Jordan's road to raw nationals

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

So do you mean it's too slow of a progression overall, since I'm dropping back to 3x5 after the weight increase? With a drastic increase in tonnage going from 3x5/4x5/5x5, it sounds like the implication is that the progression is too fast...at least for those 3 weeks.

Also, since I'm still setting new PR's each and every week on intensity day, isn't making progress on volume day less important since it's purpose is to drive intensity day?

I hope I'm not coming across as argumentative, because I really appreciate the input.

If we assume that the volume squat day drives everything, which I'm inclined to agree with, then basically deloading for two weeks and only adding 5lbs every 3 weeks seems slow and puts the volume at a level that may or may not increase your ID long term on deads and squats. Another option you could play with is just doing your 3x5 at the working weight but also have 2 sets of five that are within 10% of that weight to acquire the volume. I'd just prefer to see more weight on the bar at quicker intervals or a change to advanced programming if weight addition is going to be every 2-4 weeks.

My main concern is that ID wont go up forever without the volume. I'd like to see the volume kept up to prevent stalling. JMHO.

[sking1001]

That makes perfect sense. It's only been a few times that I have done less than 5x5, and although dropping those extra sets has not hurt me in the short term, I can see your point. I'll be sure to get in the extra work. These are some great ideas. Thanks!

[djl236]

If we assume that the volume squat day drives everything, which I'm inclined to agree with, then basically deloading for two weeks and only adding 5lbs every 3 weeks seems slow and puts the volume at a level that may or may not increase your ID long term on deads and squats. Another option you could play with is just doing your 3x5 at the working weight but also have 2 sets of five that are within 10% of that weight to acquire the volume. I'd just prefer to see more weight on the bar at quicker intervals or a change to advanced programming if weight addition is going to be every 2-4 weeks.

My main concern is that ID wont go up forever without the volume. I'd like to see the volume kept up to prevent stalling. JMHO.

When I was finishing up TM up to my last meet, I was just doing 3x5 for volume day and the weight was heavy enough that it was all I needed. Any more was too much. Just my .02

Another thing to think about, according to Justin Lascek/70's Big, is the ideal weight difference between VD and ID weights is about 85% (comes out to around 65lbs difference)....this not of your 1RM but of your ID and VD weights. For example if your ID weight is 400lbs then your VD weight would be ~335-340lbs (65lbs off 400 is 335 and 85% of 400 is 340. It's close). That little guideline worked very very well for me. You can hold that volume weight steady for 2-4 weeks if the intensity is going up. ID is the only one that really matters to increase every week. I basically just made sure that the difference was around 65lbs or 85%. If that meant keeping the volume the same for 3-4 weeks so be it, just make sure the ID is going up.

[sking1001]

Thanks, Dave. I also use the concept of a 3-week training max for my intensity days, where I do 85/90/95% for 5/3/1 + AMRAP. So I've also been using 82.5% of the training max for volume.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Thursday-Jun 14 Upper Body Intensity Day

After talking with KSC for the better part of 2 hrs on Tuesday I've made some mods to my program to get ready for nationals. He's a good dude and we both agree that sometimes you can "know too much" to be objective with your own training. I'm glad he didn't tell me that I need to weigh 242 lbs either, lol.

Pin Press - I was doing these wrong apparently, so I lowered the pins by one hole. I had to crawl underneath the the bar and when I set my full arch (which isn't very big unfortunately) my chest was pushing up on the bar. Andy said these should be grinders from start to finish. Work sets- 305 x 1-1-1-1-1 on a 2:30 clock. I'll jump to 315 next week and rest longer

Paused Steep Incline Press: 235 x 5-5-5
LTE- 90lbs x 10 x 5 (gonna really try to drive these up doing them 2x a week to see if my bench responds)
Weighted chins + 5lbs x 10 x 5

Workout time- 50 minutes lol. Awesome

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

How did the rack presses feel??? Not sure if I mentioned on the phone yesterday to move your grip in some with the rack presses. Doing these with a regular/wide grip is a good way to tear a pec.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

They were fine. I close grip anyway because I'm skerrrred of popping something. My standard grip is thumbs-width off the smooth, but I moved that in about a knuckle for the rack presses. They were fine. I could have probably started out at 315 if I wanted to be really aggressive but I'll just make bigger jumps. I can see how this will push my bench up though, as they are much harder than a standard paused bench press. I also got a sweet pump in the tri's and bi's after the chins and LTE's, good enough for a posedown in the university gym lol.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Just an absolute shit day in the gym. Didn't sleep enough nor eat enough, but I still moved some heavy weights. Looking forward to a nice relaxing B-day (27) weekend so I can actually rest and recover from my hectic life..lol.

Squat- 185kg x 1, 190 x 1, 193 x 1-1-1 (not heavy just slow, decided to stay here and jump to 196 next week)
DL- 200 x 1, 227.5 x 1, 243.7 (kg plates + 21.2kg bar=536ish lbs lol) x 1
I was supposed to do 2-4 back off decifit deads but I was too hungry so I just left the gym. Next week will be better, otherwise I'm gonna hulk smash something!

[sking1001]

Your bad days are a hell of a lot better than mine. Good work!


- I'm in my phone, so gift my a break.

[Michael Wolf]

... I'm gonna hulk smash something!

Video this, please.