Importance of 90% Session in Operator I/A Template

[Stefano]

Hello everybody!

I am successfully following the Operator I / A template with a heavy cluster of BSQ/BP/WPU with Dumbbell Swings as finishers and 3 sets of RDL on Friday. The question I would like to ask you is about the last session (9th) @90% of the template. Even if I have never missed a repetition and I have always quietly concluded the sessions at 90% I notice that, coming from the sessions at 85%, I feel I am losing a bit of "groove" i have with the triples. Considering that the book leaves the freedom to establish the percentage of the last three sessions (which can be all 85% or all 90%) I would like to experiment with eliminating the last session @90% and leave them all @85% considered the good feeling I have with that percentage and the triples. My goals are strength increase (which is as sustainable as possible in the long run, considering I am almost 40 years old) and muscle mass. I am currently in my 7th consecutive block of Operator I / A and i've always followed the standard template. What is your experience? Has anyone ever experienced the chance of leaving all last 3 sessions a@ 85% or, in your experience and given my strength goal, is it important to leave at least one session at 90%?

Thanks so much for your help!

Stefano

[Barkadion]

This is exactly how I did the template. I always felt that 85% is my sweet spot.. OP I/A is very flexible and I run several cycles without taking long breaks. 85% kept me fresh and I didn’t have any issues with recovery.

[Stefano]

Thanks a lot for your answer Barkadion! This is exactly what i needed to know! I feel the same about 85% Sessions, so i'll convert also the 9th session to that percentage...

[TBPenguin]

Here's another way to look at it. If using Op I/A, a person is probably past the point of testing very often, if at all. If they are instead using forced progression, then the 85% vs 90% doesn't matter - the weights used are both 1) moving up and 2) probably becoming somewhat different than actual 85/90 weights anyway.

[Stefano]

Here's another way to look at it. If using Op I/A, a person is probably past the point of testing very often, if at all. If they are instead using forced progression, then the 85% vs 90% doesn't matter - the weights used are both 1) moving up and 2) probably becoming somewhat different than actual 85/90 weights anyway.

That’s a good point TBPenguin and it’s exactly what happened to me: after 8 consecutive Blocks of OP I/A now the weights I use in the 85% sessions correspond to the weights of the 90% sessions of the first block.

[Maxrip13]

Hello everybody!

I am successfully following the Operator I / A template with a heavy cluster of BSQ/BP/WPU with Dumbbell Swings as finishers and 3 sets of RDL on Friday. The question I would like to ask you is about the last session (9th) @90% of the template. Even if I have never missed a repetition and I have always quietly concluded the sessions at 90% I notice that, coming from the sessions at 85%, I feel I am losing a bit of "groove" i have with the triples. Considering that the book leaves the freedom to establish the percentage of the last three sessions (which can be all 85% or all 90%) I would like to experiment with eliminating the last session @90% and leave them all @85% considered the good feeling I have with that percentage and the triples. My goals are strength increase (which is as sustainable as possible in the long run, considering I am almost 40 years old) and muscle mass. I am currently in my 7th consecutive block of Operator I / A and i've always followed the standard template. What is your experience? Has anyone ever experienced the chance of leaving all last 3 sessions a@ 85% or, in your experience and given my strength goal, is it important to leave at least one session at 90%?

Thanks so much for your help!

Stefano

I like the 90% session personally because it allows me to push towards that 1RM feeling and scratch that itch. It definitely isn't needed if you don't feel the need to push that high though. Definitely agree with all the other posts, but just thought it was worth a mention to maybe include it every couple of cycles so you get that feel of lifting heavy weights every now and then that we all sometimes need. I love OP I/A but sometimes I just want to push heavy weights even though I know it isn't the best for continual easy progress.

[Stefano]

I like the 90% session personally because it allows me to push towards that 1RM feeling and scratch that itch. It definitely isn't needed if you don't feel the need to push that high though. Definitely agree with all the other posts, but just thought it was worth a mention to maybe include it every couple of cycles so you get that feel of lifting heavy weights every now and then that we all sometimes need. I love OP I/A but sometimes I just want to push heavy weights even though I know it isn't the best for continual easy progress.

Hi Maxrip, thanks for your reply! i'll definitely add a 90% session, every now and then, when i feel the need to measure my strength progress with heavier weights!

[VenomousCoffee]

Here's another way to look at it. If using Op I/A, a person is probably past the point of testing very often, if at all. If they are instead using forced progression, then the 85% vs 90% doesn't matter - the weights used are both 1) moving up and 2) probably becoming somewhat different than actual 85/90 weights anyway.

Just wanted to second this. I'm 45, I've done TB for about 3 years now, and I've never tested. I just know what weights I should use for what I want to do.

[Stefano]

Just wanted to second this. I'm 45, I've done TB for about 3 years now, and I've never tested. I just know what weights I should use for what I want to do.

Hi VenomousCoffee, i agree: i tested only when i started my OPI/A journey...after that i only forced progression (right now i'm at the 8th consecutive Block)

[H.C.]

Just finished my first 6 week cycle of Operator. 90% and 95% definitely felt heavy even though the bar speeds are good. For me long term, i would not do 90% and 95%. I would keep it 75-80-85 or 70-75-80-85.

I am no powerlifter and have no experience with Sheiko programming, but he keeps his athletes averaging about 70% + a little bit. He cautions against doing 90%+ regularly.