Intensity Day Volume

[skjill]

I both press and bench (in that order) for volume on Monday, and likewise for intensity on Thursday. 5 sets of 5 and 1 set of 5 respectively. My press is improving nicely, but my bench is stagnant. At this point, I think I'd be spinning my wheels by dropping down to triples or whatever.

My volume bench is just 86% of my 5RM, and my bench probably isn't strong enough to justify that big a disparity. If titrating that percentage up to about 90% doesn't do it, wouldn't that indicate I need more upper body volume?

If so, what's the harm in doing it on Thursday? It just seems like a missed opportunity to me, not to mention a really lopsided schedule.

Thank you for your time.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

So why don't you just (1) prioritize the bench press on your volume day. ie. Bench first. (2) Start training heavier on Thursday. Instead of 1x5 start doing 2-3 sets of 2-3 reps. And about every 3-4 weeks work up to some heavy singles

If you want to lift heavy weight then you have to lift heavy weight.

[skjill]

I figure that being lighter, the OHP is less likely to interfere with the bench than the other way around. I just don't want to be the guy who spends a month linearly periodizing his intensity day only to realize that he hasn't gotten any stronger when he goes back to fahves, and that he should have done more volume all along.

[crookedfinger]

Instead of 1x5 start doing 2-3 sets of 2-3 reps. And about every 3-4 weeks work up to some heavy singles

If you want to lift heavy weight then you have to lift heavy weight.

I think this needs to be reiterated. Personally, it took me a while to wrap my head around this concept. While many of the novices complain about needing to switch to intermediate programming way too soon, many of us Intermediates try to run 5's and only 5's for way too long. At a certain point, you're training philosophy and your programming need to evolve just as your strength does.

[SpecialRider]

Andy,

I'm in a similar situation with my presses stagnating. I currently alternate the OP and BP each week with a 5x5 on Thursday and a 1x5 on Monday. I'm leaning toward doing both presses on my volume and intensity day. I've seen examples where you perform one of the presses for volume and the other for intensity, then switch the lifts the next time (Thurs: 1x5 OP, 5x5 BP / Mon: 1x5 BP, 5x5 OP). The other variant being to do, as skjill mentioned above, to both lifts for volume, then both for intensity on the same day (Thurs: 5x5 OP & BP / Mon. 1x5 OP & BP).

In your experience does one work better than the other?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Yeah I'd do something like this:

Mon: Int Press (1-3 range); Vol Bench 5x5

Thur: Int Bench (1-3 range), Vo Press 5x5