Been working out consistently for about 3 months now using a beginner plan (Grey skulls lp) and I think I’m hitting plateaus just using linear progression. I’m up to:
DL: 120kg
Squat: 120kg
Bench: 75kg
OHP: 55kg
And I’ve had to deload all those weights twice, so I think now is a good time to find a different routine. I was looking at 5/3/1, but I’m not really sure I understand it well and there’s a lot of variations (reddit also seems vague on details cause they want you to buy the books or something, idk). The volume also looks kinda ridiculous and I don’t wanna spend more than an hour and a half at the gym everytime.
So yeah, sorta progress update, sorta asking where to go next.
Reverse Pyramid Training helped me break through when I started hitting plateaus on the beginner programs. It’s pretty simple, you start your lift heavier and aim for 6-8 reps, then drop 10% and try to hit two more and then another 10% to complete the set. There are some guides online.
Add weighted pull ups and dips to help continue your upper body gains, they make a huge difference.
The other thing to start looking into is nutrition. If you aren’t hitting your macros it gets much harder to progress after you start to get into heavy lifts. Protein is important but so are carbs because muscles burn calories and you need energy to build more. It can be time-consuming and I relied a lot on make-ahead freezer meals.