To Turn A Midget To A Man - ZgzaZ's Log -

[ZGzaZ]

On Any lifts in the 200 pound range, a 2.5% increase in 5rm is 5 pounds... For lifts i175 or less, it is siginificantly less.... implying a need for microloading as 5lbs a week will burn you out too quickly.

Your "problem" at this point is the opposite. A 2.5% increase in a 5rm of a 315 squat, would mean your next squat should actually be 323, not 320. The week after would be 331 instead of 325.

So..the hypothesis would be, that on your lifts that feature a 250+ 5rm, you're actually undershooting your potential strength increase week by week... BUT by doing only 5 pounds, u might be increasing the AMOUNT of weeks u're seeing an increase BUT you might have hit the same weight in a short number of weeks, had u done a true 2.5% increase week to week, which you'd be able to do only through microloading.

Above all else, If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Don't go and do 323 next week out of the blue!

Well, the hypothesis can't be entirely accurate because of the fact that my goal has been to progress as fast as possible. So while I'm doing 5lb jumps at this point, I was doing 10lb jumps on squats until about week 14, and 20lb jumps on deads until the 10th week. So I really doubt I'm undershooting at this point, whereas I might have been had I done 5lb increases from week 1 to now.

 

[Kabeetz]

Well, the hypothesis can't be entirely accurate because of the fact that my goal has been to progress as fast as possible. So while I'm doing 5lb jumps at this point, I was doing 10lb jumps on squats until about week 14, and 20lb jumps on deads until the 10th week. So I really doubt I'm undershooting at this point, whereas I might have been had I done 5lb increases from week 1 to now.

As a net total progress, sure. A lot of that has to do with not knowing your true 5rm in the beginning, and/or becoming accustomed to the compound lifts used in the program.

From the "Bill Starr 5x5" template of increasing your 5rm 2.5% each week... 5 pounds is not always optimal, therefore the case for microloading. 2.5% is not always 5 or 10 pounds.

In the end, your real world ability to get gains out of the program however it is accomplished means a lot more than words on a page.

 

[ZGzaZ]

As a net total progress, sure. A lot of that has to do with not knowing your true 5rm in the beginning, and/or becoming accustomed to the compound lifts used in the program.

From the "Bill Starr 5x5" template of increasing your 5rm 2.5% each week... 5 pounds is not always optimal, therefore the case for microloading. 2.5% is not always 5 or 10 pounds.

In the end, your real world ability to get gains out of the program however it is accomplished means a lot more than words on a page.

Untrue. None of it has to do with knowing my true 5rm in the beginning, as they were tested with a spotter on sepparate days. It has to do with driving past those 5 rep maxes with an increase in body weight, and plenty of rest.

I'm not really sure what you're getting at here... if I can't make 10lb jumps 20 weeks into the program, then 5lbs IS optimal. 2.5% will never be BELOW 5lbs for me, so the goal remains the same as before for me.... progress as quickly as possibly. If that means using micro plates down the road when 5lbs isnt feasable, then that's when I will use them.

 

[Kabeetz]

Well, untrue. None of it has to do with knowing my true 5rm in the beginning, as they were tested with a spotter on sepparate days.

I'm not really sure what you're getting at here... if I can't make 10lb jumps 20 weeks into the program, then 5lbs IS optimal. 2.5% will never be BELOW 5lbs for me, so the goal remains the same as before for me.... progress as quickly as possibly. If that means using micro plates down the road when 5lbs isnt feasable, then that's when I will use them.

I was getting at Horse Face's question about microloading.. In other words I think microloading is great and effective.

Now if you applied microloading... just like you said you can't make 10 pound jumps anymore.... but you can make 5 pound jumps... what if you could make 7.5 pound jumps still? Or 6 pound jumps still? You don't know if you've never tried microloading 5+1 or 5+2.5 pounds onto a bar.

I hope it didn't come off as me trying to knock u or your progression in some way...

 

[ZGzaZ]

I was getting at Horse Face's question about microloading.. In other words I think microloading is great and effective.

Now if you applied microloading... just like you said you can't make 10 pound jumps anymore.... but you can make 5 pound jumps... what if you could make 7.5 pound jumps still? Or 6 pound jumps still? You don't know if you've never tried microloading 5+1 or 5+2.5 pounds onto a bar.

I hope it didn't come off as me trying to knock u or your progression in some way...

That is true, I problaby could be pulling off some 7lb or 6lb jumps just as easy. I may have to look into some micro plates sometime very soon. Ty.

And, no..I didn't take it that way at all.

 

[anotherbutters]

2.5% is a rough estimation of an increase that might work for a beginner / intermediate each session / week for a period of time. Progress will naturally slow down over time, so you can't expect 2.5% forever. I think a 5lb weekly increase on a 315 squat is pretty darn good progress myself and anyone that's acheiving that should be more than happy with themselves.

Congrats ZGzaZ. Nice pulling too.

 

[ZGzaZ]

Week 19 - Day 3 - Feb 3rd -

Squats - 4x5 - 155x5, 190x5, 235x5, 275x5
1x3 - 320x3
1x8 - 235x8
Flats - 4x5 - 145x5, 170x5, 195x5, 220x5
1x3 - 250x3
1x8 - 195x8
Rows - 4x5 - 135x5, 155x5, 180x5, 205x5
1x3 - 230x3
1x8 - 180x8
Hammer Rope Curls - 3x150x8
Tricep Pushdowns - 3x8x250lbs

Feelin good to get the flats moving again without any shoulder pain, hopefully will progress past my old PR of 260 with the new closer grip and elbows tucked, should be a nice challenge.

 

[ricanx99]

Week 19 - Day 3 - Feb 3rd -

Squats - 4x5 - 155x5, 190x5, 235x5, 275x5
1x3 - 320x3
1x8 - 235x8
Flats - 4x5 - 145x5, 170x5, 195x5, 220x5
1x3 - 250x3
1x8 - 195x8
Rows - 4x5 - 135x5, 155x5, 180x5, 205x5
1x3 - 230x3
1x8 - 180x8
Hammer Rope Curls - 3x150x8
Tricep Pushdowns - 3x8x250lbs

Feelin good to get the flats moving again without any shoulder pain, hopefully will progress past my old PR of 260 with the new closer grip and elbows tucked, should be a nice challenge.

You will go WAY passed that 260 number... just keep up what your doing and I'll be there getting you hyped up!

 

[jpt]

closer grip is def the way to go on flats imo.....leaves alot less room for shoulder injury. are you doing any rear delt exercises to assist your bench? doing reverse pec deck's a few times a week helped me dramatically when i was going for pr's....you don't realize how much they come into play when becnhing. stay classy

 

[ricanx99]

closer grip is def the way to go on flats imo.....leaves alot less room for shoulder injury. are you doing any rear delt exercises to assist your bench? doing reverse pec deck's a few times a week helped me dramatically when i was going for pr's....you don't realize how much they come into play when becnhing. stay classy

JPT, the only movement that we do that might hit the rear delts are the rows. We also added push press and although they target mostly the front delts, the rear delts do have a small role. (which you know) But that's something to keep in mind to add in maybe. His form has improved dramatically by bringing in his grip some and I'm gonna push him to get WAY passed 260!