Female 5x3 Program

[mdelvecchio]

Hey folks,

My partner's SS app has a setting for the the Female 5x3 Program option which I think it is based on Ripp's article:

Strength Training for Women | T Nation

All interesting stuff. But when should a female novice use the 5x3 program? Is there an age or training stage guideline? Just for a point of reference my partner is late forties and couldn't OHP the bar for the first couple weeks (used lighter dumbbells), but can now do it for 3 reps, so I'm wondering if that means she should use the 5x3 mode in the app.


thanks!

[Tom Campitelli]

There is no single place that women use triples instead of fives because of the variation between individuals. I usually start women and men off the same way, with fives. After the first plateau, I reset them and move to an advanced novice style program, where Wednesday's squat is at 80% of Monday's weight. As a woman progresses and begins to look like she is in danger of missing reps, I will often switch her to triples on the squat. I may keep her on fives for the other lifts, however. I might also move some of those lifts to triples as needed. I also frequently progress women using 2.5 lb increments on the squat and deadlift to keep progress going. I use 1 lb increments on the pressing movements if needed, too.