Workout buddy, sticking point.

[jayknow05]

My workout buddy, 22 yo 6'2" 165ish pounds, has started SS 6 weeks ago. I can't be certain but it appears he is getting a good number of calories trying to GOMAD. I did find out today he was drinking 1%, he's switching to whole milk as of tomorrow.


His sticking point is on the bench at 130 lbs, very low I know, kid was barely benching 95 lbs day 1. We think the trouble arose when he decided to take a free introductory PT session from somebody at the gym. Here's how the past 5 workouts went:

1: 115 - 5x5x5 hard
2: 120 - 5x5x5 hard
3: 135 - with PT, basically a complete failure, PT assisted throughout
4: 130 - 4x3x3 fail, we decided to continue on linearly assuming his past week's workout would be about equal to what he should've done.
5: 130 - 4x4x3 fail, he said he feels like he's almost there; gets the failing rep about halfway up


He wants to do one of two options, try 130 again today and hope for the best, or drop to 125 as a mini-reset. I have also just put together some fractional weights so that is another option. I feel like this is such a low weight he shouldn't be having this much trouble this early.


Thanks in advance.

PS: he's reading SS right now, form is good he has a bit of kyphosis which affects other lifts (IMO he is being too careful with adding weight to his lifts because of it) but he seems to be getting good work out of the weight he is doing.

Squat: 155
Dead: 125
Press: 85
Rows: Don't know, refuses to do cleans as of right now.

[poopmonkey]

Seems like the only reason he's having trouble is the person training him (whether it's you or the PT) doesn't understand that when 120lbs on the bench press is hard, jumping to 135 or even 130 is dumb.

Jumping to 125lbs would have made perfect sense but it looks like that option was completely ignored.

[PVC]

Put him back at 120 and have him progress from there properly.

And have him gain some weight, jesus. 165 at 6'2 is just awful.

[Tim Lofton]

^ and ^^ Yep, back to the last successfully completed weight, in this case 120 and get it right again - then don't try to make a 15# jump. Bench is hard enough without making it so yourself, especially if he is tall, thin, and long-limbed. Should be able to assume a decent progression from this point, provided he ups his calories AND gets the milk going (maybe an overnight IV drip too). ;)

[Mr.City]

Why did he jump 15 lbs? And why does he not want to do the rows?

[jayknow05]

This is the lowdown:

When he joined the gym he got a free PT session, things had been progressing very well and he has reasonable form etc. Then he took his free PT session to replace his normal workout with me, the PT guy said they'd just work through his normal workout and see if he could help work on his form. A reasonable idea. The problem is he was convinced that somebody who took some $600 certification class was more qualified to give him advice than some book (Starting Strength) that he read.

The guy basically loaded him up on every exercise, which caused him to fail epically on the bench press. We decided that although it was an epic failure, we'd assume that he was still linearly progressing and went back to the plan, which had him scheduled at 130. Obviously this was wrong but live and learn.


Now for an update, last night he did 125x5x5x5 and he said "that's a good weight, that's where I should be, I think I can do 130 next time". So all is well, and we only lost 3 workouts worth of weight.


Should we worry about using fractional plates?

edit: he does the rows, he refuses to try and learn power cleans, I'm working on convincing him. Rows are at 85x5x5x5 or so. I called up one of the PTs recommended on this board for powerlifting and ironically my workout buddy decided to purchase 3 PT sessions our gym offers rather than splitting an hour session with a powerlifting/olympic PT.

[PVC]

The problem is he was convinced that somebody who took some $600 certification class was more qualified to give him advice than some book (Starting Strength) that he read.


ironically my workout buddy decided to purchase 3 PT sessions our gym offers rather than splitting an hour session with a powerlifting/olympic PT.

Your workout buddy is a tool. Hopefully he will stall again during the PT sessions he purchased and will finally say to himself "You know what? This isn't working". Some people won't learn from the mistakes of others - they need to make their own mistakes.


Should we worry about using fractional plates?

No. If you can get your buddy to drink the milk and eat a good amount of food, you shouldn't have to worry about using fractional plates for a while.


he does the rows, he refuses to try and learn power cleans, I'm working on convincing him.

Honestly, this is the least of his problems. Many people have done well on SS without doing the power cleans; on the contrary, no one has done well on SS without GOMAD and progressing properly on their lifts.

[jayknow05]

Honestly, this is the least of his problems. Many people have done well on SS without doing the power cleans; on the contrary, no one has done well on SS without GOMAD and progressing properly on their lifts.

Well I have been doing quite well without GOMAD, I also eat like crazy. As for the progressing properly part, I think we've both learned our lesson. He is my second "student" and the first I've ever dealt with anything like this.

[Mr.City]

I don't want to keep probing, but who was this PT at the gym? It makes him sound like some random bench monkey in the OP.

[Tim Lofton]

Well I have been doing quite well without GOMAD, I also eat like crazy.

Well, are you 74" tall and 165#?

[jayknow05]

I don't want to keep probing, but who was this PT at the gym? It makes him sound like some random bench monkey in the OP.

I'm not sure exactly, but I think you know the type. Basic globo-gym type PT. Apparently the squat tips he gave were this: "You have the bar too low, and you're squatting too low, you'll blow out your knees."


Well, are you 74" tall and 165#?

I was 73" 175# 10%bf, I probably would've done GOMAD had I known it existed. About 20 weeks to 200# 15%bf,