Barbell Greyskull LP and microplates?

[IonRod]

So after reading some recommendations here I decided that Greyskull LP program suits best to my needs and liking as a novice. There is only one concern I have - the recommendation to use microplates to jump 2.5 lbs in upper body lifts. I am a product of Pavel's books and videos and firmly believe his training principles. One of them being to not use "washers" in barbells (relevant video below). But this seems to be an important component of GSLP (as well as SS NLP).

How did the people who used the program go about this? Did you use the microplates? Or did you jump 5lbs? And if the latter, did you need to reset the weight a lot?
I was thinking as a workaround, instead of increasing by 2.5lbs the upper body exercises maybe I should just stay at the same weight 2 sessions in a row (hopefully getting more reps in on the last set) and then making the 5lb jump on the third session?

Would love to hear other's experience.

 

[tmpierce]

I'm not qualified to speak about pros or cons of the Greyskull program but I'd remind you that the Strongfirst view on other programs is, 'we know what we do works but we're not saying others don't'.

I'd caution against mixing and matching protocols between programs in general. Good programs have considered a number of factors in them and you may be cancelling something out by adding to the program.

If the Greyskull program has a history of generating results similar to what you want (and I'm not questioning it, I just genuinely know nothing about their program) and it fits your life logistically then great. Do that for 'awhile'. Changing and adding to programs is real an advanced lifter thing, lots of people start to experiment in the 'intermediate' stage but it's not something a novice should do.

Bottom line is that having a program you follow outweighs almost all theory, go forth and crush it!

 

[Steve Freides]

How did the people who used the program go about this? Did you use the microplates? Or did you jump 5lbs? And if the latter, did you need to reset the weight a lot?
I was thinking as a workaround, instead of increasing by 2.5lbs the upper body exercises maybe I should just stay at the same weight 2 sessions in a row (hopefully getting more reps in on the last set) and then making the 5lb jump on the third session

Seems a reasonable adaptation to me, although using 2.5 lb plates isn’t something we recommend, either. Increase reps for 4 sessions then jump 10 lbs (using 5 lb plates) would be more in line with what we do.

FWIW, even with my relatively light weights, I use nothing smaller than 10’s except when following a program with specific percentages. For specific percentages, I usually round up to the next weight that’s got a five at the end so, e.g., I’ll round 276 up to 285, and I never round down.

-S-

 

[LukeV]

I've done Greyskull as written with good results and I would definitely recommend small weight adjustments whenever a program includes AMRAP sets (ie training close to failure). Training to failure is really tough on the joints and tendons for many people and smaller weight increments allows increased time to adjust reducing risk of injury. Strong First methods don't train close to failure so larger weight increments make sense

 

[Bill Been]

A linear progression like Greyskull requires a lifter to be able to adjust loading in increments that are supported by the rate of linear strength adaptation. For the Press, the Bench, and possibly the Power Clean, The appropriate increment is 2 to 2.5lbs for males. Women, Seniors, or post-injury trainees are less. So you need “fractionals”. For example, on my own LP (based around 3 sets of 5), I took 10lb jumps up to 95x5x3, then 5lb jumps up to 140x5x3. The final long slog to 162.5x5x3 was done with 2.5lb jumps. Similar on the Bench.

I’m a huge advocate for doing what’s necessary to facilitate an excellent run on Linear Progression because there’s no other time you’ll have such rapid strength gains if you’re far from your genetic potential or such a rapid and efficient return productive training after a layoff. The mental and emotional benefits of stepping to a bar that’s 5lb heavier than the one that tried - and failed - to staple your head to the floor two days ago... ducking under that thing and squatting it to depth 5 times.... is powerful. Don’t let a lack of necessary equipment deny you a chance to see for yourself.

 

[Bill Been]

A couple other thoughts on this as it relates to the braoder topic of programming variables: load, sets & reps (volume), frequency and its cousin rest, and exercise selection are really about all there is to tinker with in program design. In ROP, for example, the exercises, load and frequency stay fixed while adding volume. The primary driver of progress is volume. This is true of most kettbell programs due to the limitations in load selection. It works. At the other end of the rainbow lies programs that use load - weight on the bar - as the driver of progress. Greyskull, Starting Strength, StrongLifts are examples of such. In these, the same variables as ROP are fixed, but daily and weekly volume are also fixed at 3 sessions per week of 3 sets of 5 in Starting Strength and 5x5 in StrongLifts for example. The only variable in a LINEAR progression properly understood is LOAD. And the load must always go up and it must always do so at a rate that is sustainable by the adaptive response of the trainee. A 22 year old male and a 52 year old Mom will not have the same response and 5lb on any pressing movement is too big for either of them. As an aside - think about a 5’6”, 115lb female with an 8kg kettlebell press. A 10kg Press represents a 25% increase in force production. That is a yawning chasm of a deficit. To press a 48 a male only has to get 9% stronger than he was at 44. So, a proper “Go” at such a linear program requires the time and the proper equipment to accommodate the design of the program.

 

[ShawnM]

I’ve used GS in the past with success and used small weight jumps using ankle weights. You can get a 2 pound pair for next to nothing and will allow the small weight jumps. Micro plates can get expensive.

 

[LoneRider]

As someone who has followed the Greyskull LP three times over the years, I recommend you buy at least the 1.25 lb plates and to wring every possible gain out of the program, even invest in the microplate sets as small as .5 lbs.