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Thread: Stalling/regressing on the TM - what to do?

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default Stalling/regressing on the TM - what to do?

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    22 y/o male
    116kg 256lbs
    196cm 6 feet 5

    So basically i've stalled on my lower body lifts or actually regressed by the looks of it these last few weeks. This is very frustrating because i have high ambitions for my strength training, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Here are the last couple of weeks of my training with a few top sets filmed. I've been adding 2.5kilos/5lbs every volume and intensity day. I started the texas method on the last of september 2014, with a 165kg/364lb x 5 low bar back squat and a 160kg/353lb x 5 deadlift. Unfortunetly i've had to make the switch to high bar because of my elbows.

    ------------------------
    Week 24 2015
    Monday
    High bar squats 170kg/375lbs x 5 sets x 5
    RDL 122,5kg/270lbs x 3 sets x 8

    Wednesday
    High bar squats 127,5kg/281lbs x 2 sets x 5

    Friday
    High bar squats 195kg/430lbs x 5RM
    Deadlift 225kg/496lbs x 3RM
    Reverse hyper bw x 2 sets x 15
    ------------------------------------
    Week 25 2015
    Monday
    High bar squats 172,5kg/380lbs x 5 sets x 5
    RDL 125kg/275lbs x 3 sets x 8

    Wednesday
    High bar squats 130kg/287lbs x 2 sets x 5

    Friday
    High bar squats 197,5kg/435lbs x 5RM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwQRJr5XDwU
    Deadlift 227,5kg/502lbs x 3RM
    Reverse hyper bw x 2 sets x 15
    ----------------------------------------
    Week 26 2015
    Monday
    High bar squats 175kg/386lbs x 5 sets x 5 (these felt significantly heavier than the prior week's volume squats. Very hard to complete.)
    RDL 125kg/275lbs x 3 sets x 8

    Wednesday
    Front squats 140kg/307lbs x 1, 160kg/353lbs x 1, 180kg/397lbs x 1
    Upper back extensions bar x 2 sets x 10 reps

    Friday
    High bar squats 200kg/441lbs x 4RM(failed fifth rep. switched to 3RM coming weeks)
    Deadlift 230kg/507 x 3RM (all out grinder almost passed out. very rounded back, especially upper back, so decided to switch to 2RM coming weeks)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Week 27 2015
    Monday
    High bar squats 177,5kg/391lbs x 5 sets x 3 (Despite the lowered number of reps per set these felt just as heavy as last weeks 5x5)
    RDL 130kg/287lbs x 3 sets x 8

    Wednesday
    Beltless front squats 140kg/309lbs x 3 sets x 3

    Friday
    High bar squats 202,5kg/446lbs x 3RM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHgPMuyZTbY (5kg up in two weeks but a 2 rep drop-off, this i consider a stall or actual regression. very unsatisfied)
    Deadlift 232,5kg/513lbs x 2RM (Better than last week as far as form goes but still much rounding in the upper back)
    ------------------------------------------------------------


    Sorry in advance for the clutter of text, but i felt that if i gave as detailed of an OP as possible it might be easier to diagnose my problem.
    Last edited by Hexagon; 07-05-2015 at 03:17 PM.

  2. #2
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    Things to try. Decrease volume day weight. Take a deload week. Swap to 1.5kg weight jumps. Take some cell tech.

  3. #3
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    Agree with decreasing volume day weight. Your last succesful 5rm had you doing 5x5 at 90% of this which is too high. Reset to 85% and increase every other week.

  4. #4
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    Thanks guys, that's what i thought. I got too greedy i guess, trying to push my 5x5 up to a respectable number. Will follow the 85% rule from now on. Are the newly incorporated front squats on light day at an adequate weight? Belted 1RM is 180kg so 140kgx3x3 works out to about 77% of 1rm, albeit beltless

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by scwot View Post
    Agree with decreasing volume day weight. Your last succesful 5rm had you doing 5x5 at 90% of this which is too high. Reset to 85% and increase every other week.
    Would the 85% rule still apply now that my friday features a 3rm instead of a 5rm? Or is the percentage lowered because of the increased weight?

  6. #6
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    Volume day should be a weight that causes intensity day to increase. The weight lifted on volume day is of little consequence so long as it is driving the desired adaptation. Percentages are a guide, not a hard and fast rule. Don't get married to 85%, just realize the role of each day and progress in an appropriate fashion. Your front squat is fine.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cody View Post
    Volume day should be a weight that causes intensity day to increase. The weight lifted on volume day is of little consequence so long as it is driving the desired adaptation. Percentages are a guide, not a hard and fast rule. Don't get married to 85%, just realize the role of each day and progress in an appropriate fashion. Your front squat is fine.
    The problem is i don't know what weight drives progress on intensity day lol. I'm not experienced enough for that. My intuition tells me i've been going a little too crazy on the volume weight progression though since literally everything feels heavier than it did 4 months ago.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hexagon View Post
    Would the 85% rule still apply now that my friday features a 3rm instead of a 5rm? Or is the percentage lowered because of the increased weight?
    As Cody said it's not a rule. There was a survey on the site a few years ago and 85% (of 5RM) came out as about the sweet spot for TM. This tailled down to low 80's during the end of TM progression which is why I said to increase VD bi-weekly as this will gradually lower your VD to ID % over time.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hexagon View Post
    The problem is i don't know what weight drives progress on intensity day lol. I'm not experienced enough for that. My intuition tells me i've been going a little too crazy on the volume weight progression though since literally everything feels heavier than it did 4 months ago.
    Well, it will never feel light, lol. For now, I think scwot has a fine recommendation of increasing volume day weight every other week. If you continue to stall you can "run out" intensity day as described in PPST3.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Hexagon View Post
    The problem is i don't know what weight drives progress on intensity day lol. I'm not experienced enough for that. My intuition tells me i've been going a little too crazy on the volume weight progression though since literally everything feels heavier than it did 4 months ago.
    You do. You completed 197.5x5 so 85% is 167.5. (I'm over simplifying it a little bit as you've built up fatigue and if you did a deload week you'd probably easily beat this, but it gives you a starting point).

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