Getting that last rep

[Nockian]

Squatting today and struggling.
Two sets down and I'm on my third and final.
I'm feeling quite shakey and fatigued.
The damned timer hits zero again and squawking at me to get back under the bar.
Damn this feels heavy.
3rd rep starting to grind and the form is failing.
At the beginning of the 4th rep I'm blowing hard and winded, I squat and barely make it out of the hole.
I'm ready to quit.
I can't possibly do another rep after that mess.
Then I remember Rips words "you don't know until you try".
I tighten everything up once more and squat into hell, then push, push, push and it rises at an almost glacial pace. Horrible, horrible form and it felt like 2" from parallel.
I didn't think I could do it until I realised-what's the worst that can happen? I dump the bar on the safeties and end up in a sprawl.
"You don't know until you try" that's the right words at the right time.
Trying and failing is fine, it's the failing to try that's not.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Correct attitude. RPE is complete bullshit for everybody. How long are you resting between sets?

[Nockian]

Correct attitude. RPE is complete bullshit for everybody. How long are you resting between sets.

8+ minutes. I start the timer when I get a bit of breath back, so maybe 8-9 minutes average.

[Brodie Butland]

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve found that my form on video tends to look better on a last-rep grinder than it felt. Usually not elegant form, but still generally safe and effective. As Nock correctly says, you don’t know until you try—so don’t let yourself give up...I promise you won’t die if you have to dump the bar.

[Mark Rippetoe]

8+ minutes. I start the timer when I get a bit of breath back, so maybe 8-9 minutes average.

Maybe try 11-12, just to see what happens.

[Nockian]

Maybe try 11-12, just to see what happens.

I will give that a try. I'm not sure I could on colder days, but when it's warm it would be no problem.

[Nockian]

Yes, that worked pretty well Mr Rippetoe, thank you. Along with a few extra calories and a new found respect for what I can achieve-numbers are moving up again.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Odd, how I know this shit.

[Nockian]

Odd, how I know this shit.

Well it's a good thing that you do.

[jbackos]

Correct attitude. RPE is complete bullshit for everybody. How long are you resting between sets?

Bingo - the only RPE's that are accurate are 0 and 10.