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Barbell Russian Bear Frequency

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As for adding weight to the bar, is the new recommendation to add a nickel a side or is it a dime a side?
 
As for adding weight to the bar, is the new recommendation to add a nickel a side or is it a dime a side?

Generally, bigger jumps are better - otherwise you will just spin our wheels in the beginning of the cycle, and train too hard to long in the end of the cycle.
 
Just out of curiosity, who would the s&s pttp twice a week each be aimed at? ADD guys, guys looking for a little kettlebell barbell work, or just anyone in particular?
 
Barbell + kettlebell work, smart way how to combine two great programs (by Pavel & Dan John).

Catch - you need to stay on the program for at least couple of months.
 
1. Since there's only two barbell workouts a week, would you just increase the weight once a week? Ie this Monday you pulled 100, Thursday stay at 100 and next Monday increase to 110? Or would you be better off increasing each workout?
2. If you were after a little hypertrophy could you toss in a few back off sets? Or stay the pttp course?
 
1. Since there's only two barbell workouts a week, would you just increase the weight once a week? Ie this Monday you pulled 100, Thursday stay at 100 and next Monday increase to 110? Or would you be better off increasing each workout?
2. If you were after a little hypertrophy could you toss in a few back off sets? Or stay the pttp course?

1. Your choice, why not - PTTP! offers different cycling models.

2. I would choose a different program.
 
Hi, I did the Russian Bear Program in 2003. I split my workouts, deadlifting 2x/week and dumbbell bench press 2x/week. My deadlift weight was a fixed 315 lbs. for 5 rep sets. My deadlift sets increased from 10 to eventually 20..yes that's 100 reps of 315 lbs. Incline Bench Press was 110/110 lb dumbbells increasing from 8 to eventually 12 sets. I still felt good and still had some pulls and presses left in the tank. The Bear ran for about four months. Of course, I didn't take measurements!! My then wife, who knew nothing about strength related terminology, remarked that my back "looked like a Christmas Tree." My shirt size went from XL to XXL and my pants "shrank." Also, much better quad definition.

Were I to do it again, I would definitely deadlift just once a week. I mistakenly believed that I needed to balance deadlifting and pressing frequency when the load would have been roughly equal if it'd been two press and one deadlift session(s).
 
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What would be a good strength standard to have before embarking on the bear?
 
Pavel M.,

Just to clarify, at your level, you are still getting results, gains not just maintenance, on linear programs like PTTP rather than needing waved programming like PlanStrong? (I have attended) That is good news, indeed. All you need to do is decrease the number of days deadlifting based on recovery right? Novice 4-5, advanced 2.

My focus will be PTTP DL using the Barbell course manual this winter.

By the way, congratulations on your recent innovations in the getup and pushpress being recognized (It was praised at the SF barbell course I took in response to my question on combining KB press and DL. I already use your four count swing, which greatly improved my hyperextension problem. I have now adopted pushpress. It is easy to visualize a pulley while doing it. It also reinforces the importance of pulling the bell down by seeing it as UPDOWN not just up. Great stuff.

I have never done The Bear - I am a combat arts practitioners, I train for Health & Strength, not muscles. I did regular PTTP! many times - after my last cycle, I e.g. pulled 2,5x BW in DL.
I would personally prefer the schedule you have suggested, plus StrongFirst RESILIENT:

Mon - PTTP!
Tue - S&S
Wed - StrongFirst RESILIENT
Thu - PTTP!
Fri - S&S
Sat - StrongFirst RESILIENT
Sun - Rest
 
Pavel M.,

Just to clarify, at your level, you are still getting results, gains not just maintenance, on linear programs like PTTP rather than needing waved programming like PlanStrong? (I have attended) That is good news, indeed. All you need to do is decrease the number of days deadlifting based on recovery right? Novice 4-5, advanced 2.

My focus will be PTTP DL using the Barbell course manual this winter.

By the way, congratulations on your recent innovations in the getup and pushpress being recognized (It was praised at the SF barbell course I took in response to my question on combining KB press and DL. I already use your four count swing, which greatly improved my hyperextension problem. I have now adopted pushpress. It is easy to visualize a pulley while doing it. It also reinforces the importance of pulling the bell down by seeing it as UPDOWN not just up. Great stuff.

I am currently doing S&S, but I will answer your question:

- beginners to intermediate: PTTP!
- intermediate to advanced: Classical American periodization (we have many, many excellent programs in the SFL manual), or Plan Strong

Thank you for your kind words!
 
I am currently doing S&S, but I will answer your question:

- beginners to intermediate: PTTP!
- intermediate to advanced: Classical American periodization (we have many, many excellent programs in the SFL manual), or Plan Strong

Thank you for your kind words!
Pavel, on a related note - how does one know one is transitioning from beginner (PTTP) to intermediate? Strength:weight ratios or thresholds? When you can no longer sustain +5 daily jumps? Something else?
 
Pavel, on a related note - how does one know one is transitioning from beginner (PTTP) to intermediate? Strength:weight ratios or thresholds? When you can no longer sustain +5 daily jumps? Something else?

Few years ago (at a Plan Strong in Italy), somebody asked Pavel:

Question: "Who can be considered to be an intermediate lifter"
Pavel: "Intermediate lifter is a lady or a gent, who lifts with proper technique for few years."

You will make most gains on PTTP! (alternating with PTTP! 1-2-3 ladders, as featured in SFL course/cert manual) in first 6+ months - after that, you can to switch to some simple powerlifting cycle. But you don't have to. I am personally huge fan of simple programs like PTTP! or S&S.
 
Is there any benefit of the two week blocks of s&s and pttp over the two days of each every week?
In another thread discussing s&s maintenance it says twice a week. So wouldn't doing s&s and pttp twice a week each basically just maintain?
 
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