Working on arm endurance and strength at same time. Possible?

hill8570

I've been doing Stronglifts 5x5 for three-ish months, and I'm running into frequent failures on the final rep of the last couple of sets when doing arm work (benches and OPs). They feel more like an out-of-gas (trembly) issue more than strength. Don't have that issue on squats or deadlifts -- squats especially tend to get easier as I warm up, which I attribute to being a long-time biker -- the muscles are used being used hard for hours at a time. I've already backed of my arm ramp to 2.5lb (using microplates), and I'm waiting three minutes between sets when I'm at working weight.

Anyhow, I'm trying to figure out if I should be modifying my arm workouts to go to higher rep / lower weight to try to "teach" my arms to recover faster. Or just stay the course for now. Or sacrifice a chicken. Any ideas?

JoRocka

well- for one- bench and OP aren't "arm workouts"- so maybe you're focused more on your arms- than using the big muscles you have to move the weight.

secondly the muscles they do utilize are smaller- and will reach failure much more quickly. I often fine with bench I"m fine I'm fine I'm fine- ooops- failed. there is less 'struggle' with the lift. Same with OHP.

I would follow SL honestly, but it never hurts to do a blood sacrifice.

DopeItUp

Try a little more rest between sets (like 5 minutes) and see if that helps. If not, follow the SL deloading protocol if you are consistently failing lifts. You deload and work your way back up. Eventually you switch to 3x5 and then 1x5 and then finally, a new program. SL isn't designed to last you forever, there is a progression that you should be following.

hill8570

JoRocka wrote: »

well- for one- bench and OP aren't "arm workouts"- so maybe you're focused more on your arms- than using the big muscles you have to move the weight.

secondly the muscles they do utilize are smaller- and will reach failure much more quickly. I often fine with bench I"m fine I'm fine I'm fine- ooops- failed. there is less 'struggle' with the lift. Same with OHP.

I would follow SL honestly, but it never hurts to do a blood sacrifice.

Hmmm. Good point about the arms. I'll pay more attention to which muscles are crapping out first -- probably another form issue. I know I barely feel the bench in my pecs, but my delts and triceps are screaming, so I suspect that I'm so afraid of flaring my elbows that I'm actually tucking them in too much. I'll pay more attention to my elbows next workout.

Not sure what's giving out first on the OHP. Will pay more attention Friday.

In the meantime, I'm a little short on my protein today. Some chicken's gonna have a bad day.

hill8570

DopeItUp wrote: »

Try a little more rest between sets (like 5 minutes) and see if that helps. If not, follow the SL deloading protocol if you are consistently failing lifts. You deload and work your way back up. Eventually you switch to 3x5 and then 1x5 and then finally, a new program. SL isn't designed to last you forever, there is a progression that you should be following.

Wow -- I thought 3 minutes was a long rest. Guess I can give 5 minutes a try. I don't have enough back-to-back fails to trigger the SL deload, but lately it's been a pattern of success-(add 2.5 lbs)-fail-success-(add 2.5 lbs)-fail and so on. Just seems weird to be failing on such teensy increments when I can bump squats and deads 5 pounds at a pop and practically never have a fail (I know, way bigger muscles, but still...). Since I've only been doing SL for three months, I figured it'd still be a number of months before I starting having to worry about 3x5 or 1x5.

JoRocka

It's normal for the upper lifts to be weaker and fail/burn out faster than the lower- look at the muscle mass proportion and the mechanics involved in each. if you're still climbing- even slowly- I'd stick with it.

Again- I'd refocus your technique- make sure you're pushing with the big muscles- not just the little ones- I train triceps to help with my bench for sure- but it's completely an accessory lift- I wouldn't change your whole training at this point.