Beginner Template: Weight selection, progression and assessing stalls

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hello Dr. Hope you are well.

I’ve been doing the beginner template since last month and am on Week 6 now. I’ve had great progress so far in the big 3 lifts (all e1RM in lb):

  • Squat 220 > 270
  • Bench 175 > 205
  • Sumo DL 290 > 385

I completely skipped Week 1, because I had already done Week 1 of Powerbuilding I before realising I was still a newb. For progression, I add 5-10 lb to the current e1RM and calculate the weights for next week using the RPE/% chart, which seems to suit me very well. On the training day, I would assess how the supposed @6 set was. If it felt right or even a bit easier, I continued with the weights I had planned for and the workout felt good. Otherwise, I would take smaller jumps to achieve the target RPE (only happened once so far).

1. Would you consider this a reasonable method to progress?

And I believe you are not a big fan of using fractional plates.

2. Would you consider 5 lb to be the minimum increase for most people? Even if they had to train for 1-2 weeks at the same weight to get the necessary adaptations to be able to lift 5 lb more?

Regarding warm-ups, I’ve felt many times that a weight much lighter than my planned first set of @6 or 7, would feel like an @6 or 7. But I’m still able to lift 50-100 lb more at the same RPE.

3. Should I pay any heed to that?

Also, I’ve read in many articles/posts in this website, that weight jumps for subsequent sets would be ~5% for 1 RPE. This feels a bit inconsistent with the chart where the differences are about 2-3%. Whichever % I use, I think I would feel like the RPE would the same (given that I have this issue with light warm-up sets). I would like to present my deadlift session today as an example:

315x4 @7
325x4 @8
335x4 @8.5

There is about 2-3% increase between sets here. If I were to do it with 5%, I highly doubt I would have been able to lift 345x4 @9. If I did the reverse from my top set, then the @7 and @8 sets would be 305 and 320. I don’t think it’s going to make any significant difference in outcome, except that psychologically, I would have an easier time with the lighter weights.

4. I would like your thoughts on this anyway.

And when you suggest to move on to the next phase after stalling on 2 lifts, does that include rows and OHP? Because that’s exactly the reason I transitioned.

Thanks so much for bearing with the post.

2

TAL,

Thanks for the post and I’m glad you’re getting on well with the template. To your questions:

  1. I think this is fine.
  2. I think any weight increase minimum or maximum should be a percentage, as described in the PDF accompanying the Beginner Template. The minimum percentage should be > the error in the mass of the implement and I don’t think there should be a maximum. I think the weight each week should match the RPE as closely as possible.
  3. I’m not sure what your question is here.
  4. The 5% is just a rule of thumb. I have no problems with a 2-3% jump, but > 5% I would probably avoid.
    4a) I think when progress stalls on the priority lifts (first lifts on each training day) you should move on.

-Jordan

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3

Thanks for the response, Doc.

For clarification on my 3rd question, I did warm-up sets of 255x4 and 285x4 today for the deadlift. Both of them felt like @6 while I was doing them, but I did a much heavier weight for similar RPEs later on. This sort of ties in with my 4th question, where if I were to do 5% jumps (in this case 305, 320 and 335), then I don’t believe it would make me feel much different than the weights I had lifted today (315, 325 and 335). It’s probably because I can’t gauge RPE properly for submaximal loads just based on how “hard” it felt and more experience could fix it. For the time being, should I just ignore this and gauge top sets using the planned @6/7?

Regarding your last reply, should I go back to Phase 1, or can I continue with Phase 2, since I’m liking the current exercises?

And is there somewhere where I can find how you or anyone else from BBM use RPE? Not like a guide, but an actual training session. That would be relatable.

4

I think what you’re describing the effects of a warm-up on performance and difficulty in rating low RPE sets accurately and precisely. I think the latter is likely to improve with training. There are a number of videos on our YouTube channel where we talk about RPE. This may be helpful from Alan:

I would continue with phase 2 if you are responding well and like the exercises.

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