New to Forum - Programming Assistance Squats and Deadlifts

[Acorn1993]

Hey guys,

New to the forum so just a background on me:
24 years old next month, male, 5'10" ~207-208 lbs, pretty active job (on my feet all day moving constantly) but only ~30 hours per week, sleep 7+ hours per night, diet is inconsistent (but im working towards fixing this). I've been running SSLP since the beginning of August but didn't start as a "true novice" (squatted 185x5x3 and deadlifted 225x5 at about 190 lbs). Just finished the power clean section of the book but have skimmed later sections and the novice section of PPST3.

My current routine: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday

Squat 3x5 (light day on day 2)
Press/ Bench 3x5 (alternating)
Deadlifts 1x5/ Powercleans 5x3 (alternating)
Chins (alternate BW and weighted)/ Curls

At the end of september I hit a 285x5x3 squat and then a 290.5x5x1 squat the next workout at 202 lbs. However, I retried 290.5 for 3x5 the next week thinking I was under recovered (I was getting over a cold). I failed the first set of 290.5 on the 3rd rep and had to lower the weight to the pins which were set too low so i ended up tweaking my back. Had to take a couple days off then rehabbed and reset to 265. I decided to add a light squat day on day 2 of the week and recently worked up to 290.5x5x3 at my current body weight. I hit 295x5x1, 280.5x5x2 last training session. I just felt mentally exhausted on top of a head cold so I decided to do back off sets instead of sets across.

Recently hit a stall on the bench at 210.5x5,4,4 for the first time but gonna retry Sunday. Press is going up still (140.5x5x3 last session) but getting grindy on the last set. Power cleans are still progresing well (166x3x5 last session). Deadlift has been my biggest problem. Every time my squat has had problems so have my deadlifts. My last set of five was 310.5 lbs and moved pretty well but the form seemed questionable. My biggest concern with deads is that the weight seems to be low compared to all my other lifts. I deadlift in oly shoes. I feel pretty fatigued when deadlifts come around on normal squat days.

I guess my questions are would it be a good idea to switch to the advanced novice 1x5, 2x5@95% for squats and should I switch to deadlifting once a week on light squat days? If so should I add 10 lbs to deads for a few weeks if possible before returning to 5 lb jumps?

Sorry for such a long post but wanted to be thorough with my background info. Im also working on getting videos of my lifts online so form can be ruled out as an issue. Thanks in advance guys!

[Brian Goldstein]

You’re on the right track!

SQ - 1x5, 2 back offs on sun/Thursday = good.
DL- you can go to 1x a week first thing on light squats day, but stick to 5 pound jumps for now. Another option to consider is DL on Sunday, chins on Tuesday, cleans on Thursday.

It isn’t low compared to your other lifts.

There’s no ideal ratio out there you need to hit. Just worry about the next five pounds.

Pressing - once you stall your options are microloading (best) and also more stepwise progress: 5 sets of 3 the first time with a new weight, then the next time go for 3x5.

Keep doing what you’re doing and recovering and you have another month of progress at least.

There’s a great piece in the training log section of this site “Can I get strong and also...” that I review often. Definitely handy.

[Acorn1993]

Thanks Brian!

I've actually already been microloading press for some time now (1.25-2 pounds) but I'm gonna try "the 5x3 with a new weight then 3x5 with the same weight" once the time comes. After that I plan to try the 3x3 taper mentioned in PPST3. As for bench I've been adding 2.5-3 pounds so I may try adding 1.25-2 pounds after getting over 210.5x5x3. I don't want to switch to "intermediate" style programming too soon so I'm try to milk LP for as long as possible using these techniques.

I'm also gonna try deadlifting once a week along the lines of the second suggestion you mentioned adding 5 pounds a week. I do occasionally drink on the weekends (not stupid drunk but definitely a good buzz) so in order to be fresh for deads I may try them on Thursdays and cleans on Sundays.

I appreciate the advice! Are you still doing LP or have you moved onto more intermediate programming?

[Acorn1993]

Also is this what you were refdering to in your first post?

Can I Get Strong and Also Do … ? | Nick Delgadillo

[Brian Goldstein]

I'm back on to the LP for now. This is not my first crack at it, and every time i've tried to run it before I've messed it up via operator error. At least i know where the mines are. I went and did an excellent intermediate program (Andy Baker's GGW), but I failed to finish well on it - I got sick right at the end. I keep a log here and am working my way back up. I'm as much unlearning bad habits as developing good ones from years of bro-science and silly bullshit.

How long have you been on your LP?

[Brian Goldstein]

yup!

[Dalton Clark]

I concur with all of Brian's suggestions but will add one other option for the bench to try before going to triples. Do back-offs. 3 back-offs at 90-95% can do well. I found that my bench has responded well to the 1 top set and 3 back offs. Many people find that bench responds better to more volume sooner than the other lifts.

[Brian Goldstein]

I concur with all of Brian's suggestions but will add one other option for the bench to try before going to triples. Do back-offs. 3 back-offs at 90-95% can do well. I found that my bench has responded well to the 1 top set and 3 back offs. Many people find that bench responds better to more volume sooner than the other lifts.

Yes. Yes, yes, yes.

[Acorn1993]

Brian,

3 months. This is my first time doing SSLP but I trained for years doing basically a bro version of PPL. Hit a 320 touch and go bench when I was 20 at a bodyweight of 220 but I didn't really squat heavy (I hit a 405 squat with help so it definitely didn't count) and I never did deadlifts because everyone always told me they would hurt my back. Well I hurt my back from leg pressing heavy with my low back rounded. Took some time off before doing 531 with little success probably because it was much less volume than I was used to but I also kept getting hurt. I hit a 405 deadlift before starting 531 but form was definitely shitty. I took about a year off of training completely before deciding to do SSLP. I really want to learn a lot about actual programming this time around and do it the right way. I'm thinking about ultimately training for Strengthlifting so I really want to improve my squat, press, and conventional deadlift. I actually love Andy's youtube vids so I've been considering a heavy light medium set up for presses and pulls following LP. I'm leaning towards Teaxs Method for at least squats though.

Anyway, I'll give these suggestions a try guys! I'm gonna start logging my workouts too! Thanks!!

[Brian Goldstein]

Awesome man. Good lifting to ya.