Getting stuck, am I beginner or an intermediate?

[Afisher321]

Hi Rip,

I'm 6ft 94kg 24%bodyfat and 29 year old male. Getting a bit chubby around the waist but i still want to get stronger so until i get a bit too fat for my liking i will continue to be in a slight surplus. I have trained on and off since I was 22 and maybe only properly since using your method october 2021. I made progress and then snapped my ACL and mcl playing football and had a big lay off while still going to the gym. I then came back around august/September time to train using the LP and have ever since. My lifts in kg

Bench 77.5x5
Squat 120x5
Deadlift 170x5
Press 57.5x5

Everything slowly going up still accept bench and press. I am now trying to bench 3 times a week and keep getting stuck on 77.5kg, maybe I need even lighter jumps. I get 5 if I'm lucky then next set I get 3 and then go back down to 75kg.

I am thinking my rate of adaption has slowed and I need a more intermediate plan for the bench? Maybe the volume day for the Monday? I have started squatting 2x per week with the deadlift in the middle which is working for my recovery. Please let me know your thoughts!

P.s I am a PT, have read your books and re read and train all my clients in this method. I have even started a learn2lift class covering this exercises in the way you teach them and has really helped a lot of people so thank you.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Do you have a set of "microplates"? They are not optional.

[Afisher321]

Do you have a set of "microplates"? They are not optional.

Thanks Rip, I do. I will use those if you think that is the best thing to do for now and carry on with the LP. Thanks

[Mark Rippetoe]

The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe

[francesco.decaro]

Hi Rip,

I'm 6ft 94kg 24%bodyfat and 29 year old male. Getting a bit chubby around the waist but i still want to get stronger so until i get a bit too fat for my liking i will continue to be in a slight surplus. I have trained on and off since I was 22 and maybe only properly since using your method october 2021. I made progress and then snapped my ACL and mcl playing football and had a big lay off while still going to the gym. I then came back around august/September time to train using the LP and have ever since. My lifts in kg

Bench 77.5x5
Squat 120x5
Deadlift 170x5
Press 57.5x5

Everything slowly going up still accept bench and press. I am now trying to bench 3 times a week and keep getting stuck on 77.5kg, maybe I need even lighter jumps. I get 5 if I'm lucky then next set I get 3 and then go back down to 75kg.

I am thinking my rate of adaption has slowed and I need a more intermediate plan for the bench? Maybe the volume day for the Monday? I have started squatting 2x per week with the deadlift in the middle which is working for my recovery. Please let me know your thoughts!

P.s I am a PT, have read your books and re read and train all my clients in this method. I have even started a learn2lift class covering this exercises in the way you teach them and has really helped a lot of people so thank you.

Take 1kg jumps on press and bench, and when 3 sets of 5 stop working you switch to 5 sets of 3. This is all in the books.
Your squat is likely artificially light, I'm guessing it's related to your acl injury and fear of getting injured again. Get a form check to make sure you're doing everything right and don't change programming just because it's getting a little harder. Rest longer, drive your hips for longer, make sure you have safety pins, you'll be fine.