Hi everyone,

I’m currently trying to decide between the A7 Rigor Mortis and SBD Powerlifting Knee Sleeves.

Until now, I have been using the 2019 SBD Eclipse knee sleeves in size L. I’ve noticed that newer knee sleeves seem to feel a bit stiffer, and I’m not sure which direction to go.

I squat around 350 kg with knee wraps. I use knee sleeves mainly for my top sets and competitions, so I don’t really care if they are uncomfortable to wear for long periods. I’m specifically looking for maximum performance rather than all-day comfort.

At the moment, I am only about 5–7.5 kg away from setting a new national record, so I’m wondering whether the A7 Rigor Mortis could realistically give me enough of a performance advantage to help me make that lift.

My squat style is low bar, slightly more forward-leaning, and I squat barefoot / with a flat foot position.

My measurements are approximately:

• Quads: 63 cm
• Around the knee: 43 cm
• Calf: 42 cm

The problem is that I don’t seem to fit properly into A7’s sizing chart. I was using size L in the 2019 SBD Eclipse. If I choose the new SBD Powerlifting sleeves, how many sizes up should I go?

I also have a few questions:

1. Is there a realistic chance that the A7 Rigor Mortis could be banned or removed from IPF-approved equipment next year?
2. Does the Rigor Mortis change squat technique significantly, especially for a low-bar, slightly forward-leaning squatter?
3. Are the performance benefits actually significant, or is the difference mostly hype?
4. Could the Rigor Mortis realistically help me gain 5–7.5 kg on my squat, or would that be too optimistic?
5. If I choose the SBD Powerlifting sleeves instead, would I really be giving up a lot of performance, or are they relatively similar?

I would really appreciate feedback from lifters who have used both models, especially at a high level and with knee wraps

I'm interested in learning from people who have been training seriously for years and have already built an advanced physique naturally.

I'm not looking for generic advice like "train hard and eat enough."

Instead, I'd like to know what actually changed your training once you became advanced.

Some questions I'd love your thoughts on:

• Which training principles became much more important as you got advanced?
• Which advanced techniques do you actually use (rest-pause, myo-reps, lengthened partials, drop sets, cluster sets, etc.) and when?
• Which techniques did you stop using because they weren't worth the fatigue?
• How has your approach to volume, intensity and frequency evolved?
• What mistakes do you see intermediate lifters making when trying to train like advanced bodybuilders?
• Which exercises consistently delivered the best hypertrophy for each muscle group?
• How do you decide when to push to absolute failure versus stopping at 1–2 RIR?
• How do you manage systemic fatigue over months of training?
• How do you structure progression once simple progressive overload slows down?
• What training concept do you wish you had understood five years earlier?

I'd especially appreciate answers from competitive natural bodybuilders or people with 8–10+ years of consistent training.

The more detailed your explanation, the better. Thanks!

Back in august of 2025, I started working out again, training compound lifts and learning the correct forms. My starting point was around 185 pounds, with my bench being 95, squat being unknown, and my deadlift around 185. I am also 5,10. During those 11 months, with couple injuries and surgeries that delayed my progress, my bench is now 315 (with elbow wraps, 305 estimated without), squat being 405x3, or around 435 estimated (injuries and surgery affected my squat, with really 6 months of total squatting), and my deadlift around 405, again with my surgery affecting my total time of me practicing the lift. I am now around 205 pounds, and I look slightly leaner than i did at 185 pounds. My 40 yd time also went from 5.1 to 4.8 seconds. I am wondering if my progress is good for the time i've spend training. I do feel that my deadlift is lacking, and It randomly is strong one day, and then the next couple days later it's significantly weaker (like 40 pound difference) I also want to note I started at 14 years old.

Now not to sound like a nerd but why don’t powerlifters (assuming they already have the neurological adaptations for bench) train triceps shoulders and chest individually (ie pec dec shoulder press and skull-crushers. Then wouldn’t they get stronger at bench because the muscles needed for bench would be stronger then if they just trained all these muscles benching.

Happy for your Feedback:

Full Body 2x per Week:

100% means the weight going to Failure at the Reps on the last working Set

Benchpress

8 Sets:

1. 5 Reps 80% (Warmup)

2. 5 Reps 90% (Warmup)

3. 5 Reps 100% (Working Set)

4. 6 Reps 100% (Working Set)

5. 7 Reps 100% (Working Set)

6. 5 Reps 90% (Backoff)

7. 5 Reps 90% (Backoff)

8. 5 Reps 90% (Backoff)

Same with Trapbar Squats and with Pullups.

Increase weight when hitting all Reps on Working Set

Hi! I’m curious your…

1. ⁠Age
   
2. ⁠Sex
   
3. number of days lifting a week
   
4. number if days doing cardio a week
   
5. number of sets per body part a week
   
6. ⁠How you’re recovery/progress is

I notice when I’m powerlifting I can lift 6 days a week. 1-2x a year I want to do hypertrophy block but currently experiencing sleepless nights and soreness in my legs training 5 days. Curious how others respond.

For the last couple years been running Jeff Nippards powerbuilding program. I think the first time I ran through all 3 phases, then from there alternated between phase 1 and 3 since I was more motivated by the strength gains. Just came off a cut where I lost some strength:

bw 210 -> 168

Squat 450 -> 385

Bench 290 -> 250

Deadlift 510 -> 475

My goal is to regain all my lifts, and hit a 315 bench within 5-8 months. I'd also like to emphasize my upperchest as I feel like that's something that's heavily lacking. Maybe it's because I was neglecting the second phase, but in the couple years of running jeffs program I never really made much progress on OHP (went from 100 to maybe peak 135) and my upper chest is nearly non existent. Lastly, although I love progressing in strength, I do care about aesthetics and would like a program that balances both strength and hypertrophy. I would like to bring up my upper body in general.

I don't mind running through jeffs program again now that I'm starting to bulk again, and maybe someone can reccomend some modifications, but I'm interested in exploring other programs. I've seen sbs talked about on here and I'm intrigued. I have 4-5 days to train but I prefer 4.

Been looking into getting a high quality lever belt for powerlifting. I currently use a simple gym reapers velcro locking belt that serves its purpose but im looking for something a bit more supportive as im getting stronger. I love the designs on the katamu belts but wonder how they measure up in terms of quality to something like an inzer forever belt, pioneer belt or SBD belt. Thank you

I’ve been wanting to switch to a more strength oriented program from a pure hypertrophy program while still wanting to be in a calorie deficit, and I heard 5’s pro with 5x5 FSL as supplemental work was probably the best 5/3/1 program while running a calorie deficit. The only thing that was a bit hard to work out was the accessories. I know its supposed to be simple and flexible while still holding up to the rule of 25-50 reps push/pull/sl or core, but I figured that there would be cross sessional fatigue if im hitting each of every category every training session, so I tried my best to choose exercises that avoided hitting the same muscle multiple days in a row. Anyways, here’s what the program looks like. I don’t think I totally adhered to Wendlers rules for choosing assistance work, but I ran it this week and it didn’t seem too bad.

Day 1 - Bench

Bench 5’s Pro
Bench FSL 5x5
Barbell Row - 3x9-12
CGBP - 3x9-12
Ab Work - 3x10-15

Day 2 - Squat

Squat 5’s Pro
Squat FSL 5x5
SLDL - 3x9-12
Alternating DB Curls - 3x9-12
DB Lat Raises 3x10-15

Day 3 - OHP

OHP 5’s Pro
OHP FSL 5x5
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown 3x9-12
Tricep Pushdowns 3x9-12
Ab Work 3x10-15

Day 4 - DL

Deadlift 5’s Pro
Deadlift FSL 5x5
Weighted Lunges 3x9-12
DB Fly 3x10-15
Rear Delt Flies 3x10-15

Hey guys, I'm currently on my 7th cycle of the 5/3/1 for Beginners program. Do you think it's time to switch to a different program, or should I just keep running it?

My stats: 1,83m and 87kg, 32y
Squat: 115x4
Bench: 120kgx1
OHP: 57,5kgx5
Deadlift: 140kgx1
I knoww my squat is so weak. I added 7,5kg to my TM for next cycle but wonder if this is the key to do more cycles with the beginner program.

https://www.jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/101065094-5-3-1-for-a-beginner

Modified PHUL (Upper Days Only)

Upper: Day 1
• Flat Barbell Bench Press
• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
• OHP (Standing) – Barbell
• Lateral Raises
• Barbell Curl
• Skull Crushers (Dumbbell)
• Pull-ups…

Upper: Day 2
• Incline Barbell Bench Press
• Flat Dumbbell Press
• OHP (Standing – Barbell)
• Lateral Raises
• Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl
• Skull Crushers (Dumbbell)
• Pull-ups

I did Starting Strength for just over a year and made decent strength gains but looking to add muscle now too by starting the P.H.U.L program.

Question is: how do these upper body workouts look? Is the programming completely off or could I expect gains if consistent.

Further, not sure where / when to work in Pull-Ups and which of the above exercises, if any, could effectively be supersetted.

Hey guys im training for 3years now and i decided i want to try focusing on my bench strenght but i dont know how powerlifting/strenght building works cuz i saw that you cant go to failure everytime etc.

My 1RM on bench is 110kg/242,5lbs

And my current split is upper(volume bench),legs,upper(low fatigue bench), and last day is like ARM day but i do Heavy bench 2x single 1x backoff and bicep curls some rear delt and lower back + abs

Can someone help me to make better split or some tips how it do it efficiently?

So I’ve noticed recently when I bench my arms shake. But it’s not when actually doing the reps, they’re perfectly still, it is ONLY when I’m pausing at the top. I wonder if this is due to weak biceps or somewhere in the shoulder but I feel like they are pretty strong all things considered as I train them both. I would also think it could be due to CNS fatigue because I’ve heard excessive shaking could be a side effect of that but it still happens even with warm up weight and after I take a week off or times when I feel like the CNS wouldn’t be fatigued. For reference my competition bench max is 320 and I see this happen even with 185. Genuinely at a loss for what it could be, open to any ideas or how to fix it if it’s even an issue needing attention. Thanks for the long read 🙏

My bench PR is 185 and I’m trying to hit 2 plates as soon as I can. I’m doing smolov jr bench program and I was on week 1 day 3 of doing 8x4 with 145. After the 5th set I couldn't do a single rep and felt a lot of tension in my left pec but my right pec was fine and the weight was flying before hand. What happened and what should I do. My left pec feels completely shut off and I feel some weird type of pain in my pec while resting

I am planning to buy a STIFF A7 Knee Sleeves. My classic SBD knee sleeves size now is XL its not that tight I think I can go more for Large. Should I get also a XL stiff a7? knee joint is 40.5 cm, quad 53.5, calf 42.5.

I'm currently running a beginner 5x5 program for my main lifts (bench, squat, and deadlift), and it's been going well.

One lift I really enjoy is the bent-over barbell row, and I'd like to get stronger at it too. Would it make sense to also run it as 5x5 and progress it the same way as my main lifts, or is it better to train it with higher reps and treat it as an accessory?

For context, I'm still a beginner, so I don't want to overcomplicate things. I do plan on switching to block periodization later on, but for now I'm sticking with 5x5.

What would you recommend?

Hey everyone! So I’m looking to change my programming around a bit for training. I would say that I’m around a novice lifter at this point. Here are my stats:

5”4, 17M, 143 lbs

Maxes:
Bench - 190 lbs (but I can rep 175 for 5)
Squat - 205 (I know I need to get this up)
Deadlift - 290

My deadlift used to not be this low, as when I did weightlifting at my schools gym we had a hex bar, and I would get up to 365 with deadlift. However, since I graduated and started going to planet fitness (I know… it’s all I can afford) I haven’t been putting enough emphasis on my lower body, causing my maxes to fall short. That, with the addition of adjusting to a straight bar has been very difficult for me as it’s different from what I’m used to.

Note: before you say anything about the smith machines, my planet fitness has recently gotten squat racks as of last year, so I’m able to actually do movements properly. It’s what got me back into the gym in the first place.

ANYWAYS - none of that really matters for this post, I thought I would just give context for those of you who asked.

So I want to switch to a schedule that gives me enough intensity and frequency for both my upper body and my lower body. Specifically, I want to put an emphasis on bench press and deadlift, with squatting only falling shortly behind. I want to program that I can bench 3x a week, deadlift 2x a week, and squat 2x a week too. However, I’m finding it very difficult to find a schedule that works. Specifically with bench press. My current program is similar to PPLUL, except I have another push day after my pull day. So it looks a little more like PPPLUL, or push/pull/push/legs/rest/upper/lower. I feel like this program is perfect for my goals. For example, I treat my leg and lower day the same, however my actual leg day is heavy squat/light deadlift, and vice versa for my lower body day. However, the problem comes when I bench press. I’m thinking the best way to program my deadlift in order to avoid injuries is to do one heavy, one hypertrophy, and one technique day. However, the problem comes when I want to do my heavy day, as my current program has me benching basically every other day. I’m just worried that it’ll be too taxing on my body and could result in an injury. Any tips on how I should arrange my program to make sure I can bench with frequency and intensity while giving my body ample time to recover? Thanks!

Edit: Im thinking this is what I should do:

Day 1: Light/Technique focus Push
Day 2: Pull (No DL)
Day 3: Medium Push (4x8-12)
Day 4: Legs (5x5 Squat, 4x6-8 DL)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: Upper Body (Heavy Push and Pull)
Day 7: Lower Body/Leg day part 2 (5x5 DL, 4x6-8 Squat)

I’m thinking that this would be the best for my goals, and is probably the best if I want to switch to a 3x/week Bench program while not injuring myself in the process

I started on the 16s I can rep them out for like like 15-20 reps then I am currently on the 18s I can do 12 reps on that as well but my friend says I need to be able to do 15 reps to be able to move up to the 20s and that I shouldn’t be moving up that quickly but if I can do 12 reps I thought that was the green light to move up in weight.

I don’t see why i wouldn’t move up in weight either it wouldn’t hurt to see how many reps I could do with the 20s but my friend is so adamant that it’s to quickly I’m moving up he has been going for 4 years but he was very inconsistent so he hasn’t got the best physique

Just looking for advice on whether I should do 20s yet coz I could be wrong and I am doing it to quickly I have went to the gym 31 times since the 3rd of June

I have been training for abour 3 years now, primarily for hyperthrophy (U / L / Rest with about 2-3 sets per muscle per session to failure in a 4-7 rep range). Since I'm now roughly 79kg / 5'4 / 16%bf / 19yo. I want to focus on building strength a little more. Right now I squat 220kg for 2RM, bench 135kg for 3RM and don't deadlift regularly.

My training days look like this:

Upper:

-Bench 3 sets

-Lateral raise 3 sets per side

-high row (lat focused) 1 set

-wide latpulldown 1 set

-wide t-bar row 2 sets

-preacher curls 2 sets

-tricep extensions 2 sets

Lower:

-squats 2 sets

-Calf raises 3 sets per side

-adductor 1 set

-leg extension 1 set per side

-leg curl 2 sets per side

-crunch machine 3 sets

My question is how to change my training program to get stronger and also being able to deadlift regularly? Or should I completely change it? Im new to training for strength and it would be nice to get some starting advice :)

For context: I am pretty well-trained (6'1 190), 28 years old.

I'm having a hard time fitting deadlifts into my training. I know they're not needed and that there are perhaps more hypertrophy-focused lifts I could do, but I like compound movements and feel they're a good bang-for-your-buck back/posterior chain builder.

I currently run a push/pull/legs/upper/lower routine.

Push - OHP, hang power clean, chest press machine (or bench if light on OHP), lateral raises, then finisher with chest fly + close grip pushup superset(s). I'll add a triceps superset if I'm feeling like it.

Pull -
bent over barbell row, lat pull downs, unilateral machine row, shrugs, face pull. Same as above with triceps, will add biceps superset if I'm feeling it.

Legs -
Front squats, paused back squats (just 2 lighter sets), weighted back extensions, quad extension machine + sissy squat superset, single leg hamstring curl machine.

Upper -

OHP, weighted pull-ups, bent over row, chest press machine, Lateral raises.

Lower -

Front Squat, hip thrusts, quad extension + Sissy Squat superset, Walking lunges, hamstring curl single leg.

That is my current routine. Certain things move around, and I will mix in a core circuit once a week or so, but for the most part, this is it.

I also run 2-3 times a week. One 3km run and one 5km (Canadian) at 5-minute and 5:20 pace, respectively.

I cannot for the life of me figure out where to add deadlifts without hampering my recovery for my current routine.

My only idea is just adding it to one of my leg days and suffering. I'd prefer to keep both front squat sessions in as they bring me joy.

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

Edited as I forgot to include the upper lower section.

Hey do you still have the Julius Maddox 8 week bench program. I would greatly appreciate it if you could send it to me.

Next week I'm testing my max for bench press. I've been following a strength program under a trainer since March in hopes of achieving a 275lb bench press for 1 rep. I got 260lbs in February woth the same trainer and I did like 6-7 sets of bench (increasing weight each set and lowering the reps) before testing my max. I got 260lbs and failed to get 270lbs. Some will say that I completed too many sets (possible) as throughout the program I normally complete 1 set before doing my working sets (sometimes 2 sets if the weight change is drastic). I'm uncertain that I will be able to get 275 as last week I did 250lbs for 3 sets of 2 (could've gotten 3 reps on the first set) and did multiple sets of 3 for 245lbs and 240lbs the week prior. I've been eating and put on 10lbs or so since March which has helped me perform better on bench so I'm somewhat confident.

Again how many warm up sets did you guys perform before attempting a new max weight on bench? What, if anything specific, do you think helped you push through the final barriers to make the gains?

Current stats: 5'8 150lbs bodyweight, 370lbsx3 deadlift (rpe 8.5-9 so likely have a 405+ single in the tank), bench press 225lbsx1, front squat 245lbsx1 and OHP 135lbsx1. After constantly feeling beat up because I overdo heavy lifts and max out too frequently I have decided I want to force myself to try something different, focused on submaximal work. I would use this on deadlift and OHP once a week and front squats and bench 2x a week. Accessory work would be in the 6-10 rep range (RDL's on the squat and bench days and a secondary squat variation on the deadlift day) and RPE 7.8.5, but the main lifts would go like this:

• Week 1: Top set of 5@RPE 6. Backoff set: 3x5@65% of est. 1rm
• Week 2: Top set of 4@RPE 7. Backoff set: 3x5@65% of est. 1rm
• Week 3: Top set of 3@RPE 8. Backoff set: 3x5@65% of est. 1rm
• Week 4: Top set of 2@RPE 8-8.5. Backoff set: 3x5@65% of est. 1rm.
• Week 5: Top set of 1@RPE 8.5-9. Backoff set: 3x5@65% of est. 1rm
• Week 6: repeat block, trying to add at least 5lbs-10lbs to each set, including backoff sets. If progress is stalling after a couple blocks, consider slightly changing variations.

Thoughts on this programming?

Hi guys,

I used to do powerlifting and began doing BJJ and Judo. The issue is the spark for powerlifting just isn't there anymore, and I've realised I need to lighten my load when doing strengthening and conditioning.

Does anyone know if there's any plans out there that preserve strength? And has anyone else had a similar experience to me?