At what pace should I aim to increase presses on TM?

[kanahan]

Sorry this has been discussed a million times but I'm still not sure I get it.

I'm transitioning to intermediate and just realised that on TM you are making PRs only every other week for each lift: one week on the bench, the other on the press.

I've had a long and smooth LP on presses, microloading by 0.5kg (1.1lb) and 1kg (2.2lb) increments. If I keep using the same increments every other week instead of every other workout, it will take forever to make substantial progress. We are talking about 3-4lbs per month progress here. Which would suck balls because my LP only took me to a 159.5lb bench for fahves (failed twice at 161.7).

On TM since the length of time between PRs is longer, is it possible to use larger increments? Say 3-5lb jumps every other week, instead of 1-2lb increases every other workout on LP, at least for a few weeks?

Otherwise my bench won't be over 200 lbs until well into 2018.

PS: male/33/179lbs, started LP last May at 125lb

[Tom K]

Go with 2 kg/5lb per week increases until you can't maintain that. When transitioning to TM from SSLP, you should be resetting your loads for the presses just like the squat which will allow you to ease into the larger jumps for awhile. Then go to 2.5lbs/week which I think is a good standard load increase for presses, then micro-load when those can't be sustained.

[JFick]

I was able to make 5lb jumps when rotating presses and benching on a weekly basis. You can try it, if you fail move to smaller increments. Good luck

[kanahan]

Thanks guys. Although if I take a reset it will take a month before I set a new PR. That makes me sad.

[CrouchingWayne]

I'm running a HLM template but am easing up my bench 0.5kg/wk - slow but consistent progress which for me is better than bumping into failure and resets.

Started with 2.5kg jumps then graduated down. I didn't do 1kg jumps for very long before going to 0.5kg. Managing to keep it going for now.

I think when I reset it usually takes 2/3wks to be back into PR territory. I've also seen that written ether in here or in the book as the preferred way to enter program changes than straight to PR's.

Edit: Part if this might depend on what your diet is doing. Gaining weight might support more aggressive jumps, losing weight much smaller.

[kanahan]

One more question: big jumps on both V and I days or just IDs ?