Can someone help me out with this question about the 5x5 and plateauing?

[InTraining]

Question about the modified 5x5 and plateauing?

In the 5x5 thread people were talking about reducing the volume in 5x5 and upping the frequency...I decided to try this out...I have done the original 5x5 before and got great gains..this is relevent to the question in that the main move is 3 sets of 5 reps instead of 5x5...

When I plateau it is suggested that one moves to 5x3 and adds 5 pounds to the weight they were stuck at, and just to keep going until they plateau on the 5x3 then switch back to 5x5 with the old weight...

But with the 3x5 should I switch to 5x3 with the weight I got stuck at for 3x5, or add 5 lbs to that 3x5 weight and do 5x3, or do a 3x3+5lbs of what I got stuck at?

Sorry if the question sounds kind of confusing...I've just been weighing the options and I don't know which would work best...

 

[zxe003]

Yeah, that's pretty confusing.....lol. Okay, let's see. So right now you are hitting 3x5's and you want to get past a certain weight. I would say if the whole principle is to reduce volume but up the weight, that you should hit 3x3 + 5lbs since switching from 3x5 to 5x3 is still 15 reps but with more weight....what would be the point. However, I feel only 3 sets of 3 is grossly undercutting yourself in volume. I guess what I mean to say is, I probably wouldn't have been doing only 3x5 in the first place. Doesn't leave much alternative for breaking through a plateau.

 

[cwick0]

how long have you been doing 5x5 for?

 

[InTraining]

Yeah, that's pretty confusing.....lol. Okay, let's see. So right now you are hitting 3x5's and you want to get past a certain weight. I would say if the whole principle is to reduce volume but up the weight, that you should hit 3x3 + 5lbs since switching from 3x5 to 5x3 is still 15 reps but with more weight....what would be the point. However, I feel only 3 sets of 3 is grossly undercutting yourself in volume. I guess what I mean to say is, I probably wouldn't have been doing only 3x5 in the first place. Doesn't leave much alternative for breaking through a plateau.

I should say that I am not only doing 3x5 for one muscle group...I have accesory exercises as well for the extra volume...I still have maybe 6-7 work sets for chest and 8-12 work sets for back....

Yeh 3x3 doesn't sound very good to me I might just do 5x3 with that same weight and add 5 lbs once I get it and so forth...

Also I should say that I have a workout A and a workout B for each group so that I am not doing the same exercises all the time....so basically I am doing workout a once a week and workout b once that same week...

Thanks a lot! Karma to you

 

[InTraining]

how long have you been doing 5x5 for?

I did the actual 5x5 routine for a long time(maybe 6 months) last year and had a lot of success...

I just started the modified 5x5 last week

The thing is I recover so fast that hitting a muscle group once a week isn't optimal for me...I feel if I can hit it 2x a week and successfully recover...I will grow at a better rate....

 

[cwick0]

I recover fast as hell, but i still only hit everything once a week, 5 days a week. However, it would be impossible for me to hit everything twice a week and still train as hard as i do.

keep hitting the regular 5x5, but if you need a change in pace then do 5 sets with 3 reps/set. Another thing you can do is some rest pauses. They will help your chest immensly.

 

[InTraining]

I recover fast as hell, but i still only hit everything once a week, 5 days a week. However, it would be impossible for me to hit everything twice a week and still train as hard as i do.

keep hitting the regular 5x5, but if you need a change in pace then do 5 sets with 3 reps/set. Another thing you can do is some rest pauses. They will help your chest immensly.

Actually....I could do the once a week thing for all muscle groups EXCEPT my chest....I tried doing everything once a week and that muscle group actually went backwards...weird as hell...dunno maybe I could put some close grip benchs on arms day to make up for it....not sure....

I think WalkingBeast also trains everything once a week except for chest, he does it twice a week with flats on one day and inclines on the other..

 

[cwick0]

Actually....I could do the once a week thing for all muscle groups EXCEPT my chest....I tried doing everything once a week and that muscle group actually went backwards...weird as hell...dunno maybe I could put some close grip benchs on arms day to make up for it....not sure....

I think WalkingBeast also trains everything once a week except for chest, he does it twice a week with flats on one day and inclines on the other..

Add close-grip to the start of your bi/tri day and you wont have to worry about doing chest twice a week.

 

[InTraining]

Add close-grip to the start of your bi/tri day and you wont have to worry about doing chest twice a week.

Ok I just might give that a try...I have always been a fan of higher volume...

Would you mind laying out how many sets you do per muscle group?

Thanks a lot for the help.

 

[WalkingBeast]

Actually....I could do the once a week thing for all muscle groups EXCEPT my chest....I tried doing everything once a week and that muscle group actually went backwards...weird as hell...dunno maybe I could put some close grip benchs on arms day to make up for it....not sure....

I think WalkingBeast also trains everything once a week except for chest, he does it twice a week with flats on one day and inclines on the other..