SSLP coming back from an injury

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi Jordan,

I was running the PB2 template back in late March when I tweaked my low back pretty bad around mid April. I think my RDL form was not up to par and will be more conscious of that when I do the movement again in the future.

Anyway I started running a modified SSLP again once my back was not so painful that lifting anything hurt. This was about a month ago. My first full workout with squats and deadlifts started at 225lbsx5x3 (repsxsets) and 255x5 respectively. I have been squatting and deadlifting every workout (3x a week) adding 5 lbs and recently completed 300x5x3 for squat (last 2 sets at 9+ RPE) and 325x5 (felt about a 9 RPE) for deadlift. I was supposed to do 330x5 for deadlift when I did 300 for squat but my low back was sore and a little painful so I decided to be cautious and only did my last warm up of deadlift. The modifications to the program that I made include doing sets of 5 up to the deadlift top set of 5 (I have been doing ~50% of top set, 70%, 80%, and 90% for sets of 5), chin ups day 1 and 3, and essentially GreySkull LP for bench and press. I have failed 142.5x5x3 for press twice and my last bench workout I managed 232.5x5x3 but the last set of 5 was definitely at a 10 RPE. I have not technically stalled on deadlifts (stall being failing the same weight twice) and have not missed a workset for squat or bench yet. I am not trying to actively gain weight (sitting in the 205-210 range currently). I also have recent workout footage if that helps.

My question is should I add a light squat mid week, drop deadlifts to 1-2 times per week, add in rows or GHR on non deadlift days, and do the BBM bench and press plug in until squat and deadlift stall or is it time to move on to something else? I have your beginner template, strength 1, and both PB templates. I mainly care about getting stronger in the main lifts that I’m doing. Looking more muscular would be a secondary goal. Sorry for the long winded post and any help is appreciated!

2

https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog…ining-what-do/

3

Thanks Jordan! Unfortunately I didn’t see your post until after my first set of squats today. I did 305 for 5 but it felt like garbage and for the first time in a while squats caused symptoms (today it was a dull ache in my left butt cheek, no symptoms further down the leg; before it was more in the left low back and SI joint region). I stripped the bar down to 135 and did 3-0-3 tempo squats for 3x8 pretty easily without symptoms just to get some work in. As was mentioned in the article, I think I was guilty of loading too aggressively because symptoms did nearly vanish for a couple of workouts and now theyre coming back. I will dial back on lower body intensity and perhaps try some more variations like tempo squat and RDL and use RPE as a loading guide. I won’t be able to train until Monday and then after that next Friday because of some vacation plans wih friends and my girlfriend. I just did the novice plug in for bench and press today. My only other question is do you think it would I be ok to run strength 1 for upper body only once I get back from vacation?

4

I’d run The Bridge (free) or The Beginner template since you were on LP.