Question for those who follow Brawn routines

[1hardgainer]

Do you guys add one pound a week like recommended? If so, where did you guys get discs/plates under 2 1/2 lbs.?

[Zensuji]

just do a google search for Donut Platemate. and find a store you like

[Overload]

I have a pair of platemates that are 1.25lbs each but mainly use old olympic collars that weigh a pound each. They came with my olympic dumbbell handles and since I use spring collars, the round collars they came with come in real handy for microloading.

[noname]

Originally posted by 1hardgainer
Do you guys add one pound a week like recommended? If so, where did you guys get discs/plates under 2 1/2 lbs.?

A "Brawn" style routine doesn't mean you should use small increments from the get-go. Stick with the 5-10lb increments until you're past your personal best. Then slow the increments down to 1-3lbs. Some exercises differ, however. For me, OH press and chins require smaller increments at any stage, usually 1-3 all the time. Bench press, dips and rows usually get 5-7lbs and deads and squats get 7-10lbs. If you use the small increments to early it will hinder your progress.

I purchased my plates from www.fractionalplates.com (PDA). I bought two sets of 1/2lb plates and one set of 1lb plates. This allows me to add any whole pound increment.

[Overload]

Originally posted by noname
A "Brawn" style routine doesn't mean you should use small increments from the get-go.

Good point. I've seen some people just add 1 - 2.5lbs on exercises like squats and deadlifts. That's normally not enough. Your legs can handle much more at a quicker pace then upper body. So follow noname's advice.

[1hardgainer]

Thanks alot for the advice guys! However, I'm not sure if I want to increase any lifts by more than 2.5 lbs. If I'm not mistaken, the author stresses very small increases (about 1lb.) for extreme hardgainers, even for big movements like squats and deadlifts. Increasing weight by more than one pound could result in burning out. I think the whole idea of increasing by only one pound (even for squats and deadlifts) is that you should be able to increase EVERY WEEK. So theoretically, if you do this for a whole year, you should be able to increase your lift by 50 lbs., which in my opinion is a HUGE GAIN in strength.

[bluehazard]

Originally posted by 1hardgainer
Thanks alot for the advice guys! However, I'm not sure if I want to increase any lifts by more than 2.5 lbs. If I'm not mistaken, the author stresses very small increases (about 1lb.) for extreme hardgainers, even for big movements like squats and deadlifts. Increasing weight by more than one pound could result in burning out. I think the whole idea of increasing by only one pound (even for squats and deadlifts) is that you should be able to increase EVERY WEEK. So theoretically, if you do this for a whole year, you should be able to increase your lift by 50 lbs., which in my opinion is a HUGE GAIN in strength.

Yeah, pretty much the emphasis is on trying to move forward every week, no matter how small the increment is. Even if it's just slinging a few washers on the ends of the bar to bump the weight up a few ounces.

[noname]

Originally posted by 1hardgainer
Thanks alot for the advice guys! However, I'm not sure if I want to increase any lifts by more than 2.5 lbs. If I'm not mistaken, the author stresses very small increases (about 1lb.) for extreme hardgainers, even for big movements like squats and deadlifts. Increasing weight by more than one pound could result in burning out. I think the whole idea of increasing by only one pound (even for squats and deadlifts) is that you should be able to increase EVERY WEEK. So theoretically, if you do this for a whole year, you should be able to increase your lift by 50 lbs., which in my opinion is a HUGE GAIN in strength.

The author not only writes about microloading, but he also writes about intensity cycling. Intensity cycling will help with "burnout" and allow one to add weight faster. The use of the one pound for one year adding 50 pounds to an exercise was meant so the readers wouldn't just toss the idea out.

As a beginner, if you only add 50 pounds in one year to your squat, deadlift and bench press you're not working hard enough. Adding 50 pounds to 135 pound bench is not difficult in one year. It should be more like 70-80 pounds, IMO. More for squats and deadlifts. However, adding 50 pounds in one year to a 300 pound bench is quite impressive and difficult. This is where microloading finds its place.

I suggest you read through the book again before tossing a whole years worth of gains out by only understanding and applying one aspect of the authors teachings.