All Pro's Beginner & Intermediate Lifting Routines

Join

Question

Options
hope002
hope002 Posts: 1,066 Member
in Social Groups
Yesterday I started cycle 3 - increased my weight by 10%. For squats I had to got from 77(did 80 last cycle - I use dumbbells) to 85lbs. I didn't want to jump to 90lbs, so I tried the Olympic barbell(at home). So I add: the bar - 45lbs plus 2x10 plates plus 2x5.5 plus 2x2.75 plus support things 2x1.3 for a total of 84.5 - close enough, right?
Well I barely did my first set of 8 reps, then I looked.... the plates were 10kg not 10lbs!!!! My total was 108.5lbs, but I did all 8 reps. Second set I fixed the weight to 85lbs and 8 reps felt easy (it's more difficult with dumbbells)

My question is: should I use 108.5lbs for cycle 3 squats (because I could do 8), or should I stick to my 85lbs?

thanks :)

Replies

  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    Options
    I wouldn't use the full 108.5 lbs, because it probably isn't your 10 RM on that exercise. Week 1 and 2 should be easier because they are intended as deload. it does however mean that you could go for something in between, like say 95 lbs without compromising form :flowerforyou:
  • jasonheyd
    jasonheyd Posts: 524 Member
    Options
    Yeah, I'd stick with the 85 lbs rather than try to push close to 110. Especially if, by "barely did [your] first set," you mean that it was hard to get that last rep in & maintain good form. If so, then you definitely went over your 10 RM max and, if that's the case, trying to start at that weight on week one or two will almost certainly crush you beyond week 10.

    Like pandorakick said, you could hunt for a middle ground -- there's an ocean between 85 lbs and 110 lbs, and the closer you get to your 10 RM max the more surprised you'll be by how much heavier adding even 5 lbs can feel. :)

    Along those lines, I'm not surprised that 85 lbs on a barbell feels easier than on a dumbbell, at least for squats. For a lot of exercises that's going to be true because the weight distribution, center of balance, and motion arm all change depending on where you're holding the weights and, usually, dumbbells are going to engage a whole lot more stabilizers.

    The nice thing about SBR is that, if you underestimated your 10 RM, it doesn't take too long to get there... If you find that you breeze through week 5 with a given exercise, bump your weight by 15% instead of 10% and you'll get to 10 RM a bit faster without risking a full-scale fail-fest before week 3. :)
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    Options
    Yeah, I'd stick with the 85 lbs rather than try to push close to 110. Especially if, by "barely did [your] first set," you mean that it was hard to get that last rep in & maintain good form. If so, then you definitely went over your 10 RM max and, if that's the case, trying to start at that weight on week one or two will almost certainly crush you beyond week 10.

    Like pandorakick said, you could hunt for a middle ground -- there's an ocean between 85 lbs and 110 lbs, and the closer you get to your 10 RM max the more surprised you'll be by how much heavier adding even 5 lbs can feel. :)

    Along those lines, I'm not surprised that 85 lbs on a barbell feels easier than on a dumbbell, at least for squats. For a lot of exercises that's going to be true because the weight distribution, center of balance, and motion arm all change depending on where you're holding the weights and, usually, dumbbells are going to engage a whole lot more stabilizers.

    The nice thing about SBR is that, if you underestimated your 10 RM, it doesn't take too long to get there... If you find that you breeze through week 5 with a given exercise, bump your weight by 15% instead of 10% and you'll get to 10 RM a bit faster without risking a full-scale fail-fest before week 3. :)

    This gives me hope. 'Cause right now I am SUPER grumpy about my lack of progress on squats, which I'm still doing with dbs. They are bloody hard.
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    Options
    It really works that way. When I switched to working out at the gym I could almost overnight add 10 kg extra to my squats, purely because of the DB vs BB issue.
  • paprad
    paprad Posts: 321 Member
    Options
    Oh, this gives me hope too. I have a smallish bar and weights at home but I have been using the gym dumbbells for months. I keep feeling it will be tougher to transition to the bar, that the weight on my back will feel odd and my squat form will go to pot. I didn't realize it could be tougher with dumbbells - having a very doh moment here, :laugh:
  • hope002
    hope002 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Options
    Oh, this gives me hope too. I have a smallish bar and weights at home but I have been using the gym dumbbells for months. I keep feeling it will be tougher to transition to the bar, that the weight on my back will feel odd and my squat form will go to pot. I didn't realize it could be tougher with dumbbells - having a very doh moment here, :laugh:
    It's definitely harder with dumbbells. First day I use barbell - 92lbs and second day dumbbells - 80lbs. To me second day it's a little harder :)
  • claston77
    claston77 Posts: 103 Member
    Options
    It's definitely harder with dumbbells. First day I use barbell - 92lbs and second day dumbbells - 80lbs. To me second day it's a little harder :)

    Yup I agree, I'm up to 85 pounds on my squat and the goblet squats I do with a 40 pound DB nearly wipe me out :laugh:

Categories