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Barbell Confused with frequency - SS vs. PTTP

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adam.stozek

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Hi Guys,

It was stated in PTTP that high frequency is more important than high volume in strength training. Right now I am doing SS Linear Progression and I feel I am doing more progress than on PTTP cycles before. I don't understand why I progress faster doing on av. 1,5 sessions per week than doing 3 sessions per week, with higher volume and with only rising weight. And actually I don't do 3x5, but 5x5. And still progress FASTER (on PTTP av. 1 time/week, here every session 1,5/week). I know it will slow down later, but right now in about 1,5 month I progressed in Bench Press almost that much I earlier supposed it's okay if I do in 3-month cycle (~7,5 kg).

On one hand, it's amazing. I'm (positively) surprised that I still can get newbie gains after few cycles of PTTP. On the other hand, I' afraid that I messed up something or I didn't really understand the purpose of periodization and waving weights. When on PTTP I used to do 3 sessions per week and other excercises on the other 3 days of the week. Now I do 3 fbw sessiona and I am superhappy if I can additionaly go bouldering once a week. Is it influence of better recovery? Or magic effect of squats? I am happy with the progress but also confused A LOT.
 
I think you answered your own question. PTTP is designed to be done near daily with consistent small jumps up followed by moving down and waving back up. The original focus was the deadlift with the press as a little bonus. The goal was strength with size a much lesser factor. SS focuses on both size and strength and contains much more volume which is why it is only programmed 3 days a week You could still be getting newbie gains from SS and linear progression does work well for a lot of people. I think maybe PTTP didn't give you more results was because of the lack of training days you were using, I don't think three a week can be enough.
 
I think you answered your own question. PTTP is designed to be done near daily with consistent small jumps up followed by moving down and waving back up. The original focus was the deadlift with the press as a little bonus. The goal was strength with size a much lesser factor. SS focuses on both size and strength and contains much more volume which is why it is only programmed 3 days a week You could still be getting newbie gains from SS and linear progression does work well for a lot of people. I think maybe PTTP didn't give you more results was because of the lack of training days you were using, I don't think three a week can be enough.

Exactly.

And actually I don't do 3x5, but 5x5.

As your weights get heavier, you probably want to re-think that. Stronglifts does 5x5 and tends to "run out" earlier because of it. SS NLP 3x5 is that way for a reason. Have a listen to this podcast. (The other episodes are good too, for explaining lots about the Starting Strength system, but this one explains specifically about 5x5 vs. 3x5)

I'm currently doing SS NLP too - welcome to visit my training log, this link is to the start of the program.
 
I guess you are right. I will have to try PTTP with higher frequency and figure it out myself :)

@Anna C You're absolutely right, I plan to left last 2 sets soon. I will just go on as reps in last two sets start to fall. 5x5 is really a lot, especially for squats so maybe I'll start 3x5 next week.

My lifts are BP& Squat 5x5 95 kg. I sort of messed up with Deadlift and went with DDD... Made things unnecessary complicated, but I'm turning to SS way eventually and I am at 70 kg now.

I would also like to ask about your opinion in changing barbell MP to KB presses. I know that YNDTP, but... I don't like MP.
I just healed one of my shoulders and kettlebells seems to do them all-good, while any other presses... well, they don't.
I am doing press program (that with ladders 5 x 1,2,3,4,5) with heavy - medium - light days with 20 kg kb at the moment. I hope to complete ladders with 24 kg, which I never done before :)
 
I would also like to ask about your opinion in changing barbell MP to KB presses. I know that YNDTP, but... I don't like MP.

I think it could work fine, but I would stick to 3x5 and do doubles. Doubles provide more of a load for your body which is one of the objectives of the barbell MP.

Since you can't incrementally load kettlebells like you can the barbell, you might have to play with the reps/sets a bit... If 3x5 with double 20kgs is too hard to start with, do 5 sets of 3 instead. Then same thing when you move to double 24s. Might even do an "in between" with a 20kg in one hand and 24kg in the other, and switch out of an even number in the opposite hand. Or do a see-saw press - one is coming up as the other is coming down. Just some ideas.

You could do ladders later, after you get strong. I would stick to the linear nature of the program and just slowly progress all the lifts with a very consistent training session, rather than waving the volume on one of them.
 
It was stated in PTTP that high frequency is more important than high volume in strength training.
No, not exactly. High frequency is key for improving the neural/skill aspect of strength. If you're lifting 3 days a week, I would recommend a light/medium/heavy rotation, which will provide a balance more tilted towards hypertrophy than 5x/week. Hitting a lift only twice a week is also a fine thing for hypertrophy, and that's usually done with one day for speed and one day for weight and volume.

"Newbie gains" aren't an absolute - you may be able to make progress for years on a program which won't work for you as well in your second decade of lifting. You may also be able to make progress on a "newbie" program if you haven't done that program in a while.

There are many variables; there is no Holy Grail of lifting.

-S-
 
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