Advanced Novice~Intermediate

[caseyd123]

Advanced Novice

Week 1
Monday - Wednesday - Friday
Squat - Front/Light Squat - Squat
Bench - Press - Bench
Dead - Back Ext/GM - Power Clean

Week 2
Monday - Wednesday - Friday
Squat - Front/Light Squat - Squat
Bench - Press - Bench
Back Ext/GM - Dead - BE/GM

Intermediate

Week 1
Monday - Wednesday - Friday
5x5 Squat - Front/Light Squat - 5RM Squat
5x5 Bench - 3x5 Press - 5RM Bench
5RM Dead - Back Ext/GM - 5x3 Power Clean

Week 2
Monday - Wednesday - Friday
5x5 Squat - Front/Light Squat - 5RM Squat
5x5 Press - 3x5 Bench 90% Last Mon - 5RM Press
5RM Dead - Back Ext/GM - 5x3 Power Clean

I am trying to iron out which of these templates I should be currently following. I feel like I have enough juice to keep squats going at a pace of 2x per week (but not 3), with the presses continuing linear from the original model. The part that gets confusing for me is the pull schedule. In the advanced novice model, you are only pulling 3 times every 2 weeks and in the intermediate model you are pulling twice a week. I guess my question is, is there a reason for more pulling in intermediate than novice? I feel at this stage I would want to do a hybrid, something like:

Week 1
Monday - Wednesday - Friday
3x5 Squat - 3x5 Front/Light Squat - 3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench - 3x5 Press - 3x5 Bench
1x5 Dead - Back Ext/GM - 5x3 Power Clean

Week 2
Monday - Wednesday - Friday
3x5 Squat - 3x5 Front/Light Squat - 3x5 Squat
3x5 Press - 3x5 Bench - 3x5 Press
1x5 Dead - Back Ext/GM - 5x3 Power Clean

This represents a linear progression for the presses, a quasi-linear progression for squat that is still going higher than the presses (2x per week as opposed to 1.5 for the presses) and intermediate-like progression for the pulls (1x per week).

One of my thoughts while pondering this though is, there is a reason the programs are written the way they are and maybe the program I am suggesting for myself (the hybrid above) represents some sort of potential for overtraining that both of the two models from the book already take in to account.

Thoughts on my plan?
Important info: 6'0" 173 lbs, 19 y/o, been on program since June, started at 145 lbs

[Alex Bond]

First off, 6' 173# means you have room to grow. Eating more will allow you to stay novice longer. I am doing an advanced novice program right now that is very similar to your last program (you call it the hybrid) and I like it a lot. The only difference is my pulling schedule is rows-power clean-deadlift on M-W-F but that is not a very big difference. I also do the front squats for only 3x3, since doing front squats for more than 3 isn't very fun and when I was doing 5x3 they were bleeding over and negatively affecting Friday's workout a little. You are certainly on the right track, figure out what works for you and don't be afraid to eat a cheeseburger or three to get yourself a bit more bodyweight. I'm not in the "you need to weigh 200# to be an adult man" camp as much as some, but for those of us over 6', being under 200# is a little silly unless you have a really really good reason like another sport or job that requires you to be excessive skinny.

[caseyd123]

Thanks for the response. I should have mentioned my current numbers because you are right 173 is very slim to be talking about late novice. I haven't gained weight as fast as i wouldve liked to but the strength gains have been great. I am at 290 on squat w/ a 5RM of 315 and a 1 rm of 350. I am at 325 on dead w/ a 5 rm of 370 and a 1 rm of 405, 135 on press, 200 on bench and 158 on powerclean.

So the squat workouts definitely take a lot out of me which is why I can feel i need to be at twice a week right now, maybe I'm wrong.

[Rodolfo Bryant]

Eat up. You can get more out of the novice programme. You can stand to add 20 pounds to your frame at 6' and eating enough to do so will let you squat/press/pull 3x a week.

[caseyd123]

Eat up. You can get more out of the novice programme. You can stand to add 20 pounds to your frame at 6' and eating enough to do so will let you squat/press/pull 3x a week.

While I agree about Squat and Press, in PPST Rip says that after a few weeks of DLing every session, it should start to be alternated with cleans and then after a short time of doing THAT Deads/Cleans should be alternated with Light Back work so pulling only happens 1.5 x a week. Unless I read page 106 of PPST2 wrong...

[Rodolfo Bryant]

I'm glad you're no longer DLing every day. Throw in the back work if you feel the need but if you eat another meal a day you could probably keep pulling 3x a week. I also believe if you up your calories you could squat 3 times a week, DL every other workout and it would fix your bodyweight problem. If not, deadlift once a week. Sleep may also be a factor but based on your BW you should start with more food.

[Chewie_jrc]

I'm 6'2" and started at about 165 (205 now). It's truly amazing what will happen once you really ramp up the calories. I thought I tapped out my novice progression awhile ago but I backed things up for a week and started shoveling more food and worked up to a full GOMAD and it was like magic. I freaked a bit once I started getting "fat" (basically when I wasn't all 6-packed skinny anylonger) but my body filled out as the weights continued to progress. Don't sell yourself short just yet.

EDIT: at 205lbs I still don't look big, just not skinny. I can easily afford another 25lbs+

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

Another 6'2" guy here. I started the novice progression with rep maxes of 375 squat, a 495 deadlift, and 365 bench (<<due to my bodybuilder years). I was 195 lbs lean. I am now 252 lbs, not lean but not fat either, and doing 3 sets of 5 with fairly close to these weights (1 set of 5 with deadlifts though). I'm only deadlifting once a week like in PPST1...and recently have switched to squatting heavy only twice a week with a light day in the middle. My point is, if you gain some weight, you will make a ton more progress on your lifting. I did get injured early on in my novice progression due to big jumps but now, I'm back on track and looking to take the squat up to the upper 400's and deadlift to the upper 500's before I even consider going intermediate.

Keep your focus; stay novice as long as you can...part of that for a tall guy is to gain the appropriate weight...we have more filling out to do that the shorter guys.