SSLP Press Stuck, Not Bench

[wiigelec]

Is your client failing because the current programming isn't providing enough stress or is providing too much stress?

Does your proposed modification provide more or less stress than the current programming?

Does the answer to question 2 fit with the answer to question 1?

[Adam Skillin]

The move to more volume on the press at a lower intensity would be wise. However, what would be the reason to switch to 1x a week pressing? If her press is not going up, the idea would be to press more, not less. If she wants to focus on pressing instead of bench, I would actually switch her to 2x a week press and bench 1x in the middle. Then, adjust the press volume/intensity accordingly within the 2x a week setup.

Is your client failing because the current programming isn't providing enough stress or is providing too much stress?

Does your proposed modification provide more or less stress than the current programming?

Does the answer to question 2 fit with the answer to question 1?

I'm with these 2.

[quikky]

Is your client failing because the current programming isn't providing enough stress or is providing too much stress?

Does your proposed modification provide more or less stress than the current programming?

Does the answer to question 2 fit with the answer to question 1?

These are great general questions that are the core of programming.

In this situation, the problem with her press is too little stress. She did 3x5 on the press (or 5x3 later) for 1-2x a week for a while on her LP, with success. This level of volume and frequency was stressful enough to drive adaptation. Now, with the same level of volume and frequency, her press is stuck. The solution is more stress.

[Adam Skillin]

The solution is more stress.

And I also agree with this.

[Ben Patterson]

She's eating enough, resting enough between sets, and we've tried microloading down to 1# per session. She's been doing her LP for about 3 months now. Her press always stalls around 70 pounds (for 3, so yes we've switched to triples). I'd say she's not a novice any longer and she's competent to use RPE to the point that it's effective.

In that case I think you’d be fine to move on to more indernidiate programming. You don’t necessarily have to wait until she is missing bench reps too. Though what you’ve already suggested should work fine for a few weeks. You’ll still want to move on to a more stressful program soon.

[kpsmiley]

I recall from one of the Barbell Logic Podcasts that once one comes close to stalling at 3 sets of 5, to add weight then do 5 sets of 3. Then the next workout keep the same weight and do 3 sets of 5.

You could also try something from Bill Starr's article http://startingstrength.com/contentf...ress_starr.pdf. On page 4 he talks about doing 3-6 sets of 3 reps with one back-off set of 10. A conservative approach might be to:

Monday
Squat
Press 3 sets of 3 and 1 back-off set @ 80% for 10.
Deadlift

Wednesday
Squat
Bench
Deadlift

Friday
Squat
Press 4 sets of 3 @ Monday's weight and 1 back-off set @ 80% for 10.
Deadlift

Monday she would press 5 sets and Friday to 6 sets with the back-off sets and then you would add weight on the following Monday and start all over starting with 3 sets again.

She would be increasing her volume slowly and also she would be pressing 2 days a week.

[Dlk93]

I agree that if the goal were to “unstick” the press then decreasing frequency wouldn’t be a great idea. I suppose the goal here was to mainly exhaust LP on bench while letting the press go up as a by product of the bench going up, and through the slightly increased volume of pressing.

Jordan has suggested on FB that pressing 2x/we and BPressing 2x/wk isn’t incompatible, and it’s what he suggests.

What I suggested there was:
Monday:
Squat: 1x3@8, 3x5@8
Bench: 3x5
Press: 4x5@8

Wednesday:
Press: 4x5@8
Deadlift: 1x5
Light Squat
Chin work

Friday:
Squat: 1x3@8, 3x5@8
Bench: 3x5
Chin work

He hasn’t commented back on the pressing setup though he indicated that he wasn’t sure what I was doingwith the squat setup (a top set followed by back off). In any case, he doesn’t seem to have indicated that BPressing and pressing back to back is a bad idea. Wednesday will be Press priority day.

[ChasingCurls69]

Once a week pressing in the middle for 5x5@8 would still be a small volume increase over a two week period although slightly less than the week in which the press was done twice. This, combined with increased bench volume and frequency by doing it twice a week consistently should be enough to get the press moving even though it's 5 fewer reps than weeks where she was pressing twice.

If you wanted to press+bench twice a week while finishing the LP, it might be prudent to do both on Friday to allow for more recovery since Monday's presses will be fatigued after benching and wednesday's presses will be more fatigued from having done both 48 hours ago.

[Dlk93]

If you wanted to press+bench twice a week while finishing the LP, it might be prudent to do both on Friday to allow for more recovery since Monday's presses will be fatigued after benching and wednesday's presses will be more fatigued from having done both 48 hours ago.

True

[Dalton Clark]

Might be the lack of coffee but I don't see back-offs being mentioned. You mentioned that she fails at 70 pounds, but I would be curious to know just 'how' she fails. 5,5,4 or 5,5,0 are quite different things.