Have you switched to advanced novice squatting schedule yet?
✓ Member
LP for Squats
Hi, I'm 20, Male, 6 foot 4 and 200lbs.
My workout consists of: Workout A- Squats, Press, Deadlift, B- Squat, Bench, Pendlay row
I decided not to power clean because I haven't got the money to see a SSC right now being a student but if I gather the funds I'll be sure to see Carl in London.
I have been following the program for 3 Months.
Starting bodyweight: 175lbs
Eating a minimum of 3200kcal, can be up to 3600kcal depending on exertion and NEA
Minimum protein intake at 180g sometimes up to 200g
Started the program squatting at 70kg (155lbs), with previous experience, and progressed to 130kg (285lbs) over a period of around 6 weeks with 2.5kg increments until I did a self form check video, and realised I was squatting at least 2-3 inches too high. So reset to 95kg with full depths, I have progressed to 107.5kg (237lbs) having recorded every squat I do and very much struggled this session to get to depth (I managed perfect form for the first 2 sets, but couldn't get depth on the third set with the crease of my hip above my knee). I expect the next time I go to the gym to be able to do this weight with full depth but I know that very soon I will not be able to keep up with the increments. I often see coaches look at threads similar to this and say something along the lines of "this weight is too little for LP to have ended" and thus see people getting told not to start TM too soon.
My bench is 78.5kg (3x5), press 55kg(3x5), deadlift 132.5kg(1x5).
So my question is, where do I go from here? I can't really eat much more without becoming fat, I'm hovering at around 20% body fat, my waist is at around 35". I don't want to start deviating from this program unless I'm told to do so by someone who knows more than I do. I apologise if this thread isn't very concise but there is a lot of detail to include.
Member
Have you switched to advanced novice squatting schedule yet?
✓ Member
Thank you for your reply, I actually replied to this before but perhaps my replies also need approval because I'm new here? Not too sure.Originally Posted by Michael Wolf
Anyway, I wanted to get a SSC approval before moving onto advanced novice to ensure it was the right time to do so, and also to make sure I'm not being a weanie with my weights. So how does the following look?
Monday: Squat 3x5 5RM PB, Press/Bench 3x5, Deadlift 1x5 5RM PB
Wednesday: Squat 3x5 80% 5RM, Press/Bench 3x5, Pull-ups 2x8 (or AMRAP?)
Friday: Squat 3x5 5RM PB, Press/bench 3x5, Pendlay row 3x5 5RM
My bench and press are also starting to stall now, should there be any sort of change for these to milk LP?
Member
Ya, I'd definitely make that switch. Middle day 2x5 @70-80% of the most recent heavy day, depending how beat up you are from it. Make sure you're going deep every time. This should give you a good amount more progress before stalling. If you've really run yourself into the ground by staying on the 3x/weekly increases schedule too long, start with a 10-15% re-set just so you're not beginning the adjusted programming with an already deep level of fatigue, and take bigger jumps to get back to where you were more quickly.
✓ Member
So I tried this for the last week, the squat worked nicely, after failing 110kg on Monday, managed it with absolute ease on Friday. Thank you for that! I believe I've plateaued on bench at 77.5kg, I did it for 4, 3, 2, went back to 76kg the next session and managed 5, 5, 4 (bad bar path on last rep bumped into the hook, would've been 5 otherwise) and not too sure whether this is a good point to just to switch to 1x5 at 100% 5RM and 2 backoffs at 95%? Perhaps same for press too? If not I guess I'll deload 10% and build back up.
Look forward to hearing from you, cheers.
Member
The switch to advanced novice squat helps a lot of people, very often. On bench, "I believe I've plateaued" is too vague. Did you miss 77.5x5x3 two attempts in a row? And in any case, a re-set to only 76 is not really a re-set at all. I think you should re-set bench and press at the same time, so if you did miss 77.5 twice in a row, re-set down to 67.5 and do 67.5, 72.5, 77.5 on your next three bench workouts and something equivalently appropriate for press. If you still can't get it, or when miss reps again at a heavier weight, switch to top set + 2 backoffs at 92-95%.
✓ Member
Alright, will do. Thanks for your patience, and of course for your help. I felt I needed to do 76kg to test the recovery of my pectoral muscles to see if that was an issue. Since, I have failed 77.5kg once again so I will reset to 67.5kg next session and work my way up. With the press I have a question with the Press 2.0 technique, I currently breathe at lockout every second rep (performing the vasalva manouvre), so I would breathe at the bottom before the first rep, at the top at the end of the second rep, and at the top at the end of the fourth. My issue is this often leads to fatigue or a lack of a satisfactory breath to continue, if I were to breathe more the time under tension would increase and it would probably impact my session adversely. In addition, on my first rep I often feel faint after raising the weight, any reason why this is? I've read a couple of threads on this topic but couldn't find any real solution. From my understanding, the movement can result in the restriction of the carotid arteries and the internal jugular vein. Anyway, any advice on solving this issue, which has now become a rather big one for me in recent times would be appreciated.
Cheers
Member
Try the press 1.5. See this example by one of the finest human specimens ever born: 250x6, Press 1.5 style.
Breathe out quickly at the top without holding the bar extra at lockout, back in quickly on the first 2/3 of the descent, so by the time the bar is back down at about eye to nose level, your breath is already back in and you're set for the next rep, which you do with a touch-n-go stretch reflex.
Posting Permissions