Update on slow progression
Deena_Bean
Posts: 906 Member
Hello friends!
Just thought I'd check in since my last post about this. Some time ago I was poking around for info about scaling back the weight for a few reasons: 1. It was becoming too time consuming with all of long rest periods. 2. I wasn't looking forward to it because it was so hard and time consuming. 3. My form wasn't spot-on and I was feeling concerned about the possibility of injury.
Update: It's going really well and I feel so much better about this method. So here's what I did:
1. Dropped weight from my PR's:
a. Squats: from 130 to 100
b. OHP: from 85 to 60
c. Dead: from 150 to 110
d. Bench: from 90 to 65
e. Row: from 90 to 65
2. I stayed at each of those weights until certain that my form was perfect, my rest periods were standard, and each set was smooth and relatively quick.
3. Bump up 5lbs when all of the criteria in #2 were met.
4. Stay at the same weight for as long as it takes to meet the criteria in #2.
Current stats:
Squat: 115 (almost time to bump up)
OHP: 70 (need more time at this weight, another week or so)
Dead: 130 (may bump up by 5lb instead of 10 on the next set)
Bench & Row: 75 (next set bumps to 80)
This change has saved me from dumping the program in all honesty. I work out before work in my basement, and I can only handle so much having to be up that early. I wasn't getting enough sleep and I was losing ground at the heavier weights because I was so tired. So shaving off the time commitment and still progressing (albeit slowly) has been a win! Just thought I'd share
Just thought I'd check in since my last post about this. Some time ago I was poking around for info about scaling back the weight for a few reasons: 1. It was becoming too time consuming with all of long rest periods. 2. I wasn't looking forward to it because it was so hard and time consuming. 3. My form wasn't spot-on and I was feeling concerned about the possibility of injury.
Update: It's going really well and I feel so much better about this method. So here's what I did:
1. Dropped weight from my PR's:
a. Squats: from 130 to 100
b. OHP: from 85 to 60
c. Dead: from 150 to 110
d. Bench: from 90 to 65
e. Row: from 90 to 65
2. I stayed at each of those weights until certain that my form was perfect, my rest periods were standard, and each set was smooth and relatively quick.
3. Bump up 5lbs when all of the criteria in #2 were met.
4. Stay at the same weight for as long as it takes to meet the criteria in #2.
Current stats:
Squat: 115 (almost time to bump up)
OHP: 70 (need more time at this weight, another week or so)
Dead: 130 (may bump up by 5lb instead of 10 on the next set)
Bench & Row: 75 (next set bumps to 80)
This change has saved me from dumping the program in all honesty. I work out before work in my basement, and I can only handle so much having to be up that early. I wasn't getting enough sleep and I was losing ground at the heavier weights because I was so tired. So shaving off the time commitment and still progressing (albeit slowly) has been a win! Just thought I'd share
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Nice ! Congrats!
I also try and remind myself that I'm not racing anyone, not trying to be a power lifter, so there's no reason to bump the weights more often than I think I'm ready....0 -
nice. i feel the same way. kind of plan to be lifting for the rest of my life, which is a pretty long time. so i'm not in nearly as much of a rush as i was when i started all this. i just want to lift whatever feels the right kind of heavy to me.0
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I'm happy to read about someone else in the same boat as I am. I was getting discouraged by my slow progress and I even had to deload after being down a week and a half with a bad cold/flu bug.
But then I started thinking about what my goals are. I'm never going to be a powerlifter so what's my rush? I want to increase/preserve my muscle mass now that I'm in my 40's and have some visible muscle definition. Even at my snail's pace I'm making progress towards those goals.
Sounds like you've adjusted the program to make it successful for you. I'm sure there are a lot of others out there who appreciate reading your experience, thanks for sharing.0 -
Thanks for sharing, love the before and aftwr pic! Awesome job!
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Thanks ladies! I was guns blazing and it just got to be too much. Reevaluated and now I'm a happier and better adjusted girl. My weights still feel heavy so I know I'm working, but I'm it in misery0
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Deena_Bean wrote: »Thanks ladies! I was guns blazing and it just got to be too much. Reevaluated and now I'm a happier and better adjusted girl. My weights still feel heavy so I know I'm working, but I'm it in misery
Deena_Bean, you have made great progress! Love the before/after pic. Looking forward to one of my own☺️.
Also, thanks for sharing about slow progression. I also lift in the morning before work and only have so much time. You're right about needing enough sleep! Amen! I do so much at everything when I get even basic adequate rest.
Anyway, thanks for sharing on your journey.0 -
Love the post and love the before/after. Thanks for sharing such wise information!0
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@lwhayes820 - Thank you, stick with it and you'll have your own before/after! As for the rest, I just can't function well enough without it. Everything suffers when you aren't well rested. The last two weeks have been touch-and-go with my sleep, so now I've cut out my pre-lifting warm up routine. I still warm up with the weights, but I was doing body movement exercises as well. I just don't have time because I'm grabbing as many minutes of sleep as I can. I'm not upset by it and when my sleep decides to regulate again, I'll add the warm-up back.
Thanks @DDHFree - it took me a lot of starts/stops on SL to figure out what works for me. Maybe by posting my own experience, someone can skip the roller coaster
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