Novice stall

[jlwilson]

I am a 25 y/o male, 5'11.5, 210 lbs, novice. I eat enough and sleep 7-8 hours a night. I squat twice a week, Mondays and Fridays. Monday, I completed my workout with 215 lbs on squats, 115 lbs on press, with some chin ups. Wendesday, I completed my workout with 225 on deadlift, 187.5 on bench, and 75 on power clean (I just recently started doing them). Friday I banged out 220 on squat but missed the last rep on the last set. I rested, warmed up, and tried my presses with 117.5. The presses felt like a ton and I could barely squeeze out 2-3 reps.
Since I only missed the last rep on my squats, I think I need to go in on Monday and try to crank out 220 before I do an actual reset. But I'm confused about my press. Since I could only do a few reps, does this experience put me with the "second scenario" on page 108 of PPST? Like it says in the book, few novice execute all parts the plan without flaw. Do I need to implent a drastic reset or should I just go in on Monday and try 117.5? If I'm wrong about my squat plan, please let me know.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You're not doing the program, so I can't really comment on what might be wrong with what you're doing, except that you're not doing the program.

[jlwilson]

I've tried squatting 3 times a week. It is too hard to recover from. Even having a "light" squat day was too much. When it came time to do deadlifts after squating and pressing, I had no gas in the tank left to grind them out, so I switched them to Wendesday. Tweaking the program to fit an individual's recovery level seems appropriate to me. My pressing follows the program. Since I'm doing the pressing the same, what would you suggest I do about approaching the next workout in regards to pressing, of course.

[Lou Guerra]

I personally would like to know what you consider to be "eating enough." Then again, we're all probably better off with this thread being closed as soon as possible.

[quad]

You should squat 3 times a week. No point dedicating 1 day to deadlift for a novice. It has poor transfer on the squat and it's heavy on the CNS; while the squat is the opposite.
SS is a very famous program because it works, don't change anything.

[exter]

Isn't there a program with front squats for recovery on wednesday ? Why'd you assume that is not what he is doing ?

[jlwilson]

Looks like my post got moved. To all who answered, I wanted to know about the presses. I have made good progess with the squat twice a week program. I have scoliosis and the constant squatting bangs up my back and thats why I decided to squat twice as a opposed to thrice a week. Its better for my recovery. Why would I change it if I have made good progress on a program?

[Corrie]

Looks like my post got moved. To all who answered, I wanted to know about the presses. I have made good progess with the squat twice a week program. I have scoliosis and the constant squatting bangs up my back and thats why I decided to squat twice as a opposed to thrice a week. Its better for my recovery. Why would I change it if I have made good progress on a program?

Take a step back and read what you've written as if you're someone else. You are here, asking about a stall, yet you are telling people who have had success with the program, including the person who made the program, that it isn't as good for your recovery so you've modified it.

Now soak it in. Yes. You are stalling on what you say is the better program, so it's not a better program. You are a novice and probably do not have the experience or ability to modify a program with any success.

My suggestion is that you get your recovery (diet and rest) in check and do the program. If squatting is banging up your back you need a coach to check your form.

[Steve Berryman]

you say you're eating enough, but you probably aren't -- detail your diet for us

you are power-cleaning on the same day as deadlifts -- this is wrong

i really doubt that you are at the point where you actually need to reduce squatting and deadlifting to the advanced novice program, but maybe you are

repeat your press workout and see if it goes better



what are you doing outside of the gym? have you been playing sports, swimming at the lake, wakeboarding, moving heavy stuff, masturbating furiously? this kind of shit can eat into your recovery and affect your workouts (such as the press)

[WayneRooney]

Masturbating furiously can affect recovery?!

Oh dear.