Programming question for GF

[dankid]

Hey everyone, ive got a question for my girlfriend. She's been working out for a while now, and decided to have her run something VERY similar to SS. Basically she works out 3x per week, and alternates between two workouts.

A-

Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

B-

Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Pullup 3xfailure

So she is doing equal amounts of both workouts. Today she stalled on her first exercise which was Press; no surprise. She got 60lbs for 3x3. Now im sure this is addressed in Practical Programming, but im still waiting on it to arrive. So, ive thought of three possible options to continue her progression.

1) Bench 2x per week, and Press on wednesdays. She'll get more recovery between pressing sessions, and more work on Bench.

2) Just deload the Press to 50 and build back up and hope to make and surpass 60lbs.

3) Switch to the Texas method for pressing only. Now im not sure how this would work, because as far as I can tell, the Texas method does not alternate movements.

So she would do:

M: Press 5x5
W: Press 3x3 (10% less weight)
F: Press build to a 1,3,5 RM.

This was my initial intention, but then she isn't going to be benching in there at all. So im not sure.

Which option is best?

[isis]

How much weight has she been adding to the press each workout?

[brianb]

Have you tried microloading?

[misspelledgeoff]

hmm, tough question. need pics before we can really say.

[TomC]

Don't move into intermediate territory at the sign of the first stall. Microload the press. Even a 1 lb improvement is progress. Same with the bench. Eat and sleep more. The Onus Wunstler program in the back of SS is good and should be used. One week you press twice, one week you bench twice. Once those deads get heavy, she won't be able to do them every other workout.

[Mr.City]

I'm no expert, but I think you're jumping the gun here with this shift to intermediate training so soon. There's always a deload and microloading to be done before then.

[Benthic]

Recently there was a suggestion to do the press as 5x3 instead of 3x5. Perhaps that will work for her.

Brian

[gzt]

The book tells you what to do, silly. First, failing once is not stalling. If she fails again, deload 10% and work back up. By the way, for a woman, 1# might be the right interval to increment. That advice should last you until you get the book.

[dankid]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

We HAVEN'T been microloading, (mainly because I dont have smaller plates) so the smallest increment shes been able to go up has been 5lbs. I thought of using weighted collars instead of clips, but I think those are probably gonna equal 5lbs as well.

For now, I guess i'll have her drop to 55lbs and go to 5x3 and build back up.


Thanks again.

[gzt]

well, okay, no wonder she failed at 60, then. Seriously, go to the hardware store, get some washers, and instead of failing at 60 again, load to 56 or something. You can even use multiple spring collars to increase weight, figure out how much they weigh.

[dankid]

Ya, I thought about using multiple collars, but its usually hard enough to get one set at my crappy gym..


I didn't think about washers though, i'll see if I can find some that are big enough for what we need. Thanks that is great advice!

[IWillLiveFreeOrDie]

Pics of GF or GTFO. :D

jk/ Microloading will help as others have suggested.

[Platus]

my gf has had serious trouble with pressing as well. She only recently worked up to being able to press the bar for 3x5. We've just been resetting and microloading. If it works for my press, why wouldn't that work for hers?

[applescruffette]

I use baseball bat weights, wrist weights, multiple collars, etc., to microload. I'm right where your gf is at in press poundage, and at this point I have been able to go up about 1 pound per workout. I know I am personally nowhere near intermediate and that my upper body might explode with increases in 5-pound increments on the press. ;)

[dankid]

Thx everyone... Im gonna hed to the hardware tommorow and see what I can pick up thats about 1lb.

[dankid]

I went ahead and bought some 1lb baseball bat weights. It was a little expensive ($15) but it will get the job done......


Thanks again everyone.