Modifying Strength I for RPE 7, and template progression

[escroll]

Since late summer I have observed that my training goes better with a more polarized approach, as discussed on the recent programming podcast. After that came out, I modified the legacy endurance template, and now the first block of Strength I, to look something like this:

Wk 5 Day 1
SQ: [email protected], [email protected], 5x3 -8% from [email protected] ——-> SQ [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 70%
TnG Bench: similar adjustment as squat
Pause DL: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] for 3 sets ———-> [email protected], same weight x5 for 3 sets

I’m making PRs and feeling less back/hip pain than I ever have with this scheme. As I approach the higher intensity specialization block, how would you suggest I approach it? here are my ideas:

1) As written, but reduce RPE by one.

2) adapt the set and rep schemes to match what Austin describes in the RPE 7 program post, so keep doing doubles @7 until the last 3 weeks.




Aside from that, I am thinking of doing the following template progression over the next ~ year, does it make sense?

Stength I -> Hypertrophy I -> Legacy 4wk Oly -> Legacy Endurance with some extra volume OR legacy Hypertrophy 4day (planning a 30-50 mile trail run) -> Powerlifting II

Thanks!

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

You can try this out and see how you do.

That said, I think a lot of our programming reflects what we discussed in the podcast. While I encourage folks to experiment with different strategies, I also don't want people to go too far off the reservation right off the bat.

I'd probably do Strength I as written if it's your first pass through it, particularly in the specialization phase. If you're making good progress on the dev. block however, you may consider extending it until that tapers off.

Finally, I'm not sure that I'd recommend trying to plot a year's worth of training without a long history of training and a competition schedule. I think it just ends up not being that useful. If you're mostly interested in strength, hypertrophy, and conditioning I'd probably spend most of my time doing the strength or powerbuilding templates with periodic exposures to the hypertrophy or bodybuilding blocks (3-6 weeks at a time) and a run through the endurance template every 3rd template or so. This would obviously require modification used on your preferences and results, but those are my initial thoughts.

-Jordan