I have been in gear now Fully since about November, using it almost every session, each week. I have done 275 twice raw, nothing special. I can do 375 twice in single ply gear off 2 boards, again, nothing to be proud of, regardless of age and weight.
I can squat 405 raw, and squat 525 in single ply with loose power pants underneath, not gonna win any awards with that show
I could deadlift 455 raw, It is an official competition deadlift, I can now pull 435 after a long football season with minimal pulling. Its motherfucking sad! I have pulled 495 in my squat suit off the floor with reverse bands. horrific to say the least.
I am stuck at a very low total in single ply gear, and haveno deisre to compete in a single ply fed. I was having thoughts of getting some double ply gear, but I though, "using thicker gear if just covering up the fact that I am weak. I am from now till I become strong enough to use the gear, going full raw with the 5/3/1 program. I will now most likely stick to this until most of my raw lifts match my equipped lifts, or close to them.
MY goal and dream of competing on the AAPF national platform with the best teens in America is gone, I will not make this goal because I am weak, I have no weak points, just a weak body.
[quote]Stronghold wrote:
If you aren’t getting stronger training in your gear, then your problem is not the gear, but your training.[/quote]
I know, this is why I am going raw.[/quote]
I would suggest re-thinking 5/3/1. Just because of who that program was written for. It’s a good program, it’ll work to make you stronger, just sayin’…it was written, by Wendler’s own words, for people who wanted a life outside the gym, ie. not currently competitive lifters bent on going for nats or records. Your goals and your drive may dictate a full-on WSB approach or something else…
Nothing wrong with the program, you just might consider doing something else if you’re not getting the results you want.
you just realized yourself why a lot of people recommend not getting into gear to early. take a few years to build mass and strength, and then when you come back to gear you will be better off and get more out of it.
[quote]Stronghold wrote:
If you aren’t getting stronger training in your gear, then your problem is not the gear, but your training.[/quote]
I know, this is why I am going raw.[/quote]
I would suggest re-thinking 5/3/1. Just because of who that program was written for. It’s a good program, it’ll work to make you stronger, just sayin’…it was written, by Wendler’s own words, for people who wanted a life outside the gym, ie. not currently competitive lifters bent on going for nats or records. Your goals and your drive may dictate a full-on WSB approach or something else…
Nothing wrong with the program, you just might consider doing something else if you’re not getting the results you want.[/quote]
Well you have a good point, I will be picking up the Westside book of methods after a while and reading that. Until then I am looking for a change. I need a program that I can get some results from. I think the conjuate method and using WSB is just not fitting as of right now. Maybe in 2 or 3 months it might. I actually took thought in this program because Josh McMillan suggested I give it a try, and I will listen to what he has to say.
[quote]matsm21 wrote:
you just realized yourself why a lot of people recommend not getting into gear to early. take a few years to build mass and strength, and then when you come back to gear you will be better off and get more out of it.[/quote]
You hit the nail directly on the head. Hell I might not get past a pair of Metal Pro Breifs and knee wraps until maybe november of next year.
I bought the Westside Book of Methods a while back and while it was a good read and I did benefit some, I don’t think the investment was worth it. It wasn’t as helpful as I’d hoped as a raw competitor (The Westside Seminar DVD was great, though), but perhaps you will have better use of it since you plan on going back to your geared ways eventually.
Until then, if you want a great program for a raw lifting, use Dave’s Six Week Bench Cure as a template for your workouts and rotate the exercises as you see fit. Recommended max effort upper body exercises for raw benching are floor press, 1-board, 2-board, close-grip, and incline. I also used it as a template for my lower body days and have seen a lot of improvement from the workouts I made using the template set out in the book/dvd.