Bridge 1.0 - Week 6 absolutely wrecked me

The first 6 weeks of the Bridge 1.0 went extremely well, with my e1rms increasing 2.5kg to 5kg week to week. However for this week (week 7), my body is just completely wrecked. Whole body felt achy and the weights felt really heavy. E1rm for all lifts dropped precipitously (20-30kg).

Although the weights moved fast at the time, it seems like the low volume, high intensity week with RPE 8 singles (week 6) is the culprit here. Diet and sleep, etc are all fine. I am 90% sure I didn’t overshoot on my RPEs. It just seems like my body just tolerates high volume/moderate intensity workouts much better.

I am planning to do the Bridge 2.0 next cycle where I assume that the structure is around the same. Is it possible to extend the volume phase by 1-2 weeks, by repeating the same rep/set scheme of week 5 for week 6 and maybe 7 and therefore cutting the intensity/low rep phase short?

Increasing e1RMs is great. But if you never actually expose your body to the higher end intensity ranges, you’ll never develop the skill necessary to express the strength you’ve built in the earlier phase of the program.

Keep going. Don’t overshoot. You’ll adapt.

1 Like