Originally Posted by
Strength_Power_Progress
Getting there dude!
So what attracted to you to TM? I mean, yeah it's a damn simple and effective program provided you have the necessary facilities at your disposal, but maybe a bit too simple, if that's a thing. I've ran a variation of the in the past based on something Hanley put together, V/R/I day, I got quite a bit of weekly LP out of it on the Squat and Deadlift (in particular). Surprisingly, the Deadlift really responded to not much volume or frequency. I literally only Deadlifted 1x a week for no more than 3-4 reps (much like what you are doing, although I split it up into WK1: 1x3, WK2: 2x2, WK3: 3x1) and supplemented with RDL's on VD. I did plateau though on Bench and Press, I had a hard time developing them with the lower frequency and volume. I definitely think you can significantly develop the Deadlift in what you are doing for a while, maybe a supplementary Deadlift with more hamstring focus than rows on VD could be an asset for you?
One of my "dreams" is to design a Bodybuilder friendly split based on TM or auto-regulation concepts and sell it to guys who run Chest/Back/Tris style routines. I think the simplicity of strength training (for the most part) is daunting to a lot of guys who've grown in the gym with lots of lower intensity volume, many exercises and focus on isolating individual muscles rather than working the body as a whole. OTOH, we're pretty simple people, I know I am, anything more than heavy compounds seems to mess my mind up - but then, it's totally necessary to develop weak points at this stage of the game, and different, specific exercises are a must for this.
I used to think there was some arbitrary strength level that one had to reach (and in a certain amount of time too) before you could customise your own training for your individual goals (I blame the internet). It is true in a manner of speaking, but that doesn't mean that everybody can just run LP until 3/4/5, or that everything will develop evenly. I've read a lot of Zatsiorsky and Bompa's works and I've asked Jordan a lot of questions about specifics to what goes through his mind when programming.
I've concluded that rather than just aiming for some strength level (a lot of guys will never bench 3 plates... I'm not sure if I will, but I'll fucking give it a shot!) or putting things on a time frame before you think about specific goals and addressing weak points, that a person should have an understanding of themselves. Specifically, things like:
- Knowing how your recovery works pertaining to specific lifts (case in point: I cannot Squat effectively the day after I Deadlift, but I can Deadlift effectively after I Squat, that's true for many guys, presumably why also that the Squat is traditionally the first lift in a Meet!).
- Realising your sticking points in lifts (be it getting out of the bottom of the Squat, getting the bar off the chest on Bench or locking out, or grip on Deadlift).
I think we must have a reason for everything we do in the weight room, recovery and efficiency of training is so damn precious, mental clarity too (not being able to PR every session or weekly is soul destroying at first once you're done with LP, It knocked me for six, until Jordan explained the idea that strength and PR's tend to come in waves and that it's really just about putting the work in and waiting for them to come). I've totally spoke philosophically for so long.