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Thread: Long-time lurker/ recent convert of SS seeking wisdom

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Posts
    8

    Default Long-time lurker/ recent convert of SS seeking wisdom

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    I've been hovering around the boards for a time now and searching through a few posts so thought I'd take the plunge. After dabbling in various programs and other nonsense over the years I've recently started following the base SS.

    My stats:
    Male
    30 yo
    82kg bw
    5'`10

    Firstly, thank you to Ripp and all the others I have quietly leached off for the past 2.5 months. My squat has exploded from circa 90kg to 145kg for 5 and seems to be charging on. Dead has stalled at 150kg (lower back problems previously so going slowly) not quite sure why I'd be gaining so much slower than my squat however when my back holds up absolutely fine in the squat. Mental barrier?

    Bench, however, has ground to a halt at 85kg. Reading through the threads and I wanted to get some fresh thoughts on how best to approach this. I see re-setting is popular, also the addition of dips as supplementary work. I've recently reset back to 70 and will start ramping back in 2.5 increments again to see where that takes me. Thoughts?

    Anyway, good to get it out. Thanks again.

    Thunder

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    275

    Default

    Hi.
    Assuming (!) your form is good on both squats and deads, I think a mental barrier is likely. With the deadlift, you start at the hardest point with no stretch reflex, no momentum to help you. Maybe you just need to pull harder, longer.
    Post you form videos to make sure. Maybe your squat is a bit too high.

    I think resetting from 85kg to 70kg is a bit extreme (unless you increase the reps, and why would you do that?).
    For an early stall, lacking recovery, form issues and/or to little rest between sets could be culprits. If these are in order, you only need a reset if you fail a certain weight in several trainings. And about 10% reset should be enough.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Posts
    793

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Thunder Love View Post
    I've been hovering around the boards for a time now and searching through a few posts so thought I'd take the plunge. After dabbling in various programs and other nonsense over the years I've recently started following the base SS.

    My stats:
    Male
    30 yo
    82kg bw
    5'`10

    Firstly, thank you to Ripp and all the others I have quietly leached off for the past 2.5 months. My squat has exploded from circa 90kg to 145kg for 5 and seems to be charging on. Dead has stalled at 150kg (lower back problems previously so going slowly) not quite sure why I'd be gaining so much slower than my squat however when my back holds up absolutely fine in the squat. Mental barrier?

    Bench, however, has ground to a halt at 85kg. Reading through the threads and I wanted to get some fresh thoughts on how best to approach this. I see re-setting is popular, also the addition of dips as supplementary work. I've recently reset back to 70 and will start ramping back in 2.5 increments again to see where that takes me. Thoughts?

    Anyway, good to get it out. Thanks again.

    Thunder
    From what I've read you've been increasing your bench in 2.5kg increments up to 85kg and it stalled, right? Just reduce the weight increment. Let the squat and deadlift be what they are, just don't artificially reduce deadlift increments and you'll be fine.

    Where is your press now? Stalling too?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    508

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Thunder Love View Post
    I've been hovering around the boards for a time now and searching through a few posts so thought I'd take the plunge. After dabbling in various programs and other nonsense over the years I've recently started following the base SS.

    My stats:
    Male
    30 yo
    82kg bw
    5'`10

    Firstly, thank you to Ripp and all the others I have quietly leached off for the past 2.5 months. My squat has exploded from circa 90kg to 145kg for 5 and seems to be charging on. Dead has stalled at 150kg (lower back problems previously so going slowly) not quite sure why I'd be gaining so much slower than my squat however when my back holds up absolutely fine in the squat. Mental barrier?

    Bench, however, has ground to a halt at 85kg. Reading through the threads and I wanted to get some fresh thoughts on how best to approach this. I see re-setting is popular, also the addition of dips as supplementary work. I've recently reset back to 70 and will start ramping back in 2.5 increments again to see where that takes me. Thoughts?

    Anyway, good to get it out. Thanks again.

    Thunder
    An 85kg bench does not need supplementary work, it needs more benching. Have you instituted a light squat day yet? Are you deadlifting every workout or alternating with power cleans?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    115

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    It seems like a lot of people get stuck around there. I was doing 5 sets of 3 then 4 sets of 4 then 3 sets of 5 when I got stuck there.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    1,041

    Default

    Bench, however, has ground to a halt at 85kg. Reading through the threads and I wanted to get some fresh thoughts on how best to approach this. I see re-setting is popular, also the addition of dips as supplementary work. I've recently reset back to 70 and will start ramping back in 2.5 increments again to see where that takes me. Thoughts?
    What increments were you increasing bench in when you stalled at 85 kg?

    Resetting by 15 kg seems excessive. I would do a 5 kg reset and then increment up ~1 kg/session assuming you were incrementing 2.5 kg when you stalled previously (you will probably have to buy micro plates or a substitute like washers).

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    La Jolla California
    Posts
    2,285

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    Kudos on squat and deadlift.

    Bench, and its cousin the press, just move slower and take more time. Bench is also highly positively correlated to bodyweight. Im not sure why, but it is. If after a few resets your bench stops progressing, you can try something like ladders or Hepburn. This allows you to increase the reps slowly while keeping the weight steady, then drp the reps while increasing the weight. Look it up. Ive found it helpful. I cant comment on dips, but direct tricep work can be helpful. Rip has a video on pullovers/trucep extensions. I myself prefer close grip benches and tricep poress downs. Dont overdo the direct tricep work - they are smaller muscles. Just do some after the mainlift and addw eight/reps as you progress. Always progress weight or reps.

    Keep squatting and deadlifting, though. Those exercise make you a boigger, stronger person, which is exactly what you need to be in order to bench more weight.

    What are your chins like? Chins help build the shoulde girdle, which is necessary for stronger shoulders and heavier weights.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Jamestown, NC
    Posts
    1,124

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    Quote Originally Posted by King of the Jews View Post
    Regarding power cleans, honestly, I'd just swap them out for Pendlay rows.

    No need to go slowly on deadlifts if you aren't actually injured.
    I second the Pendlays, they are awesome. I heard rumor Coan could do them in the 500's.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    STL(ish)
    Posts
    584

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    Welcome to the forums. Just be sure you have addressed The First Three Questions before you do anything. At your height you could easily stand to add 10kg, Matt Reynolds wrote a great article related to this. Good Luck!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Ocean City, MD
    Posts
    2,273

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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by brkriete View Post
    What increments were you increasing bench in when you stalled at 85 kg?

    Resetting by 15 kg seems excessive. I would do a 5 kg reset and then increment up ~1 kg/session assuming you were incrementing 2.5 kg when you stalled previously (you will probably have to buy micro plates or a substitute like washers).
    This. Assuming form/recovery checks out.

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