Beginner: rest longer or decrease intensity?

[hanzosbm]

Hello all,

I recently started a structured lifting routine and it's been going really well (basically lifting 3 days a week, full body, with alternating routines revolving around compound lifts). I'm seeing results, and tracking my lifts, I'm seeing consistent improvement. However, as I keep pushing myself to lift more, I'm noticing that on some days my recovery it taking a bit longer. For example, by the schedule, I should be lifting today, but...I'm still pretty sore. So I've got two options; I can lift anyway, but I know I'm not going to see progress on my lifts and will probably see a decrease, or, I can give myself an extra day and lift tomorrow. My concern is that if this continues (and if I keep pushing as hard as I have been, that's very possible) then I run the risk of not getting as many workouts in per week.

Also, since I know someone will ask, I'll post the workout below. Working long hours at work and with 2 kids under 3 years old, I don't have a ton of time, which means that the roughly 3 hours per week this takes is perfect for me. All lifts are for 3 sets each aiming for 8-12 sets per rep. I track every workout so that I always aim to increase my reps every time, and when I push above that 8-12 set range, I increase the weight.

Workout A: Squats, Bench Press, Cable Rows, Tricep Pulldowns, Calf Raises
Workout B: Deadlifts, Dumbbell Should Presses, Pull-Ups, Curls, Sit Ups

[paulinkansas]

Take a 7 day break from lifting.

[BeginnerGainz]

Increase rest time a little, unless you start feeling really beat up, then deload a bit.

If all else fails, change the variation of exercise if one starts to stall.

[Filmbuff81]

I think you’re confusing weight or extra reps on the bar as progressive overload when those are simply signs progressive overload has happened.

I’d suggest you start experimenting with RPE.

You are probably pushing up against your current recovery abilities and strength levels.

So a deload could help and ensuring you’re leaving a couple reps in the tank on your sets and not hammering into a RPE 9-10 wall.

You could stick to the same weight/reps for a couple workouts and work on the RPE of a lift going down before adding weight.

This would help ensure you’re inducing sone stimulus but without making any one workout overly taxing.

[air2fakie]

You don't have to increase reps and/or weight on every single exercise every workout, regardless of what your goal is or what a program says you should do.

You're only working out 3 days/week, so just do your workout and if nothing progresses some workouts, so be it... chances are something in a workout will progress even if something else doesn't. If you're really worn out, you can do a deload week of less weight, reps and/or volume. When it becomes obvious you're totally out of gas, take a full week off.

What matters more is a trend of consistent progress over a longer period of time.

[jtaylor2010]

You’ll eventually need a break, so sooner or later plan to take at least a full week off. With the upcoming holiday(s) that’s a good opportunity to not only rest but also eat a lot for full recovery. I do 3 days per week but I do PPL which I like better. You could try something like that, or maybe an UL where one week you’ll hitter upper twice and the next you’ll hit lower twice. It would allow for more recovery, and since that seems to be your issue at the moment may be a good move.

[hanzosbm]

I appreciate all the suggestions. Between the prevailing idea of rest, and the fact that I apparently slept wrong and have a terrible kink in my neck, I think I'll take a few days off and pick back up again on Monday.