Seeking Evaluation of Percentages in Baker's KISS Template

[RussB]

K.I.S.S. Training Program - Baker Strength Coaching

Andy lays out a simple 14-week program here. I was thinking about adopting it this Summer but I wasn't sure about the percentages. I don't even know if Andy would still prescribe this, it's from 2013.

For example, I recently hit a squat 1RM of 400, and his template would call for 396x2x2 on week 13. That sounds high to me, but it is after 13 weeks.

I think the template has some strengths (simplicity being the obvious one; increase weight by 2% each week and slowly drop sets and reps).

I'll get my nose back in PPST3 before I actually decide what to run next (I'm on my first run of Reynolds 5/3/1 as laid out on the Barbell Logic Podcast right now). I'd hoped to hit Andy in the programming forum but looks like he's not manning it anymore? [Sorry if that's old news, I'm not around here much these days].

Anyway, I'm just looking for a very brief answer on whether those percentages look good and whether the coaches in here think this is worth running.

Male, 37 y.o., 5'6" 185-190 pounds and holding. Think I'm fairly training sensitive for a 37-y.o. guy, but not elite athlete or anything like that. With 4 younguns at home, lots of life interruptions but I make it work.

This is what the squat would look like for me for all 14 weeks if I were to start now (in reality I could have a higher 1RM when I'm done with testing after Reynolds 5/3/1):
300x5x5
308x5x5
316x5x5
324x5x5
332x5x5
340x5x5 sounds brutal but not impossible
348x4x4
356x4x4
364x4x4 also sounds brutal and perhaps impossible; i'd kind of like to try it though
372x3x3
380x3x3
388x2x2
396x2x2
404x1x1 I'd just treat this as a 1RM week; I'd want more than 5 pounds on the 1RM if I ran this successfully

[Steve Hill]

Your numbers look right, given the template, and I agree with you on not knowing if Andy would recommend or not. It seems like a long, long time for a 1% gain, don't you think?

You can hit up Brent in the programming forum now. He's no slouch, that's for sure.

[AndrewLewis]

I really like Andy's templates, but I would honestly spend the extra money and get his customized programming. You give him your training history, and he gives you a custom program. Throughout the program, I asked him tons of questions every Friday for a few months, and he was more than happy to answer them and change up the program based on my feedback and questions.

I've been doing the program for 6 months, haven't had to make any huge changes, and it's worked very reliably.

[RussB]

Thanks Steve.

If I did 396x2x2 I could definitely go higher than 404, and I'd attempt to on that last week. There would also be PRs along the way, like those last 2 5x5s on week 5 and 6. And everything after that is is also higher than I could do right now, so I guess those would a sort of PR as well.