Need to tweak Strength 1

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

I have a difficulty making gains. Been on BBM templates for 3+ years and pretty consistent with training for 8 years. Have used PB 1 and PB 2, Hypertrophy (the old template), Hypertrophy 1, and I’ve also done two stints of rehab for 6 months at a time.

Started Strength 1 six weeks ago, went away on vacation, didn’t have a great gym so the workouts kinda sucked and I made do with what they had. Came back last week and decided to start over from week one. I lose strength quickly, and my first two days were much weaker than the original week 1 when I started six weeks ago (about 10-20% strength loss across all lifts).

I wasn’t making any gains six weeks in. The analysis page shows a flat or slight decline in strength across all of my lifts. I came to this program after completing Hypertrophy 1. The analysis on Hyper 1 showed a flat or slightly declining progress across all lifts. I felt like I came in to Strength 1 feeling fresh and strong, but strength was flat or slightly declining for six weeks. Just a side note that my sleep is not great. I get 5-6.5 hours a day and experience anxiety/depression regularly. I’ve done a sleep study at home and in hospital, which showed 5 apnean/hypopnea events per hour. I wake up feeling dread and anxiety every single day before work. I am seeing a therapist and consulting with a physician. What kind of changes can I make to the program to get better results? More sets? Increase or lower RPE? I have no idea what needs to be done (besides trying to get more sleep).

I do realize that if I expect to not perform well, that may lower my actual performance. I’m also working on changing my mindset, to be more positive before workouts.

2

VD,

Thanks for the post and the history. I can definitely appreciate that training is less fun when there isn’t any sign of life strength-wise. Before I go on, do you have a video of a recent squat session you could share with me? It would really help with my perspective.

-Jordan

3

Thanks for the reply!

255 lbs 1 @ 7-8 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DXV3elDWF5w
245lbs 5@9 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6Cyk1JCijFg

I followed up with my two additinal sets of 225x 5@8/8.5

4

Thanks for that. My feeling is that the force production development is likely to be normal, but strength performance isn’t keeping pace with it due to technique, at least on the squat. I cannot say with confidence that’s the case for your other lifts, of course.

For these squats, I think your stance is a bit too narrow, which requires more knees forward, though I don’t think you quite get there and bend over more as a result to maintain some semblance of balance. Depth is a bit much for this squat style, as evidenced by the pretty significant pitch on the way up. I’d have you widen your stance, cut depth off by ~ 2", and pull your elbows down into your sides to start.

While I think PB I is probably fine for you stress-wise, I don’t know that training singles right now is a great idea given your feelings of dread, anxiety, and so on. I think they may add a bit more mental stress than they’re worth at this point. I’d favor running the 3-day General Strength and Conditioning II or Push-Pull-Legs Hypertrophy template to build some momentum and use a double progression, which also may be beneficial from a mental standpoint.

My 0.02.

5

Thanks for the reply Jordan. I’ll implement the technique changes.