So aligning back to @chad ‘s levels, if I can do a weight 5x5, what’s the likely 1 rep max equivalent?
I think I’m L2 across the board in 5x5 except for Deadlift and Pull-up
Level Two – Men
| Exercise | Prescription | Example Prescription (175lb/80kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 5 Reps 100% BW | 175 lbs / 80 kg |
| Back Squat | 5 Reps 75% BW | 130 lbs / 60 kg |
| Bench Press | 1 Rep 55% BW | 100 lbs / 45 kg |
| Barbell Row | 1 Rep 55% BW | 100 lbs / 45 kg |
| Pull/Chin-Ups | Number of Reps | 10 Reps |
| Military Press | 1 Rep 35% BW | 60 lbs / 30 kg |
before racing I lift 3x a week.
during racing i lift 2x a week if no A races on weekends
1x a week if racing on the weekend and leave 3 days between last lift and the race.
i still lift heavy unless i’m plateauing and 85% 1 RM seems like a good maintenance for me so far (based on last season).
sure, they’re not that impressive:
#'s below are 5 set, 3 rep numbers
DL 275
Squat 215
OHP 90
#'s below vary on sets and reps
Goblet Squat 75
lunges 55 each hand
lat pull down 120 ;-(
high pulls 30
kbell swings 50-60
bent over row 125
hope that helped!
Failed reps - I cant find the FAQ on this?
First time I’ve failed a set, overhead press.
So after the first failed rep, it suggested resting five minutes, which I did. Did the next set. Rested three. Failed the next one.
Do I just try again next time, or reduce to 5x4 or something?
I would suggest trying the same weight again next time, and make sure to max out your rest times. Maybe even adding a minute or two in between sets will help you push through at that weight.
I have dialed back weights on this program after failing twice in a row. That’s just what I’ve done, obviously everyone can tackle this their own way.
I’ll do 5x5 for a while, then stop for a few months, then get back into starting over from just the bar and working back up.
OH Press is always the one I fail first at, it’s a hard lift to keep adding 5 lbs to. Follow the structure where you fail two workouts in a row before deloading and you’ll have a decent shot of breaking through. I’ve considered grabbing 1.25 lb weights to half the increments but haven’t gotten around to it.
Try to look up techniques for the lift too, breathing/adombinal tension has a big effect as well as trying to pull the bar apart with your hands through the lift (think like the opposite of the circle of power for a sprint)
Prior to taking biking seriously, my focus was power lifting. I went through starting strength, madcow 5x5, HST, and various other structured programs. Most had me lifting 3 days a week.
I saw huge results sticking with these programs. At my peak my bench was around 320, deadlift 525, and squat 430. I took some time off due to illness and surgeries, and when I came back I was much smaller, but after a few months my strength to weight was better than ever with my deadlift over 2.5x my weight.
These programs were very taxing though. I really needed the rest days in between. I’d occasionally bike for cardio, but if I did too much I would miss lifts the following workout.
Now days as a compromise, I get most of my strength training on rigid singlespeed mountain bikes. It’s not a direct replacement for lifting, but it’s a full body workout that keeps my muscle tone up and doesn’t detract from my bike training.
