Powerbuilding 1

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hello,
I am 19 years old and I have started following your powerbuilding 1 template. I am:

  • 168 cm
  • 66.8 kg
  • 32 inch waist

I have 4 questions regarding my experience with powerbuilding 1 and plans after finishing powerbuilding 1. But before that I’ll give some background information on my progression and journey.

I have currently finished week 6 of the template, and have been cutting throughout weeks 1 to 5. I was around 69.5kg to 70kg when I first started the template. In regards to my progression, most of my lifts have stayed pretty much the same, without a significant increase or decrease in intensity at the prescribed RPE. I have also not been performing any movements that involves the lower body, for the simple reason that I did not want to train my lower body, and have therefore substituted lifts such as the deadlift and deadlift variations with back movements and leaving out the squats. Now for my first question:

  1. In regards to my progression, is this a normal result considering I have been slowly cutting? Or perhaps what do you think of this result? I have not practiced the movements and rep ranges before starting the template and was thinking that I did not regress because the stimulus has been somewhat novel.

  2. Based on the previous question, assuming the trend continues with the same variables till the end of the template, are we able to conclude, based on my results, how appropriate this template was for me by looking and my results and the concept of training sensitivity and its spectrum?

  3. Throughout my training, I have had couple of instances where I knew for sure the next smallest increment on weight will cause my RPE to overshoot. And to accommodate for such event, I have tried to utilise lower rest times to make a lower weight harder than it is supposed to be. For example, if my goal was to hit 3 sets of 5 at RPE 7, 8, 9 with an arbitrary weight such as 90, 95, 100 lbs, I would hit 90 lbs at RPE 7 with 3 mins rest, 95 lbs at RPE 8 with 2 min rest and 95 lbs at RPE 9. Is this an appropriate way to deal with such a situation?

  4. Personally I do not compete, but rather just lift casually to get bigger and stronger. And I eventually want to test my 1 rep maxes for the bench press and press, as one of my goals is to increase those numbers. Therefore I plan to complete this template, and move onto one of your peaking templates afterwards. Is this an appropriate thing to do? And as a side question, would deload in between templates?

I appreciate what you do for the fitness community and would be very grateful if you take some time to read these questions of mine.

2

David,

  1. I’m not sure- you really haven’t been doing the program. If you’re not going to pull and squat, I’d just do the hypertrophy template where you can pick your own movements.
  2. I wouldn’t use this program for you if you’re not wanting to deadlift or squat. I cannot conclude anything about your responsiveness to the template.
  3. I wouldn’t do that. I’d just repeat the weight or do more reps with the same weight, If possible.
  4. I would not do that after this template, no.

Honestly, I’d run the beginner template for you all the way through and then pick what you want to do next based on goals. You even get some singles on the beginner template :slight_smile:

-Jordan