Tweaking intermediate 5x5 weights along the way?

[Xlajbf]

I have been doing pretty well with the intermediate 5x5 up until now (training journal link). This is my first time doing a routine like this and I've had great progress... gained about 5lbs over the past month and have increased my max military press, row, and bench. Squat PR is coming up in a few weeks as well. What I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with tweaking the prescribed weights as you go as opposed to following the numbers on the spreadsheet diligently, and if I should do this.

On one hand I don't want to waste time doing lower weights than I know I can do, while on the other hand I don't want to hit a wall quickly and get discouraged. I was supposed to bench 195lbs today for 3 reps and it felt so light. I feel like doing 195x5 on the next bench day would be a waste if I know I can do 200. Same goes for squat... squat was 290x3 today and I would be shocked if I couldn't do 295x5 or 300x5 next time.

What do you think? Stick to the program or tweak as I go?

 

[Cynical Simian]

Making adjustments on the fly is a huge part of long-term training success, and learning about your tolerances is one of the most important things you can do on the Intermediate 5x5.

So there's absolutely nothing wrong with using some judgment to adjust weights up or down from the standard 2.5%/wk increase. With that said, when in doubt err on the conservative side so that, as you said, you don't overshoot, mess up your progression and hit a wall.

 

[anotherbutters]

What CS said (sometimes I feel like we're a tag team ).

One note of caution I'd add is that I've messed up a series of progression in the past (at least twice) by trying to take up some slack and being a little greedy. It's very easy to do. To guard against thet, you could make a larger increase on the easy lifts for just one week and then go straight back to the usual 2.5% (or whatever) increases and see how that feels. If there's still some slack, do another bigger incease later. Just an idea.

 

[Xlajbf]

Thanks guys. In that case, what I'm going to do is use my Day three 3-rep lift as a gauge as to whether or not I should skip a week's weight on the following heavy day. So for example, today I was supposed to bench 195 for 3 reps and then my next workout (Wednesday) would be 195 for 5 reps. Since I did 195 for 5 reps today already, what I will do is skip to week 7's weights on the bench press instead of doing week 6's. That would mean 200x5 on Wednesday and then 205x3 (with an attempt for 205x5) on the following Sunday as opposed to 195x5 / 200x3.

If I fail to reach 5 unassisted reps, I'll continue the next week's prescribed weights.

Same goes for Squat and Row. As for the military press and deadlift, I think I'm going to leave things alone there. I'd rather progress slowly in the deadlift than end up hurting my back again. I know I'll have to take a big jump in the dead eventually, since right now I'm squatting more than I deadlift, but for now I'm going to take it easy.

Am I supposed to re-input my new 5RMs after I finish Week 9 on the 5x5 spreadsheet and start over or can I continue the progression until I hit a wall on all 5 lifts?

 

[al420]

What CS said (sometimes I feel like we're a tag team ).

 

[Protobuilder]

Personally, since your example is for bench, I would stick to the plan. Bench WILL stall first. You want a good ramp for it, IMHO, and making a bigger jump on bench will just get you their quicker. That's just my opinion.