Ladders, no muss no fuss
 

I lift at lunch a couple days a week with a female olympic lifter (she weighs about 135-140) , she lifted in college and does a little for fun now at what was until recently Crossfit North.

About a month ago, she talked about wanting to get her back squat up. At that time she was back squatting 80k. We started doing ladders, she did them three days a week, 1,2,3 three progreessions or "rungs" total. added weight when she got all 3 rungs of the ladder (18 reps)

She started out with 70k. One month, three days a week and Oly lifting on Saturday. Now four weeks later she did two rungs (1,2,3) with 80 K (her old max from college I think) She says her second pull is getting way faster....

Ladders are awesome. I use these in a density training format also...easy way to both keep track of how much I'm doing and regulate the intensity. It's a lot more fun than gutting out an 8x3 or 10x2 for me. Wave loading is nice in this way also.

Weird internet thought convergence... that is the third reference in a day that I've heard of folks using ladders in a density format like Bryce Lane's 50/20 or EDT.

I think density training is the schiznitz. I can really hammer strength elements but it feels almost like a crossfit pukefest. I'm going to run lean all summer but come the fall (and the temperatures in Chico getting back below 120*F) I'm going to do density training and EAT. Time to kick this skinny kid up to ~180lbs.

Robb,
let's see who can get there first... I'm already on my way at 155lbs! Me and my gut are gonna take you!

Pierre-
I have no hope of winning against Gutus Kanuckus.

Interesting....I don't see why it might not work in the opposite direction too, conditioning and metabolic turbulence (fat melty) in a caloric deficit.

Ladders rule, and are, in the long run, a better tool than the static 5x5, 8x3, blahxblah set/rep prescriptions when volume is similar or the same.

It's the autoreg technique for those who don't want to figure their 6% drop offs.

Weight stays the same through all sets/reps, correct? If I am benching 90kg, I would do 1-2-3/1-2-3/1-2-3 with 90kg. If I complete all sets/reps successfully, I increase the weight. Is this right?

Thanks
-jw

Steve,
here's my experiene:

YUP! YOU'RE RIGHT!

You want to know about caloric deficit I'm your man. Dude If you are in enough of a caloric deficit and working on low carbs you will lean out like a mofo on this type of work. I'm my best case study - one of the reasons my weight fluctuates so much is because I can never stick to any one thing but I have success trying many many things including what you just mentioned.