Barbell Questions About Power to the People!

[powertothepeople]

Hi everyone,

I've read through PTTP front to back, but I can't find the part where it says how much weight to add per lift after every 8-12 workout "cycle" is completed. If memory serves me correctly, I'm supposed to add 5 pounds to my starting weight and repeat after each cycle peters out.

If I'm understanding the book correctly, I'm supposed to lift no more than 5 days in a row each week. I'm also supposed to start with my 10RM for both "lifts" I'm training (I will be using the squat and strict press). Finally, I'm a fairly strong intermediate lifter. However, because I am actively involved in boxing training right now, I'm looking for something that isn't very demanding.

I tried running 5/3/1 alongside boxing training, but it's just too much fatigue to deal with.

Anyway, my lifts from my latest cycle of 5/3/1 are as follows:

BW: 193

Squat: 350 x 10
Press: 155 x 7
Trap Bar DL: 425 x 12
Bench: 215 x 7

I will be re-testing squat and press after a well-deserved deload because I know I have more in the tank when I'm not severely fatigued.

I plan on running a flexible wave cycle for squats and a "step" cycle for press. Also, is there anything mentioned about deloading after a certain number of PTTP cycles? The book is great, but the actual program is only mentioned on a handful of pages.

I'm also aware that PTTP has undergone recent changes from 2 x 5 to 5/3/2. I enjoyed excellent results with the original program and deadlifted 405 x 3 belt-less at a BW of 165. That said, I wouldn't be opposed to trying something different.

Thanks for everyone's help

 

[powertothepeople]

FWIW, 18 months before I incurred my lower back injury this April, I was able to conventional DL 405 x 3 at a BW of 165 - I couldn't have been able to pull more than 365 before I started. That just speaks to the efficacy of PTTP.

 

[Steve Freides]

I've read through PTTP front to back, but I can't find the part where it says how much weight to add per lift after every 8-12 workout "cycle" is completed.

@powertothepeople, welcome to the StrongFirst forum.

Pages 52 through 57. Use those cycles as example, adapt to your own weights by approximating the same percentage.

-S-

 

[John K]

I tried running 5/3/1 alongside boxing training, but it's just too much fatigue to deal with.

Unrelated to PTTP... One of the keys to running 5/3/1 successfully long-term is every ~3 cycles to do a rep max test on your deload week with your training max. If you don't get 3-5 reps (depending if you're doing an 85% TM or a 90%TM), you calculate your max-max and recalculate your training max off it.

Example -
Squat 85%TM of 315... max reps @ 315 after 3 cycles was 2 reps. (315*2*0.0333) + 315 = 335. 335*.85 is 285, so that's your TM for the next cycle. If you had gotten, say, 5 reps, that gives a max of 365, and an 85% TM is 310 - so that would be your next cycle's TM. If you had 6 reps, your next cycle's TM would be 320 (adding 5lbs to your current TM), but even if you got 10 reps (Max 419, TM 355) you wouldn't increase more than 10lbs and your next cycle would start at 325lbs.

 

[LukeV]

Hi because I am actively involved in boxing training right now, I'm looking for something that isn't very demanding.

I tried running 5/3/1 alongside boxing training, but it's just too much fatigue to deal with.

I wouldn’t describe PTTP as a low fatigue approach to strength training although how you program your waves will have a great deal to do with that. The book recommend’s an average of 80% of your 1RM for your first set of 5 which is a solid workload across five days. If your strength training is truly an adjunct to your sport specific training then you might consider an approach like that recommended by Dan John, take big leaps in weight up to a “sorta max” - bench twice per week, squat and deadlift once per week. Alternatively the approach attributed to Barry Ross - three heavy singles, usually bench and deadlift, done periodically as the physical requirements of your other training permits.

 

[Ege]

I wouldn’t describe PTTP as a low fatigue approach to strength training although how you program your waves will have a great deal to do with that. The book recommend’s an average of 80% of your 1RM for your first set of 5 which is a solid workload across five days. If your strength training is truly an adjunct to your sport specific training then you might consider an approach like that recommended by Dan John, take big leaps in weight up to a “sorta max” - bench twice per week, squat and deadlift once per week. Alternatively the approach attributed to Barry Ross - three heavy singles, usually bench and deadlift, done periodically as the physical requirements of your other training permits.

If memory serves me well, PTTP prescribes a starting weight that you could do 10 reps. Are you referring to that weight as 80% of 1 rep max?

 

[Adachi]

I wouldn’t describe PTTP as a low fatigue approach to strength training although how you program your waves will have a great deal to do with that. The book recommend’s an average of 80% of your 1RM for your first set of 5 which is a solid workload across five days. If your strength training is truly an adjunct to your sport specific training then you might consider an approach like that recommended by Dan John, take big leaps in weight up to a “sorta max” - bench twice per week, squat and deadlift once per week. Alternatively the approach attributed to Barry Ross - three heavy singles, usually bench and deadlift, done periodically as the physical requirements of your other training permits.

yeah - as far as PTTP maybe not being a low-fatigue approach - I was interested in the examples provided in the book.

I'm re-reading it now. and, if I'm not mistaken - the end of each example of a cycle seems to be accompanied by a missed rep.

I found this to be curious. I never missed a rep in my few cycles of barbell training. the simple linear cycles were plenty tough, and I wasn't without some level of fatigue. the bottom of the mountain is an easy weight. the top of the mountain is finding out that you can't complete the set. seems like a fairly high level of intensity, relatively speaking. and in resetting the example cycle provided in the book - the starting weight would be only slightly heavier than the starting weight of the last cycle. maybe by five or 10 lbs. which, maybe gives you plenty of time to work on technique and enjoy recovery from the last hardest sessions of the cycle.

that said - I think - if there's a sport of concern here, I think I remember reading that one might do a set of 5 for the day, and wait until you've forgotten about that first set to do the next one.

that said - in my experience - I really grew to appreciate the second set at 90% as the weights grew up - it was great to have more perfect form in the last reps.

 

[LukeV]

If memory serves me well, PTTP prescribes a starting weight that you could do 10 reps. Are you referring to that weight as 80% of 1 rep max?

No 80% of your 1RM is the recommended average for your top sets across a cycle. Not a starting weight. Cheerio