Barbell Prescription Heavy Light Program OHP Stalling

[SteveL]

I'm 60 years old 5'10 and 175lbs.

I've been using the subject program since Jan 1st of this year and every week have been setting PRs on each exercise each week anywhere from 1 - 4lbs depending on the exercise and that particular week.

However last week was week three which is heavy singles and I ended up only being able to get within 4lbs of my previous PR. This week it's sets of 5 and couldn't get within 5lbs of my previous PR. I've been running my light days at 90% my heavy 5s and I'm wondering if I need to back that off to 85 or 87%? Thoughts? Other lifts are still gaining.

Thanks!

[Brent Carter]

Press is usually the first lift to stall. Can you post some more details regarding your current layout? Odds are you will have to work some more volume in somewhere for your press.

[SteveL]

Press is usually the first lift to stall. Can you post some more details regarding your current layout? Odds are you will have to work some more volume in somewhere for your press.

I went back and read the book again. One thing I haven't been doing per the book were the backoff sets. For example if I hit a PR of say 2lbs over my previous and it seemed I had more gas in the tank I'd add another pound or two to the next set. That would generally max me out and so the next two sets rather than a back off of say 5% I'd only back off say a couple of pounds this has worked really well for the last five + months but I think it's caught up with me recovery wise. I was thinking of now going for that PR set but the back off sets would be 5% less and finish out the sets there. Thoughts?

[Michael Wolf]

Sounds like a reasonable thing to give a try. Back off 5-8%, if you have back-off sets in the squat and DL, you can off-set a bit more, up to 10-12% or so.

[SteveL]

Sounds like a reasonable thing to give a try. Back off 5-8%, if you have back-off sets in the squat and DL, you can off-set a bit more, up to 10-12% or so.

Thank you!