Old Forum Programming for PTTP

[Kevin W]

I have a couple of questions concerning programming for PTTP.

This is my first time dead lifting, prior till now I had only worked kettlebells but I am unable to access them in Qal e Nau in western Afghanistan.  I was able to acquire a 7ft barbell with spin collars (not sure if this is the right term, the weights can spin independent of the main bar) and 235 kg of weight in 20, 10, 5 and 2.5 kg plate sizes.

I started at 60 kg (the bar + a 20kg on each side) and have been adding 5 kg each day for one set of 5 reps and then dropping 10% for another five reps for five days a week. At some point I will fail to continuously add 5kg everyday. When I do fail and drop back to reset should I do a slower step progression such as 3 days at same weight and then add 5kg and repeat; or should I do a wave progression of adding 5 kg each day for five days and then drop back 15kg and repeat? Or something entirely different?

The smallest plates that fit on the bar are 2.5 kg but there are some 1.25 kg plates of a different diameter and a few 1 kg pink dumbells that I could tie onto the bar with rope or wire for a smaller incremental loading if that is required.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

 

[AndyMcL]

Cycling takes a little trial and error to figure out the best method. I'm a fan of taking a few steps forward, and then a few back, but others make fantastic progress by keeping the weight static, or milking the linear progression. When you get to the point that you need to back off ,play around with it a little. Do a few weeks of step cycles, few weeks of wave, and figure out what works best for you.

Do not worry about the small plates and dumbbells, you should be fine with the 2.5kg steps in a lift as heavy as the deadlift.

 

[Pavel]

Kevin, what is your max (or estimated max) DL?

 

[Kevin W]

Pavel,

I am not sure what my max deadlift would be, prior to a week ago I had never done them. I am up to 95kg with double overhand, the weight has felt light and gone up quickly so far. Before this I had been doing S&S back in Thailand with a 32 kg in around 7 minutes with occasional sets of ten with the 40 kg on the one hand swings. not sure what that would correlate to with regards to deadlifting.

I am 45 years old, 5'10", 85 kg and in better shape than I was but not in as good a shape as I will be.

Andy - I'll try both approaches and see what works better. I am in a work camp in Afghanistan on a multiyear road project, I have lots of time and no distractions to training, kind of like prison