Reply With QuoteWas that Starting Strength coach unable to fix your hips over xmas?Originally Posted by OZ-USF-UFGator
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Quantified Strength Loss from the Flu
After a 1 week bout with the flu, I made it back to the gym after a 9 calendar day lay off and nearly 10 pound weight loss.
I did a quick warm up, then titrated up to a near max set of 5 on deadlift, squat, inclined bench and press.
My 5RM strength loss was nearly 15% on all 4 movements.
Psychologically, it's much worse, I feel like I have the strength of a pre-pubescent girl. In December, I hit a programming gold mine and was crushing PR's (198 # press, 225 X 3 on inclined bench and a triple at 500 deadlift...squat as always....shit due to fucked up hips).
Now, the frustrating part of re-building.
Should I de-load to 20% and do an abbreviated LP or just keep with previous programming (HLM) and work my way back up?
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Was that Starting Strength coach unable to fix your hips over xmas?
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Short answer: You were sick, now you're not. I was only 9 days and you will bounce back quicker than you think. Go back to HLM like you were using before. See a coach for your squat.
Questions about your version of events:
Is there a reason you went for RMs on 4 movements your first day back? Is that how you were running your programming before the layoff?
Could you still be a little sick/dehydrated/under-fed/under-slept?
Don't you think an RM on one movement might have impacted your RM on any other movement done during the same workout?
Are you comparing a single on press, and triples on incline and deadlift to a 5 RM attempt to get your 15% number?
Why would you deload 20% if you are certain you've lost 15% on your main movements?
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Plan is February to visit him with my daughter. Stay tuned
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Short answer: You were sick, now you're not. I was only 9 days and you will bounce back quicker than you think. Go back to HLM like you were using before. See a coach for your squat.
Thank you. Coach is on the agenda for February, already contacted the local coach 30 miles away.
Questions about your version of events:
Is there a reason you went for RMs on 4 movements your first day back? Is that how you were running your programming before the layoff?
Damage assessment- I needed to know what the damage was before planning the comeback
Could you still be a little sick/dehydrated/under-fed/under-slept?
100% yes. I nearly passed out after my deadlidft. I tricked myself that 85% was 100%, but I did what I did and that's over now. I still believe that the 15% was a very close estimate of strength loss. Even if it was an overestimate, that will make the comeback much more sweet!
Don't you think an RM on one movement might have impacted your RM on any other movement done during the same workout?
For some reason, not with me for the big 4 moves, as long as I keep the volume below 3 all out sets, my 5 rep max on the other 3 is not affected so much. I've hit PRs on press immediately in the same workout and after doing 3 sets of press @~80+%
Are you comparing a single on press, and triples on incline and deadlift to a 5 RM attempt to get your 15% number?
No, my 15% number is all based on 5 rep max pre to 5 rep max post sickness. I have it all logged down.
I played with programming using the barbell Prescription book for a while and in December, found a program that took me from stagnation to PR city on press, bench and deadlift.
Why would you deload 20% if you are certain you've lost 15% on your main movements?
Just a thought because it these were my new 5 rep maxes, then I might burn out by starting out at the 5 rep max limit
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Out of interest which programme was it?
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OK before I list my programming, a disclaimer: I am 46 years old (210# before the flu, 202 today). I also have hips that are fucked and they are VERY volume sensitive with squats. Too much squat volume and my entire hip flexor/socket gets inflamed. It hurts a lot just to put socks on. So I had to develop a programming schedule that was low on squat volume. Front squats don't bother my hip nearly to the extent tat back squats do and I don't have issues with deadlifting. Also, I have always been able to tolerate a higher deadlift volume than most seem to report.
With that out of the way below is programming. A note that I am not sure how sustainable in the long term the programming is, but I was using it for 7 weeks before I got sick and it was working. Another thing, I switched to inclined bench because I had a nagging pec. strain that inclined didn't bother at all.
Monday
Back squat: 5 X 3
Press: 5 X 2, work up to 2 doubles, back off set of 8-12
Deadlift: 5 X 3
Hammer curls (a few sets to a pump)
Inclined dumbbell presses: (12-15) X 2
Dead-mill pushes for conditioning : 30 seconds on, 2.5 minutes off for 5 total pushes
Wednesday
Front squat: 5 X 3
Inclined bench: 5 X 3, 3 X 1, (back off set) X 8-12
Pendaly rows: 5 X 3
Dumbbell presses: (8-12) X 2
Lat. pulls: (8-12) X 3
Dead mill pushes
Friday
Presses (same as Monday)
Snatch grip deadlifts 5 X 3
Dumbbell inclined presses (Same as Monday)
Lat. Pulls, or hammer curls if I'm too exhausted
Dead mill Pushes (different tempo, maybe 45 seconds on, 1 minute off)
I use the "A,B,A,B" pattern rather than re-setting the "A.B.C" every week.
Note that the SGDL's count double...heavy squat movement and medium deadlift/ pull. This keeps my hips from developing a lot of pain and the weight I use is between my back squat and deadlift days.
The bench press and the press both go as high volume and intensity in the same day and the light day is the dumbbell sets on the subsequent workout. My rationale for this is that because currently, I am doing press and inclined only (no flat bench), that even a high intensity press and inclined session will not generate the same stress as heavy flat bench will, so I can do a volume and intensity in the same workout. Besides, some of my best intensity doubles (or singles) seem to come immediately after a hard (but not max) set of 5.
On the surface, most on this site would find a shit ton wrong with this programming, but I was stalled for months using the templates in the books and after I rationalized where I am at, where I want to be, what has worked, what has not worked and tinkered around for a while, this program actually pushed me forward. My plan is to use this programming until it stalls, then continue using it while dropping my pull volume. After that stalls, I will begin the Garage Gym Warrior program I bought from Bakeronline.
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