Madcows 5x5 question

[Mick1984]

Hi Andy

I'm starting madcows on Monday but I'm confused about the progression and how it's possible. My current 5 rep max squat is 310 pounds. I couldn't hit 3x3 for 315 on my last ss session which is why I'm now moving to madcows.

But madcows has the weight go up by 2.5 percent every week. So going by this theory, by week 4, my squat would have to go up by 7.75 pounds from
Mondays 310x5. How is this even possible? How would someone recover from a heavy deadlift on a Wednesday, and then add 7.75 pounds onto there previous 5 Rep max from the Monday for there Friday set of 3? Am I missing the point here? Or am I just being an idiot.

Someone who hit a 400 pound squat on Monday would then add 10 pounds to there squat on a Friday which just doesn't seem doable.

How does one recover from this?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Well, if it doesn't seem doable, it may not be. Look at the overall program and see what you can take away from the structure and apply it to your own training, BUT don't be so slavish to the %'s sets/reps that you do something you KNOW you can't do. 2.5% per week is ALOT. 2-5 lbs per week is more reasonable.

[Mick1984]

I've read elsewhere that people have made good progression on 2.5 percent jumps, which is why I'm questioning it. 2.5 kg obviously seems more reasonable. Would you say it's possible to add 7.5 pounds onto a squat on an intermediate program in 1 jump?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Possible on occasion yes, but difficult to just make weekly sustainable increases of 7.5 lbs. That is 30 lbs per month per lift. Other than a rank novice or someone who switches from really shitty programming to really good programming for the first time....that ain't happening.

[Eric Larousse]

Let me help out if you will Coach Andy.

The programs in PPST3 and the general programming advice around here is to proceed each week in weight by 2-5ILBS like ANdy just mentioned. You this by lowering the rep range and/or cycling the rep range which allows for a new stimulus each week and allows you to keep adding weight to the bar. That is one way to do it.

The madcow theory is that you do not actually start out at what your limit set of 5 would be. If you read the training theory page on the madcow website you are actually starting out about 10% from your 5rm and beginning the cycle there. You can increase 2.5% each week if you do it that way and eventually you accumulate volume at lighter weights throughout the cycle then match your 5rm one week thennn hopefully you can keep increasing the weight for a few weeks after that. You should be able to do that if you do it correctly. That is the other way to do it(accumulate volume then display your strength later in the cycle that is built)

Eventually you can move to the 9 week advanced madcow where it is basically just a version of the Pyramid Model you would see in PPST3.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I see. Well that clarification makes a lot of sense.