I’m getting worse at squats

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yellowantphil
yellowantphil Posts: 787 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started StrongLifts 5×5 a month ago. I’ve worked up from squatting the bar (45 lbs) to squatting 80 lbs. Now I’m stalled out, and I might be getting worse.

In my workout four days ago, I did these reps: 80×5, 80×4, 80×5, 80×3, 80×4. Two days ago, I basically didn’t improve at all: 80×5, 80×5, 80×5, 80×3, 80×4.

Today, I felt like I couldn’t do anything. My first two reps at 80 lbs were very difficult, and something high up on the inside of my leg hurt. I think it was my left adductor, since adductor stretches seem to target it. That has happened on some previous workouts too. It feels like I’m doing something wrong.

I dropped to 75 lbs, did one rep and felt the same way, so I gave up and decided to take a rest day for squats.

Here are my third and fourth sets from my workout two days ago. You can see my back curve going back up on at least one rep. I’m trying not to do that, but it’s still happening sometimes. Is there anything else wrong with my form?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXRuwjEso0A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLWkHIwFi30

I also have older videos from the front and back, if that would help.

What should I do? Back off the weight and progress more slowly? Squat less often, to have more time to recover? I’ve been squatting every other day since Sunday, because I missed a workout last Saturday. I know I’m supposed to do three times per week, instead of every other day. I could skip Monday’s workout, if working out every other day is derailing my progress.

Replies

  • GSixZero
    GSixZero Posts: 48 Member
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    If you're not giving yourself time to recover, how do you expect to keep up the volume and intensity?
    Your form is pretty good. Bar path and speed are good. Depth is more than enough.
    I would suggest turning around in the rack tho, will make the re-rack much easier esp as you progress.
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
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    GSixZero wrote: »
    If you're not giving yourself time to recover, how do you expect to keep up the volume and intensity?
    Your form is pretty good. Bar path and speed are good. Depth is more than enough.
    I would suggest turning around in the rack tho, will make the re-rack much easier esp as you progress.

    Yep, give yourself time to recover.
    Follow the plan of three times a week.
    If you stall, you reset and keep with the lower weight until all sets and reps are complete, then move forward with weight.
    In the past I've had to use smaller increments like 5lbs per week increase instead of 10lbs.
    Finally, you are eating for growth correct? If you don't have fuel in the tank you won't progress, at least not in the beginning.

  • yellowantphil
    yellowantphil Posts: 787 Member
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    piperdown44 wrote: »
    Yep, give yourself time to recover.
    Follow the plan of three times a week.
    If you stall, you reset and keep with the lower weight until all sets and reps are complete, then move forward with weight.
    In the past I've had to use smaller increments like 5lbs per week increase instead of 10lbs.
    Finally, you are eating for growth correct? If you don't have fuel in the tank you won't progress, at least not in the beginning.

    I had been increasing by 5 lbs each workout, before I stalled at 80. I could get some fractional plates, or do the same weight two or three workouts in a row, if that would be any better.

    I have been eating for maintenance. From what I read at Strength Unbound, beginners shouldn’t attempt a bulk for several months. Maybe eating a little more would help though.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
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    If I remember right, the SL rule for failing sets is to deload 10% if you miss 3 workouts in a row. So, if you miss again, drop to 70.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    2 bad days and we're already hitting the panic button?
  • kerbeya1
    kerbeya1 Posts: 53 Member
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    How long is your rest? With 5x5 set you can allow your self extra time for rest and it's just as much mental as it is physical to push for the extra reps
  • yellowantphil
    yellowantphil Posts: 787 Member
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    kerbeya1 wrote: »
    How long is your rest? With 5x5 set you can allow your self extra time for rest and it's just as much mental as it is physical to push for the extra reps

    I think I’ve been resting between three and five minutes. Maybe I’ll rest a little longer next time.

    Does anyone know why I’m getting pain in my left adductor? That’s half the reason I felt like I couldn’t keep going yesterday. I don’t mind soreness after an exercise, but this is pain during an exercise, which is why I thought I was doing something wrong.

    I’ll just keep trying... maybe I’ll improve this week. I also just realized that I am supposed to do a warmup set with the empty bar first. Maybe that will help.
  • vadimknobel
    vadimknobel Posts: 165 Member
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    pain most likely due to muscle strain top way to recover is give it time, use less weight when starting back up
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
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    yellowantphil wrote: »
    piperdown44 wrote: »
    Yep, give yourself time to recover.
    Follow the plan of three times a week.
    If you stall, you reset and keep with the lower weight until all sets and reps are complete, then move forward with weight.
    In the past I've had to use smaller increments like 5lbs per week increase instead of 10lbs.
    Finally, you are eating for growth correct? If you don't have fuel in the tank you won't progress, at least not in the beginning.

    I had been increasing by 5 lbs each workout, before I stalled at 80. I could get some fractional plates, or do the same weight two or three workouts in a row, if that would be any better.

    I have been eating for maintenance. From what I read at Strength Unbound, beginners shouldn’t attempt a bulk for several months. Maybe eating a little more would help though.

    I changed the SL5x5 when I ran it because I couldn't do an increase every workout so my increases were weekly, not adding weight each squat day. My right knee thanked me for that (ACL repair over a decade ago and some issues with arthritis).

    You don't need a large surplus of cals. Try just a 100 cals more than maintenance and see how it goes for a couple weeks.

    I went from the 45lb bar to 165lbs on squats over 12 weeks a couple years ago. That's adding 10lbs a week.
    And….was happy with the results.

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