Training women: question about progression

[Peter_k]

As I mentioned in a previous thread, I am now training a young woman using the SS template, having brushed aside the gym PT's scorn . Things are going quite well for the most part, but I'd like to get your input on one problem we're having.

Here's a bit of background:

The woman in question is 25 years old and fairly fit, especially for squats (she was a figure skater in the past). Her weight is around 130 lbs.

I've decided on 5 lb jumps for squats, 10 lb jumps for deadlifts, and 3.5 lb jumps for bench press and overhead press. I've been training her for a couple of weeks so far and everything is progressing except for the overhead presses.

I started her with just the bar on every exercise except deadlift. Here is what she is at right now (as 3x5):

Squat: 77.5 lbs
Bench: 58.5 lbs
Press: 48.5 lbs
Deadlift: 110 lbs

(Just to preempt anyone who plans to call me a "pussy" for not having her do cleans: she has a wrist injury that isn't quite healed. Also, I want her to get the deadlifts down first).

Today she tried to add 3.5 lbs to the bar for overhead press, but couldn't even do two reps properly. She could barely lift what she did last time, in fact. This kind of thing has happened to me before, but not when I was a rank novice. So I'm a bit confused. I know women don't naturally have the kind of upper body strength men do, but I still can't believe she's stalling already.

My guess is that she started too high. She says she found the presses very hard from the beginning. But it's weird that she actually regressed.

So, any ideas about this? And any general thoughts on training women and how they should progress? In PP you say that women will progress on squats and deadlifts at roughly the same rate as men, but more slowly on the upper-body lifts. I'm not sure if that assumed said woman would eat like a horse (which ain't happening, I'm afraid - I'm happy enough that I've convinced her to get at least 100 g protein/day).

In your experience, do women need really small jumps on the press (let's say 1.5-2 lbs as novices) or have I likely screwed up by starting her too high?

And as a matter of interest, what do you have women do for chinups/pullups? I have her on the gravitron thing now because she lacks the strength to do any (and can only do one or two jumping pullups).

[Mark Rippetoe]

You started her too high ,and 3.5 will be too big to jump for even the bench press very soon. Rethink this along the lines of 1-2 lb. jumps. Bench is stronger than press, so plan accordingly. And I have women do band-assisted chinups until they are strong enough to do jumping chinups, then gradually reduce the jump. It has been my experience that it's very hard to get them off the gravitron once they're on it.

[Keenan]

I have been experiencing the same situation with my wife, and I have been using the exact same jumps from workout to workout with the exception of 1 pound increments on the presses. This has assured progress each workout and she is doing great.

And I agree with Mark regarding the gravitron. They are shit and I never let my wife use it. I heard Iron Woody bands work great but I'm too cheap so I use the cheap handled resistance bands found at your local sports store. Right now she uses both feet saddled in 20lb resistance bands with a little assistance from me at the bottom. It works great and she is close to getting her own dead hang chin up very soon. I know its not part of SS, but she's so damned determined to do a chin up I couldn't say no.