Female Trainee Transitioning to Intermediate

[mitchless]

Coach Wolf,
I hope you are settling into the Lone Star State well. I have been training my wife since July. We have been using 5 sets of 3 in the end of her LP and have introduced a light day on Wednesday. On her own, she switched back to fives on light day, as that made her workout take far less time and she tolerates it well. In the transition to intermediate should I move her back to fives for all days, or continue with threes? And -- given the established observation that programming is far less important than consistency, form and recovery -- how much does it really matter for her continued progress?

Thanks,
Mitch

[Michael Wolf]

Still unpacking and settling in, just got my Texas tags today in fact - thanks for asking!

This is a good Q, for which I think we still don't have sufficient data to have a compelling or definitive answer, and for which you could make a logical case either way absent the data. Great way to not give you a clear answer, eh?

If she has time, I'd do something like five triples on volume, three sets of fahve on lighter, and then start with a PR triple and a back-off at 92-96% on heavy day. They can each progress up linearly 2.5 lbs a week, with intensity day dropping to doubles and then singles over the course of a 8-12 week run. You could do a more volumey volume day and a less intensive lighter day, but I find distributing it a little more evenly to be more favorable.

[mitchless]

This is a good Q, for which I think we still don't have sufficient data to have a compelling or definitive answer, and for which you could make a logical case either way absent the data. Great way to not give you a clear answer, eh?

At least it confirms that my reading comprehension skills aren't so bad that the information was available and I missed it.

Thank you.