Question about restarting stronglifts
auddii
Posts: 15,357 Member
Ok, this is going to be a little long, sorry in advance.
I started Stronglifts in January of 2013. I ran the program for a little over a year with a few breaks for vacation and whatnot. At some point I was getting bored with the program in the spring of last year, and so I decided to do strong curves, which I ran for a few months. I again went on a long vacation, and I came back and decided to give a glute challenge (also written by Bret Contreras) a try.
My biggest problem with sticking to strong curves was that I felt like there were just too many variations and it was too complicated, and that's why I changed to the glute challenge. Strong curves is run 4 days per week, and the glute challenge was supposed to be every day (I couldn't do that, and so I did 4 days a week, and extended each 1 week period into two weeks, so it ended up being a 2 month program instead of 1 month).
Near the end of the glute challenge I fell while hiking and hurt my tailbone preventing me from squatting or deadlifting for 7 months. I took several months off lifting entirely and then cobbled together my own program with isolated leg lifts and more upper body work (likely far from optimal given my lack of experience with program design).
I've finally started squatting and deadlifting again pain free, but now I have some questions. My squats and DL have been greatly deloaded because it's been forever. I'm at 120lbs for squat (stopped SL at 170lbs) and 155lbs for DL (was 210lbs). So, I'm used to running the program 3x5 because when I stopped, I'd gone through the failure process and then dropped the number of sets as the program stated. But, now I'm at the lower weights, and I'm not sure if I should be running 3x5 or 5x5 (well, this is for squat really since deads are 1x5).
But, my bench and OHP are still near my highest because I have been doing those lifts for the past two months. So, my question is, do I do 5x5 for squat and then 3x5 for everything else as I work back up to where I was?
Also, I'm now used to lifting 4 times per week. Can I run strong lifts 4x a week and still recover well? Maybe 4x per week until I can get the weights closer to what I used to lift and then drop the 4th day? Just see how I do with recovery? Stop being stupid and run the program as it's written?
I'm also contemplating switching to an intermediate program once I can get my lifts up higher, but I'm thinking I'm going to need the linear progression for a while because my lifts are currently so low. I'd like to make fast gains as long as I can, and then switch.
Thanks for your help.
I started Stronglifts in January of 2013. I ran the program for a little over a year with a few breaks for vacation and whatnot. At some point I was getting bored with the program in the spring of last year, and so I decided to do strong curves, which I ran for a few months. I again went on a long vacation, and I came back and decided to give a glute challenge (also written by Bret Contreras) a try.
My biggest problem with sticking to strong curves was that I felt like there were just too many variations and it was too complicated, and that's why I changed to the glute challenge. Strong curves is run 4 days per week, and the glute challenge was supposed to be every day (I couldn't do that, and so I did 4 days a week, and extended each 1 week period into two weeks, so it ended up being a 2 month program instead of 1 month).
Near the end of the glute challenge I fell while hiking and hurt my tailbone preventing me from squatting or deadlifting for 7 months. I took several months off lifting entirely and then cobbled together my own program with isolated leg lifts and more upper body work (likely far from optimal given my lack of experience with program design).
I've finally started squatting and deadlifting again pain free, but now I have some questions. My squats and DL have been greatly deloaded because it's been forever. I'm at 120lbs for squat (stopped SL at 170lbs) and 155lbs for DL (was 210lbs). So, I'm used to running the program 3x5 because when I stopped, I'd gone through the failure process and then dropped the number of sets as the program stated. But, now I'm at the lower weights, and I'm not sure if I should be running 3x5 or 5x5 (well, this is for squat really since deads are 1x5).
But, my bench and OHP are still near my highest because I have been doing those lifts for the past two months. So, my question is, do I do 5x5 for squat and then 3x5 for everything else as I work back up to where I was?
Also, I'm now used to lifting 4 times per week. Can I run strong lifts 4x a week and still recover well? Maybe 4x per week until I can get the weights closer to what I used to lift and then drop the 4th day? Just see how I do with recovery? Stop being stupid and run the program as it's written?
I'm also contemplating switching to an intermediate program once I can get my lifts up higher, but I'm thinking I'm going to need the linear progression for a while because my lifts are currently so low. I'd like to make fast gains as long as I can, and then switch.
Thanks for your help.
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Replies
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I wouldn't run SL 4 times/week. I would run it 3/week.
If I were in your position I would do the following things:
1) Run SL or something similar 3 days per week on non consecutive days.
2) I would build in at least ~3-4 weeks of guaranteed progression. So for example you could have it such that you're hitting a new 5rm on week or matching your current 5rm on week 4.
3) If you follow 2) above you could start out at 5x5 on all lifts. If you decide to start heavier on presses then start those at 3x5.
As for programming adjustments I would see how you do with the above and evaluate program changes after you've hit a deload or two.
In my opinion your absolute strength doesn't factor in heavily in program design but your rate of strength gain does. So for example stay with a simple linear model until linear stops working. Then make the necessary adjustments.0 -
I'm not in this group (saw the link in the BS thread) so not sure if I can/should respond but no one else has.
Personally, I wouldn't run a full body programme over 4 days, I don't think you'd get enough recovery. I'm not sure about the 5 v 3 sets thing but my first programme was starting strength which is 3 and it worked out fine for me.
If you really like the four days, how about wendlers - I really love it and you can throw your strong curves stuff in there
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I wouldn't run SL 4 times/week. I would run it 3/week.
If I were in your position I would do the following things:
1) Run SL or something similar 3 days per week on non consecutive days.
2) I would build in at least ~3-4 weeks of guaranteed progression. So for example you could have it such that you're hitting a new 5rm on week or matching your current 5rm on week 4.
3) If you follow 2) above you could start out at 5x5 on all lifts. If you decide to start heavier on presses then start those at 3x5.
As for programming adjustments I would see how you do with the above and evaluate program changes after you've hit a deload or two.
In my opinion your absolute strength doesn't factor in heavily in program design but your rate of strength gain does. So for example stay with a simple linear model until linear stops working. Then make the necessary adjustments.
Awesome, thanks.
And thanks Elaine. I'm open to several opinions, although it sounds like you're of similar opinion as Patrick. Wendler's is something I'm considering, but I would like to maximize linear gains first as Patrick suggested.
I think I might just deload the presses and do SL as prescribed and when I hit a wall, then switch to Wendlers.
And I could get an extra day to sleep in... 0 -
If your goal is lifting as much as possible as soon as possible then you might want to consider moving to Texas Method or Madcow after StrongLifts, and run a few cycles of either of those programs before going to 5/3/1. These programs will still have you squatting 3/week which is probably a good idea. They will also load slightly more aggressively than 5/3/1 in terms of the rate at which you add to the bar.0
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I'll look into those methods. Thanks!If your goal is lifting as much as possible as soon as possible then you might want to consider moving to Texas Method or Madcow after StrongLifts, and run a few cycles of either of those programs before going to 5/3/1. These programs will still have you squatting 3/week which is probably a good idea. They will also load slightly more aggressively than 5/3/1 in terms of the rate at which you add to the bar.
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