Going back to LP after injury.

[Diego Herrera]

November, the start of my LP.
Squat:135
BP:85-95
Press:55
DL:185.

Last time i trained them (2 weeks ago)
Squat:265 5x3
BP:175 5x3
Press:120 5x3
DL:295 3x1

I have to say that before the LP on November, i was doing some kind of linear progression that didn't include the press, afortunately, i found out about SS and started doing it. In the squat my "max" went to 270, but i started missing reps and the workouts were too difficult. I don't think nutrition was the problem, it was bad technique. Then, i had to drop some weight. But never got past that weight, all due to technique. So i started squatting the same weight every workout, 255, a weight that was "heavy" but doable, this was a way to get my deadlift way ahead of the squat.

In regard to the DL, i already was doing a LP with small jumps (5 pound jumps) a month before the SSLP, this way i went from 135 to 185. I discovered SS, did the first phase (DL every workout), maybe did it for 3-4 weeks, got stuck, lowered the frequency to every other workout, and kept there. As i said, my DL was lagging in comparison to the squat about a month or two ago, so i stopped the weight increase on squats, started 10 pound jumps on every workout on the DL, overdid it but somehow got from 285 to 315, then got stuck again. Then, a few weeks ago, i implemented 10 pound jumps while DLing once a week. Then i injured myself, but i still pulled heavy on April 5, 295x3 but failed the last 2 reps because i lost tightness. In summary, my DL has been lagging due to lack of equipment, probably not actively extending lumbar spine, etc.

In the press, i didn't press near my eyebrows, so that affected me. I stalled a few times, but i think that's normal.

Weight: 162-200 pounds. I went nuts with the fat intake, but now i'm mantaining and about 200 pounds. The thing is that lack of nutrients hasn't been my problem, the problem was that i didn't start reading the book until i got injured, and i still have to finish it, so i'm sorry if i make stupid questions that are adressed in the book. And yeah, not reading it until 6 months into the LP is stupid and i'm probably NDTP. But what can i do in my situation? Next monday i'll start the LP again and i need to get back on track. Of course, i need to deload some weight, but what approach can i take? I think that im still a novice, and i will finish the book and buy some straps or chalk, and already ordered a belt. I hope i can get forgiven by this community over my stupid past actions.

[Diego Herrera]

In addition, in the first squat workouts i used the high bar squat style. And used 20 pound jumps for a few workouts in the squat and also the deadlift. This made me stuck very early in the program. Now, with some reading of the programming chapter in the book i can see the big problem that it is. However, i'll probably just drop 10% of the weight and go from there. It is most likely that this thread will go unnoticed, but i had to add this information if anyone decides to respond at a given point.

[Michael Wolf]

You'll need to re-set more than 10%, you need to do this right this time. But make it your last re-set. Do it right from here on out, and when you miss the same weight assignment in a given lift two times in a row, move on from LP to HLM or something.

How much should you de-load? Enough to get technique correct, but not so much that it's not a challenge to do so. There's no set number or % that is, it shakes out a bit different for each person. Work back up in 5 lb increments in the SQ and DL and 2.5 in Press and BP, unless your re-set is very far from where you recently were, in which case do a few - just a few - 10/5 jumps then switch to 5/2.5.

[Eric May]

...my DL has been lagging due to lack of equipment

... buy some straps or chalk

Definitely recommend using chalk on deadlifts. It makes a huge difference. If you haven't switched to mixed grip that is also a game changer. You may find the weight you got stuck on before moves easily with chalk + mixed grip even with no other changes. I have never used straps but they are generally not recommended around here for novices. They may have their place in intermediate and beyond.

Of course you need to sort out your lumbar spine tightness issue as well.

[Jr_Geezer]

Definitely recommend using chalk on deadlifts. It makes a huge difference. If you haven't switched to mixed grip that is also a game changer. You may find the weight you got stuck on before moves easily with chalk + mixed grip even with no other changes.

+ on chalk recommendation, gotta use it. If you don't like the asymmetry of the mixed grip, give the hook grip a try. Hook Grip for the Deadlift | Mark Rippetoe

[Diego Herrera]

Thank you, Michael. I appreciate the response. I will be working on that. Just started squatting 225 and benching 155 yesterday. But i'm curious. I'll change my gym in about 2 weeks and the one i'm moving to has heavier plates. Do you think it will hurt me or disrupt my "last" LP. Should i move ASAP?
About the grip, i used the mixed grip for the most of the LP, but having a bicep tendon rupture scared me, so i switched to hook grip on the last workouts. Ordered chalk and a belt last week. I'll be fine

[Diego Herrera]

Hi, friends. I will report on my progress. I hope it is clear and understamdable.

*squats: i started with 225 on april. Progress was great, even though i was doing paused squats like an idiot (not on purpose). I switched to light day on wednesday on squats 80% 5x2. Some days before that and specially after that switch i missed one or a couple of reps, mostly because i was scared of the weight or some technical issues or maybe i didn't recover well enough but i always mastered the weight next session. Last friday i got 5/0/0 because i was scared and i didn't push at the bottom. So now, i got over that and sadly got 5/5/4. Maybe i could have done that last rep, but i thought between reps and maybe it was too much for my body at the time. The friday before that (31 of may) i got stuck with 280 (5/5/4) but i had no problem

[Diego Herrera]

Damn, i accidentaly posted that unfinished message.
*squat: i started my last try at the lp with 225. I switched to light squat days a couple of weeks ago before everything got too heavy. But for a lot of weeks everything was going fine. I may have missed a couple of reps, but i always mastered the weight next session. And damn, i think a lot of that time i was doing paused squats like an idiot, or at least not the unpaused proper squats,i've been working on that on the technical forum. Now, last friday i did 4/0/0 because i got scared of the weight and didn't push at the bottom. Or maybe i got 5 reps on first set, idk. Sadly, today i got 5/5/4 with 285.I don't know if i failed that last one because of a mental issue or i just couldn't, i really can't tell. But i was really tired at that last. I missed a couple of reps on the past in a similar fashion, for example on the 31 of May i got 5/5/4 with 280 but next monday 3 of june i got 5/5/5. On other sessions i just got scared of the weight or maybe i didn't recovered properly, but i still mastered the weight. This didn't happen now, and you, coach, told me that after two workouts with missed reps i should move on.Should i? Some of my problems can be atributed to a bad hip drive and once on friday may 24 i missed a workout and still increased the weight instead of repeating mondays workout, this was caused by confusion.


DL: i started with 265 the "last lp" i did one 10 pound jump after i moved back to my gym and since then i've been using 5 pound jumps. I moved workouts to wednesday, and i only do 1x5 on that day, no other DL work. Last workout i did 295. I think i can still get a lot of the LP on this, it doesn't feel that heavy. But of course, i am a heavy motherfucker and i'm not lifting a lot, but it is fine.

Press: started with 85. Only use 2 and 3 pound jumps. I did 4/4/4 on last workout. The bar is getting heavier, maybe i need to get smaller chains. Also, my bar path might not be the ideal, i might need to press closer to my eyebrows.

Bench press: started with 155. This might be part of the problem why i'm stuck again. Same thing happened to me as it did with squats. I missed one or two reps, but i mastered it next training. On wednesday i missed some reps because my spotter was shitty, and maybe bad recovery and some technical issues, or moving the bar at the bottom and pressing from that angle, it is something that happens to me sometimes. So today i got 5/5/4 with 167. It could have been due to being the last and most difficult rep, and i also moved the bar at the bottom and i didn't get the rebound properly.

3 questions

1: I rest enough between sets, 6 or more minutes, sometimes 12 i think, but enough. Except on the bench press sometimes. Sometimes my spotters hurry me up, because my decent spotters might leave so i hurry a little in order to avoid having strangers spotting me, or sometimes i have strangers and they hurry me too. But at least 4 minutes or 3 on the bench, but mostly like 6-8 minutes.

2: 2 and 3 pound jumps on bp and press. Only one 10 pound jump on DL, and the rest 5 pounds, on the squat only 5 pounds.

3: I eat 400/200/70 on most days, sometimes i eat a little less protein or. little less carbs and more fats due to poor choices in food, and i can't eat all my macros without eating too much calories thanks to the already high fat intake on that day. But it is just a few macros. Sleep was shitty somedays, like 5 hours or less. On most days i had 6-7 hours. Now i sleep 8-10 hour. Sometimes and specially lately i sleep late, like 11 or 12. Not that bad, but not that good.

Now my training sessions look like this.

Monday
Squat 5x3
Press or bench5x3
Chinups (or i used to do negatives)
(I increase weekly volume)
Wednesday
Squat 80% 5x2
Press or bench 5x3
DL 1x5

Friday
Squat 5x3
Press or bench 5x3
Chinups.

An advanced novice template, i think. I don't have PPST3 yet, but i'll get it on these days. And i'm not quite sure if i would do the 3 day TM, looks too rough. I hate training 4 days but it might be better, anyways, when i get the book i'll probably check that. In the meantime, what should i do? Do a last try with the squat and bench press with same weight? Move to another program, in that case, which? Btw, im 5'11 or 6 ft and i weight 200 pounds, 16 year old, too.

[Diego Herrera]

How should i take your non existing responses, are they a "just try again" or a "buy the damn book"? Not trying to be disrespectful or anything, i just wanted to know what should i do in my next session before that session. A confirmation of any of the above answers would work.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You should take them as normal responses to demands for free work. Same way you'd react.