Blut Wump - Korte 3x3

[blut wump]

I just read through the program and it looks very sound and solid.

Now, about the concerns that the projected increases are too small......you're right that a world class lifter would be overjoyed at the ''small'' increases. But for the majority of people who are probably nowhere near their physical potential, you want more.

This is my problem with programs revolving around percentages. With the dual factor 5x5, the heavy day is your test day and the rest of the week's %'s are based upon that. If you follow it as a dual factor approach, the workload tonnage gets rammed up just like in Korte's program. The thing is lifters who are not elite aren't the same lifter from week to week. They get stronger from week to week at a high rate, and therefore the %'s of maxes aren't accurate from one Monday to the next.

This is a great program. Don't sweat the lack of assistance work for now, The Bulgarians didn't do much assistance and their record speaks for itself.......Give it a shot and see what you think.....worst case senario, the weights are too easy, and you get a little stronger and you try something else next cycle.....things could be much worse. I hope you give it a shot and I will be following the journal closely.

Good luck.

Thanks. I'm hoping to be able to increase by more than the initial calculations but if today is anything to go by I'll be glad to hobble through at these 'small' increases.

My only sanity-preserving thought is that it's been two to three months since I was last in the volume phase of the madcow 5x5 and my conditioning will swiftly return. Still, one day of week one is too soon to start worrying about being buried.

I'm wholly behind the attitude that I get whatever I get and the worst case is that I learn something for my time investment. The percentages aren't set in stone and I'll see how it goes. I look forward to your support and criticisms.

 

[super_rice]

biggt is right about the state of programs based around percentages. Us newbies may gain much more than elite level lifters, so the percentages don't always reflect our true strength. During my volume phase, I worked on scaling up the volume and getting my body accustomed to the workload, rather than worrying too much about intensity. Only in the latter two weeks did the intensity really start popping (and boy, did it ever). Good luck.

 

[blut wump]

That's where my thoughts were taking me: a couple of weeks of acclimatizing and then I'll see where I really stand.

I think I'll take a proper read through your Korte thread.

 

[BiggT]

blut wump,

Your conditioning to high volume work will return very soon, and you won't feel so tired. I think that has a lot to do with it. After these four weeks, you should be more than ready for the intensity phase.

Short rest periods and high volume with ''light'' weights is one of the most physically exhausting ways to train and it will take plenty of getting used to. Cycling grips does enhance fatigue, but is great for conditioning. You are approaching each set fatigued in a way you normally wouldn't be. You're doing wide-grip presses with blown out triceps, close grip presses with fatigued shoulders, etc......

Very interesting, and I am looking forward to the intensity phase to see how much conditioning you gain from this.

 

[d-dub]

Point taken but, please, don't mention the war!

I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.



I'll be following this log with interest as well. I wanna try Kortes after I do the 5x5.

 

[Jim Ouini]

The thing is lifters who are not elite aren't the same lifter from week to week. They get stronger from week to week at a high rate, and therefore the %'s of maxes aren't accurate from one Monday to the next.

The majority of the strength gains will occur in the competition phase, correct? i.e, the prep phase is just to build up volume/fatigue like the first 4 weeks of 5 x 5 and even us non-elites wouldn't necessarily see big gains here that would require weight adjustments.

I guess what I'm wondering is if I should just shoot for a higher predicted 1RM and work off those % or be convservative with the prep and then make the adjustments in the last 4 weeks.

last two sets were starting to feel tiring and I was looking forward to deadlifts

That reminds me I remember Madcow saying a few times that what makes this program grueling is the heavy pull you have waiting for you at the end of the workout...

 

[blut wump]

I didn't mind the deadlift at all and was looking forward to it. As I was doing it, though, it kind of felt like a chore.

What I might find is not necessarily that I get stronger over the first four weeks but that conditioning improves. This program feels like it has a lot of volume but no individual lift of the volume phase need be hard. Even when you look at the intensity phase it seems easy until, maybe, the last two weeks. Even the 'hard' lifts are just singles at reasonably light weights. 80%? 85%? pfft!

I know I've had strength gains in the past from light work. I'm more worried that I'll just wear out than that my strength will fail me.

grrr at the Blurt

 

[Jim Ouini]

Was hoping to slip that by dammit.

Anyway, I can see myself getting buried by the volume too; when I was reading over the numbers 80-85% 1RM single for 1-2 sets seemed pretty easy to me too, especially since 3 x 3's are at only 60% 1RM.

I glanced over the program again and he says these low intensity sets are for power and technique. I wonder how these fit into intensity phase though i.e, do they help your heavy singles or are they just there to keep you ready for competition.

Otherwise I can see myself wanting to alter it to, say, 80-95% 1/3 x 3...

Anyway it's obviously a tried and true program, just curious about how it was set up especially compared to 5 x 5. I think I have to read it again

 

[blut wump]

Wade Hanna also has a couple of articles on his experience of the Korte on the deepsquater page.

"3x3 etc..." and "Conjugate 3x3"
http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/

 

[Jim Ouini]

Glanced through them, seem like good reads. Thanks.

(don't know if I like the possibility of my bench going down, though )