re: Pen and Paper Strength App

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Any recommendations for a program to start with from anyone? I’d say I’m an intermediate lifter. Typically 4 days a week on a push pull routine for the past year.

Also, I noticed some of the examples show doing exercises at %’s. Do I need to go ensure I know my max on all the big lifts first?

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i recommend starting with grasshopper. it is 8 weeks. first 4 weeks are 3 days a week, last 4 are 4 days a week. will give you a great intro into ppsa style programming.

as far as max goes, you can estimate but we are using an everyday or training max. so whatever you estimate, take 85-90% of that and use it as your max. every lift should be done with a slow controlled negative (2-3s atleast) and explosive concentric portion.

you should be using a max that allows you to never miss a rep.

every 4 weeks, add 5 lbs to upper body adn 10 lbs to lower body lifts. this is to the real max. then you take the % of the new number as your new training max.

example- bench max is estimated to be 100lbs.

weeks 1-4 use a training max of 85-90lbs
weeks 5-8 you will take 85-90% of 105lbs so new training max- 90-95lbs depending on the % you choose.

weeks 9-12 you would take the % off of 110

you continue this until you start to miss reps. at that point take a week and retest maxes and lower % used for training max. and take a deload week.