Stephan Korte's 3x3 First Week Progress and Apologies to All!

[super_rice]

Hey guys, some updates on my progress.

I've gone up and went wild with upping the weights in the last week and a half. It's really ridiculous, I think the gains are because I'm not experienced. I'm feeling superhuman right about now, because my work capacity keeps going up, and I almost feel completely recovered after one day's rest - even with the extra oly technique workouts and snatch single days I've been putting in (totally unrelated but it's really cool how much crap I seem to be able to handle now).

To put into perspective how I have been gaining:

- All the percentages are based on current 1RMs but projected with +10lbs on bench, +25lbs on squats, and +15 on deads. I however, went ass wild (or so I thought) and did +20lbs on bench, +35 on squats, and +25 on deads.
- Basically, after wednesday of last week, everytime I hit an easy weight, the next workout I bumped it up TEN pounds... I'm not very good with volume, in fact I hate it, so it was amazing how my body responded... to 40-46 reps!!!!!!!

IE:

Today's Supposed Session---->What I actually did today:
CG Bench: 8x6 155lbs ----------> 175lbs
Oly Backsquat: 14x3 210lbs ----------> 245lbs?!
Clean Dead off platform: 8x5 235s ----------> 255lbs (hook grip!)


I could dead more, but the problem is, by the third set of deads, I start getting massive lower back cramps... even though this much better than before as I got them at the first or second set of squats, the speed at which I need to complete all the sets is stopping me from lifting more weight.

At this rate, I may backsquat 405 pretty damn soon!

Erm yes.. anyway, two big concerns:

- I have decided against doing the Smolov switching phase as an extra deload week. Rather, I will just finish the program as suggested, I think going from 46 reps to 9 reps is deloading enough.
- Should I RECALCULATE the weights in the second phase to accomadate for my new found strength? This is a part of Smolov that is very cool, and doesn't seem to get reflected in other programs. I firmly think I should....
** I feel like I can load for another week. Am I insane?

 

[super_rice]

that workout messed me up bigtime, i went to sleep at 11:30pm, got up at 11:45am. more than 12 hours of sleep. i'm still tired, i think i'm going to go warm up, stretch, eat then hit the sack again

 

[Jim Ouini]

Hey rice, maybe I missed it but where did the 14 sets of 3 for squats come from? I thought loading was 6-8 sets x 5 reps at ~60% of projected max.

I guess the loading's about the same, I was just curious.

Also, are you saying you're bumping the weights up from workout to workout instead of week to week?

 

[blut wump]

Also congrats on the hook grip. I much prefer it myself and find it a lot more comfortable than the mixed grip.

Jim beat me to the questions.

 

[super_rice]

the loading is changed because i was having a bit of trouble with my back and the high reps. doesn't really matter though, 245 14x3 is enough freakin volume for me

the hook grip, i'm using as much as i can. i used it straight for a week and a half, it was great, but it started to get a bit painful so now i alternate, couple of sets hook other times no hook. man the hook grip is something else, that weight is stapled to your hands. it's cool too, you get these nice lookin bruises and such on your thumbs. good thing i'm not in school right now, i had a tough time writing in my training journal afterwards!

i think that pinched nerve i had from when i BEGAN training has come back. i've got the damn numb pinky again.

 

[Madcow2]

For hook grip, tape your thumbs with athletic tape. (not the slick waterproof but the woven-type stuff).

 

[d-dub]

its good to read your updates superrice. Im tempted to give this a shot in the offseason, but ill probably go 5x5 first.

1 Q: Do you row at all to balance all the benching as far as shoulder health is concerned, and do you think its a problem...thoughts?

 

[Madcow2]

1 Q: Do you row at all to balance all the benching as far as shoulder health is concerned, and do you think its a problem...thoughts?

Long-term you want something like rows and overhead work to balance the shoulder out (especially some rows for the same plane of motion).

That said, this is a base program concentrated only on the core lifts. For most mortals doing this program there is no room for assistance work. You just don't run something like this all year long without ever doing some maintanence work on your body and addressing weaknesses through assistance work.

 

[d-dub]

Thanks for the response madcow. I see your point, as you wouldnt run this type of program year round. I also thought you might be able to add the middle day as a row day but i that would just totally fatigue your lower back with all the deads and squats as well.

 

[super_rice]

I've had some success doing extra workouts to hit weaknesses, however those workouts are non-existant in the fourth week. Usually, in these extra sessions they will be a half hour to fourty minutes long, working up to some snatch singles, then I do some rows, bodyweight chins, and light rotator cuff stuff. You'll get used to the lower back fatigue.