Recovery and Templates

52 yr. old male. Happy to have found BBM a year ago. Since, I have run through the Bridge twice, novice peaking and Powerbuilding 1. Currently running Powerbuilding 1 again, in week 2.

First time through PB1, Around week 5. I needed an extra day of rest to feel like training again. Especially after squats, all legs related. I was able to finish the template with 72 hours between strength training workouts BUT had to eliminate all GPP and cardio. My legs are just not recovering well enough. My quads, knees and adductors feel terrible. I need to use my right arm braced on the sink to slow the decent to the toilet. It seems like the 72 hours can get me to the next workout but I’m wondering what is wrong with my recovery. Sleep, stress and nutrition are addressed. I mean that I manage those variables to the best I can without being obsessive. I assume others are making it through these templates, as written. Correct me if wrong. Maybe tell me what you feel like 48 hours after squats? I don’t know, do your coaches know how to get through this problem?

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I think it’s fairly normal to be sore after a workout, though if you’re unable to get around normally and it seems excessive, I’d put my money on the weight being a bit heavy and would aim to be a bit more conservative when rating a load’s RPE. I also think training less (not doing the GPP or cardio) and moving the workouts back prevent adaptation to the work load and developing the capacity needed to tolerate this type of training. I would expect that this would occur within a year, for sure.

I don’t know if anything is wrong with your recovery, per se’, but I do think the PB I template represents a significant increase in training stimulus that needs to be adapted to compared to the peaking template (reduces training tolerance), and Bridge (meant to “bridge” the gap to a higher volume program with RPE). So if I had to guess, I’d put my money on the loads being a bit too high and you actively being in the throws of work capacity development. This is an okay place to be, but it’ll take some time to get acclimated.

Thank you, I’ll go back to relearning RPE. I probably am looking for strength gains too come too quickly.

I also have to review the article on tendinopathy and make changes to help my knees.