Stalled... Deload/Reset? Starting Strength

[hpfiend]

Hi everyone!

On Wednesday I stalled in squat and bench press. By stall I mean I could not complete all 5 reps of the last 2 sets in both. I did 5,4,4. I increased 5 lbs over the previous workout. I had been increasing 10 per workout but knew last workout I would have trouble with 5 even. So...

I have purchased practical programming and have started it but have not gotten to the section on deloading/resetting.

Should I go back the 5 lbs and perform the exercise more slowly? Stay the same and see if I can do all 5 tomorrow in squat, or something more dramatic? I wasn't in love with my perceived depth either but am not positive on that... I don't bench until Monday. I would consider myself a novice by the book definition and the fact that I have casually lifted off and on since highschool but have not lifted since about a year ago and started this time February 13th. I weigh 125 lbs as of this AM and stalled at 150 lbs in squat and 130 lbs in bench if that helps.

Thanks!

[otiskii]

You'd fail at it 2 more times before you reset I believe. Read the book.

[polishedball]

maybe I don;t get the program your on, but when I add weight to bench etc in 5# increments it often takes 3~4 weeks to bang out all 3 sets at X reps again. If you can add 5 pounds to your bench a week that be 260# increase a year (i don't know many 600# benchers after just 2 years), i just don;t see the goal as feasible myself.

[sawoobley]

maybe I don;t get the program your on, but when I add weight to bench etc in 5# increments it often takes 3~4 weeks to bang out all 3 sets at X reps again. If you can add 5 pounds to your bench a week that be 260# increase a year (i don't know many 600# benchers after just 2 years), i just don;t see the goal as feasible myself.

Newbie gains are much quicker than more experienced lifters. OP, are you eating enough calories/protein? I agree with the other poster. You have to fail a couple more times in a row before it is actually considered a stall. Sometimes you have a bad day in the gym.

[fbcoach]

Good tips from previous posters. I might add: Try making your jumps smaller in the future. After your first deload, cut back and re-set your weights 10%. Then go up in weight in smaller increments. It is not such an arduous task to adjust to. Don't get greedy with adding weight. Only add weight when you can complete all reps/sets in perfect form. I don't allow stuttered reps. If I find the positive portion of the rep is not smooth, then that is where I plateaued. Earn the right to add weight.

[Dave76]

OP, how much rest time between sets?

[BrotherWolf]

Hi everyone!

On Wednesday I stalled in squat and bench press. By stall I mean I could not complete all 5 reps of the last 2 sets in both. I did 5,4,4. I increased 5 lbs over the previous workout. I had been increasing 10 per workout but knew last workout I would have trouble with 5 even. So...

I have purchased practical programming and have started it but have not gotten to the section on deloading/resetting.

Should I go back the 5 lbs and perform the exercise more slowly? Stay the same and see if I can do all 5 tomorrow in squat, or something more dramatic? I wasn't in love with my perceived depth either but am not positive on that... I don't bench until Monday. I would consider myself a novice by the book definition and the fact that I have casually lifted off and on since highschool but have not lifted since about a year ago and started this time February 13th. I weigh 125 lbs as of this AM and stalled at 150 lbs in squat and 130 lbs in bench if that helps.

Thanks!

You are doing SS and bought practical programming ?? do yourself a favor buy SS

secondly gaining 50lbs would help you ..
try again at the same weight next time, if you fail again then take some weight off
but you do weight 125lbs so honestly you should get familiar with stalling ..

Best thing you could do is buy the book and start eating , you're less than one month in, you shouldn't be stalling

[BrotherWolf]

maybe I don;t get the program your on, but when I add weight to bench etc in 5# increments it often takes 3~4 weeks to bang out all 3 sets at X reps again. If you can add 5 pounds to your bench a week that be 260# increase a year (i don't know many 600# benchers after just 2 years), i just don;t see the goal as feasible myself.

You don't know the program, 5lb a week is average

[polishedball]

You don't know the program, 5lb a week is average

Not being a jerk, but in trying to understand it more I looked at your journal it appears that in a year and a half you went from benching 150 to 195. The numbers don;t add up. Wouldn't the program have gotten you there in just nine weeks? In looking back maybe this was a new routine for you not SS, but I still don't the 5#'s a week. oh well

[otiskii]

Not being a jerk either but there are all sorts of posts about SS here and on other forums if you want to take a quick look. I think actually you'd be adding (ideally) 120 lbs a month to squat and 30-60 on bench. In reality no, that doesn't go on forever. Someone staying on SS for a year either isn't doing it right or got hold of some of that incredible hulk supplement. I think most guys run it for 3-6 months and start by adding 10lbs per workout (this is squat and DL I'm talking about), then 5. I've not read the book but I don't think I've ever heard anyone mention Rip talking about micro loading. I may be wrong. I think once you can't add 5 and have stalled 3 times (that's 3 resets, not 3 repeats) you're done and should move on to madcow or something where you do make weekly progress. You can't do any of these forever they way they are designed. That's why this one is called "starting" strength. Eat, lift, eat, lift, eat lift. Ok, now you have a base to work from.

[BrotherWolf]

Not being a jerk, but in trying to understand it more I looked at your journal it appears that in a year and a half you went from benching 150 to 195. The numbers don;t add up. Wouldn't the program have gotten you there in just nine weeks? In looking back maybe this was a new routine for you not SS, but I still don't the 5#'s a week. oh well

Adding 5lb to bar every week is average but progression doesn't last forever I hope you understand this ..

I added 5lb every week for as long as I could then it was 2.5lb then 1lb and eventually it stopped..

Anyway my best bench when doing SS was 260 but I don't have a SS journal .... this journal is after SS at that time I already went trough 2 RC tears one on each side and some other minor things like tendinitis and tendinitis was the worse because it kept me from lifting properly for months..


anyway... like I said you don't know the program

[polishedball]

Anyway my best bench when doing SS was 260 but I don't have a SS journal .... this journal is after SS at that time I already went trough 2 RC tears one on each side and some other minor things like tendinitis and tendinitis was the worse because it kept me from lifting properly for months..

Damn each side, I have done one and had the surgery. Way to stick with all the workouts still even when you couldn't train chest or was going lighter. Nice work.

[BrotherWolf]

Someone staying on SS for a year either isn't doing it right or got hold of some of that incredible hulk supplement.

A year is a stretch for do it yourselfers but 8-9 months is good if you follow all the instructions especially on eating , if you ask Rip he probably has guys on SS for a year or longer
Dave76 knows for sure .. it's definitely possible

Guys that do it for 3 months are doing it wrong period !!
it gets really hard after a few months and if you don't keep up with the calorie requirement you will have a hard time getting out of bed

I don't think I've ever heard anyone mention Rip talking about micro loading

microloading is covered and advised

[BrotherWolf]

Damn each side, I have done one and had the surgery. Way to stick with all the workouts still even when you couldn't train chest or was going lighter. Nice work.

fortunately mine were not full tears, no surgery ...
the tears weren't a big deal, the tendinitis in the elbow is a bitch because you can't really do anything about it and the pain last for months
I had both golfer's and tennis elbow .. it sucks

[Dave76]

try again at the same weight next time, if you fail again then take some weight off

Unless he's following some well meaning but misguided bodybuilding advice and is using short rest periods.

[BrotherWolf]

Unless he's following some well meaning but misguided bodybuilding advice and is using short rest periods.

good point .... that wouldn't surprise me at all I always assume the best situation first

Since you're here Dave to your knowledge does Rip have any guys sticking to ss for a year or longer? I am just curious
cause you know most people at home aren't willing to do the eating that goes along with the lifting but if you have a coach that can check on you and makes small adjustments here and there
things should be a lot different .. I should just go over the forum and ask him LOL just curious to see how big of a difference it makes to train at home as opposed to have a coach training you

[Dave76]

good point .... that wouldn't surprise me at all I always assume the best situation first

It happens all the time here. Just as demonstrated in this thread, there are well meaning people who do not understand the program. There are differences in training for strength and in bodybuilding.

Since you're here Dave to your knowledge does Rip have any guys sticking to ss for a year or longer? I am just curious
cause you know most people at home aren't willing to do the eating that goes along with the lifting but if you have a coach that can check on you and makes small adjustments here and there
things should be a lot different .. I should just go over the forum and ask him LOL just curious to see how big of a difference it makes to train at home as opposed to have a coach training you

It would take a growing teen aged kid to stay on the program for a year. I can't imagine anyone over 35 who could effectively run the program that long.

[BrotherWolf]

It would take a growing teen aged kid to stay on the program for a year. I can't imagine anyone over 35 who could effectively run the program that long.

I tried I swear I did .. 9 months it's all I got