Advice

[bucksweep]

My son in 13. He has been doing SS since October consistently.
Numbers Start/Current:
Weight: 138/156
Height: 5'7

3x5 Work Sets
Squat: 115 to 195 lbs
DL: 125 to 215 lbs
Press: 35 to 55 lbs
Bench: 45 to 115lbs.

More days than not he is getting 150g of protein everyday.

He has gotten to 195 lbs on squat a few times and stalled. Form breaks down and it becomes a grind for him. We have deloaded and worked our way back twice already. He rolls right up to 195 than he stalls.

He has been doing the program through FB season, than wrestling, and now into Track.

Since he is 13 I don't really think he knows what his body is saying to him, if that makes sense. Most of us have a pretty good idea what we can push through and when to take a break or slow down.

I am concerned with pushing him too hard through this period while he has just had 2 full sports seasons while lifting. He does not balk at lifting, does not hint at getting bunt out, etc, but squating has become a grind for him at @190lbs.

Here is my questions:

1. I have heard that taking a week off is not always a bad thing. During the winter he had a field trip and sickness that forced a week off. That seemed to help him come back refreshed. Maybe a week break from the program?

2. Stay on the program. Do a traditional deload again and work through it.

3. Do a major deload and build back up again.

4. Tweek the program by adding a light day or something else (looking for advice.)

5. On a side note: He wants to do some bicep and tricep work. Any advice to work that in?

Thanks.

[The Flush]

My 13 year old son is also doing SS with me.

I think the first question to ask yourself is is your son at Tanner Stage 4 yet? If he is not, I don't think you can expect him to continue to progress all the time.

I tell my son to do 5 sets of 3 instead of 3x5 if he is getting stuck, just like some women do. It seems to help.

FWIW my son is 13, 5'1", 130 lbs.
Squat has been up to 155, but he wasn't getting good depth. We dropped back to 135 and started using a TUBOW which has improved his form. He will now try to add 5 pounds per session.
Deadlift is also around 155, but I have to watch his form and back rounding. He is working on pull-ups, but needs to use assistance bands to do more than one right now.
Press is 60 for 5x3. He did 65 3x3 last night.
Bench Press is 90 for 5x3. He did a 1RM of 100 a couple weeks ago at the end of a workout.
He doesn't do a lot of power cleans, but he likes trying them. I think 65 pounds is all he has tried so far.

[John Taylor]

I'm not terribly verbose so I'll try and keep it short.

He is squatting roughly 1.3 times his body weight at 13........not bad at all on a kids LP. What he will need at this point is a bit more volume if his eating and sleeping are sufficient. Others may disagree, but I think it's time for a little more complex squat programming. Move him to a HLM for squats and see what happens.

Also, he's a kid. Most of them, in my experience, aren't all that mentally 'tough'. They won't quit because they are afraid of disappointing, but they simply don't have any clue how to push through. The fact that he made it this far on an LP at 13 says he's a pretty dedicated young man. Change it up for the sake of having fun. The LP is an enormous grind at times for many young adults - probably much more so for him.

He just won't say it.

[JFick]

No light day yet? Yes absolutely give it to him.

Let the kid do some arm work, it won't hurt anything at his age. Just do it at the end on the last workout of the week.

[bucksweep]

I'm not terribly verbose so I'll try and keep it short.

He is squatting roughly 1.3 times his body weight at 13........not bad at all on a kids LP. What he will need at this point is a bit more volume if his eating and sleeping are sufficient. Others may disagree, but I think it's time for a little more complex squat programming. Move him to a HLM for squats and see what happens.

Also, he's a kid. Most of them, in my experience, aren't all that mentally 'tough'. They won't quit because they are afraid of disappointing, but they simply don't have any clue how to push through. The fact that he made it this far on an LP at 13 says he's a pretty dedicated young man. Change it up for the sake of having fun. The LP is an enormous grind at times for many young adults - probably much more so for him.

He just won't say it.

I think squats are without a doubt becoming a grind. As far mentally tough, I agree. He doesn't know just how to push through things yet. (Have tried to work with him pushing through without be a psycho father.)

I think he would welcome a change up. 6 months of 3x5 squats M,W,F at 6am might have run its course.

Thanks for the reply!

[bucksweep]

No light day yet? Yes absolutely give it to him.

Let the kid do some arm work, it won't hurt anything at his age. Just do it at the end on the last workout of the week.

I am open to ideas on the light day. Thanks for the reply.

[bucksweep]

HLM Squats: How does this sound to start next week.

Monday: 185 lbs. 5x5 (Maybe 180 not sure how the two extra sets will effect him.)
Wednesday: 135 lbs. 5x5
Friday: 155 lbs. 5x5

How much to increase the following week? We have been adding 2.5lbs with LP can I stay with that?

[JFick]

HLM Squats: How does this sound to start next week.

Monday: 185 lbs. 5x5 (Maybe 180 not sure how the two extra sets will effect him.)
Wednesday: 135 lbs. 5x5
Friday: 155 lbs. 5x5

How much to increase the following week? We have been adding 2.5lbs with LP can I stay with that?

His squats are probably in advanced novice territory. So heavy Monday, 80% of that Wednesday, heavy Friday.

L and M days on HLM are both 3 x 5.

Go buy Practical Programming immediately.

[bucksweep]

My son came home from the first day of middle school track practice. They had him run a lot today (He is not a runner), it beat him up a little. He was told to expect to run this much at least in the first few weeks. Is there any advice how I should handle his lifting days with the running he is going to do in track.

[Murelli]

Buck:

Light day is when you squat Wednesday with 80-90% of what you squatted Monday.

Your kid probably will not be able to keep an LP going in season.

If he's running, try to squat on the first day after he has not run. In a hypothetical scenario where he hits the track Mon-Sat, you would squat heavy on Monday morning, before he runs, Light on Wednesday and Medium on Friday. Or you can better change it around his practice schedule, so his squats won't impair his running.

PPST:3 will help you a lot. Puberty will help your son a lot. Keep it fun and he may prosper.