Newbie Question: 15-rep starting weight too low?

[Surfrider]

I still have a questions about setting up the weight increases, even after reading the "How To" articles. My questions themselves are fairly simple, but it's difficult to explain them and be perfectly clear, so I'll use examples. Also, in the interest of minimizing confusion, I've posted two separate threads. I hope this is ok.

A few months ago I got injured, and was unable to lift until just recently. The problem is that after being away from the gym for so long I've gotten pretty weak; a lot of my weights are REALLY low, and the difference between my 15RM and my 5RM is pretty slim too. My current maximums look like this:

<div></div><div id="CODEHEAD">CODE</div><div id="CODE">
ROUTINE A
------------------------------------------------
Deadlifts 100 130 150
Wide-Grip Pull-Ups -40 -20 0
Chest Dips 0 25 50
Arnolds 20 30 35
Preacher Curl 40 50 60
Seated Calf Raise 90 115 135



ROUTINE B
------------------------------------------------
Squats 120 140 160
Bent-Over Row 60 70 80
Incline Bench 65 90 110
Military Press 40 50 60
Skullcrushers 20 25 30
</div>

Using the directions in the main HST article, I plugged these numbers into the HST Calculator. I used 10-pound increases for things like Deads and Squats, 5-pound increases for exercises like Dips and Bench, and 2.5-pound increases for Skulls and Arnolds.

When I got the results, however, I noticed that there is a huge gap between some of the first-day 15-rep weights, and the last-day 5-rep weights. For example, Deadlifts start out with 15 reps of only 50 pounds (only 33% of the 5RM!), but ends with 5 reps of 150 pounds. Incline Bench goes from 40 (only 36% of the 5RM) to 110. That's a pretty big difference.

Is this normal, or should the range between the starting weight, and the final weight be smaller? Perhaps I should use smaller increments? 7.5 pounds instead of 10, 2.5 pounds instead of 5....? Or....?

I hope I was clear enough. If not, please let me know what I need to clarify, and I will do so promptly.

Thanks!

-Surfrider

 

[colby2152]

Start your weight at 60% of the given RM at the very least. I aim for about 70% and progress from there.

For the light isolation exercises that may have an RM of 20, 30, or 40 lbs, you could start at 50%.

 

[Martin Levac]

For light weights, you can start heavier, use greater increments and repeat weights. An example below:

(from my actual current cycle)
Row/OP

kg
40 40 40 42.5 42.5 42.5
45 45 45 47.5 47.5 47.5
50 50 50 52.5 52.5 52.5
55 55 55 55 55 55

40kg is not my 15RM (closer to my 10RM) nor is 55kg my 5 RM (closer to my 2-3RM) but I can lift those loads anyway, I just cluster reps accordingly. Eventually when I gain size, strength and strength-endurance, my RM's will increase as well so I don't worry too much about what RM's I use now.

Furthermore, since you've been away from any training for a while and your RM's have dropped substantially, consider this a fresh start so plan accordingly.