question about presses.

[Dutch]

I've been training three times a week, for presses I do:
monday: incline
wednesday: dips
friday: presses

I've been using a 8/5/3 rotation for the incline and dips (ramping to target weight and a back off of 95% of that weight), bit based on stuff I read from Starr. for presses I used 5/3/1. I've been a bit inconsequent with these.

I wanted to switch to 8/5/3 for presses also. But from the latest starr article it seems like he suggest's to just focus on low reps. Am I correct for thinking this and why is this?

[Jason B]

I'd keep using the 5/3/1 for the press and the slightly higher reps for the incline and dips. Sounds like you're mostly focusing on the press and the other two are assistance. Good plan.

[ZKP]

To improve my pressing specifically, I'd press more than once a week. Where are you in the rest of your lifts? Whats the rest of your program look like? The question is whether you need more frequency pressing or assistance exercises to spurr further improvement. I needed to do both. I press twice a week, once light once heavy. Sometimes a 3rd light session. Heavy hang cleans helped wake my press up for sure. Good luck.

[jacob cloud]

Height/weight/press 1rm? Bench frequency?

Have you milked linear progression at 2.5lbs/workout?

[Dutch]

I'm not really a novice anymore. 5,9 225-230. But presses have took a bit of a backseat lately. My 1rm was about 165 I think. My incline was about 255 dips about bw + 127. I have a right pec that is prone to injury.
So I might lay off the incline for a while and press twice a week and dip once a week. dips really help. Last week I've been pressing 3* a week because off pec and it seems to spark progress.

It was basically because in the article Starr seemed to recommend triples. But I've read somewhere else he rotated the sequence I used also on presses. I think I'll just try if it works and if it doesn't just focus on low reps.

[jacob cloud]

Making sure you weren't a 6' 165 stick, in which case the answer is "EAT." You didn't say specifically that you've done linear progression with microloading, but oh well.

I'd do a TM style routine based on what you've said.
Mon/Volume: 5x5 or 8x3 across, microloading each week
Wed/Recovery: 4 sets of BW dips (get up to the 4x20 Starr mentions)
Fri/Intensity: 3-5RM, then follow that with 3-4 sets of press starts as mentioned in the article

This is a lot of work, so make sure you pay attention to recovery. You might have to cut it down a bit, but give it a shot for awhile.

Several times a week, self massage (or use a lacrosse ball or something) your pecs/shoulders/etc - there's probably some scar tissue if you have a history of pain with it, and getting rid of it will help across the board.

The difference between 5x5 or 8x3 is going to be based on how much time you have and how patiently you can microload and keep up progress, IMO. Sets of 3 do seem to be really beneficial, but at a ~165 1RM, you should be able to progress for quite awhile on either IMO.

[Dutch]

thank you for your suggestions.

[jameson]

Why don't you just use triples and forget the inclines/dips?

Low reps are used because it's the best way to ensure you get proper a bar path. You can throw a light weight too far forward and still recover. Try that with a weight used for a triple. Report back with video for the board's enjoyment.