Quite a Few Questions

[TravisHenson777]

Well, I just attempted to post a huge question, and then somehow it got deleted, so this time I will try to condense it a little bit.

Lifts are as follows: all (3x5) except deadlift (1x5) and PC (5x3)
Squat 300lbs
Bench 207lbs
Press 135lbs
Deadlift 305lbs
PC 115lbs
Chins (3 sets of bodyweight to 8 reps)

I'm 21, ~193lbs, ~13-15%bf and I've been lifting for about 2 years, with only the past 6 months being devoted to SS.
I've read SS and PPST, and I'm still struggling to understand a few concepts. Hopefully somebody can help me out a little bit or at least direct me towards some pages that can.

I can go further into detail on any of these questions if anybody would like/needs me to.

1) How do I know how much of an ancillary/accessory/assistance excercise to use? (Reps, sets, how often do I advance and by how much?) *Currently, I only do chins.

2) My deadlift has stalled. I didn't realize that I was supposed to be doing warm up sets (example: 135x5x2, 185x3, 225x2, working set). I've only been doing minimal warm ups (example: 135x5x2, working set). Should I reset to a lower intensity and start over while doing the warm ups, or should I just keep trying to add 5lbs to the bar every deadlift session, keep my weight, and forget all the warm up? Also, how many times do I reset the deadlift before moving on to intermediate programming-just once right?

3)I see that in PPST Texas Method, I'm supposed to be doing 5x5 on Monday... is this the very first time we are doing 5 sets of 5 reps, or am I supposed to move into that sometime earlier?

4)I read in another book (Beyond Brawn by Stuart McRobert) that when starting a new cycle (like Texas Method), you should always decrease your intensity in order to give yourself a "headstart" and promote the possibility that you will be able to far surpass your previous personal-bests-much like when begining Starting Strength, you start with very low weights. Should I start with significantly lower weight when I begin I move into intermediate, or should I try to keep the momentum going and move into Texas Method that way?


5) Lastly, long term, my goal is size and strength, with size coming slightly before strength. If I understand correctly, the 8-10 rep range is optimal for this. My question though, is how do I translate (for example) a 300lb squat, done for 3 sets of 5 reps with 5 minutes of rest in between sets, into this rep range?
According to PPST, I will need to take shorter rests between sets, and do more reps in order to achieve my hypertrophy goal. My numbers will obviously go down, but how can I ensure that my strength in the 5rep-range stays constant, or at least doesn't decrease while working in another rep range- or should I just expect to lose strength in the low-rep range?

Thank you so much for all of your knowledge and information; I am eternally in SS's debt.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

1) It varies. There is no "one way" to do this. As an extremely general rule, I would say 2-3 sets per exercise for between 5-10 reps. Some exercises lend themselves toward higher reps (machines, dbs, isolation stuff, etc) and some towards heavier sets. Things like stiff leg deadlifts, or close grip benches will generally be done for around 5 reps.

2) Start warming up the deadlift correctly and try to add 5 lbs to the bar. If you can't get it, then reset 5-10% and work back up.

3) Generally this is the first exposure to 5x5

4) First iteration of TM uses your last 3x5 LP weight as the 1x5 intensity day weight. 5x5 volume day is 90% of that.

5) Size will come with continued emphasis on heavy barbell work with higher rep stuff layered on top of it. Back off sets are very valuable for adding size.

[TravisHenson777]

Thanks again Andy, I really appreciate what you guys are doing. I'll be sure to follow this advice.

[rodstewart]

Ah crap, I somehow got under the impression that you don't warm-up deadlifts. Apparently, I need to re-reread the book. Do you warm up deads the same as the other exercises? (5x,3x,2x)?

Thanks Andy.

2) Start warming up the deadlift correctly and try to add 5 lbs to the bar. If you can't get it, then reset 5-10% and work back up.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

It just depends where in the workout your deadlift is and how it feels. If you are DLing after squats you can use less of a warm up. Maybe I should make a video or write an article on warming up??? There seems to be a lot of confusion on this, and it is something that I have always taken for granted that people knew how to do.

[Rezart Erindi]

Ah crap, I somehow got under the impression that you don't warm-up deadlifts. Apparently, I need to re-reread the book. Do you warm up deads the same as the other exercises? (5x,3x,2x)?

Thanks Andy.

With Andy's permission, I would like to add my 2 cents. Why wouldn't you warm up the deadlifts? Even if you have done squats at the beginning of the workout, you still need to practice the movement before going heavy (mentally and physically), warm up everything, and make sure your form is perfect. And this applies to every lift you do in the gym.

[Runner]

If you are doing DL on squat intensity day I find that I do not really need to warm up my DL after I squat. Just throwing this perspective into the conversation. For example, my deadlift is 385 and I usually do:
8 reps @ 135
3 reps @ 225;
2 reps @ 315,
Workset 385

I do this after my intensity squat so I am mostly warmed up. YMMV.

[Tom Bryant]

Does he need to eat more?

[TravisHenson777]

To be honest, it probably comes from reading online interpretations of Starting Strength.

After doing several heavy sets of squats, it doesn't make much sense to extensively warm-up the musculature involved in deadlifting, as it is already relatively warm. What does make sense, however, is warming up the movement pattern and "greasing the groove" for the heavy sets. I think this is a concept that most people, myself at least, do not appreciate from the beginning.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Does he need to eat more?

Yes