I think I de-trained my squat a bit, going to try and reset.

[WCSteppe]

Alright, I'm on my second proper attempt at the NLP (at week 19) and for the last two weeks I've had some mental and life issues getting in the way of me progressing properly. I've lifted heavy once a week, but this week I'm in a good headspace to start up properly again.

Three weeks ago, I ended my week squatting 430 for 3 sets of 5, with Monday being 425 for 3x5 and an 80% of Friday squat on Wednesday, so like 340x3x5. Friday and Monday felt difficult, but they went up without any noticeable difference to the prior weeks. Two weeks ago I squatted one day at 435 for 3 sets of 5, and I had to really grind for it. Last week, I squatted 440x3x5 and it felt equally grindy.
Today, I squatted 445x3x5, with the intent to go for 450 on Friday.

I'm hoping to get back into a consistent 10 pound jumps a week after this week. I think what has happened is I de-trained by not lifting heavy twice a week, so if I can get back at it maybe I can squeeze a few more 10 pound jumps per week out of my NLP before I change Monday to a medium day and Wednesday to a light day.

Welcome to thoughts.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Did your "mental and life issues" interfere with the first three questions?

[Maybach]

There is no actual problem here. Note that your 445x5x3 also moved "without any noticeable difference from the last two weeks"

[WCSteppe]

But 3 weeks ago the weight was 15 pounds lighter and I didn't have to grind out the sets like I am now. Last week and the week prior, and 445 on Monday, all were pretty rough. I'm primarily concerned that all 3 sets I've had to grind out most reps.

I guess we will know more on Friday what's happening. If I can add 5 more pounds it doesn't matter if I need to grind a bit. Which is kind of what I figured I would need to do anyways.

As far as the first three questions:

1: I'm resting 10 to 15 minutes between working sets on the heavy days.

2: 5 pound jumps on the squat.

3: I sleep 6 to 7 hours, which is about as much as I can manage with 7 month old twins. I eat as much as I can, and my diet didn't change in the past month.

[Mark Rippetoe]

What you perceive as a "grind" may in fact not be a grind. Perceptions are notoriously unreliable. Video the sets and visually compare them to your last warmup.

[Maybach]

But 3 weeks ago the weight was 15 pounds lighter and I didn't have to grind out the sets like I am now.

Yes, but as you said, two weeks ago, you DID. And then you added 15 pounds. This is, in fact, the opposite of detraining.

I don't think you detrained, I think you didn't make an increase when you were supposed to. The penalty for that is not making that increase. Sounds like it's been on track for the last few workouts. No need to plan to fail.

The concept of threading the needle on programming such that you never miss a rep is a nice idea but has it's limits. You are a healthy male directing your own training, squatting 450x5x3, not an 80 year old PT client who thinks lifting is scary. Riding a set to the pins is going to happen to you. Get used to that idea.

[Cole Gorton]

i wish more of these strong ass people that squat 445 for reps would keep a training log here

[Mark Rippetoe]

WC has somehow gotten the idea that PRs are supposed to feel easy. More RPE shit infecting the troops.

[Jason Donaldson]

WC has somehow gotten the idea that PRs are supposed to feel easy. More RPE shit infecting the troops.

Or that it's always supposed to feel the same.

WC, look at it this way: Your feelings will detrain well before your strength does. You are usually stronger than you want to be in the moment. Keeping up with training helps to swat this down. Going through it again is the price you pay for time off - it's just part of the deal. Be encouraged by these facts, and push through it.

[WCSteppe]

Well, I'll gladly admit when I know nothing and am wrong. I completed my squat work, 450 for 3 sets of 5.

I filmed all my warm-ups and my working sets, so 225 for 5, 315 for 3, and 405 for 1. I did notice that the working sets, after rep 3, do slow down on the way up compared to the warm-ups. However, and I should have known because it's been said a million times and I've heard it at least half that, you just have to grind through these reps sometimes. I took 15 minute tests between working sets.

Doing a bit of self inflection, I think it was the sudden shock of the working sets starting to slow down that made me second guess myself. But, lesson learned. So, I am going to go back and review the programming videos on the squat so I know what signs to look for to tell me to switch to a single heavy day on the squat, so I don't have to come back here and waste forum space. I do know that, when that time comes, to keep up with 3 sets of 5 and 5 pound jumps, and to just add a medium day on Monday and keep the light day on Wednesday, at least I am pretty sure that's the next squat programming change. Small changes.

As for my training logs, I started recording it in the NLP forum, and then I realized I was messing up the dates and instead recording last year's work. I will spend some time soon to document this year's NLP. I had about 5 months off or more due to new born twins between last year and this year's training. Hopefully this time I will be able to keep at it.