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Thread: Newby LP BS question

  1. #1
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    Default Newby LP BS question

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    Week 12 of LP. 43. Currently stuck on BS 260x5x3. My last 2 workouts are as follows:
    260x4/4/3
    260x5/5/3

    So I'm making progress but slowly.

    My question is, is there any harm at staying at the same weight for 3-4 sessions, or more, so long as the reps keep getting closer to 5/5/5, or am I better off reseting? (Everything else being equal, rest, diet, etc)

    I'm suspecting when I put on 265 it will be the same type of progression.

    Maybe I'm overthinking it but its where I'm at.

  2. #2
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    Reset.

  3. #3
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    Pretty muck what whale said - if three successive sessions don't get you the five reps straight across, reset and rebuild.

    It's also not unusual that one lift will end LP while the others are still going gangbusters.

    And, per usual, doing (and analyzing) your own videos for form checks are highly recommended at every PR attempt - which in the case of LP is every session.

  4. #4
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    Ahh, 3 sessions. Makes sense. Got some time with a SS coach scheduled.

    So if I hit then end of LP on BS and Press, but still have a bunch of steam left in DL and BP.....what should I be doing with those first two lifts while the later two finish up? Any thoughts?

    Thanks!!!

  5. #5
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    I hit a wall at almost the same time with the same amount of weight but I was really burned out and actually regressing, so I reset. After resetting I was advised to add a light squat day in (Wednesday is 80% of whatever Monday is) and it worked like a charm so far. Feel stronger than ever. I won't ever, ever reset like that again though and will avoid it at all costs. It beat me up in all kinds of ways mentally and was very discouraging. But that was me.

    I'm just seeing with you that you're stuck and having trouble progressing and I'm wondering would you even need a reset and why not just go ahead and add a light day. I would avoid the reset if I could.

    My press also completely burned out (couldn't even lift the weights one rep on first set) so I completely reset all my lifts. I don't know if that was a good idea either but I've since made major progression after that and actually feel like I'm just now getting my second wind.

    Also, what weights are you adding on your press? That was the first I had to start microloading and currently still going up every work out now at 2.5 lbs every time. Same with bench and chin ups.

    If you don't have the plates to microload or don't want to do it for some reason you can also try a work weight at 5 sets for 3 reps, then next you'll be able to do same weight at 3x5, and then go up another 5 lbs and do 5x3 with that again. Or you could start adding in a light day for those as well. Just throwing options out there since you said you "hit the end of LP" when it doesn't sound like you have by any means, your progression is just slowing down as it's going to do.

  6. #6
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    Hi David-
    A little more background. I previously hit the wall at 275 then reset with some changes. I had dropped to the light 80% squat day before that as I was having major issues sleeping, and kept that initially with the lower weight but progress has actually been harder the second time thru. Right now I’m attributing it that, at almost 44, I feel like I detrain really fast with the light squat day.
    So I took the light day out again and changed my supplements which has had a remarkable affect on my sleep (added vitamin C and magnesium). So I’m not sure I really needed that light day as my problem was recovery/sleep. Or perhaps I need to just to one set of 5 on the middle day at a full weight and just lower the other two sets 80%

    Big picture is my form probably needs some more work...got a 2 hour session scheduled with a SS in about 3 weeks (earliest I could get in)...so right now I’m kinda spinning my wheels and trying to figure out how my body is responding to all these variables.

    DL is 325 and steadily going up 5lbs each. Bench at 215 and still climbing by 5. Press I’ve reset once and gone to 2.5 jumps, at 132.5.

    Is 2.5lb jumps in BS too little?

    Are you saying when you switched from 5x3 to 3x5 you went back to 5x3 after the weight went up a notch?

    Thanks, I appreciate and value everybody’s advice here. This is cool stuff...strongest I’ve ever been in my life

  7. #7
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    Is 2.5lb jumps in BS too little?


    Not at all. It's more weight on the bar. Coach Hanley prescribed a 1-1.5% weekly jump to my lifts when I shifted off SS to HLM, and I was adding 2.5 to 3.75 per week for months. Was glorious.

    For your light day, what volume are you doing? I seem to recall I was going 85-90% 5RM but 3-4x3 sets and reps. It's higher intensity for sure and prevented detraining well for me at a similar age.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by over40 View Post
    Hi David-
    Big picture is my form probably needs some more work...got a 2 hour session scheduled with a SS in about 3 weeks (earliest I could get in)...so right now I’m kinda spinning my wheels and trying to figure out how my body is responding to all these variables.

    DL is 325 and steadily going up 5lbs each. Bench at 215 and still climbing by 5. Press I’ve reset once and gone to 2.5 jumps, at 132.5.

    Is 2.5lb jumps in BS too little?

    Are you saying when you switched from 5x3 to 3x5 you went back to 5x3 after the weight went up a notch?

    Thanks, I appreciate and value everybody’s advice here. This is cool stuff...strongest I’ve ever been in my life
    OK well with all the info you just gave and the fact you're seeing an expert about this I'll stop with my fellow newb input. I think you're golden if you can hold out for the next 3 weeks without over or under training.

    As far as me changing sets and reps to jump in weights, I haven't done that yet. It was something I heard Matt Reynolds say worked for some of his older clients (for presses, etc, not for squats) and I'm keeping it in mind for when/if microloading stops working for me. Heck I think it's so interesting I might even just experiment with it anyway.

    Good luck with your training. For me it's been really fantastic being a novice and now have to buy all new clothes at 46 yrs old. I plan on milking NLP for all it's worth and as long as possible til I go to full intermediate.


    Quote Originally Posted by I_iz_a_fatass View Post
    For your light day, what volume are you doing? I seem to recall I was going 85-90% 5RM but 3-4x3 sets and reps. It's higher intensity for sure and prevented detraining well for me at a similar age.[/COLOR]
    That is interesting. I've kept this principle in my head from reading Barbell Prescription and it's "Master lifters are volume sensitive, and intensity dependent."

    For me at 46 just going to lighter on Wed without any other changes has worked (I've actually been surprised), but it's nice to know there's endless variables we can play with to tweak our individual progress.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by over40 View Post
    Hi David-

    Are you saying when you switched from 5x3 to 3x5 you went back to 5x3 after the weight went up a notch?
    Sorry just realized I never really fully clarified that. Yes the technique is, say with the OHP, do 120 for 5x3, then next time do 120 for 3x5, then by next OHP go up 5 lbs and do 125 for 5x3, then same for 3x5, move up again and on and on.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by I_iz_a_fatass View Post
    For your light day, what volume are you doing? I seem to recall I was going 85-90% 5RM but 3-4x3 sets and reps. It's higher intensity for sure and prevented detraining well for me at a similar age.[/COLOR]
    I was doing 80% of Monday’s weight for 3 sets of 5. Next time this comes up I think I’m going to do 90% with less volume like you mentioned.

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