In my understanding of the programme, women tolerate and benefit from more volume on the deadlift. It has been recommended to do sets across. I also happen to like the deadlift :-D
In my understanding of the programme, women tolerate and benefit from more volume on the deadlift. It has been recommended to do sets across. I also happen to like the deadlift :-D
I love the deadlift but there really is s good reason why 5 x 1 is prescribed. If you want to get serious advice from people who know what they are doing. First, follow the book until to reach the heaviest lifts in each category as prescribe. Then you can do some variations. Second, go see a SS coach.
Quotes from the above:
Most women will also benefit from more volume on the deadlift in the novice phase, since the intensities being handled are considerably less than their male counterparts. Two sets of 5 instead of one set is a good rule of thumb.
Women can train heavier more frequently than men, because they get less sore, they recover faster, and they can deal with more frequent exposures to a training stress, since the stress is lower relative to a male’s capacity to beat himself up. Heavy 3s for 4-5 sets 3 days per week, with no light days may be necessary to drive a strength increase in more advanced females. Such a schedule would kill most men, and is necessary for most women.
Women can also train the deadlift more frequently than men, and need to do so to drive it upward. Most men cannot recover from frequent heavy deadlifting, and most men cannot tolerate multiple sets across in a workout. Women need the heavy volume as well as the high intensity of multiple heavy triples, and this is some of the highest quality strength stress they can apply.
I stand corrected.
BW has stabilized at 114-115 lbs.
Squat - 3 X 5 @ 137.5
Press - 3 X 5 @ 63 lbs
Bench - 5 X 3 @ 92 lbs
Deadlift - 3 X 3 @ 155 lbs
I tried something new with my squat upon reaching 135 lbs. The idea was two-fold:
1) Gain some confidence. This is unchartered territory for me. I would never have thought that squatting a bar with 45 lbs plates was a possibility for somebody my sex, age, and size. It is kind of scary, especially without safeties and in the absence of my spotter (husband is out of town for two weeks). A coworker has kindly offered to build safeties for my el cheapo squat stand, but until his crafty creation is ready, I am on my own and bailing out is not an option.
2) My deadlift is progressing quite slowly, mostly due to my lack of grip strength. With carpal tunnel syndrome and RA, this has and will always be a struggle. It is also quite unpredictable. One day my grip is surprisingly strong, the next it is just completely gone. So part of my experiment's intent was to slow down the progression of my squat so that it does not catch up to my deadlift's.
The experiment
The first time I attempted the 135 lbs squat I completed 5 X 3. I kept the same weight the following workout, completing 4 X 4. Reattempted again two days later and did 3 X 5.
Huge improvements in bar speed. First workout with 5 X 3 was painful to watch. First rep slow and shaky, second rep slower and grindy, third rep a true leap of faith on every set. It was excruciating, with awful form; kudos to my husband for not intervening.
Bar speed improved significantly during my 4 X 4 workout. By the time I attempted with 3 X 5, my first four reps were tough but quite fast; only the last rep was grindy, but without my form going to shit.
The following workout, I increased the weight to 137.5. Amazingly, I was able to complete 3 X 5 with decent bar speed. Moving up to 140 lbs on my next workout, and looking forward to see what happens.
On another note, my BW has stabilized, after gaining about 4 lbs since December. So I am trying the LOMAD diet, my tiny self's version of the GOMAD diet. Training decreases my appetite; eating enough is very difficult. My training schedule (between 1600 and 1900) does not help since it kills my appetite for dinner, but training before I go to work is not an option with an active RA flare-up in both hands. So LOMAD it is, and we shall see how this goes.
Just popped back into this thread and wanted to say I wasn't critizing your set/rep decision, I was just interested. I didn't intend to stir any disagreement. Do what you're doing, your numbers are quite impressive!
Not sure if this could have any negative consequences for your CTS (or RA for that matter), but straps might be a solution to use during the work sets on the days your grip feels weak: How to Use Straps | Nick Delgadillo. This might also allow you to use a double overhand grip which might be a plus as well for other reasons.
Maybe ping one of the coaches on the forum asking about them?
ETA: Ah, I see you are considering that already and perhaps the goal is to strengthen the grip w/o the straps. Might still be good to ask about them for your case on the technique or managing injury forums. IMHO, if straps are an option to increase progression in the DL (and therefore Squat), I wouldn't hesitate.
Last edited by DaveJF; 03-06-2021 at 09:01 PM.