What does 1 triple, back-off mean?

NotExactly

I'm doing a 5x5 starting strength program and this is the routine for Friday:

Friday - Medium
Squat – 4 sets of 5, 1 triple, back-off
Bench – 4 sets of 5, 1 triple, back-off
Deadlift – 4 sets of 5, 1 triple
Weighted Dips – 3 sets of 5-8
Triceps - Skull crushers 3 sets of 8
Biceps –Incline curls 3 sets of 8

It would be great if you could help me out, thanks!

Hanley

That's not starting strength.

But anyway...

Triple = three reps

Back off = lower the weights

Chancer3001

thats too much for 1 day imo.

Pace2008

That looks like Madcow 5x5, but with deadlifts instead of rows.

For Madcow, the triple is three reps done at the weight you'll be doing for 5 next Monday, and the backoff set is 8 reps done with the weight used on your third set. This is assuming you're ramping the weights (increasing with each set).

Mellor

O

Pace2008 wrote: »

That looks like Madcow 5x5, but with deadlifts instead of rows.

For Madcow, the triple is three reps done at the weight you'll be doing for 5 next Monday, and the backoff set is 8 reps done with the weight used on your third set. This is assuming you're ramping the weights (increasing with each set).

Yeah. The squats and bench would fit the 5/5/5/5/3/8 format of Madcow day 3.
Except there's no dips, curls etc. but that's not major.
I wouldn't be mad on subbing in deadlifts for rows. There's a reason that deadlifts don't follow the same format as squat and bench in Madcow.

OP, where exactly did you get the program.
It's not starting strength, nor it is Madcow. Might be a good idea to fix it up.

Brian?

Chancer3001 wrote: »

thats too much for 1 day imo.

It depends really. If that is a variation of madcow 5x5 then the 4x5 are ramping sets and the triple is the only real heavy set.

Op are you doing madcow5x5? Are you sure it's the program you should be doing? It's an intermediate program for a reason.

Chancer3001

even still, squat bench and deadlift, if youre lifting as heavy as you can will leave you fairly goosed and not much energy to complete the other lifts properly.

But thats just me, I can neevr manage more than 4 in a day tops. Usually 3

Brian?

Chancer3001 wrote: »

even still, squat bench and deadlift, if youre lifting as heavy as you can will leave you fairly goosed and not much energy to complete the other lifts properly.

But thats just me, I can neevr manage more than 4 in a day tops. Usually 3

Yeah, agreed.

Mellor

Chancer3001 wrote: »

even still, squat bench and deadlift, if youre lifting as heavy as you can will leave you fairly goosed and not much energy to complete the other lifts properly.

But thats just me, I can neevr manage more than 4 in a day tops. Usually 3

There is nothing else though. Madcow is just 3 exercises a session.
And it's not squat bench deadlift on the one day either.

It's supposed to be;
Squat/BenchRow. 5x5
Squat (light)/Press/Deadlift 4x5
Squat/Bench/Row 4x5, x3, x8

NotExactly

Thanks to those of you that replied!

Hanley wrote: »

That's not starting strength.

Sounds stupid but I wasn't fully sure what the name of the program was when I posted it sorry.

Mellor wrote: »

OP, where exactly did you get the program.
It's not starting strength, nor it is Madcow. Might be a good idea to fix it up.

TBH I can't remember where I got it, it was online but so far i'm happy with the gains.

[/QUOTE] Are you sure it's the program you should be doing?[/QUOTE]

No.

This is the program i'm following:

Monday – Heavy Day
Squat – 5 sets of 5
Bench – 5 sets of 5
Deadlift – 5 sets of 5
2 sets of weighted hyperextensions
Calf raises – 3 sets of 8

Tuesday
Pilates

Wednesday – Light Day
Squat – 4 sets of 5
Incline Bench – 4 sets of 5
Bent over rows – 4 sets of 5


Thursday
Rest

Friday - Medium
Squat – 4 sets of 5, 1 triple, back-off
Bench – 4 sets of 5, 1 triple, back-off
Deadlift – 4 sets of 5, 1 triple
Weighted Dips – 3 sets of 5-8
Triceps - Skull crushers 3 sets of 8
Biceps –Incline curls 3 sets of 8

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
Rest


Maybe it's too much but i've gained 8 pounds in 3 weeks fair enough they're noob gains (I took the summer off 'cause I was in America) & i've been eating like a horse with little cardio but i'd prefer to over train with good gains than under train. Up until now I was doing 4 sets instead of 5 for the squats, deads and bench because the doms were just too much. ATM i'm doing about 3 warm up sets for squats and then 130KG for 4 sets of 5 reps. Should I scrap this program altogether? What other advice can ye give?

Pace2008

If you're squatting 130kg for 4 sets of 5 after 8 weeks I'd probably stick with it for the moment, to be honest. Doing the deads on light squat day and the rows on Friday would make more sense, though.

NotExactly

Pace2008 wrote: »

If you're squatting 130kg for 4 sets of 5 after 8 weeks I'd probably stick with it for the moment, to be honest. Doing the deads on light squat day and the rows on Friday would make more sense, though.

I changed deads to light day and it took some pressure off me on the Friday, thanks for the advice. Should I change this program up after 6 weeks to keep my muscles guessing or is progressive overload enough?

Doc Daneeka

Can some give an explanation of the benefits of the backing off sets? Not something I have ever really included but am a relative noob.

Mellor

NotExactly wrote: »

I changed deads to lift day and it took some pressure of me on the Friday, thanks for the advice. Should I change this program up after 6 weeks to keep my muscles guessing or is progressive overload enough?

There's no need to change after 6 weeks, if its working keep going

Hanley

Doc Daneeka wrote: »

Can some give an explanation of the benefits of the backing off sets? Not something I have ever really included but am a relative noob.

Additional volume with a weight that is heavy enough for strength/skill improvement but not so heavy that it negatively effect recovery

NotExactly

Hanley wrote: »

Additional volume with a weight that is heavy enough for strength/skill improvement but not so heavy that it negatively effect recovery

Thanks! Would a rest week after 8 weeks be beneficial or is 4 days a week rest sufficient? I know this is a hard question to answer as it depends on my own recovery and nutrition and also that I should know my own body but just in general do people take time off this program at all for additional recovery?

Scuba Ste

NotExactly wrote: »

Thanks! Would a rest week after 8 weeks be beneficial or is 4 days a week rest sufficient? I know this is a hard question to answer as it depends on my own recovery and nutrition and also that I should know my own body but just in general do people take time off this program at all for additional recovery?

Rest when you need to; as in, when you start missing reps.

A rest after 8 weeks might be beneficial but why interrupt the program while you're still making progress.