I am currently on the SS program, thanks mostly to the videos and podcasts of Thrall, Baraki, and Feigenbaum. I am 31yrs old, residing in Belgium for the moment, and I have yet to meet anyone doing a strength training program here. Also, this is my first blog post ever (I mean, ever in my life) so I don’t even know if this is where I should put it. I hope it’s not inappropriate to post it here, but I really need help. I wanna ask some simple questions, how do I know that I am progressing well rather than just in a mediocre or super slow way? Am I weaker than I should be? Being 31, should I desist of trying to be strong since I’m past my “strength” prime and will only get weaker? Thanks a lot.
PS. I put below my stats from the firs strength training day I did 'til the one I did yesterday. About two weeks and a half ago I reached 125kg on my squat, only to have to cut the weight back for the next two weeks (one day I had to go down to 115, and I still couldn’t do 5x3). I got back to 125 last Monday and went up to 127.5 yesterday, Wednesday (4, 5, 4). Also, during my first month, I added weight only every other workout, as I was a friend to increase weight so quickly.
First Day: 14th February 2018 (Wednesday) – my weight: 85kg (187lbs)
I’m actually going to do something a bit different here. I’m going to let our community try to help you answer these questions and see how they do, and I’ll swoop in if needed
Welcome Antowan! It looks like the end of your post got cut off. When you get the chance, update us on your starting and current weights on the main lifts. I’ll take a stab at your questions, which I numbered above.
#3 - I hope 31 isn’t too late to get stronger! I started diligently strength training right around my 30th bday. I’ll be 31 this summer. I have made progress that I’m really happy with, and don’t intend to stop anytime soon. I think with consistency, adequate technique, and intelligent programming you can expect to continue to get stronger for quite a while.
#2 - I don’t think there’s any level of strength that you should be at. I’d focus on where you are now, and what steps you can take to improve that over time.
#1 - Your progression rate is going to be impacted by a ton of factors, some of which you can control and some of which you can’t. In general, the earlier you are in your training progression, the faster you’ll progress. I wouldn’t worry too much about your rate of progress though. Keep training and learning about the process of getting stronger, get help (with technique, programming, nutrition, etc) where needed, and you will continue to improve. The more you learn, the better you’ll be able to evaluate the results you’re getting.
My 2 cents. Hopefully other folks will chime in with anything I missed or got wrong
Basically what Jon La said. Some will progress faster\slower. There are a ton of people 50, 60+ years old who are very strong. My run through SSLP eded with my squat at ~125kg. Towards the end I was still adding weight to the bar each workout, but it was at much greater effort meaning that I wasn’t getting significantly stronger as a result of the 3 sets of 5’s. Shortly after I decided to go to the bridge 1.0 (free download from BBM website). I personally wouldn’t worry about your progress that much. To me strength training is like any self improvement, I don’t care what I squat at the age of 29. I’m concerned with what I’ll squat at age 59, and what quality of life that will bring to me then.
I’m mainly echoing what’s already been said, but man you’re only 31. You’re still in your prime. You have plenty of years of solid gainzZz ahead of you so long as you train in a smart manner (luckily for you, you found the right place for that). I’m 36 and have 0 issues, you won’t have any either, I promise. Don’t worry about how much you currently lift compared to anyone else, the only person you’re competing against today is the you from yesterday. Finish running your LP until it stops working (which judging by your squat may possibly be now) then download and run “The Bridge” from this website. Everyone finishes the LP at a different time. When it stops working it simply means you aren’t getting enough volume at the appropriate intensities to continue to drive adaptation (listen to the Barbell Medicine Programming Podcast Part 2 on YouTube for more info on this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCPAffRLtNo&t=886s). The easy fix is to add more volume, and running “The Bridge” will accomplish this for you. Remember, strength isn’t built overnight. It takes time, dedication, and hard work to get strong. This shit doesn’t come easy. If you’re stronger today than you were last week / last month, then guess what, you’ve made “good” progress. Keep it up!
Sorry for that. I sent it like that accidently at first and then sent the email again corrected but this is the one that made it out. Here are the stats.
• height: 5’10
FIrst Day: 14th February (Wednesday)
—my weight: 85kg
Squat: 95kg (209lbs)
BPress: 75kg (165lbs)
Deadlift: 100kg (220.5)
Press: 30kg (66lbs)
Yesterday: 11th April (Wednesday)
— my weight: 90kg
Squat: 127.5kg (281.4lbs)
BPress: 90kg (198.4lbs)
Deadlif: 145kg (320lbs)
Press: 55kg (121lbs)
Clean: 70kg (154.3lbs)
I have no idea what to make of this. I know its progress but is it good progress? Too slow on some areas or in general? Any imbalances? It feels like how a CT Scan or MRI looks tothe untrained eyes. I cant tell if this is good, mediocre, or bad, if there are any imbalances, or if it looks as it should. I think my age may also be a factor. I would love to squat 600 one day like Baraki, or at least 500, but I wonder whether age and perhaps genetics might make that impossible (I practically became convinced of this when I got stuck in 125 and had to go down; almost quit. Better nutrition and rest between sets seemed to have remedied this). Anyways, any help will be much appreciated. I will read the replies above now.
PWard, dboeding, Jon La, thanks a lot for that guys! I honestly didn’t expect this kind of support and prompt replies on a forum (my first time ever doing this forum thing lol not a big tech guy). It is much appreciated.
Two of you recommended the bridge. I will download the program. Even though I did 127.5kg on my squat on Wednesday (April 14), it was super hard and couldn’t get to 5 on all of three sets (4, 5, 4) even with proper rest between sets (6-8 minutes). It felt like 200kg. I will check out the podcast too. So, given the stats and my difficulty with the squat, is it time for the Bridge then? Everything else (deadlift, press, bpress, etc.) seems to be sort of progressing. Thanks for the recommendations!
Antowan, your progress is fine. My LP ended with squat and deadlift higher than yours and my press and bench press lower. Does it matter? Nope.
You will progress if you want to progress. I am 39 (40 in a 2.5 months), still young, and I am the strongest and most muscular I have been. I will be stronger and more muscular over the next decade I am sure. At 31 you are still young.
The weights will now always feel heavy. Always. If 127.5kgs is heavy, what will 275kgs (circa 600lbs) feel like? The point of RPE, is not about how you or the weights feel, it is what your performance actually is. Download The Bridge and continue with your progress. Don’t overestimate RPEs, be consistent, and you will be fine.
As others have mentioned, it is you against yourself. If you want to compete in a powerlifting meet, it is still you against your previous best. It just so happens your performance will be compared to others and you may be in the contention for a plastic medal or a piece of coloured ribbon. But you are still trying to improve yourself and get stronger (and more muscular if you want it).
Many years ago I once heard a seasoned, natural lifting coach say that the difference between good progress and great progress is not that large. The context for that comment was for folks who were actually making progress on a program yet are obsessively considering changing their program in the hopes of making better progress.
Yeah, I think you just have a case of paralysis by analysis. Don’t overthink it. You did fine on your LP. In part 1 of the programming podcasts Austin says his LP squat ended at 280… so I would say it’s too soon to tell whether or not you have the genetics to hit a 600 lb squat, but it’s definitely not out of the realm of possibility. If you do it will take many years to get there though I’m sure. 600lb squats don’t happen over night. I think now is a good time for you to switch to the Bridge, and that should give you some more progress over the next 3 months. Don’t put too much thought into anything, just run the program. When you’re done with that look into the 12 week strength template on this site. That will give you the next 5 months of training, and at the end of it you’ll peak and actually test your 1RM’s.
