I am following the 28 week template in the Beyond 531 book and I have just started Jokers this week. However, I have struggled to complete the in the first week.
My understanding is that you complete the last + set, then rest. Then add 10% of your training max to the bar and attempt to lift (5 on 5+ week, 3 on 3+ week, 1 on 1+ week). If you complete that, add another 10% and so on.
However, my first two days, I have been unable to complete the first set. E.g.
Day 1 - Bench Press
- Max weight I have ever lifted - 120kg (6 months ago)
- Current TM (7th cycle after complete reset) - 115kg
- 5+ week and I managed 10 reps at 97.5kg (predicted max of 130kg)
- This was a PR both in terms of reps at weight and predicted max.
- First joker set (97.5 + 12.5 = 110kg) - I only managed 4 reps
Day 2 - Dead lift
- Max weight I have ever lifted - 190kg (about 6 months ago)
- Current TM (7th cycle after complete reset) - 185kg
- 5+ week and I managed 9 reps at 157.5kg (predicted max of 204kg)
- This was a PR both in terms of reps at weight and predicted max.
- First joker set (97.5 + 12.5 = 175kg) - I only managed 1 reps
Basically, after the PR set, I am completely trashed. I feel as though I don’t have the strength to do any more lifts. After my PR set, I have rested about 4 mins until I was completely recovered. My questions -
- am I doing the Jokers correctly?
- Should I rest more/less before going onto jokers?
- Should I only do jokers when I don’t make a PR (I am making PRs 75% of the time at the moment)?
- Anything else about the jokers I am doing wrong?
