Failing

MadamChick

I am up to 125lbs on squats and I am failing. But I am so excited about this program that I am look forward to what comes next.

Where have you topped out and how was deloading?

questionfear

I have topped out a few times. When I get stuck and I just feel like I need more time (as in, I can do the 5x5 but I want more practice) I just stay there for 1-2 more workouts. If I fail repeatedly, I deload 10% and work back up.

With the exception of overhead press, every time I've deloaded I've managed to blast past plateaus with this method.

Vailara

I've had to deload more than once. Mostly it has been after taking breaks (of several months), but the first time was when I realised that I'd been squatting just a fraction above parallel! So frustrating! I've found the deloading OK in a way - a chance to work on form. At the moment I'm going very slow - usually only managing two workouts a week, and only increasing weight once a week (I'm older and dieting, which I think makes it harder).

CHSegl

I've deloaded a bunch- various reasons. Most recently was a total stall at 70# on the OHP. For that one I'm deloading and doing 5x as many as I can. Once I hit 5 x 10 or somewhere close, I'll add fractionals. Damn OHPs......

DawnEmbers

I haven't full on failed on squats, at least not back when I was doing stronglifts. However, I did at times stay at a weight more than once cause it felt pretty heavy. I also de-loaded on them one time due to some back pain acting up, then ended up switching to nrolfw. I failed on bench though a couple of times and did de-loads each time, along with as one wouldn't be surprised by... OHP. The de-loading did help though I didn't get far on either lift afterwards before struggles again. One of these days that upper body strength will be there, I hope.

Decreasing the weight to work back up really wasn't too bad. I switched programs more because wanting to learn different lifts even though I hadn't stalled out on SL and probably could have gone longer before considering 5-3-1 or something else.

Llamapants86

I've deloaded everything multiple times, either failures, switching programs, form issues or just because I wanna. I currently am running 5/3/1 and it has a deload week built in. I enjoy it feels less like cheating if it's scheduled.

MissHolidayGolightly

I've de-loaded many times as well.

Squats: I de-loaded when my squat got to 125, then again when I got back up to 130, then again when I got up to 135. I did that successfully then I injured myself and dropped down to 65 after two weeks off to better ensure I don't hurt myself again. I'm now at 110 working my way back up. As you can see, every time I failed and de-loaded, I ended up rising higher the next time because my form was better and I wasn't killing myself to get the reps in. It takes longer but it's not a race.

Deadlift: I progressed pretty steadily to 190 then did a rep at 200 just to say I did. I then got sick and dropped it down to 135. When I got back up to 180, I noticed my back was rounding because it was heavy and I was in danger of hurting myself so I dropped back to 115. I dropped again after my back injury to 95 and am going for 135 today. Deadlift de-loads hurt my ego because I was doing so well with them and I love doing them but I had to get over it. Again, it's not a race.

Bench, rows, and OHP I de-load all the time but the trend is up.