Barbell Lighter weight for a better progression?

[quentin__bsbl]

hello I am currently doing the 5x5 madcow. And I replaced the '' Barbell Row '' with weighted pull-ups. I used the madcow calculator and my weight for the pull-ups seems very heavy. I also have trouble finishing some series while the% compared to my 1 RM is the same as for the other exercises. So I wondered if I should just continue like this when it is only the 1st week or if it is better to lower the weights for a better progression.

 

[Steve Freides]

What is "madcow?" If it's not a StrongFirst program, does its author have a support forum where you might be more likely to get a good answer to your question?

For weighted pull-ups, do the math at bw + added_weight, e.g., if you weigh 75 kg and your max is bw + 25 kg, then your max is 100 kg, and 80% would be bw + 5 kg, 75% would be bw-only, and you can't do less than 75%.

-S-

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

It seems as though the calculations for the weighted pull-ups aren't taking into account bodyweight and how much that factors in to the movement.

The madcow calculator might work fine for heavy barbell lifts but anything where your own bodyweight makes up a greater portion of the overall resistance than any additional load (weight plates, etc.) is going to require significant adjustment and may not fit in with the program at all.

Is there any paricular reason you decided to switch out the barbell row for weighted pull-ups?

 

[silveraw]

What is "madcow?" If it's not a StrongFirst program, does its author have a support forum where you might be more likely to get a good answer to your question?

It has a pretty interesting history. Madcow was a guy on a forum (deepsquatter I think) who turned one of the late great Bill Starr’s 5x5 programs into a spreadsheet with the help of Glen Pendlay. He was a student/friend of his. It was kind of a prototype of the Texas Method. There was a whole geocities site and everything that had great advice. (Also to give context of how old it was). It became really popular when StrongLifts (not to confused with starting strength) kinda took it and hosted it on his site for his seo purposes.

probably more info than you wanted to know, but the gist of it is that madcow is anonymous and everyone else involved has moved on to the big gym in the sky.