LIFTS STUCK ON STARTING STRENGTH? | How To Break Through A Plateau

[@DARTH-KTULU]

One method to consider is that when you stall on a lift, say the bench press, you get 315 for 2x5, 1x4 (for example) and you know you can get that first set of 315, so hold onto that. Just do that one top set next time. Then take off 20 - 50 lbs off the bar and do as many reps as you can. You have already progressed to 315, but when you were at 285 how many reps did you do? It was 3x5. Now you can hit a rep PR with that lighter weight. Do 2 back off sets with that, and go for 6-10 reps. Then the next time… add 5 lbs to the back off sets only so 315, 290, 290… you should still be getting MORE than 5. You’re getting rep PR’s. Work your way up to 315,310,310 and I bet you get 6 or 7 with the 310. Next session try 315 for sets across, I bet you get ‘em all, because you built more muscle with the higher rep sets.

[@TheGaragelifter]

Greyskull LP uses a similar format. 2x5 then a 1x AMRAP with the same weight on all sets. If you cant do 5 reps on the AMRAP set drop the weight 10% on all sets and start adding weight again. Like you said you should hit a Rep PR with the lower weight, it can lead to some hypertrophy and its really motivating to be hitting PRs even though it is a "deload".

[@sugarly69]

Love your videos man. Thanks. Keeps me on track. Semper fi.

[@boynamedsue55able]

Maybe you should cover equipment as a video, bc the Power Rack alone was designed for this reason. Each 'slot' or 'notch' what have you is so you can either start from the bottom position, mid, or top so that you can do 'partials' without momentum. Powerlifting USA was a magazine I subscribed to in high school, and it covered all the methods used for breaking plateaus, whether it be with bands or chains, or switching up how you lifted, etc. I highly recommend looking for that crowd, if you're stuck at a plateau for the bench, squat, or deadlift. Once again, the Power Rack allows a lifter to train in positions or parts of a lift that they might be weaker at, such as 'lock out' so your top position, then would result in 1/4 or 1/3 partial press. It worked for me when I was first benching 200lbs. then onwards to 285lbs. etc. Very simple remedy.

[@Rack979]

10:41 With ¾ pound plates you can make as little as ½ pound jumps, as long as you have your 4 pairs of ¾ pounders to make the necessary combinations and the total weight of the plates is 4.0 pounds or more.

[@Rack979]

Old loading chart I whipped up when Grant announced the ¾ pound plates years ago. As long as you happen to need the particular sub-5.0 pound increment that's makeable (1.5, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 4.5 lb), just add the weight directly. If not doable, take 5 pounds off the bar then add 5.5 to 9.5 pounds back through a combination of ¾ and 1¼ pound plates. ¾pairs 1¼pairs total 1. 0. 1.5 0. 1. 2.5 2. 0. 3.0 1. 1. 4.0 3. 0. 4.5 0. 2. 5.0 2. 1. 5.5 4. 0. 6.0 1. 2. 6.5 3. 1. 7.0 0. 3. 7.5 2. 2. 8.0 4. 1. 8.5 1. 3. 9.0 3. 2. 9.5 0. 4. 10.0 2. 3. 10.5 4. 2. 11.0 1. 4. 11.5 3. 3. 12.0 0. 5. 12.5 2. 4. 13.0 4. 3. 13.5 1. 5. 14.0 3. 4. 14.5 0. 6. 15.0

[@Rack979]

A compact loading chart: +½ is -5 + 5½ (1¼+¾*2 a side) +1 is -5 + 6 (¾*4) +1½ is just (¾) +2 is -5 + 7 (1¼+¾*3) +2½ is just (1¼) +3 is (¾*2) +3½ is -5 + 8½ (1¼+¾*4) +4 is (1¼+¾) +4½ is (¾*3)

[@thestrengthco]

sounds like a lot of math!

[@Rack979]

@@thestrengthco It was, but it's all done! Maybe there should be a ¾ pounder 8-pack, can't make +1 pound or +3½ pounds without 4 pairs of ¾ pounders!

[@donaldkasper8346]

How did I launch up from 265 to 300 lbs after 6 month plateau? Singles at max wt or new attempted PR. Then each successive lift at 5 to 10 lbs lighter. One to two minute breaks to make sure I am not breathing heavy or dizzy. Drop reps to 265 and there to 225 or 245 I do all my experimentation with sumo wide and narrow and foot positions and things I see from KZbin influencers I want to try. 225 is where I tried over and under hand grip for the second time, first time I almost fell backward to threw to bar out away from me and did not try it again for many months. I have something else to try at sumo for next deadlift session.

[@blistersteel]

Back off sets are a great tool to start making gains again. Make muscle and you will become stronger.

[@jorjicostava3018]

blast gear

[@divinecomedian2]

lmao

[@Menaceblue3]

Dbol-ish your goals Anavar give up!

[@tonysanchez1000]

The downside of being dead is you can't get stronger.

[@matthewstrauts5427]

That can be a gains killer

[@Etherealdegradation]

Wrong cuzzo

[@davidroche7685]

One of the biggest reasons why people platoue on the bench and the press is they add way too much weight each time . The pressing movements are highly sensitive to weight added. Add one pound to your bench and press each time is key, it's slow but it works and far better that constantly hitting the wall . The highbar squat is much less complicated to learn than the lowbar but a harder squat to get strong on due to the the ass to the grass rom where the legs are doing most of the work. So you will need to add 2 pounds to the highbar not 5 pounds. The highbar is slower to get stronger on but it is much more worth the wait! A 3 plate highbar is far more impressive looking squat than than a ugly looking bent lowbar even with 4 plates that only gives you a big fat ass where highbar gives you a chiseled pair of soccer players legs!

[@0vermars520]

ladies dig big juicy ass than tree trunk legs

[@divinecomedian2]

But I want a big ol cake!

[@lukecoomer9349]

You know what else gives you soccer player legs? Soccer. And soccer player legs come with soccer player knees, over built quads, weak hamstrings and constant pain. Since I've had enough of those things, I'll stick with the low bar. I like my knees not hurting anymore, my hamstrings being able to contribute to some load, and my whole body being stronger overall. You do you, but low bar is more useful in my fairly extensive experience.

[@donaldkasper8346]

How to break through a plateau? Out wait it, as they last 6 months. The performance curve is false. Advances are plateaus finished with launch phases. So gains are stair stepped.

[@donaldkasper8346]

My deadlift sat at 265 lbs for 6 months, then in November it went up immediately to 300. It took two weeks to chase it up as I try a new max first and just once for a drop rep session.

[@divinecomedian2]

6 months? I think you're doing something wrong.

[@donaldkasper8346]

@@divinecomedian2 Progression is not constant. Today cleared 300 lbs deadlift nicely. Last two were a little bent over. Maybe 315 by spring. Newbie gains on deadlift were fast and plateaud quickly at 225 earlier in the year. Lifting since Nov last year but 9 months of lifting in that time period.