Progress, rep by rep, novice

[Proudestmonkeyt]

Male, 6'1", 190 (total weight gain of around 35lbs), novice.
Squat: 260×5×3
Press: 105×5×3, failed twice, reset
Bench: 135×5×3
Deadlift: 275×5
Eating well, gaining weight steadily, sleep is best it can be with toddler.

Coach, what happens when it takes you three or four workouts to get a full 15 reps on a given exercise? I know that progress can be made, and a reset can be avoided, by simply getting one more rep than you did on your last workout, but could one also safely assume that once one finally does conquer that weight, the next 5lbs up isn't go to go much differently, and maybe a reset really is needed?

[Michael Wolf]

All three, but specifically, #2: The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe

[Proudestmonkeyt]

Only 5lb jumps on the squat, which is the main exercise that I am asking about.

[Proudestmonkeyt]

Also, resting 5min between sets. Eating is good to go as evidenced by my steadily increasing weight.

[Michael Wolf]

You can certainly rest more than 5 mins between sets, assuming you have time to do so. You probably also need to have switched to advanced novice schedule several weeks ago. 90% of the time there is enough of a form issue that this impacts things too, but leaving that aside for the moment: when you miss three sets of five, two workouts in a row, you re-set as per the book. Maybe three times at the most. You don't try again a fourth time. When this has happened twice, and you've re-set and worked back up and stalled again, congrats, you're now an intermediate in that lift.

You can find the link in the sticky where I discuss strategies to extend LP a little, but that's how it goes. You don't get 4/3/3, 4/4/3, 5/4/3, 5/5/4, and finally 5/5/5 on the same weight because, during that 2-3 week period stuck lifting the same weight, you could have done more productive things as an intermediate lifter to get yourself stronger.

Practically speaking: 1) if you miss reps at the same weight twice in a row, re-set 15-20% and work back up in larger jumps at first, so you get back to where you were fairly soon. 2) switch to advanced novice squatting schedule when you do so. 3) When you've done this twice, you're done with the LP.

Example - made 270x5x3, but at 275 couldn't get 5/5/5 two workouts in a row, assuming rest, sleep, nutrition, form, and incremental increases are accounted for.
Next workouts:
M:235x5x3
W:245x5x3
F:255x5x3 - first week done
M: 265x5x3
W: 220x5x2 - first day of advanced novice lighter squatting, 80% of 270 for 2 sets
F: 275x5x3 - new PR

and then go up 5 lbs M and F, doing 70-80% for two sets of five Weds.

[Proudestmonkeyt]

Thank you for such a long and detailed response coach, it's more than I expected. I certainly have form issues that need coaching, but I am still saving the money to see Coach Skillin. So, assuming that my form is at least passable, I will proceed as you have laid out. I have read and reread Practical Programming, but this problem seemed to be in a bit of a grey area and not detailed so much in the book, so I wasn't sure how to proceed. Thanks to you and the book however, I have myriad ways to milk LP, which is all I want right now, and for the short foreseeable future. I have no interest in becoming an intermediate until I absolutely have to be one. I like the workouts and I appreciate that they don't take 2hrs, and so does my wife. But I really do appreciate even the tiny bit of programming advice you've given, and it will not go to waste.

The part about switching to advanced novice weeks ago surprises me though. Why would that be despite the 230's and 240's being so easy?