Do/did you do a preparatory phase before lifting heavy?

[spirez]

I realise a lot of you have been lifting a long time now but did you start off with an endurance/conditioning phase with high reps (15-20), low rest and low weight?

Benefits touted in periodization texts include improved fibre recruitment from the CNS and also building tendon/ligament strength in preparation for heavy lifting. I've always done it personally but it seems all too common for people to dive in with a heavy 5x5 programme when perhaps their body isn't ready for something so strenuous.

Opinions?

 

[Cap'n]

Nope, I just went light and focused on good form. Not more reps, more sets. Form deteriorates with more reps (usually). But doing doing many, many sets to drill the movement into your head is a good way of self-teaching.

Obviously this has to be done with light enough weight that you don't put yourself out of commission for days after.

 

[Cap'n]

I meant to continue that last post.

When I felt comfortable with the form, I slowly increased weight. I'll do the exact same thing if and when I need to take major time off from lifting.

 

[ThinkGreen]

I usually start with a low weight and do a couple light sets of 3-5 reps, then start doing my "max effort" sets

 

[Cap'n]

I think I completely missed the mark on what the TS was asking.

If for example I'm working up to a max set of 3-5, I will most likely so 8-12 warm up reps with the bar before adding any weight. After which I'll most likely only do 5 reps per weight increase.

 

[joshetc]

I started out doing pushups, before I really got into working out. I had a phase toward the end of last summer where I was making gains too fast, and my bones, tendons, and ligaments couldn't handle it. I toned it down a bit for 2-3 months and sort of dove right back in. Everything is more or less fine now, but I've had similar muscle mass for almost a year.

I think there is such a thing as too good of a routine starting out. I think it depends a lot on the person, too though. If you're in pain other than muscle pain after a few months of working out, I don't see a reason not to tone it down a bit.. I also don't see a reason to sandbag from the gunshot out of fear of improving too quickly.

 

[Donut62]

What the TS is talking about is doing some sort of transition/accumulation block of training prior to a block of heavy lifting. I generally think it's a good idea to do. I myself will need a block of 2 or 3 weeks after my next meet of light weight and higher reps just to give my body a break. A lot of guys will program these in during a training block in the form of deload weeks. Like Westside guys will spend a week or two doing DB bench for 20+reps in place of me/de work.

 

[Zerocrew1984]

i think its a good idea to do something like donut suggested but i usually take 4-5 days off, max, and then take another 2-3 days off or do light work. then start a cycle again.

 

[joshetc]

What the TS is talking about is doing some sort of transition/accumulation block of training prior to a block of heavy lifting. I generally think it's a good idea to do. I myself will need a block of 2 or 3 weeks after my next week of light weight and higher reps just to give my body a break. A lot of guys will program these in during a training block in the form of deload weeks. Like Westside guys will spend a week or two doing DB bench for 20+reps in place of me/de work.

Yeh. I'm pretty sure he is basically referring to deload weeks, or pre-load weeks, if it is your first time seriously lifting.

 

[IronMaidenfan#1]

EDIT - ignore this

 

[spirez]

What the TS is talking about is doing some sort of transition/accumulation block of training prior to a block of heavy lifting. I generally think it's a good idea to do. I myself will need a block of 2 or 3 weeks after my next meet of light weight and higher reps just to give my body a break. A lot of guys will program these in during a training block in the form of deload weeks. Like Westside guys will spend a week or two doing DB bench for 20+reps in place of me/de work.

Yeah this is what i was referring too, should have made the first post a bit clearer!

I'm talking about a phase of 4-6 weeks with light weight, low rest and high reps. It's usually called a preparatory phase in linear periodization texts

 

[brian80]

I don't go through a strict preparatory phase, but I usually cycle my training in 4-week blocks, specifically targeting different objectives while maintaining other strength qualities. So I always schedule a conditioning/accumulating fatigue mesocycle before a max-strength one.

 

[DrBdan]

Heh, when I first read this thread I thought it said "preparatory PHRASE", like "come on, get ready, push it to the max. you da man cool guy" or something cheesy like that.

I recently started a 5x5 program after not squatting for about a year (hurt my knee playing Dodgeball of all things and then didn't squat because I didn't want to re-injure my knee, silly me) so I added light squats to my old workout for a couple weeks before starting the 5x5 and it definitely helped me get ready for the heavy load of the 5x5.

 

[JinKazama]

in a sense i did start out light with more reps/sets but not because i planned it but because i didt really know any better and had no clue what i was doin when i first start lifting

 

[ratman201]

I'm trying to not take breaks, but next time I do take an extended (not counting my sporadicness now) I will take 3~ weeks before hand to do GPP and Prehab work. I just have too many nagging injuries to do otherwise. Though I don't know if just doing straight sets in the 15-20 rep range is how I would go about doing it.

 

[nomilkforsanta]

There are two types of GPP training, the powerlifting, and the athletic. The powerlifters call theirs 'general physical preparation), whilst the non-powerlifting athletes call theirs 'general preparation phase'.

My favorite strength coaches, Ian King and Charlie Francis would tell you to spend 2-6 weeks doing, 'general strength and stability training. Before any hard training.

 

[Donut62]

Yeah this is what i was referring too, should have made the first post a bit clearer!

I'm talking about a phase of 4-6 weeks with light weight, low rest and high reps. It's usually called a preparatory phase in linear periodization texts

It's also a part of block periodization or conjugate sequencing. Dr. Issurin has a new book coming out that I've seen hyped up on the subject, but I haven't seen it. I probably won't either because I have tons of books that I bought and haven't read yet.

 

[Donut62]

There are two types of GPP training, the powerlifting, and the athletic. The powerlifters call theirs 'general physical preparation), whilst the non-powerlifting athletes call theirs 'general preparation phase'.

There is not a difference between the two in definition, but they both involve different general means to meet the requirement of their respective sports. Weight training is GPP for say, sprinting, while sprinting would be GPP for powerlifting.