I have been watching this site for a long time and reading posts/watching and listening to the bbm podcasts and YouTube videos. I have in the past been trained by an SS coach for a session where they taught me how to perform the lifts and have always thought Jordan and Austin were awesome and clearly knew their shit…I’ve posted on here before and have gotten some good advice.
Now let me give you some history: I’ve been on a bastardized form of linear progression for many months now. Prior to that I was lifting on and off for a couple years and always did sets of 5 and the like. I always valued getting stronger on the press, bench, deadlift and swuat. In high school I had a stint of SS and gained weight and made progress but didn’t have any upper body hypertrophy at all. My lower body grew and I started to get the “Minotaur look” spoken about by some guys who have run SS in the past. I was tired of spending so much time in the gym just to look like I did not lift. Girls didn’t think it looked good either for what it’s worth. Since then, I gave a good run at this bastardized LP given to me by someone online and I have made great progress. It was designed as a powerbuilding program where the upper body lifts are prioritized and it helps provide more hypertrophy than a typical strength program. Now I’m 25 and I weigh 250lbs at 6’1 and I’m not fat. My last deadlift session I hit 445 for 3 easily. In the past I’ve hit 475 easily and I feel like I could definitely pull at least 500 fresh. I squatted 370 for 3, pressed 215 for a single and hit 285 for 4 and then 300 for an easy single on bench. I can also do 11 chins in a set.
I know from listening to your podcasts and reading your posts that you would think what I’ve been doing wasn’t the best use of my time or training, but I’m just sharing what worked for me. Here is what my most recent training looked like:
Day A:
Bench: got 285 x 22222 300 x 1
Pendlay Row: got 320 x 4 325 3333 335 1
Squat: Got 370 x 3 380 1
Chins: got 965443
Triceps: 2 sets 10-12
Facepulls: 2 sets 15-20
Day B:
Press: got 200 x 3222211
Deadlift: got 445 x 3 then 455 for 111
Lat Pulls: got 120 5444
Kroc Rows: got 130’s 86
Biceps: 2 sets 6-8
Ext. Rotations: 2 sets 12-20
I alternate between day A and B but keep the deadlifts on Wednesday so they are only once per week. Anyway, I know it may seem annoying to you guys but I needed to give you the full scope of my training experience to you know where I’m at. I’ve been killing myself trying to continue progress and I failed my last bench day by a rep or two. I feel like it’s time to change programs to something more efficient like the bridge. But I’m gonna be honest with you and tell you I’m actually scared. I’m scared that this program may not work that well for me and that I spend 8 weeks weaker or at the same weight I was at prior. I am afraid that learning rpe will take too much time and that I’ll screw it up so much I won’t be training optimally. I’ve read great reviews from people following the bridge but I’ve also read reviews where people only made very small strength gains. Should I just shut the hell up and try it? Would that be the best use of my time training right now?