That First Plateau

[Dejackson]

Hey Guys,

Stats for reference: M/25/190lbs up from 179# since Mid-February.

Best Completed Lifts:
Squat: 255x5x3
OHP: 130x5x3
Deadlift: 300x5
Bench Press:170x5x3
Power Clean 100x3x5 just started incorporating these last week


Today, I was reading up on PPST specifically how to deal the first plateaus. I started with Stronglifts in mid-January switched to Starting Strength about 4 weeks in, and have been able to add weight every workout until today. This morning I missed on Squats (260 5x5x4) and OHP (135 5x5x3). I might have been able to grind out my last rep, but had some knee pain that flared up pretty bad on the last rep and got stapled so I just decided to dump it.

Squat and Deadlift Final Set: Squat and Deadlift 4.17.17 - YouTube

My deadlifts feel great and strong and no where near plateauing. Has anyone tried deadlifting 2x per week on Monday and Friday and Power Cleans as a light day in the middle of the week. So 2 weeks might look like:

Week A

M: Deadlift 300x5

W: Power Clean 105x3x5

F: Deadlift 305x5

Then Next week going

M: Deadlift 310x5

W: Power Clean 110x3x5

F: Deadlift 315x5

Is this too much deadlift frequency? Especially factoring in my missed squats and OHP? Or does this make sense since I feel I have a lot more weight in the tank on the deadlift? Thoughts on my next workouts concerning missed lifts are:

Attacking Squat 260x5x3 (Wed) and OHP 135x5x3 (Friday; will micro load OHP by 2.5lbs after Friday); keep squats going up by 5 until I miss again then deload by 10% and work back up.

Thoughts? Any input is appreciated!

[marcf]

First, good job getting to where you are now.

Second, let's talk about your form. When you squat, you're never standing up. Your hips and knees remain unlocked at the top. Stand up straight when you finish your rep. You are also over-extending your back and your elbows seem a bit high. Your stance is also wide, so you might want to bring them in about 1" each side and it will help keep your knees out--they started caving in as your sets progressed. Lastly, you're kinda doing this relaxed dip at the bottom of your squat. Stay tight all the way down and don't relax to hit depth.

Your deadlifts are drifting away from you each rep, and you're sitting back and dropping your hips (it's worst at the last rep). You're not setting your back flat and tight enough to start each rep. Squeeze all the slack out of the bar and get your chest up and fight to hold your back in extension as you pull.

Stalling

When I went through novice LP, I stalled at the same place you did--260lbs. I did what the book said: repeat the workout twice and reset if I couldn't get all the reps. That was hugely unproductive for me as I was missing reps due to lack of recovery. I was eating and sleeping fine, but after squatting 245, 250 and 255 three workouts in a row, I just felt a little beat up when I hit 260. My warm-ups felt much heavier than usual that day. What I wish I'd done at the time was switch to advanced programming (i.e. add a light day in the middle). If you knock out all the reps on your next workout, keep going. But if you stall again, switched to advanced novice programming and don't waste time resetting.

My press stalled at 155, and I switched to doing triples and pyramiding my sets (e.g. 145x5, 155x3, 145x5) to buy more progress as I microloaded my top sets. Eventually I stalled, did a reset, and stalled at the same exact weight all over again. Knowing what I do now, I wish I'd switched my press to 5x5 when I reset. I wasn't stalling due to fatigue or feeling beat up from pressing--I stalled because I just didn't have the strength due to lack of volume.

Deadlifts

If your deadlift is progressing well, don't kill your progress by changing things up now. You could probably handle deadlifting twice a week, but you could stall on that lift a lot quicker than if you just stick to the program.

[Dejackson]

Thanks for the response.

To help me understand the squat advice:

I've been told to stand taller, but I don't literally want to lock my knees right? I have hypermobile knees, so I'm always a little wary of the top position. My legs when knees are locked out literally looks like this " ) " it's fuckin weird. Maybe think prouder chest at the start position? The elbows high has been a problem for me for a while now. That cue will probably help keep my elbows down and in a better position as well.

Deadlifts: I'll stick to doing them every other workout per your advice. I'll keep trying to get tighter and tighter.

Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!

[JFick]

I agree with everything marcf said.

You're going to have to learn how to grind reps. On the squats #4 went up fine and it looked like you just gave up on 5 as soon as hit got hard. You'll be surprised at how slow a rep can move, as long as your form stays in place then just keep pushing.

[Aaron Montgomery]

Stalling

When I went through novice LP, I stalled at the same place you did--260lbs. I did what the book said: repeat the workout twice and reset if I couldn't get all the reps. That was hugely unproductive for me as I was missing reps due to lack of recovery. I was eating and sleeping fine, but after squatting 245, 250 and 255 three workouts in a row, I just felt a little beat up when I hit 260. My warm-ups felt much heavier than usual that day. What I wish I'd done at the time was switch to advanced programming (i.e. add a light day in the middle). If you knock out all the reps on your next workout, keep going. But if you stall again, switched to advanced novice programming and don't waste time resetting.

I agree with the above. I just hit 275 3x5 last week on SSLP, but am so beat up afterwards I have to take a light week this week now. I wish I had switched to advanced novice a week or two ago because that would've helped my recovery a lot.

[marcf]

Thanks for the response.

To help me understand the squat advice:

I've been told to stand taller, but I don't literally want to lock my knees right? I have hypermobile knees, so I'm always a little wary of the top position. My legs when knees are locked out literally looks like this " ) " it's fuckin weird. Maybe think prouder chest at the start position? The elbows high has been a problem for me for a while now. That cue will probably help keep my elbows down and in a better position as well.

Deadlifts: I'll stick to doing them every other workout per your advice. I'll keep trying to get tighter and tighter.

Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!

Yup, just stand up tall and lock your knees and hips. Proud chest might be a good cue for you--give it a try.

[marcf]

I agree with the above. I just hit 275 3x5 last week on SSLP, but am so beat up afterwards I have to take a light week this week now. I wish I had switched to advanced novice a week or two ago because that would've helped my recovery a lot.

Just do advanced novice. You don't need an entire week at this stage in your training to recover. If you already did your Day 1 workout, make Day 2's weight 80% of that, and on Day 3 go for 280lbs.