8/5/2 Cycle - Press Stall

[beastmaster103]

I've been running a customized 8/5/2 program created by Andy Baker. As of the last two cycles, I've had major struggles meeting my planned worksets for the press. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what I should do next.

Background - 38 yo, 250 lbs, 6'1"; Been running this intermediate programming since January of this year.

I've made significant progress on the big 4, especially since my muscular endurance was tested during the week of 8's. However, press has been hitting a wall. Past background of press workouts (last three cycles) - Cycle.Week is the pattern below.

5.1 - 5/13/2016 - Light Press (on bench day) - 162.5 X 8 X 3; 5/16/16 - Press - 175 X 8 X 3 - Rep PR;
5.2 - 5/21/2016 - Light Press - 162.5 X 8 X 3; 5/27/2016 - Press - 200 X 5,5,4 - couldn't get last rep;
5.3 - 6/1/2016 - Light Press - 162.5 X 8 X 3; 6/5/2016 - Press - 225 X 1,1,0 - ugh - kept weight the same for following cycle.

6.1 - 6/12/2016 - Light Press - 165 X 8 X 3; 6/17/2016 - Press - 180 X 8,8,7 - just couldn't get the last rep...again.
6.2 - 6/23/2016 - Light Press - 165 X 8 X 3; 6/27/2016 - Press - 200 X 5 X 3 - Rep PR;
6.3 - 7/4/2016 - Light Press - 165 X 8 X 3; 7/11/2016 - Press - 225 X 2 X 3 - Rep PR - ballbuster...

7.1 - 7/17/2016 - Light Press - 170 X 8 X 3; 7/20/2016 - Press - 180 X 8 X 3 - Rep PR - RPE of 10 on last set;
7.2 - 7/27/2016 - Light Press - 170 X 8 X 3; 7/30/2016 - Press - 202.5 X 5,5,4 - just couldn't eke out that last rep...
7.3 - 8/7/2016 - Light Press - 170 X 8 X 3; 08/16/2016 - Press - 227.5 - 2,1,0 - WTF??

8.1 - 08/20/16 - Light Press - 172.5 X 7,8,7...

So, I'm not sure what I should do next. I added a bit of volume after the 7.3 press workout fail with swiss bar press at the very end of the workout. However, I'm up for any suggestions...my initial thoughts are:

- Deload for a week and try things again
- Reset press by 10-15% and keep trucking with everything else
- Increase volume of the press on both the press and bench days (or just press day - I'm flexible...)
- Any combination of the three listed above....

So - does anyone have any suggestions??? I'm open to any advice you may have.

Link to my log on ss.com - Beastmaster103 - back to basics

Thanks - Ryan

[George Christiansen]

Just do the program.

Add weight to the 8's and 5's and redo the 2's at the same weight until you hit it. The program is designed to have the other rep ranges drive each other up.

[Elephant]

Just do the program.

Add weight to the 8's and 5's and redo the 2's at the same weight until you hit it. The program is designed to have the other rep ranges drive each other up.

Your last sentence seems a good general description of intermediate programming. Do two or three rep/set/weight variations of an exercise so that they drive each other. Volume day drives intensity day. 5 rep days drive 3 rep days. Heavy - light - medium. And, in each case, vice versa.

[beastmaster103]

Just do the program.

Add weight to the 8's and 5's and redo the 2's at the same weight until you hit it. The program is designed to have the other rep ranges drive each other up.

Your last sentence seems a good general description of intermediate programming. Do two or three rep/set/weight variations of an exercise so that they drive each other. Volume day drives intensity day. 5 rep days drive 3 rep days. Heavy - light - medium. And, in each case, vice versa.

Ok...I'll look into keeping my heavy day the same for another cycle and increasing the 8's and 5's. I need to figure out my next strategy once I stall, which I hope will be a few months away...

[George Christiansen]

Your last sentence seems a good general description of intermediate programming. Do two or three rep/set/weight variations of an exercise so that they drive each other. Volume day drives intensity day. 5 rep days drive 3 rep days. Heavy - light - medium. And, in each case, vice versa.

That is part of it, but part of it is also that the spreads between weights change as you progress. So say you start with 10% more on your 2's than 5's, but it really should be 8.5% more. Then you stall with 2's until you close the gap by increasing the 5's.

[George Christiansen]

Ok...I'll look into keeping my heavy day the same for another cycle and increasing the 8's and 5's. I need to figure out my next strategy once I stall, which I hope will be a few months away...

There's no reason for a new strategy unless you find that you stall at all the rep ranges simultaneously. In which case you probably just waited too long for a deload.

[Elephant]

That is part of it, but part of it is also that the spreads between weights change as you progress. So say you start with 10% more on your 2's than 5's, but it really should be 8.5% more. Then you stall with 2's until you close the gap by increasing the 5's.

Sure - I was just trying to generalize.

[beastmaster103]

I'm staying the course...press is not until tomorrow or Friday this week (pending family obligations). I've been very strict on my estimates of of 1RM and always have rounded down when in doubt. In fact, I think I started out a few percentage points lower than Andy suggested just to get acclimated to the increased muscular endurance needed on the week of 8's.

[Meshuggah]

8 reps? Screw that nonsense!!

[Elephant]

I'm staying the course...press is not until tomorrow or Friday this week (pending family obligations). I've been very strict on my estimates of of 1RM and always have rounded down when in doubt. In fact, I think I started out a few percentage points lower than Andy suggested just to get acclimated to the increased muscular endurance needed on the week of 8's.

Out of curiosity, who aren't you asking Andy?