Breaking plateaus.

Frank Bullitt

Looking for some advice guys.

I've hit a plateau lately, mainly on my squat. I am noticeably struggling with heavier weights that I used to be relatively comfortable with.

I've been on 5-3-1 for the past while and on the second cycle of 3. From my recent squats, the next phase of 4 weeks will be pretty tough, so I am wondering if I am missing something in my training or prep.

I warm up with some hip sheering and foam rolling, lacrosse ball etc. But I am wondering if its a case of completely changing it up and doing lower weights for higher reps to break through the plateau.

Its a bit of a fish-mash question, but wondering if anyone has been through this before and has any advice.

Thanks

runawaybishop

Are you eating enough? Eating through a plateau would be fairly common, you also mentioned you'd pushed these weights before so what's changed?

Frank Bullitt

Ah, I should have given diet specifics.

Giving the renegade diet a run again, which is basically a 16-8 diet. My other lifts are all going fine, its primarily the squat.

I have been concerned I wasn't getting enough food in though with the schedule the past few days. So that is one thing to consider.

Alf Veedersane

Has it only happened on 531?

Frank Bullitt

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Has it only happened on 531?

Yeah, I ran smolov before and it progressed well. It might be a mobility thing, set up, lack of flexibility. I can't quite pinpoint it.

Alf Veedersane

Gintonious wrote: »

Yeah, I ran smolov before and it progressed well. It might be a mobility thing, set up, lack of flexibility. I can't quite pinpoint it.

I can't remember the layout exactly but I always felt it lacked volume as a programme. I know a lot of people get good results but that was just how I felt.

Do the mechanics feel different?

runawaybishop

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I can't remember the layout exactly but I always felt it lacked volume as a programme. I know a lot of people get good results but that was just how I felt.

Do the mechanics feel different?

There is plenty of volume in 531. Op is on a diet, eat more for a bit op.

Frank Bullitt

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I can't remember the layout exactly but I always felt it lacked volume as a programme. I know a lot of people get good results but that was just how I felt.

Do the mechanics feel different?

The volume point was what I was thinking. Even on 5-3-1, the volume is really low for squats directly. There are other variations to the supplementary exercises, Boring but Big is one of them, and they can entail some volume.

Mechanic wise, I find my knees buckle in once I get below a certain point, so that might point towards an imbalance with my VMO.

LuckyLloyd

Post a video of a relatively heavy squat.

Frank Bullitt

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Post a video of a relatively heavy squat.

Will do, I squat on Thursday I think.

Mr. CooL ICE

There are loads of variations of 5/3/1. Are you just doing the basic one?

I did two cycles of 5/3/1 recently, but only chose it cos of a dodgy knee and wanted to keep the volume low. Although it served it's purpose, I certainly felt I didn't get any stronger. And I'm not at all strong to begin with.

Frank Bullitt

I was doing the BBB template, but I switched to the bodybuilding one for this 4 week block.

deadlybuzzman

I always progressed well on 5/3/1 when the weights were a bit lower and the reps higher but when the weight got heavier and the reps dropped any weaknesses in technique and a lack of reps to keep form tight soon found me out.
How many reps are you doing on your top set?

Frank Bullitt

Will have to check the journal to be sure, the first 4 week phase the numbers were high enough, but the second 4 weeks isn't as high.

runawaybishop

Gintonious wrote: »

Ah, I should have given diet specifics.

Giving the renegade diet a run again, which is basically a 16-8 diet. My other lifts are all going fine, its primarily the squat.

I have been concerned I wasn't getting enough food in though with the schedule the past few days. So that is one thing to consider.

Sorry, but why are you overlooking this? There is plenty of volume in 531 and mountains of it in bbb. You only moved off bbb 4 weeks ago but you seem focused on program or technique being the cause of you no longer being able to move weights you could previously. The most common reason for this is injury or lack of calories and you said you thought your diet was a concern. Am I missing something here?

Frank Bullitt

runawaybishop wrote: »

Sorry, but why are you overlooking this? There is plenty of volume in 531 and mountains of it in bbb. You only moved off bbb 4 weeks ago but you seem focused on program or technique being the cause of you no longer being able to move weights you could previously. The most common reason for this is injury or lack of calories and you said you thought your diet was a concern. Am I missing something here?

Im not sure if I agree with 531 having plenty of volume, the emphasis is on the core lifts (which is where I am struggling in relation to squat).

The BBing template for it also has probably more volume than the BBB template. But the volume isn't really focused on the prime lifts, hence my concern about the plateau with squats.

As for the diet, its not drastically low that it would equate to such a drop/lack of progress, I am buy no means starving myself and I get plenty of food in post workout, which is the protocol with the Renegade Diet.

My thinking is now that its a mobility issue with hips or injury. Im going to asses it this evening in the gym.

mugs11

Is there still a bit of hate out there for 531? I followed that a couple of years ago and found it to be pretty good. If I was doing it again though I'd probably relax on going for high reps on deadlift day, body was just not able for that sort of punishment.

Frank Bullitt

I find it very good and use it as my "go to" a lot. I haven't stuck with it for 3 cycles though yet so I plan on sticking with it now to see how my numbers add up.