Peaking. What do?

[alek]

I'm not really sure how to peak for a meet, mock meet, whatever. In the past, I've very clumsily done some things that were probably really stupid leading up to a test of 1rm strength.

I've got the BBM free peaking template, and I was planning on running out the JuggAI app through my upcoming meet--it includes a peaking block. However, I give myself about a 60% chance of ditching the app before then.

Is peaking one of those things that is lifter dependent, and everyone kinda has to figure out how to do it for themselves? Or are there some general guidelines that one should usually follow to successfully peak at the target time?

In the past, I've usually just trained normally up to about a week or two before-hand and then start doing more heavy singles and cutting volume. Is that it? Are there better strategies?

[Hardartery]

I'm not really sure how to peak for a meet, mock meet, whatever. In the past, I've very clumsily done some things that were probably really stupid leading up to a test of 1rm strength.

I've got the BBM free peaking template, and I was planning on running out the JuggAI app through my upcoming meet--it includes a peaking block. However, I give myself about a 60% chance of ditching the app before then.

Is peaking one of those things that is lifter dependent, and everyone kinda has to figure out how to do it for themselves? Or are there some general guidelines that one should usually follow to successfully peak at the target time?

In the past, I've usually just trained normally up to about a week or two before-hand and then start doing more heavy singles and cutting volume. Is that it? Are there better strategies?

Waiting until a week or two out is definitely the wrong approach. Look through some logs here, like MarkKO or Wilhelm and see what they did. Basically, as a non-PLer looking in (Because you peak very differently for Strongman) it's triples, to doubles, to singles with increasing intensity and CNS damage from about 6 weeks out and then a back off of everything one week out to recover and rebound. You are bsically training your muscles to strain for 1 RM instead of making it through the whole training session and that takes a little practice to bring them around to the idea. You essentially want to be slightly overtrained going into that last week and fully recovered for meet day.

[KOTJ]

Individual differences are real and should be focused on...but that also requires some trial and error. In general, 4-6 weeks out should begin the comp singles prioritization.

Honestly, I'd just swap them out for Pendlay rows.

But also, stick the app programming you're using. Don't expect a linear progression as you taper, but keep track of your ERM and how it's trending.

Look at programming from 20 different lifters, and get 20 different approaches. Some more similar than others.

The best thing you can do, is stick with a program that isn't measurably tanking your goals, and fine tune your programming to yourself, as your lifting continues

If you're max attempts on meet day feel like you've left a decent amount in the tank, there is nothing wrong with attempting PRs the next week too.

[MarkKO]

I'm not really sure how to peak for a meet, mock meet, whatever. In the past, I've very clumsily done some things that were probably really stupid leading up to a test of 1rm strength.

I've got the BBM free peaking template, and I was planning on running out the JuggAI app through my upcoming meet--it includes a peaking block. However, I give myself about a 60% chance of ditching the app before then.

Is peaking one of those things that is lifter dependent, and everyone kinda has to figure out how to do it for themselves? Or are there some general guidelines that one should usually follow to successfully peak at the target time?

In the past, I've usually just trained normally up to about a week or two before-hand and then start doing more heavy singles and cutting volume. Is that it? Are there better strategies?

It isn't lifter dependent at all in terms of how peaking works. Everyone peaks through supercompensation. How you get there is up to you, but the vast majority of peaking systems that work all are very, very similar when you look under the hood. Bar how they feel, all humans work pretty much the same way so that's not surprising.

The problem, such as it is, is that compared to general training there is relatively little information out there about peaking. It's very simple, but also very misunderstood.

Like @KOTJ said, most peaks only take four to six weeks. All they do is make you overreach, then recover fully and that induces supercompensation. They're all set up so that this happens on schedule, because supercompensation doesn't last. You get a relatively short window (a couple of days) where you are capable of around two to five per cent more than you would normally be.

Let's say you have a five week peak. That's what I learned with Greg Panora. I think 5th Set uses something very similar.

Week one, you do two to three singles at 90% of your working max, followed by three to five paused or deficit triples at 60%. No assistance work.

Week two all you do is work up to a small PR, five pounds or so. This will be attempt two on meet day.

Week three you do two to three singles at 90% of your new PR followed by two to four paused doubles or triples at 65%. For deadlifts that drops to 50%. Those singles are your openers. No assistance work

Week four you do three to four singles at 80%. No assistance work.

Week five is meet week. Assuming meet day is Sunday you do something like 5x2x50% squats, 5x3x50% bench and 6x1x50% deads. No assistance work. The remainder of the week you rest. Do nothing.

The two biggest mistakes I constantly see when powerlifters try to peak fall into two main categories.

One, mistaking peaking for training. It isn't. You don't get better during peak, you just maximise your capacity to display what strength you've built. That's why you don't do accessories or assistance during peak. At most you'll do little stuff like prehab work that you always do and doesn't have a significant impact on fatigue.

Second, not prioritising recovery. The success of your peak lives and dies by how well you recover in week five. I've lost count of the number of people I've seen torpedo their peak by failing to stay the hell out of the gym during meet week. The only group larger than this is the ones lifting too heavy too close to meet day.

The other thing that throws a lot of people during peak is that they get worried when they feel like crap. That's normal, and is actually beneficial. It means you've accumulated plenty of fatigue so you're going to be sure to overreach, and that means supercompensation is going to be maximised. If you go through peak feeling amazing that's often a cause for concern, because there isn't going to be anything to recover from.

Ideally, you'll have built up a ton of fatigue in the period leading into the peak, so you go into peak fatigued. That way, you're guaranteed to overreach.

For a lot of people, five to seven months is a good interval between peaks. You get a decent amount of time to rebuild work capacity after peak (because you detrain) and a good period where you can do some solid work and accumulate fatigue to lead into your peak.

[ChasingCurls69]

I like the general format of the free BBM peaking template, although I would reduce the RPE by 1-2 on the the RPE based back-off sets (i.e. 3@7-8 instead of 3@9) and you could drop 5% from the %'s if you feep excessively beat up. I'm not too familiar with how the jugg AI app does peaking blocks.

Over time you'll figure out how much volume you need to maintain fitness and drop fatigue, and how heavy your singles should be going into your meet, but as a general rule I like to spend at least 2-3 weeks hitting 1@8's/planned opener, and do DL opener in the last training week, and squat+bench openers on Monday or Tuesday of meet week.