You will get both stronger and more muscular.
OS Resets.Also, what are some of the things what one can do for the ~5 mins between the sets? It is a lot of time. Can one do stretches here?
See Pavel's "Fast and Loose."what are some of the things what one can do for the ~5 mins between the sets?
For beginners, Faleev offers a straightforward progressive overload workout with 5 sets of 8 reps. Eventually you are supposed to advance to 5 x 5
Do a couple warm-up sets if you must, then feel free to take 5 min. and even more between your work sets. Top power dogs take longer; 30 min. is not unheard of. Power loves rest and does not tolerate rushing. You may feel that you are completely recovered in 2 min. but take a full 5 anyway. According to Faleev, an hour is a good number to shoot for in your workout length
I did not understand this. How can one progress from 5x8 to 5x5?
How can one progress from 5x8 to 5x5?
Bullet point 1 in your response is how I understood it. When we increase the weight progress from as in your example 5, 4, 4, 3, 2 (low volume) to 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 (high volume). Here we the weight remains the same and the volume progresses to the desired. And this is what I am trying to do in my practice too. The moment I hit 5x5, I increase the weight, the volume naturally suffers, and I try to bring it back up to 5x5. Repeat.Make more sense now?
Pavel also says in the blog:Faleev, as I understand it, would have you start with 8 reps x 5 sets and
So this what I am trying to do too. I don't do 8 reps at all.In my opinion, you should go straight to 5 x 5. Sets of five are the meat and potatoes of strength training
Below is a link to the blog where Pavel discusses this program.
Pavel: 80/20 Powerlifting and How to Add 110+ Pounds to Your Lifts
From the above:
"As the meet approaches, cut back from 5 x 5 to 4 x 4, 3 x 3, and finally, a couple of weeks before the competition, 2 x 2. Up the poundages accordingly."
And there you have the answer to your question #1: yes, cut back on the volume. Better, however, that you plan for a competition rather than simply wait for yourself to struggle. Stopping something that isn't working is better than continuing to do it, of course, but it's not as good as a plan that sees you make steady progress. For you, continue to progress in weight while you cut back in volume as the article suggests.
Your question #2 - see above. If you haven't not overtrained yet, follow the plan. If you feel you are overtrained, then you must deload.
Your question #3 - eat what you need to achieve your goals. If you need more muscle, eat more high-quality food; if not, don't. I am a weight-class athlete who gets on the scale every morning and adjusts my eating to keep my weight within a reasonable distance from what I need for competition.
-S-