Squat Struggles

FTA69

Ive been on a linear progression program for 11 weeks now and have got my parallel squat up to 110kg for 3x5 at 75kg which is more or less bodyweight plus 50%. My main problem is that squatting this heavy three times a week is putting a bit of pressure on me and I have a history of disk issues. Likewise I don't think adding 7.5kg a week is sustainable much longer. In Starting Strength, Rippetoe suggests adding a light squat day after you've deloaded twice but obviously I'm not at that stage yet.

I was wondering is that something I should perhaps do now or would I just be sacrificing potential noob increases in strength?

Transform

FTA69 wrote: »

Ive been on a linear progression program for 11 weeks now and have got my parallel squat up to 110kg for 3x5 at 75kg which is more or less bodyweight plus 50%. My main problem is that squatting this heavy three times a week is putting a bit of pressure on me and I have a history of disk issues. Likewise I don't think adding 7.5kg a week is sustainable much longer. In Starting Strength, Rippetoe suggests adding a light squat day after you've deloaded twice but obviously I'm not at that stage yet.

I was wondering is that something I should perhaps do now or would I just be sacrificing potential noob increases in strength?

post vid of squat, yes 7.5kg is too much and 2.5kg would be more than enough

theres a point where starting strength becomes limiting - the need to add in assistance exercises, more focus on mobility etc

LuckyLloyd

The back end of linear progression squatting is rough. Bear in mind that this type of programming is designed / works best for teenagers, particularly teenage athletes. They will have an ability to recover and focus on training that a man in his early thirties with more involved job, etc probably won't.

7.5kgs a week does sound way too much at your stage, so I'd dial it down.

To answer the question you're directly asking - if you fail to see linear progression to the bitter end, i.e. to the point where you've failed through two resets - you will be leaving some strength adaptation on the table. I think that's potentially a reasonable trade off if the maximal intensity is too much to handle and you don't have the time resource available to recover fully or the interest in consuming barrel loads of additional food.

The normal next step once you hit the limits of linear progression is an intermediate program like the Texas Method, 5 3 1 or similar. You can read about the Texas Method here:

https://www.t-nation.com/training/texas-method

People will tie themselves in knots about the merits / demerits of individual Intermediate programs. Bottom line is that you're doing something that moves away from maximal five rep max stuff every trip down the gym and starts considering variance in intensity and rep ranges and increased assistance work. As Dom says above - at this point you should be really hammering mobility as a focus too and incorporating it with every trip to the gym if you aren't already.

Well done on your progress to date by the way.

FTA69

Transform wrote: »

post vid of squat, yes 7.5kg is too much and 2.5kg would be more than enough

theres a point where starting strength becomes limiting - the need to add in assistance exercises, more focus on mobility etc

Thanks for the reply Dominic. I'll try and get my missus to take a video of me this weekend and I'll post it up. If you're on boards at the time it would be great to have your input.

Would you say it's time to drop the three heavy sessions a week so?

FTA69

Thanks Lloyd, great input there mate thanks. As you said, SS is grand for teenagers but I'm 29 and have spent the past 8 years battering myself at a sport. I've had a host of injuries and I'm still working around back and shoulder issues so perhaps the squatting phase has run its course a bit. I'll dial back the squats and keep linear progression on other lifts.

My next goal was to have a bash of Hanley's program after 4-5 months on LP as it looks unreal.

Alf Veedersane

FTA69 wrote: »

My next goal was to have a bash of Hanley's program after 4-5 months on LP as it looks unreal.

It's a very good program but you will find it a big change initially because of the volume. The first day will involve a physical and mental battle and it will hurt

FTA69

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

It's a very good program but you will find it a big change initially because of the volume. The first day will involve a physical and mental battle and it will hurt

It's the deadlift stuff I worry about, going from five working reps to forty overnight will be total murder.

Mr. CooL ICE

The first day of Hanley's program for me involved holding back some puke. And I didn't even finish the sets.

FTA69

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

The first day of Hanley's program for me involved holding back some puke. And I didn't even finish the sets.

Here, is there any way to actually get these results and strength without the above sort of hard work and dedication? If this easy option includes the right to tell everyone how much of an unreal lifter I am too it would be great.

Alf Veedersane

FTA69 wrote: »

It's the deadlift stuff I worry about, going from five working reps to forty overnight will be total murder.

Week 1 is 4 sets of 5 on main day and 4 sets of 2 at lighter weight.

So if you've done 130x5, you're looking at a theoretical max of ~146, meaning 80% is 117, which you'd do 4 sets of 5 at. 4 sets of 2 at 110. You'll be fine.

Alf Veedersane

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

The first day of Hanley's program for me involved holding back some puke. And I didn't even finish the sets.

I thought about that first day last Monday when I started back at squatting volume. That feeling of going to the well one more time....and finding it empty.

Brian?

I would suggest you move on from linear progression.

The logical move is to madcow 5x5.

But I would suggest you may be better of using the Westside template. A much more flexible program if you have a busy life.

As Transform said, keep on top of your mobility and recovery work.