Tiff
What is your experience with female trainees that are programmed heavy squat doubles on volume days?
I am a 40-year-old, intermediate lifter. I have recently switched from 5 sets of 3 triples to 8 sets of doubles. I have found I can keep driving the weight up without failure past what I can if I continue with triples. Is this due to poor form/fatigue on the 3rd rep, or work capacity in the context of female neuromuscular efficiency- I don’t know. It makes for a long training session, but it’s a successful one.
I should mention that I lift in the 57 kg weight class in the CPU. I do not have a penis and I do not juice.
Mark Rippetoe
If you're asking about my personal experience coaching this, it's been a while. I'll get Nick to respond.
Nick Delgadillo
I don't suggest changing anything if it's working, but I'd expect that you'll have to move to an actual volume day one day of the week. I don't ever program triples or less for volume day because it just takes too long and doesn't offer any additional benefit if you're doing intensity day correctly. Volume day is 5x5 just like it is for guys. Going to lower reps is important for high intensity stress due to the neuromuscular situation and needing a heavier weight, but it doesn't make any sense to stay at triples for any "offset" from high intensity. Remember that as intensity decreases, the number of reps you can do as a female lifter can go way up.
So let's say you're squatting 225 for a bunch of heavy singles on intensity day. You (as a female) can do 205 for sets of 5, or probably even sets of 8 or more. So it adds nothing to break up your volume work into sets of 3 or 2 because it just takes longer.
aschaul10
5'10", 210 lbs, 27yo. Been doing the program for 2.5 months. Starting weight was ~185. Squat is at 300, and I've jumped 5 lbs every workout (a few bigger jumps early on as I started with just the bar).
I don't see myself hitting a wall on the squat in the next few weeks, as I haven't had any issues other than the fact that they are just getting harder. However, does this seem like a good time to incorporate a "light" squat day in the middle of the week? I'm a little torn on this one. On one hand, I think I can probably handle 3 jumps a week for another couple of weeks, however I've definitely noticed my recovery hasn't been as great lately (just not sleeping as well, more tired in general, but lifts still progressing fine).
On another note, I'm worried I backed off 10 lbs jumps too early on my deadlift and went to 5 lbs. My deadlift is only 20 lbs heavier than my squat right now. Should that factor into the decision at all?
Should I keep pushing the squat heavy 3x a week, or backoff to Heavy on M & F and ~80% on W?
You didn't start by doing the actual program, which does not start with the empty bar. This has created the SQ/DL discrepancy.
You are correct. I should clarify, I started "lifting on my own program" with the bar, and after a month of messing around actually started the program. In reality, when I officially started the SS program, I was squatting 145 and DL 195.
Next time you deadlift go to 355 x 5 and see what happens.
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