubt round down and err on the side of light. You can always reset with 85% or maybe 80% of your training max. Just utilize Joker Sets to help get some “heavier” work in on days you feel good.
How’s your nutrition look? Aside from obvious questions like form, I would take a guess and say you’re possible under-eating.
[quote]Jaynick77 wrote:
First, you should round to the nearest value. If you calculate 112, then round to 110. If 113 probably round-up to 115, when in doubt round down and err on the side of light. You can always reset with 85% or maybe 80% of your training max. Just utilize Joker Sets to help get some “heavier” work in on days you feel good.
How’s your nutrition look? Aside from obvious questions like form, I would take a guess and say you’re possible under-eating.
[/quote]
well, I reset my press to 105(compared to previously starting at 110) and my bench at 170(compared to previously starting at 175). As far as eating goes on training days(M W F Sa) I have about a 25oz glass of milk with 32g of protein after the gym and before bed. Then on tuesday and thursday mornings I have the same protein shake before school. All days of the week, when I do eat I eat as much as I can in regards to healthy foods and high in carbs and protein. The hard days are tuesday and thursdays because of school. On schools days in the morning I take adderall(however you spell it) which makes it very difficult to eat those days, becuase it severely curbs my appetite. I try to power through it, but I just fill up so much faster and feel like I could puke at 1/2 the food I usually eat. Also, on most non school days I’ve been having 3-4 scrambles eggs with cheese in the mornings.
And for reference (and why that seems like no food to you guys), I am 5’5" about 155. Also, my current maxes approximately are:
Squat-255
DL-330
Bench-195
Press-125
For your height and weight your lifting numbers aren’t bad at all. Without knowing anything about you I’d say you should be eating close to 3k calories easy, at least on lifting days; but please take that for what’s it worth as I don’t know anything other than your height and weight. Either way, do yourself a favor and start tracking what you eat and try to determine how much you’re taking-in each day. I understand Adderall all too well and can understand what you’re dealing with, but you have to try and push through the lack of hunger as much as possible and force yourself to eat. Once your diet is consistent I’m sure you’ll see even better results, like I said; your numbers aren’t bad for your stats.
If you can, buy yourself Beyond 5/3/1 and implement Joker Sets asap. They’re you’re new best friend. LOL
Joker sets are definitely helping me progress with the 2 presses - with the caveat that I don’t push them to the point that I’m really struggling to raise the bar.
If you are failing to get the prescribed reps at the 4th cycle, you probably started a little too heavy to begin with. Some people do better using a training max of 80%-85% rather than 90%, especially with the BBB template. That’s a lot of volume to recover from.
To paraphrase Joe Pesci, the laws of the weight training don’t exist in your world? In order to get stronger you must eat. You know this well before you asked the question. So you know EXACTLY why you have hit a wall. The question isn’t why - you know why. The question is do you have what it takes to make the change regardless of excuse.
We all have reasons why we might not be successful but we all choose whether or not they become poor, pathetic excuses.
Ok, I’m gonna reset my sq and DL to 90% and press and bench to 85%. Also of course I’m going to try to eat even more than I am now. Lots more protein, carbs, just more everything