Russian 3 lift peak question?

[StLRPh]

I came across this program and wanted to know if anyone had any thoughts and/or experience with it. Its a 9 week peaking program for all three lifts.

http://www.joeskopec.com/ruspeak.html


Gary,
I'd really like to know your thoughts on this if you have time.

Thanks,

[hbriem]

I used this to peak for a meet recently and it worked well. I made some minor modifications and had to cut down the last few weeks a bit, especially in the deadlift. I set 5x5 PRs in all three lifts, 1RM PR in the bench and meet PRs in squat and bench.

More detail?

[Gary Gibson]

Ha! This is just the Russian Squat Routine for the bench and squat (alternating increasing volume days with baseline volume days) and with a slight and very sensible modification for the deadlift. Very nice. I've been meaning to do RSR for the bench and squat next (not going to work gear for a few weeks after all) and I was at a loss of how to program the deadlift during it. This way looks great!

Here is the routine for one lift.
percent x reps x sets (the number closest to the weight/intensity is ALWAYS the rep number in my notation: 6x2x80% = 80%x2x6, but not 80%x6x2)

M 80%x2x6
W 80%x3x6
F 80%x2x6
M 80%x4x6
W 80%x2x6
F 80%x5x6
M 80%x2x6
W 80%x6x6
F 80%x2x6
M 85%x5x5
W 80%x2x6
F 90%x4x4
M 80%x2x6
W 95%x3x3
F 80%x2x6
M 100%x2x2
W 80%x2x6
F 105%x1

See? You keep the intensity constant at 80% for the first half, but up the volume in waves from 6 sets of doubles to 6 sets of 6. And you always return to 6 sets of doubles for active recovery.

THEN you start dropping the volume and upping the intensity (still returning to 80%x2x6 for active recovery) till you comfortably end up doing your old max for a double...twice! Then you hit 105% with some confidence.

Worked exactly as promised when I tried it a couple months ago. Squat went from 375 to 395. I might have gotten more, but I skipped the active recovery day before the max because I was on a tight schedule. 375 felt really good though. It was my absolute max at the start of the cycle and I hit it for x2x2 nice and strong on the planned day.

The routine to which you linked is just a way to get the magic happening on all three lifts. It's drawn out a bit so that the BP/SQ are only worked twice per week instead of thrice because the deadlift needs its own day.

Notice the programming for the deadlift is the same, just without the active recovery days. That's likely because squats work the same muscles and provide plenty of active recovery.

This is kick ass. I was just going to RSR w/ the SQ and BP. Think I'll try it this way so I can get work in on the DL.

[StLRPh]

Gary,

Glad you liked it. I think I'm going to be starting in a few weeks as well and see what happens. For me I really like how straightforward it is.

hbriem
thanks for the info.

Happy holidays,

Matt

[Gary Gibson]

Thanks!

And it is indeed a merry Christmas. Couldn't be home in time to be with the family this year...BUT I've just realized how I can make the Russian 3-Lift Peak work for me.

I can pay-per-day at a local gym this Saturday and then join up at Orlando Barbell when I get to Central Florida. This will give me exactly 57 training days before USAPL Florida States and likely the same amount of time till the USAPL Navy Open in Annapolis. Why is 57 days so important? Because if I do the 3-Lift Peak every other day instead of sticking to the MWF schedule, I will get all the sessions in in time for either meet on Saturday, February 20!

I've done this before: used every other day instead of MWF for this protocol. It works fine. The MWF setup is just an artifact of our seven-day week. An extra rest day may or may not be needed here and there, but I felt absolutely fine going every other day. Things got a little sucky around the 5x5 and 6x6 with 80%, but other than that it was no real sweat.

I'm making a couple tweaks, however: adding chins in the same protocol following squats and as with squats will make the harder days on opposite days of the harder bench days; will warm up both squats and deadlifts with light and fast power cleans a) to practice clean form and b) to keep an element of hip speed in the program so I don't slow down so much. Those cleans are NOT going to be heavy at all; plus I've found that explosive/speed work really doesn't interfere with heavy work if done for low volume.

StLRPh, thank you so much for pointing me in the direction of this adaptation of the RSR. It looks to be just what I need to put 50 lbs on my current total in time for competition. I'll let you know how it works out.