Is my TM volume-intensity discrepancy too small?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Mark, how do you know what weight to pick each week if you rotate 3s, 2s, 1s?

You go up 5 pounds from the last time you did 3s, 2s or 1s.

I'm at 410 for 3X3 on ID and 360 for 4 sets of 5, my ass is still being kicked regularly with that much volume (I can't go much higher in terms of weight), but I am stalling on I-D(only switch triples and doubles, no singles, every week)
Should I got back to 5X5 or should I add a lighter back off set for say 8 reps?

Why no singles? Sounds like a lot of volume if volume is a problem for you.

[David_G]

Why no singles? Sounds like a lot of volume if volume is a problem for you.

I really hate singles, every time I do them I have ENORMOUS fluctuations in weights(could nail 5 singles one week, and 2 weeks later get 0/5 and fail with a 2.5 lb increment), I just never feel I "own" the new weight even if I PR 5 singles if that makes any sense to you.

To my honest opinion and feeling how my body reacts, I feel that I am very good at increasing the total work on VD and not the intensity, i'd prefer doing 6 sets of 5 at 340 for exapmle, and not do 4 sets at 365.

I've been doing 360 for a month now due to this fact(the ID kept going up so...), my initial instinct said I should add a 5th set again and maybe lower the weight a bit.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I really hate singles, every time I do them I have ENORMOUS fluctuations in weights(could nail 5 singles one week, and 2 weeks later get 0/5 and fail with a 2.5 lb increment), I just never feel I "own" the new weight even if I PR 5 singles if that makes any sense to you.

Maybe it would make sense to do more singles?

[Bayn]

The first change to TM is that Friday goes to 3s, 2s, and single across alternated every week..

Could you clarify this a bit more. Do you mean 2 triples, 3 doubles, and 5 singles across? or would this just be trying to go for a PR triple, double, and 3 or so singles accross?

I was increasing ID I got to 420 x5, 440x3 (with a back off triple @ 95% or so), and then switched to doing singles at 450, I tried to do 5, but failed my 4th one the first week, and the second I tried the same weight again and failed my 3rd rep. I was doing these without alternating between each, simply going through 5s, then 3s, then singles. Since my 420x5 I have added 25lbs to my 5x5 VD, from 365 to 390.

If I alternate, would something like 420(+5PRs) x5, 440 (+5PRs)x3 and 450 (+5PRs) x 3 singles be reasonable?

[Mark Rippetoe]

The protocol is usually 3-5 triples, 5 doubles, and 5 singles alternated each week. It is important to correctly choose your weights for these sets.

[Tom Bryant]

So for example:

Week 1 triples at say 350
Week 2 doubles at 360
Week 3 singles at 370

Week 4 triples at 355
Week 5 doubles at 365
Week 6 singles at 375

Correct?

[Mark Rippetoe]

You have mastered the concept.

[BareSteel]

If your only experience with heavy weights is with 5's, how would you pick an appropriate weight for the first day of triples, doubles or singles?

My best idea is to make a conservative estimate, then titrate up during that first workout, similar to how a coach would choose a novice's first work sets. Do you have a better method?

[Mark Rippetoe]

That's the way it's done, and the only way to do it.

[Bayn]

do you think my Previous 5RM of 420 be a conservative enough estimate to start from, and then 5 doubles at 430 and 5 singles at 440?