In the NLP, the major assumption for the rapid increase in weight is the 48-hr recovery, appropriate for a novice. This seems to jive well with the application of squatting every session. It also makes sense to me that the DL gets spaced differently and has a different set/rep scheme given the relationship to and frequency of the squat.
However, the Press and Bench Press are obviously both at 96-hrs between sessions. I’m wondering if this is related to why people frequently stall on the pressing movements (I have in the past - not yet since restarting the NLP). Are we regressing below our peak stress adaptation by the time day 4 rolls around? Or do we consider the movements so similar that the stress from the one carries to the other, similar to the DL and squat relationship?
Continuing down my line of questioning, I’m wondering if you coupled the bench and press similar to how the squat and DL are coupled, what the training response would be for a novice. Press every session (but probably unlikely to increase weight significantly each session), and single set of bench press every other session. Or vice versa.
Thanks for entertaining a little question on the theory.
However, the Press and Bench Press are obviously both at 96-hrs between sessions. I’m wondering if this is related to why people frequently stall on the pressing movements (I have in the past - not yet since restarting the NLP). Are we regressing below our peak stress adaptation by the time day 4 rolls around? Or do we consider the movements so similar that the stress from the one carries to the other, similar to the DL and squat relationship?
That’s unlikely, as a full recovery does not occur between training sessions in this population by nearly any metric we’d want to use.
I do think that the transference of bench to press and vice versa is substantial in untrained folks, but less applicable after that.
I think the reason why the bench and press both stall is that they need more stress as one becomes more trained.
Continuing down my line of questioning, I’m wondering if you coupled the bench and press similar to how the squat and DL are coupled, what the training response would be for a novice. Press every session (but probably unlikely to increase weight significantly each session), and single set of bench press every other session. Or vice versa.
I think once you start modifying the SSLP you get into a situation where you would likely be better served by starting fresh rather than modifying an existing program.
Squatting every session with 2 days between sessions matches the baseline assumption of 48 hour for a novice to recover (enough to train again). The DL has reduced sets/reps scheme and eventually reduced frequency with the introduction of the power clean. But since it’s prime movers are similar to the squat, it makes sense to me the way the DL/clean frequency and load are set up in the SS NLP - even though they don’t follow that 48-hr window exactly. The stress induced is not completely decoupled from the squat-induced stress, so it’s modified to not overwhelm the novice.
I think the reason why the bench and press both stall is that they need more stress as one becomes more trained.
I’m under the impression that this is the most common criticism of the SS NLP - hence the TRex jokes.
This point is confusing to me. I’ve had to delete long paragraphs of streams of conscious. Why do the press movements get trained faster than the squat and DL? General anatomical differences between the prime movers? Or a large portion of the population that don’t have the genetic gifts of the young, healthy trainee described in SS? Other things?
I think once you start modifying the SSLP you get into a situation where you would likely be better served by starting fresh rather than modifying an existing program.
Fair enough. Mostly a curiosity on the application of the theory behind the programming. If the stress adaptation assumption is the baseline for 48-hr recovery window (although, I concede your point about most novices not being at full recovery), then the organization of the squat in the program makes sense to me. The pressing movements don’t seem to follow it as closely.
But I think I’m finally understanding why you frequently have talked about (in podcasts) changing up the frequency on the pressing movement fairly early in the NLP rather than the multiple deloads. I suppose I’m just being too simplistic in my reading of the SS lit on the prescribed NLP.
I’ve been running NLP for about 2 weeks now after 3 years off. Starting slow but don’t want to run into same stalling issues I ran into in the past. Hoping to learn as much as I can so I can recognize how to address the issues that come up. So I really appreciate you taking the time to talk through stuff I’m sure you’ve talked through hundreds of times. Can’t quite pony up the coin for BBM online coaching yet, but hopefully soon…
