freeflowme
Level 4 Valued Member
Hey all,
I've been PTTP-ing conventional deadlifts and overhead presses since February of this year, with what I'd call good results. My first cycle of DLs back in February ended with a heavyish 185x5. My last cycle of July culminated in a really strong 290x5. My first cycle of OHPs stopped at 95x5. My last of July reached 130x5.
However, for the first time since I started PTTP I find myself really unmotivated. I think there's several factors:
1) I was away for 10 days at the end of July - beginning of August, and coming back and starting a DL cycle again feeling significantly weaker was a slam to my psyche. I suppose there's nothing to do about that but get back into the routine and work through it.
2) I've seen little to no physical changes in training this way for 6 months (I've been taking pictures every couple of months). I'd like to at least look athletic / in shape. Perhaps that's more a factor of diet than programming, though?
3) I'd kind of like to practice other movements (squat, bench press), but I don't want to lose what I've gained by practicing deadlifts and OHPs 5 days/week.
I've been contemplating doing Starting Strength as it allows for hitting all the major compound movements. I don't love the idea of only doing 1x5 deadlifts 3x a week though, and that only for the very first part of the novice program, after which you alternate deadlifts and power cleans (I have little to no interest in practicing cleans). In general, I don't love how little pulling there is in SS compared to pushing. Given my history of imbalances and injuries, I'd like to try to do as much pulling as I do pushing (both upper and lower body). I've also really grown to like high frequency training - I like to touch the weights almost daily. That familiarity with the movement feels really good.
I've also thought about Even Easier Strength, but it doesn't seem like best for someone who's still untrained in several of the movements they'd be choosing (squat, bench in my case). I think I'd get a lot more out of a program that's designed around linear progression or periodization, at least for a few months.
Maybe it just comes down to "you can't have it all?" I.e. you can't squat every day, deadlift every day, bench every day, overhead press every day, AND do something like a pullup every day. Or maybe you can in some type of Justa Singles-type programming?
TL;DL - I've enjoyed PTTP-ing deadlift and press for the past 6 months, but feel I need something fresh. I'd like to practice squats and bench, but don't want to lose what I've gained on deadlift and press, and don't want to lose some kind of frequent upper-body pull. Please advise!
I've been PTTP-ing conventional deadlifts and overhead presses since February of this year, with what I'd call good results. My first cycle of DLs back in February ended with a heavyish 185x5. My last cycle of July culminated in a really strong 290x5. My first cycle of OHPs stopped at 95x5. My last of July reached 130x5.
However, for the first time since I started PTTP I find myself really unmotivated. I think there's several factors:
1) I was away for 10 days at the end of July - beginning of August, and coming back and starting a DL cycle again feeling significantly weaker was a slam to my psyche. I suppose there's nothing to do about that but get back into the routine and work through it.
2) I've seen little to no physical changes in training this way for 6 months (I've been taking pictures every couple of months). I'd like to at least look athletic / in shape. Perhaps that's more a factor of diet than programming, though?
3) I'd kind of like to practice other movements (squat, bench press), but I don't want to lose what I've gained by practicing deadlifts and OHPs 5 days/week.
I've been contemplating doing Starting Strength as it allows for hitting all the major compound movements. I don't love the idea of only doing 1x5 deadlifts 3x a week though, and that only for the very first part of the novice program, after which you alternate deadlifts and power cleans (I have little to no interest in practicing cleans). In general, I don't love how little pulling there is in SS compared to pushing. Given my history of imbalances and injuries, I'd like to try to do as much pulling as I do pushing (both upper and lower body). I've also really grown to like high frequency training - I like to touch the weights almost daily. That familiarity with the movement feels really good.
I've also thought about Even Easier Strength, but it doesn't seem like best for someone who's still untrained in several of the movements they'd be choosing (squat, bench in my case). I think I'd get a lot more out of a program that's designed around linear progression or periodization, at least for a few months.
Maybe it just comes down to "you can't have it all?" I.e. you can't squat every day, deadlift every day, bench every day, overhead press every day, AND do something like a pullup every day. Or maybe you can in some type of Justa Singles-type programming?
TL;DL - I've enjoyed PTTP-ing deadlift and press for the past 6 months, but feel I need something fresh. I'd like to practice squats and bench, but don't want to lose what I've gained on deadlift and press, and don't want to lose some kind of frequent upper-body pull. Please advise!
