Help With Using Fractional Weights

[gymrat surfer]

So I ordered the ATP fractional weights set that goes along with the 5X5 madcow intermediate program.

To keep things simple, I have been adding 5lbs per week on my lifts and will continue to do that till I stall.

When I do stall, how many lbs per week do you recommend I progress in? 1/4lb, .5, 1 lb, 2lbs, 2.5lbs? Of course I would give myself one more chance the following week with the same weight, then I would deload.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I would probably just cut to half weight increments of 2.5lbs.

 

[_cato_]

I agree with ghetto. Start by dropping to ~2.5 lb increases and see what happens.

Also, I'd wait till you've failed about 3x in a row on the same weight before you deload that exercise. That said, once you fail on two different weights in a row, then its probably time to move down from 10-5 or from 5-2.5 on your subsequent jumps for that exercise.

To be clear:

Week1=225xbarely 4, Week 2=225x4.5, Week 3=225x5<--don't need to deload here

BUT, if next week:

Week 4=230x4, Week 5=230x5<---Again don't need to deload yet, but from here on, its better to increase by 2.5 lbs, or however much you deem necessary depending on the exercise, and actually hit your 5 reps each week.

 

[gymrat surfer]

good feed back! very helpful. And then if I stall on 2.5 then I guess it should move to increases of 1.5 per week.

 

[_cato_]

Exactly. You should be able to continue to make progress for quite some time like that.

 

[Synpax]

Those things aren't magnetic, are they?