PPSA - Filling out the Hoodie review

Just wrapped up the PPSA FOTH 4 week program, so I figured I'd share since this board has helped me a ton over the past year or so.

General overview: As you would expect from the name, this program is mainly an upper body hypertrophy (with a little bit of strength work) 4 week template. It is written as a 4 days/week program, but I ran it as a 3 days/week program, so it took me a little longer than 4 weeks to complete. If you don't enjoy benching, then don't run this program

Training maxes: You are supposed to use an "every day max" - a weight that you can walk in the gym on any day of the week and hit. I haven't tested a 1 RM in about 2 years, so I really have no idea what my exact 1 RM is for any lifts. I do have a pretty good idea of what my RPE will be at different weights and rep ranges though. I decided to go with what I thought would be about 90% training maxes if I had to guess. TM were the following: bench - 235, squat - 260, DL - 335. The DL TM really didn't matter much because there are no conventional % based DL in this program. It does have snatch grip DL which is set at 50-60% of conventional DL. For the squats I used my SSB because I didn't need any extra shoulder stress when I knew I would be benching X2 per week, and for the bench I used a Kadillac Bar exclusively.

Results/Running the program: I really don't track anything body composition wise except total body weight occasionally . I started this program around 185 and ended around 186 - really wasn't trying to gain or lose BW. Don't expect gains on the squat or DL on this program because is very low intensity and volume for the lower body. I was able to hit 4 reps at 80% TM on the squat on 4 week, and that set was around RPE 7-7.5. I'll take that as no gains or losing much during these 4 weeks. I don't have an incline bench, so I subbed chest supported 2-arm DB rows for Meadows rows. Instead of BB upright rows I either did snatch grip high pulls or wide grip BB upright rows. The wide grip feels way better on my shoulders than a narrow grip. The rest of the program was completed as written. I do believe my bench 1 RM likely went up, but I'm not going to test it. On week 4 I hit 2x2 at 90% TM (220) which was around RPE 8 on the last set. My old 1RM from about 1.5-2 years ago was 235, so I figured my current 1RM is somewhere around 250ish. I was able to PR a 3 rep weighted chin-up on week 4 which was BW +65# for 3. Each session ends with an arm pump-fest. Overall I liked the program, and I'll likely run it again in the future. It was pretty low stress running it x3 per week instead of x4 per week. I'll be on the Pool Season 4 days/week program starting Monday which should have a little more intensity, volume, and also adds deadlifts back in. I'll probably bump my TM up just a little for that program.

ENJOY