starting strength gym
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Realistic goals

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    18

    Default Realistic goals

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    Hey Coach,

    I Finished my first year of training by getting de 405 squat I never thought I'd get in my lifetime. That was in December last year. Now after a well deserved vacation in the beginning of January and a short LP when I came back, I am now squatting 395 x 5 on a split routine kinda program. My question is, If I can get my former 405 1RM down to my 5 RM in about 6 months, how far am I from a 500 squat? Training is constant and going well and you could say I'm eager to get it, but I still want to have realistic goals...

    By the way, I'm 26, M 215 lbs bodyweight

    Thanks a lot for your input and your work on this forum!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    7,856

    Default

    My experience has been that 500 is sufficiently far from 405 so as not to be able to predict this kind of thing with any kind of precision or accuracy at all. And if I did and was correct, it would be at least as much luck as skill, if not more.

    I know that's not a satisfying answer, but it is the most correct one I can give.

    As far as when you actually can hit 500? Well, depending how good you are at fives vs singles, your 5RM will likely be somewhere between 420 and 450, but without knowing more about you, it's hard to say more than that.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    18

    Default

    I kind of expected that kind of answer... The way I see it, and by comparing my log from before my 405 squat, a 5 RM of 430 is what I should strive to get before attempting 500 for a single. This is still a major stretch and all based on estimation and math (and a little bit of experience)

    Programming wise, in Practical Programming, the split routine have 2 phases. Once the 5RM PRs stops, I should go down to 3s and then 1s. I worry that dropping down that much in volume is going to affect my training. What would you suggest?

    Thanks again

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    7,856

    Default

    I'm not sure specifically which 4 day split program you're referring to, but generally at least in the earlier intermediate phase, when you move your heavy/intensity day down from a set of 5, you do two triples, 2-3 doubles, 3-5 singles, so overall weekly volume stays roughly the same.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Posts
    176

    Default

    In my opinion there is a fairly high degree of skill involved in performing a true MAX single. If I am correct in assuming that you lack experience with HEAVY singles then my guess would be you would need a 460x5 to get your 500. As you advance in your lifting, your skill will improve and you will find the 5RM will become a lower percentage of your max. I’m not factoring in genetic neurological ability (some can grind and some are powerful).

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    7,856

    Default

    jbackos is basically correct, and is elaborating a bit more on what I left implied when I wrote:

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Wolf View Post
    As far as when you actually can hit 500? Well, depending how good you are at fives vs singles, your 5RM will likely be somewhere between 420 and 450, but without knowing more about you, it's hard to say more than that.
    I spitball estimated 450x5 would get you there even if you aren't that good at singles, but all it is is an estimate, whether 440, 450, 460. Some of it is natural skill at 1s vs 5s and some is how well practiced you are both acutely (recently) and chronically (over a lifting career) at doing heavier weight for low reps and specifically singles.

    IMO, this is one of the very good, and advancement-appropriate things, that comes out of SS style early Intermediate training. Moving from 5s to 3s to 2s to 1s for the very first time is an exceptionally reasonable, graduated and gradual, and appropriate way to introduce a relatively new lifter - who has thus far only done 5s - to the different stimulus of heavier weights for lower reps.

    It's easy to look back in hindsight as a more advanced lifter who has done many heavy singles, doubles, and triples and dismiss this phase as unimportant or even useless. But that's lacking self-awareness in how you got to where you are now where weekly exposure to increasingly heavy weights for low reps, and dropping the rep number every couple weeks or so, is no longer necessary. For someone coming just off the Novice LP, that's a very appropriate thing to do and this is a very logical, reasonable way to do it. It's not THE ONLY WAY, but it is a logical, reasonable way.

    So, say, you get to 435x5 as a true 5RM, and have never done heavy doubles or singles. You almost certainly can't do 500. But if you can do 435x5 and you've had exposure to heavy doubles and singles, you're very likely to be able to squat 500.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    18

    Default

    I think there's a bit of a misunderstanding. In my first year of training with the program, I progressed from my LP and tried a couple of intermediate programs and worked with heavy triples and singles.

    Believe me, I know the value of training the doubles and singles. When I first got my 405 squat, I had one day of heavy triples and one day of 5 singles during my week of training. That's why I said that when I look at my log, I can compare the numbers I was hitting during training and find that 430 x 5 would be the bare minimum to try 500. Obviously, getting my squat higher would help the chance of success.

    I just don't know anyone who squat 500 near me to ask about the progression from 405 to 500.

    Thanks again for the answers!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    7,856

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    Nah, we just got a little further afield and into a theoretical broader discussion than your actual question. Probably my fault. Hope it has been helpful.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •