Why Do Not People Plateau on SS as Quickly As Other Programs?

[jklunder]

Hello Everyone,

Is there a scientific reason why people do not plateau on SS as quickly as other programs.

Most bodybuilding programs recommend changing things at the one month mark.

How come people can do SS and not plateau, even after 6 months of simply adding more weight each time?

[CommanderFun]

There's a lot that could contribute. First of all, SS is not a bodybuilding program. That would help to begin with. The lifts chosen are chosen partially for their ability to be progressed in the long term. You can bring your squat up 3 times a week for a long time. You can't do the same with say, dumbbell lateral raises. The program also isn't rigidly set, it shifts to compensate as time goes on. Light squat day in the middle, reduced deadlift frequency, and so on. Another thing I've also been thinking a lot about is minimum effective dose vs maximum tolerable dose of stress. SS shoots for introducing the minimum effective dose and increasing the stress only as the minimum effective dose increases. You start very conservatively in weight, and when you start, those conservative weights are enough stress to push the adaptation, even though you are probably considerably lower than the maximum tolerable dose. The thing with the maximum tolerable dose is, despite the conventional wisdom, I don't think it leads to some kind of "extra" adaptation. But it DOES require more recovery. This is something I have personally observed in my own training. So if you are hitting maximum tolerable stress in your workouts, you won't be able to sustain 3 jumps a week in weight, because you're exceeding 48 hour recovery ability.

[AndrewLewis]

Let's address a more fundamental question: what is your understanding of why people plateau any given program?

[jklunder]

To answer both comments:

1. To me, it is hard, as I always want to push myself as much as I can, to increase the likelihood at getting results. Doing submaximal squats (say 225 lb squats when I can do 255 squats) does not seem like I am working hard enough.

2. To answer AndrewLewis, I think the neurological system and physiology adapt, that is why results plateau.

For example, a Sumo wrestler who does no running, but suddenly runs a marathon, would have a far greater stimulus than Eliud Kipchoge, who can run a marathon in his sleep.

[TommyGun]

There's a lot that could contribute. First of all, SS is not a bodybuilding program. That would help to begin with. The lifts chosen are chosen partially for their ability to be progressed in the long term. You can bring your squat up 3 times a week for a long time. You can't do the same with say, dumbbell lateral raises. The program also isn't rigidly set, it shifts to compensate as time goes on. Light squat day in the middle, reduced deadlift frequency, and so on. Another thing I've also been thinking a lot about is minimum effective dose vs maximum tolerable dose of stress. SS shoots for introducing the minimum effective dose and increasing the stress only as the minimum effective dose increases. You start very conservatively in weight, and when you start, those conservative weights are enough stress to push the adaptation, even though you are probably considerably lower than the maximum tolerable dose. The thing with the maximum tolerable dose is, despite the conventional wisdom, I don't think it leads to some kind of "extra" adaptation. But it DOES require more recovery. This is something I have personally observed in my own training. So if you are hitting maximum tolerable stress in your workouts, you won't be able to sustain 3 jumps a week in weight, because you're exceeding 48 hour recovery ability.

Well done sir. I would add that inherent in SS and your answer is the application of the Stress-RecoveryAdaptation cycle which the OP should familiarize him/herself with. The SRA cycle is the biological or basis for the programming. Commander, well written reply.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Practical Programming for Strength Training, 3rd edition – The Aasgaard Company

[AndrewLewis]

2. To answer AndrewLewis, I think the neurological system and physiology adapt, that is why results plateau.

The physiological system adapts, yes, but at a certain point, they stop adapting to increased stimulus. The lack of adaptation IS the plateau. So the stress is obviously going up, but the ability to recover in time and adapt is insufficient. That's one of the reasons why trainees plateau. The other reason would be that the stress is insufficient to disrupt homeostasis and trigger the body to adapt.

A program stops producing adaptation when either the recovery or the stress is inappropriate - either too high or too low. Given that model, what would this mean of any given program? Stronglifts 5x5 is a great example - why does Stronglifts plateau faster than SS novice progression based on what I said in the previous paragraph.