Congrats.

Thanks!

I just finished week 2 of API 1 and will be increasing my lifts again!

Squats: 42.5 kg 3x5 (= 0.78 x BW) -> 45 kg
Bench Press: 27,5 kg 3x5 -> 30 kg
Bent-Over Rows: 32,5 kg 3x5 -> 35 kg
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: 50 kg 1x12 -> 55 kg (= 1 x BW!!!)
Overhead Press: 16 kg 1x12 -> 20 kg
Glute Bridge: 28 kg 2x20 -> 30 kg

I'm so happy with the SLDL! I was talking about it to my husband and he said I was talking a secret language again. It's something of a running joke between us that when I get very involved in yet another hobby, the people around me have trouble understanding the lingo I'm using.
Later he came home with flowers to congratulate me with the SLDL :flowerforyou:
Love that man!

I finished my test day for Cycle 4 this morning and here is where I am:

Start -> Cycle 5 (starting Monday)

Barbell Squats: 55 -> 80 lb
Barbell Bench Press: 50 -> 70 lb
One Arm DB Row: 20--> 35 lb (FAILED)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 15 -> 20 lb (FAILED YET AGAIN!!!)
SLDL: 55--> 80 lb
DB Upright Rows: 15 -> 50lb

I 'failed' the shoulder press...again! I'm at my wit's end here. I can do the first set but then tank out at 10 reps in the second set, everything else is going up except my one arm dumbbell row but I went up more than 10% from the last cycle so I expected that. I'm just ready to pull my hair out over that shoulder press though.

#firstworldproblems

I finished my test day for Cycle 4 this morning and here is where I am:

Start -> Cycle 5 (starting Monday)

Barbell Squats: 55 -> 80 lb
Barbell Bench Press: 50 -> 70 lb
One Arm DB Row: 20--> 35 lb (FAILED)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 15 -> 20 lb (FAILED YET AGAIN!!!)
SLDL: 55--> 80 lb
DB Upright Rows: 15 -> 50lb

I 'failed' the shoulder press...again! I'm at my wit's end here. I can do the first set but then tank out at 10 reps in the second set, everything else is going up except my one arm dumbbell row but I went up more than 10% from the last cycle so I expected that. I'm just ready to pull my hair out over that shoulder press though.

#firstworldproblems

Congratulations on all the increases! Don't stress over the shoulder press (hey, that rhyms! - I'm soooo easily amused ) Most people stall multiple cycles on that one. I know I did!

Of course it is! Looking good for your starting stats :flowerforyou:

Here are my stats, I started cycle 4 on Monday:

Cycle 1 -> Cycle 2 -> Cycle 3 ->Cycle4(current)

Squats 70 -> 80 ->92 ->95.5lbs
Bench press 52 -> 57 ->64 ->70lbs
Bent over rows 52 -> 57 ->64 ->70lbs
Overhead press 30 ->36 ->37 ->40lbs
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 60 -> 70 ->80 ->90lbs
Barbell Curls 40 -> 42 ->47 ->40lbs
Calf Raises (single leg) body weight -> 20 ->30 ->40lbs

I had to all the way back to 40lbs for curls. It just seemed more and more difficult to keep good form even with 42lbs.
Bench press I did all the reps, but was hard... Last Cycle I used barbell, this time dumbbells.

I'm going to jump in here. Quick background, I'm not new to strengh training, as I've done NROLFW, SL (which I then adapted to 3x5, so basically SS) and then some Nia Shanks Beautiful Badass. But I cannot squat 1.5 times my bodyweight (yet) so according to Allpro I am a beginner and so started with the beginner program. Which, btw, I love for the variety.

Currentily in C2W3. Current stats:

Squat: 110
Bench: 80
Row: 77
Press: 55
SLDL: 65
Upright Row: 45 (I chose these instead of curls)
Calfs: 65

My SLDL is quite low because I'd never done that lift before and wanted to make sure I had the form right before adding weight. Same thing with the calfs. I think I'll add more than 10% to each of those lifts next cycle as I feel good about them now.

I'm wondering how I am going to add 10% to my squat next cycle. That would bump me from 110 to 121, and the highest I've ever done is 125 3 x 5. Same issue with the bench, as if I make it at 80 this cycle it will be just barely, and a bump to 88 seems pretty steep. Should I just try to add 10% and see? Or should I add maybe 5% and take this slowly? You know, play the "I'm a girl" card? Any thoughts are much appreciated.

I'm wondering how I am going to add 10% to my squat next cycle. That would bump me from 110 to 121, and the highest I've ever done is 125 3 x 5. Same issue with the bench, as if I make it at 80 this cycle it will be just barely, and a bump to 88 seems pretty steep. Should I just try to add 10% and see? Or should I add maybe 5% and take this slowly? You know, play the "I'm a girl" card? Any thoughts are much appreciated.

It's ok to add more or less than 10% - depending on the lift and how you feel.

For instance you may get all your reps with 110 in C2W5. Now in what fashion did you do those sets? How did they feel? When I was doing the routine. I just went by feel - could have been 12.5%, 7.5%, 5% - hell one cycle I passed my bench but felt my form had suffered so I increased by 0% and set about fixing issues the next cycle with the same weight (before those issues got worse under greater and greater loads). Ultimately there's no manual with this stuff really - just self-knowledge, experience and common sense.

You sound like you've got enough time under the bar to know how your body is reacting. Don't stick to 10% just because. Listen to your body. It sounds like you know it's already telling you 5% would be more sensible.

Plus if a smaller increase means you'll complete the next cycle with better form, less risk of injury and you'll continue to make gains for longer, then that sounds alright, doesn't it?

Excellent advice from jimmmer as usual! I think we can easily get caught up in the mind set of having to increase per the program - but we forget that any progress is good whether it be that you stick with the same weight and work on improving your form, or increase less than 10%.

You also don't say whether you are eating at a deficit. If you are, that can make upping the weights more challenging.

And welcome to the group!

Hope it's okay to jump right in! I did my 10rm today at the gym so working with what I did I have set up the following (this is my 100% day)

Squats - 21kg (46lbs)
Bench Press - 26kg (57lbs)
Rows - 20kg (44lbs)
OH Press -16kg (35lbs)
SL Deadlifts - 28kg (61lbs)
Curls - 9kg (19lbs)
Calf Raises - 23kg (50lbs)

I work in lbs but all the gym weights are in kg, so I'm trying to get use to them... I think I could of lifted more on the curls but I use a bar and my left hand is a lot weaker, so went light so not to compromise my form. I definitely need to work on my squat form but I was pleased with the other lifts.

Due to the weights increments of the plates and the weight of the bars available, I had to work with what I had so my 100% working sets week one ended up being

Squats - 22.5kg (49.6lbs)
Bench Press - 27.5kg (60lbs)
Rows - 21.5kg (47lbs)
OH Press -16.5kg (36lbs)
SL Deadlifts - 30kg (66lbs)
Curls - 11.5kg (25lbs)
Calf Raises - 22.5kg (49lbs)

Some of them I could of got slightly closer but I didn't want to unevenly stack the bar, so it is what it is

I also had to do the warm up for the bench press at a different weight than it should of been (6&13 but as the bar itself is 20kg, I had to use dumbbells so I did 5 & 10kg instead.)

All in all I had a good session and I think I'm falling in with bench pressing

Hi! Welcome to the group. I know I had to get used to finding the weight amounts that best matched what I needed, rather than go crazy trying to get the exact weight. Good call on realizing you have a weaker side, you will find in no time the weaker side will catch up.

Thank you!

I felt happy with the weights and my form was good (or at least I think), I think I could easily lift more for the deads but my grip seemed to slip when I did my 10 rep max test last week, so I'm going to get some gloves for training!

I have looked at my next two days and had a few dilemmas with not being able to get them bang on, the squats was the main one, it's meant to be 18kg on Friday (80%) I have either 15(DB) or 20(BB) and because 20kg is Wednesday's weight, I've decided not to let my ego get in the way so will just go with the 15kg and work on form.

I would like to apologize right now, for my many, many, many newbie questions that yous are going to get from me along with maybe a few wobblers along the way :flowerforyou:

If you want my advice (and I'm going to give it anyway), you'll get some chalk for your grip issues rather than gloves. Gloves can actually "ruck up" under load and can cause more grip issues than they solve.

If your facility doesn't allow chalk (a lot don't) buy some liquid chalk instead. You'll be amazed at the edge it'll give you. Once you've got a few cycles under your belt, your grip should improve naturally anyway.