RPE Megathread: The Sweet Smell of Easy.

[RyanHartigan]

Mike seems to think you need greater variety & frequency in stressors for the Bench Press. This is probably why the generic templates often have 6 bench slots (frequency & variety) and only 3/3 deadlift/squat slots. They also work up to higher RPEs more frequently as a general prescription.

That reminds me @wk105, how did you find the bench singles protocol. I found lots of sets at those intensities didn't really fatigue me like I thought they would. They also were completely ineffective.

[workliftsleeprepeat]

When using TRAC, when do I put in how I'm feeling? Is it before the workout, after, once I wake up, before bed? I'm not sure, and it doesn't say in the tutorial that comes up when you first use the app.

I'm also still finding it difficult to measure my soreness and perceived recovery using it. Is there anywhere that has all the info that I can read through to learn all about how to best use the app?

[filippo]

When using TRAC, when do I put in how I'm feeling? Is it before the workout, after, once I wake up, before bed? I'm not sure, and it doesn't say in the tutorial that comes up when you first use the app.

I'm also still finding it difficult to measure my soreness and perceived recovery using it. Is there anywhere that has all the info that I can read through to learn all about how to best use the app?

Mike says it’s better to do it in the morning day after your workout/before your workout. Basically when you wake up

[filippo]

Day 1
Squat: 1@8, 4@7/8/9/5%
Bench: 1@8, 5@7/8/9/5%
2ct Paused Bench: 1@8, 3@7/8/9/5%

Day 2
Deadlift: 1@8, 4@7/8/9/5%
Incline Bench: 6@6/7/8/9
Front Squat: 6@6/7/8/9

Day 3
2ct Paused Squat: 1@8, 3@7/8/9/5%
TnG Bench: 1@8, 4@7/8/9/5%
CGBench: 6@6/7/8/9

Day 4
2ct Paused DL: 1@8, 4@7/8/9/5%
DB Bench: 8@6/7/8/9
Snatch Grip RDL: 6@6/7/8/9

6th week with this block currently, thoughts? Next block I’m thinking of higher rep ranges, and maybe changing my accesory/supp lifts.

[workliftsleeprepeat]

Mike says it’s better to do it in the morning day after your workout/before your workout. Basically when you wake up

okok Thanks

[Manveer]

He says to do it the same time every day, whether that’s the morning or another time. Also, no need to do the orthostatic heart rate test. You can look up some videos on the RTS coaching calls YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdYPwz ... 2mcSZY6iXA

[cgeorg]

@RyanHartigan, something I have noticed so far with my RTS programmed training is that my coach has only asked me to hit @8 for topsets for squat and deadlift. However, he has programmed @9s for bench. I haven’t asked him about this, but I would guess it has to do with my ability to recovery. Maybe that is because I’m an older lifter. I’ll ask him.

Hanley kind of works this way as well, I go to 95%/@9/PR wayyyyy more often on bench than squat/dead. I think it's fatigue/recovery management - bench muscles seem to recover quicker. Probably also correlated with pressing movements seeming to tolerate/require higher volumes.

[JohnHelton]

This is what I learned from my coach:

From a programming stand point, we typically only do the @9 work on the accessory lift [for squat and deadlift] with the intent of challenging the weak ROM with that work. Too much @9 work can get too taxing and difficult to recover from. There is more in the upper body exercises because the upper body has been shown to be able to handle that better. Which is primarily from not having any spinal loading involved.

Just as I suspected.

[wk105]

how did you find the bench singles protocol

I had a good run of progress on it, but that might have been mainly because I'd never done it before. I was also gaining a lot of bodyweight at the time, and that's generally the surest way of increasing the bench anyway.

[TheDuke]

Day 1
Squat: 1@8, 4@7/8/9/5%
Bench: 1@8, 5@7/8/9/5%
2ct Paused Bench: 1@8, 3@7/8/9/5%

Day 2
Deadlift: 1@8, 4@7/8/9/5%
Incline Bench: 6@6/7/8/9
Front Squat: 6@6/7/8/9

Day 3
2ct Paused Squat: 1@8, 3@7/8/9/5%
TnG Bench: 1@8, 4@7/8/9/5%
CGBench: 6@6/7/8/9

Day 4
2ct Paused DL: 1@8, 4@7/8/9/5%
DB Bench: 8@6/7/8/9
Snatch Grip RDL: 6@6/7/8/9

6th week with this block currently, thoughts? Next block I’m thinking of higher rep ranges, and maybe changing my accesory/supp lifts.

So this is basically weekly progression with autoregulation?
Don't you think you need some rep variaton from week to week?
This is probably good for someone coming from LP and early intermediate.

[JohnHelton]

With ES, there is no variation week to week. You make the variations block to block, subsequently running block reports to determine which variation combinations were the most effective.

[damufunman]

Any thoughts on if ES would be effective periodizing weekly? So say decreasing reps every week or so (probably over a 4 week block). Could one just treat this as a test variation for a block and evaluate the effectiveness of that?

[Manveer]

Any thoughts on if ES would be effective periodizing weekly? So say decreasing reps every week or so (probably over a 4 week block). Could one just treat this as a test variation for a block and evaluate the effectiveness of that?

Aka “running it out”

[damufunman]

Any thoughts on if ES would be effective periodizing weekly? So say decreasing reps every week or so (probably over a 4 week block). Could one just treat this as a test variation for a block and evaluate the effectiveness of that?

Aka “running it out”

Yeah that.


I was thinking in the context of Weightlifting, which people seem to approach a little differently than powerlifting, but I'm curious if there is that big of a difference in terms of the principles involved (specificity, overload, etc.) and how to achieve them.

[RyanHartigan]

When using TRAC, when do I put in how I'm feeling? Is it before the workout, after, once I wake up, before bed? I'm not sure, and it doesn't say in the tutorial that comes up when you first use the app.

I'm also still finding it difficult to measure my soreness and perceived recovery using it. Is there anywhere that has all the info that I can read through to learn all about how to best use the app?

In addition to what Manveer and Filippo said, I would recommend not using the actual TRAC unless you are going to follow the recommendations or get some other value out of them.

6th week with this block currently, thoughts? Next block I’m thinking of higher rep ranges, and maybe changing my accesory/supp lifts.

What are ERMs looking like?

This is what I learned from my coach:

From a programming stand point, we typically only do the @9 work on the accessory lift [for squat and deadlift] with the intent of challenging the weak ROM with that work. Too much @9 work can get too taxing and difficult to recover from. There is more in the upper body exercises because the upper body has been shown to be able to handle that better. Which is primarily from not having any spinal loading involved.

Just as I suspected.

While I generally agree, it's important to not nocebo yourself. Plenty of people get aggravated shoulders/elbows from heavy benching and conversely tolerate heavy squats and deadlifts.

I found constantly going heavy on squat was difficult, but it got a lot better as I trained. Deadlift not so much.

how did you find the bench singles protocol

I had a good run of progress on it, but that might have been mainly because I'd never done it before. I was also gaining a lot of bodyweight at the time, and that's generally the surest way of increasing the bench anyway.

I'm surprised it didn't work for me, that sort of protocol was effective for deadlift a long time ago. Then again who knows what's going on with my bench. I trained really hard while gaining weight and it went backwards.

Don't you think you need some rep variation from week to week?
This is probably good for someone coming from LP and early intermediate.

I like to but it's not necessary.

It probably would be good for someone in that category, just like it probably would be good for 400+wilks lifters, of which there are plenty running those templates with similar exercise + loading schemes.

Any thoughts on if ES would be effective periodizing weekly? So say decreasing reps every week or so (probably over a 4 week block). Could one just treat this as a test variation for a block and evaluate the effectiveness of that?

Obviously it could be effective. It would not be ES though, it would be wave loaded top down Linear Periodization. If you found that LP works really well for you, more power to you. What I think is happening is that maybe the weeks where you are doing a certain rep range are effective (say 7s and 8s) and the rest is less effective. You would be better off paying attention to ERMs and sticking with the rep ranges that are working for longer and only changing when progress stalls.

The prejudice that going down in rep ranges is always better should also be questioned.

This dovetails with what John was saying:

With ES, there is no variation week to week. You make the variations block to block, subsequently running block reports to determine which variation combinations were the most effective.

How do you feel about changing exercise slots or rep ranges if one stops progressing/is sore etc? I don't see what the problem is if it returns results, and I see the benefit as having a more fine tuned, dynamic microcycle.

[filippo]

What are ERMs looking like?

In 6 weeks Squats and bench 1rm have gone up by 30lbs~ and deadlift by 25~.
I am just at a post novice stage though so that might be a huge reason why it went up by that much. My deadlifts dont feel as good however compared to squats and bench. I feel like I have to switch things up with it. Thinking of running a block with higher volume/rep ranges, then doing a higher intensity one after that. What do you think?

[JohnHelton]

With ES, there is no variation week to week. You make the variations block to block, subsequently running block reports to determine which variation combinations were the most effective.

How do you feel about changing exercise slots or rep ranges if one stops progressing/is sore etc? I don't see what the problem is if it returns results, and I see the benefit as having a more fine tuned, dynamic microcycle.

I think Mike T. would say that if you are having issues with the setup of a cycle, that you should take a pivot week and try again with something different.

[JohnHelton]

This is what I learned from my coach:

From a programming stand point, we typically only do the @9 work on the accessory lift [for squat and deadlift] with the intent of challenging the weak ROM with that work. Too much @9 work can get too taxing and difficult to recover from. There is more in the upper body exercises because the upper body has been shown to be able to handle that better. Which is primarily from not having any spinal loading involved.

Just as I suspected.

While I generally agree, it's important to not nocebo yourself. Plenty of people get aggravated shoulders/elbows from heavy benching and conversely tolerate heavy squats and deadlifts.

I found constantly going heavy on squat was difficult, but it got a lot better as I trained. Deadlift not so much.

I agree about the nocebo thing. One can always give it a try and see what happens. I did run my squats up to @9 for two weeks in a row back in February (before being coached by RTS) and then my strength crashed hard on the third week. That was surprising and disappointing for me at the time, because I had been making big gains. Who know? I hate to admit that it could be age related.

[DrHades]

This is what I learned from my coach:

From a programming stand point, we typically only do the @9 work on the accessory lift [for squat and deadlift] with the intent of challenging the weak ROM with that work. Too much @9 work can get too taxing and difficult to recover from. There is more in the upper body exercises because the upper body has been shown to be able to handle that better. Which is primarily from not having any spinal loading involved.

Just as I suspected.

While I generally agree, it's important to not nocebo yourself. Plenty of people get aggravated shoulders/elbows from heavy benching and conversely tolerate heavy squats and deadlifts.

I found constantly going heavy on squat was difficult, but it got a lot better as I trained. Deadlift not so much.

I agree about the nocebo thing. One can always give it a try and see what happens. I did run my squats up to @9 for two weeks in a row back in February (before being coached by RTS) and then my strength crashed hard on the third week. That was surprising and disappointing for me at the time, because I had been making big gains. Who know? I hate to admit that it could be age related.

In the same spirit, what is the general advice when 1@8 is prescribed but 1@8.5 and @9 start to creep in?

And when you did a 1@7 confident enough and then you add that 5lbs from last week single to hit your 1@8 and it feels like @9 or @9.5? Do you change the backoffs, assistances, next week weights?

I am going through some learning curve with autoregulation. It seems to me that a 1@8 should run rather smoother than I thought.

[JohnHelton]

In the same spirit, what is the general advice when 1@8 is prescribed but 1@8.5 and @9 start to creep in?

And when you did a 1@7 confident enough and then you add that 5lbs from last week single to hit your 1@8 and it feels like @9 or @9.5? Do you change the backoffs, assistances, next week weights?

I am going through some learning curve with autoregulation. It seems to me that a 1@8 should run rather smoother than I thought.

If the target is 1@8, but you are hitting 1@8.5-9, then you over reached a bit. Calculate your e1RM with the 1@8.5 or 9 (depending on which you hit) and then calculate your the subsequent sets based off that new e1RM. If you hit a 1@9, then the following week you will probably want to target a bit less for your 1@8.

If you hit 1@7, then add 3-5% more to the bar and give it another shot. If you hit 7.5, then that is close enough. Needless to say, your target the following week will be higher.