The Bridge 2.0 to GPP Hypertrophy Transition + modifications for pain management.

I’ve just completed Week 7 of the Bridge 2.0. Prior to this I’ve done The Bridge 1.0 (with a 2 week holiday in between programs). I’m planning to go onto the GPP Hypertrophy template next.

25M

Pre-The Bridge Stats:

BW: 78kg (172lbs)
Squat e1RM 142.5kg
Bench (touch and go) 95kgx1
Deadlift 155kgx1
Press 67.5kgx1

Post-The Bridge Stats:

Squat e1RM 162.5kg
1ct pause Bench e1RM: 103kg
Deadlift e1RM: 173kg
Press e1RM: 75kg

Now:

BW: 81kg
Squat e1RM 157kg
1ct pause Bench e1RM: 105kg
Deadlift e1RM: 181kg
Press e1RM: 76-79kg

During Week 3 of The Bridge 2.0 I’ve experienced anterior left hip pain (?hip flexor issue) while working up to my 1@8 single (which I didn’t get to because of the pain), the pain would trigger when I came up out of the hole. Previously I would have not trained squats at all, but I have been following you guys for a while now and knew not only could I train, but that would be better than not training. I sent an email asking for recommendation/advice in regards to tackling Day 2. I understood that with little information/no examinations/form checks etc that a specific and tailored recommendation couldn’t be made, but I did receive general advice, which aligned with your pain podcasts.

During week 4 and 5 of the program, for the Comp Squat days, I tried warming up and slowly increased the load, but I always felt pain at some point. Lowering the weight wouldn’t help at that point. So I would complete that work out with Front Squats at the prescribed reps, sets and RPE - with no hip pain. Week 6 I experienced some pain during the low bar, but managed to get through at what I believe to be at the correct stress - the 1@8 was fine, but pain started during the back off sets. Week 7 the pain was too much to complete the low bar squats, and I didn’t switch to front squats. Pin squats above parallel hurt during week 7 day 2. My 3rd tempo squat set hurt and I failed to complete the last 2 reps during week 7 day 3 (previous weeks of tempo squats did not cause hip pain).

I wanted to mention that I actually went into each training session with a positive outlook in regards to this pain. I’m definitely not catastrophising, I’m not noceboing myself etc. I would always warm up believing there would be no pain that session. But once I did feel pain, I guess I could have unconsciously made form adjustments during following reps - it’s hard to say. I’m not sure how true my current thoughts are but I believe that because I overshot my RPE during Week 2, this caused wonky form and ultimately I overstressed my left hip flexor. I’m also now thinking that every time I’ve warmed up to a weight that caused pain I just aggravated it more and am delaying it from being healed. Maybe not the best analogy - but if you keep picking a scab, it won’t heal. Given that low bar squat, pin squats above depth and tempo squats (at 50-60% of my e1RM) all caused pain - I think it’s time to just give low bar a rest for a training block. It’s hard to say if form is contributing to it, because I did not experience this during the Bridge 1.0 with the same form.

Okay now for my questions:

The last few weeks I have been feeling a bit beat up, probably because I’m not used to the high volume, and also recovery hasn’t been great because of work and life stress. I’m glad that Week 8 will be a low stress week to hopefully dissipate some of this fatigue. However, because the GPP Hypertrophy template also starts with a low stress week - can I just commence that next training session instead of doing Week 8 of the Bridge 2.0?

In place of the low bar back squats would it be reasonable to do front squats in situation? I haven’t really learned or tried high bar - another option is to learn that over the 7 week GPP block. For the supplemental lift I was thinking of doing 2ct pause leg press and then leg press in the last half.

Ultimately my goal is to lose weight but maintain strength over the GPP block before starting the 12 week strength template (hopefully can low bar at that point!)

Thanks for your time.

I think I’d do 2 low stress weeks in this situation.

I probably wouldn’t have a strong argument against front squats, but also I don’t really think that pain in your hip is terribly concerning. It may come and go unrelated to anything. I probably would just keep squatting and sure, pain is going to influence the loading for the day, but if it were something squat related it’d still hurt on front squats.

Hi Jordan,

Thanks for your advice, I’ll go with the two low stress weeks.

I really want to keep doing low bar and improve it. The only reason I am concerned is that the pain has been there for over 5 weeks now, it seems very related to low bar squatting, and I was unable to complete all 3 of my squat and variation workouts this week (which is all very demotivating you know?). It does not occur with front squats - so I thought it might have to do with hip drive and hip positioning during low bar (but I can see that this might be because of the load itself - my working sets of front squats are like ~65% of my e1RM of low bar).

I think for two upcoming low stress weeks I’ll give low bar another chance - hopefully the low stress and fatigue management aids in alleviating the issue. If my squats are unproductive over those two weeks… I think I’ll just switch to front squats for the remainder of the GPP block.