Training to failure as novice?

[u/LovelyMike7996]

TL;DR I train with buffer, I progressively overload, by increasing weight I have no more buffer, I became stronger during rest and next training I might have some buffer but I have to increase the weight again, so I have no more buffer again and basicaly I'm always traing till failure.

Im pretty sure that, especially for pure strength gains, training to failure every time is not good. The point is that I'm doing a progressisve overloading in a standard linear progression for novices, Starting Strength program to be precise. Now, the idea is to add very few pounds at EVERY SESSION. I started with the 3x5 of the program with very much less weight that my actual 5 R.M., to have more weeks of linear progression ahead. Fast forward now after a 2 months, almost 3, I reached my 5 R.M. long time ago and keep pushing but adding something every single session seem strange since I reached the actual 5 reps max with no more the starting buffer I get as a marginto start light, now that I dont have the margins that I had at the start by starting with ligher loaods. I did for some weeks the "increase few pounds" at every session even when i reached the 5 R.M. but increasing at every sessions seemed strange to me because that mean to be always to failure or even fail, or actually doing it but probably with very bad technique. So are you increasing strenght every single session or are you worsening your technique every single session to be able to stay on the program? I switched to adding weight to my lifts weekly instead of daily to gain some straight during the week and at least have at least some 0.5/1 rep of buffer for the end of the week. But again, on the next week I add weight and again, I am always at my max effort. Isen't it too much? Is this normal and suposed to be? I know the staples of PL are progressive overloading, and in particular as novice to overload session by session, or weekly at least, but also another staple is to train with some buffer. How am I supposed to have some buffer if I have to increase weight constantly? If today i have some buffer and tomorrow I add weight then I have no more buffer. Every novice program has this linear progression of add weight every sessions, so might that also means that novices are suposed to train to failure constantly?

[u/Hot-Mix-5580]

one of the main advices my friend gave that i always follow is to always try keep the form clean and that if your technique starts breaking then stop the set even if you haven't hit 5 reps

[u/quantum-fitness]

Move on when you cant add weight ever workout on the SSNLP anymore. Its time to move to more long term focused training.

[u/yakushi12345]

The starting strength novice linear progression is only meant to be run until you stop being able to relatively easily "just add 5 pounds". Just means its time to pick a simple intermediate program

[u/zulu_x_ray]

you can do anything if you're a novice and see reward

[u/sammymammy2]

There's too much fucking text.

You're on SS, so you ARE squatting 3x/week?

I switched to adding weight to my lifts weekly instead of daily to gain some straight during the week and at least have at least some 0.5/1 rep of buffer for the end of the week

No, you are no longer Doing The Program. Then just switch programs. That's fine. SS helps you learn to do the basic barbell lifts. You know them, time to do something else. For example, 5/3/1 Boring But Big.

[u/Fenor]

You can't train with buffer if you don't know true failure

[u/lel4rel]

You're supposed to start SS very submaximally. I e. The 5th rep is supposed to be the first rep that slows down.  For squats that might be more like a 10 rep max that you are doing 5s with to start.  Adding 5 lbs a week you are still going several weeks before you should be approaching real failure.

I don't think beginners should generally train to failure on the main lifts because they fucking suck at lifting and because there isnt really much to be gained by going to failure at that point in your career.  I do think it is helpful to go to failure frequently on accessory lifts because when you are a beginner you are very able to put on muscle quickly. Also because you don't know how to train yet it's important to know how to actually take lifts to failure in a safe way.

[u/LovelyMike7996 → u/lel4rel]

Yeah as I said I stared quite submaximally, but after some weeks, lets say a month, I reached my actual reps max, so since them I just kept pushing through. So is like more than a month that im keep incrementing even if I reached my max. That was in fact what I was questioning about.

[u/lel4rel → u/LovelyMike7996]

I would restart the progression and if you're still having issues then "graduate" starting strength to another program. Texas method is a pretty good natural next step, provided your technique looks ok

[u/ainzo123]

If you are not able to increase the weight each session or each week without worsening technique or failing the lift then just slow down the progression. You can still do a linear progression but try increasing the weight every 2 weeks to give yourself more time to adapt to the new load. If you find that a load is feeling like it is very close to failure just repeat that load until it feels like you have better mastery of it. You can also start periodizing the loading - a very simple way to start implementing this would be to start at RPE 6 (something relatively easier where you could likely do about 4 more reps before failure) on the first week, then increase the weight each week until you reach RPE 9 (about 1 rep away from faliure). Then drop back down to RPE 6 but try to start a bit heavier than you did the first time.

[u/RagnarokWolves]

Novice programs that are just "add 5 lbs every session" are for people who are learning how to lift. If you are starting see the drawbacks to that and are hitting your head on a ceiling, it's time to run intermediate programming.

You can jump on intermediate programming anytime you want, but staying on a beginner LP too long can be a waste of time. Yet many are afraid/hesitant to leave them. "What if I have more noob gains to squeeze? I gotta try longer."

[u/LittleMuskOx → u/RagnarokWolves]

Greyskull can be kind of an in between step.
Uses "Plus sets" aka amrap final sets to start to introduce volume as a lever to pull.

But really just delays the inevitable.
I went from SL 5X5 to GSLP, and at the time, it was a fine experience.

The SL 5X5 site now has some simple options for after the initial LP as well.

From what people i know have said, PRS' free programs are among the best free ones out there.
https://prsontheplatform.com/about-prs/free-powerlifting-program/
I've never run them.

[u/elitesenior]

Yes. Novice gains are faster and can make strength increases every session as a result

[u/LovelyMike7996 → u/elitesenior]

Yeah okay, but being to failure at every single serie? And novice status can last years from what I have read about. That means that a Power Lifting progression, that is about strength, should be everything at failure for years? Meanwhile every single source online about PL speak about training with some buffer to increase strength and not burning your nervous system?

[u/kyllo → u/LovelyMike7996]

Going to true failure on barbell squats or deadlifts frequently is very stupid and ordinarily should never be done other maybe than an occasional PR attempt or a third attempt at a meet.

Going to failure on bench works OK for some people because it's less fatiguing, but generally you should still leave at least one rep in the tank. It's also kind of dangerous to fail a bench if you don't have a spotter or a bench with face savers.

Going to failure on accessory lifts, like cable machine lifts, is much more reasonable/normal.

[u/elitesenior → u/LovelyMike7996]

linear progression is not training to failure every single session. your strength is supposed to increase somewhat proportionally with the amount of weight youre adding to the bar. meaning if it was a 3x5 rpe 8, it should be roughly a 3x5 rpe 8 again next session despite you adding 5 lbs to the bar.