I started training about a year ago by doing SS. It wasn’t really a “Linear” progression but I put about 90lbs on my squat and deadlift by going back and forth for about 2 months. On the other hand, my upper body lift did go up only in the first few weeks. My first bench was 55kg for 5@8 and ends at 65kg for 5@8. My press started at 35kg 5@8 ends at 47.5 5@8.
I did waste my time by doing SS for another 7 months and didn’t make any progress. During that time I injured my rotator cuff(I guess I overshot the bench RPE trying to put some weight.) and I didn’t train the bench for 3 months after injury. After I recovered from injury I started The Bridge with pressing 2x per week and benching 1x per week as suggested for the folks with a history of shoulder issues. My squat and deadlift go up about 45lbs on Bridge but my upper body lift was almost the same as it started. My press was started at 45 5@8 and ends at 47.5 5@8. My 1ct pause bench was 55kg 5@8(decreased because of 3months of break) and ends at 60kg 5@8.
Now I’m running the bridge for the second time (on week 4, benching 2x per week and pressing 1x per week)and I’m putting weight on my squat and deadlift every week but my press and bench is same as It started.
I made very little progress on my upper body lift on SS and making almost no progress on The Bridge. Is it means that I need more volume on my upper body lift?
If so, what do you recommend me to do? Since my squat and deadlift are going up I don’t want to move on to a whole new program.
Thanks for the post and I’m glad you’re back training
I think if the current program that you’re running does not demonstrate an increase in e1RM every 1-2 weeks and your primary goal is strength- then the programming needs to be revised. Do you need more volume? Perhaps, though the exercise selection, average intensity, and frequency may not be good for you.
I think if you’re squatting under 125kg I’d probably abandon ship on the bridge and do the beginner template. I wouldn’t modify the bridge just to “run out” your squat and deadlift gains, as the program is only 7 weeks and I think you’re better off just doing a new program NOW or at the end of the bridge.
Also, adding 10% to your bench in 7 weeks seems pretty good all things considered.
Or would you still recommend me to do beginner template? Long term progress on strength is my primary goal and I’ll do whatever program that is more suitable for my goal.
Ok I’ll try that
I wonder if the Bridge more advanced program than beginner template. Judging from the phase 1 of beginner template bridge looks more advanced one but I haven’t seen the whole program yet so I’m not sure.
If Bridge is more advanced program then I shouldn’t expect my lower body lifts to go up significantly while I’m running beginner template?(now I’m putting 2.5kg per week easily on my squat and deadlift)
I think people slightly put off by name “Beginner Template…” no one wants to be a “beginner…” but BBM really believes in this. It’s a complex adaptive series of templates, and it took the BBM crew lots of thinking about how to come to it.
Not sure how to holler Beginner Template > The Bridge.
The Foundation Template. The most solid foundation BBM knows how to build? The Ground Floor of your fitness skyscraper. The Base Camp of your trek to the summit.
I suppose you could say that the Bridge is more “advanced”, but it would depend how you define that. Nevertheless, the Bridge is designed to be a transitional program from the novice LP or similar program- one with many holes in it- to more appropriate training.
I think your lifts are likely to improve on the Beginner Template.
I’m sure there’s something to that. On the other hand, people who are beginners are searching for “beginner” exercise programs too. We’ll just call it The Primary Template.
