The Great LP Stall Thread of Shame

[Griff]

From: viewtopic.php?f=3&p=166853#p166853

This would make a great thread: LP stall thread of shame.

This definitely deserves its own thread. Post your LP stall stories. I'll start.

Mid-January to mid-april 2017
height: 5'11"
bw: 170-->185
squat: 155-->280 (5x1 with backoffs)
bench: 115-->192.5 (5x3)
deadlift: 185-->295 (5x1)
press: 85-->140 (5x3)

These were the best numbers I achieved. These were all at "gun to your head, RPE10" and were basically 5 rest-pause singles. Ultimately my LP ended after resetting constantly due to aching knees and hips. Possibly related to lifting at "gun to your head, RPE10" for all work sets...

After months of resetting/burnout/time off I started from scratch for a second LP:

February-late-April 2018
bw: 175-->184
squat 185-->270 (5x3)
bench: 155-->200 (5x3)
deadlift: 225-->295 (5x1)
press: 95-->135 (5x3)

Again, getting to the point that lifting was miserable and injury was probably imminent. And right around that time I discovered BBM and this place, fortunately before I re-started the cycle of constant injuries and resets.


mgil edit:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

Placing the google spreadsheet @KyleSchuant as created in the first post for posterity.

[Ragholmes]

I wish there was something like this when I was doing SSLP. Some real honesty about LP end numbers may have saved me from the last 2 years of crap with injuries and ego. So, I will gladly post my shame if it helps someone else out there to not make my mistakes.

I finished LP with;

Squat 255 lbs for 3 sets across of 5 reps
Deadlift 340 lbs for 1 set of 5
Bench 190 lbs for 3 sets across of 5 reps, 220 lbs single
OHP 115 lbs for 3 sets across of 5 reps.

At 6ft 1ish, 45 yrs old and an ending bodyweight of 205 lbs.

I put on 40 lbs. But I had lost weight due to an illness, which is why I started in the first place. I think I'm one of the few who didn't get fat-fucked. I think as well as ending LP numbers, maybe some could address Rips claim of just how easy it is to lose that weight after LP.

I reset multiple times, had multiple lay-offs due to injuries. For almost 18 months I kept coming back and trying to "finish" my LP and get my numbers to something "respectable". 2 years later I still have shoulder and elbow issues, which is seriously affecting current progress with my bench, OHP and pull-ups.

I should not have bought in to all the bullshit rhetoric and just moved on. I'm sure people do get to the numbers Rip spouts, but I highly doubt it is the norm. It does not work 100% of the time. If you don't get to those numbers, please don't keep grinding and and beating up your body, move on when your body tells you to.
I ran an almost perfect LP, 3 questions, clarification etc Obsessed over getting it right to get the results that are promised. The only thing I didn't do was get coaching, which would have helped a bit but would not have put 100 lbs on my lifts in that time frame.

[Griff]

I wish there was something like this when I was doing SSLP. Some real honesty about LP end numbers may have saved me from the last 2 years of crap with injuries and ego. So, I will gladly post my shame if it helps someone else out there to not make my mistakes.

Me too. I remember hearing @Austin mention on a BBM podcast that his LP ended at something like 275x5x3 on squats and that was a pretty normal end point for an average guy. That was like a light bulb going off for me--my LP didn't end because of insufficient weight gain, or minor form deviations*, or not enough microloading, etc... it ended because it was no longer appropriate programming. And it wasn't a failure, it was just time to move on.

*I remember scrutinizing videos of my squat work sets for the smallest signs of "knee slide", convinced that there was some hidden flaw holding me back

[Testiclaw]

I can't wait for the "4/3/5 @ 190" stories to come flooding in and put all of you fuckers to shame.

[rjharris]

*I remember scrutinizing videos of my squat work sets for the smallest signs of "knee slide", convinced that there was some hidden flaw holding me back

lol that was me. I even took simultaneous video from *different angles* to try to figure out how I could improve things. IIRC, Austin specifically called this out as symptomatic of the people who probably are too into SSNLP (hopefully not putting words in his mouth here).

[nealstar]

NLP Oct.'15 - Jan. '16 (38 y.o.)
Ht: 5'9"
BW: 216 -> 230
S: 230X5 -> 332.5X5
P: 120X5 -> 140X3sX5r
B: 175X5 -> 202.5X3sX5r
D: 260X5 -> 327.5X5

NLP -> Adv.NLP Mar.'17 - Jun.'17 (39 y.o.)
BW: 220 -> 224
S: 350X1 -> 365X3
P: 137.5X5 -> 130X3sX3r
B: 210X3 -> 205X3sX5r
D: 325X4 -> 330X3

Second time around my SSCs left the gym in April'17 to open their own facility which I was priced out of. I switched myself over to Adv.NLP shortly after to try to break through. Stalled out again after about a month. Went off road a bit with GSLP. Here are my ending numbers on GSLP for comparison:

GSLP Jun.'17 - Feb.'18 (39-40 y.o.)
BW: 230
S: 375X4
P: 155X2
B: 215X7
D: 370X4

[cwd]

Male, 5'10"

First attempt: age 45, body weight 152 to 163 in 5 weeks, ended by severe hip tendon pain from squatting:
squat 145 lbs for 5x3
bench 110 lbs for 5x3
dead 145 lbs for 5x1

Second, third, and 4th attempt all ended up about here, with bodyweight ending around 185:
squat 215 lbs for 5x3
bench 140 lbs for 5x3
dead 275 lbs for 5x1

All attempts ended with RPE 10 efforts, hip, shoulder, and elbow tendon pain, and severe discouragement.

Just in case you conclude from the above pathetic numbers that I am chronically ill or was just sandbagging, on better programming I have recently squatted 315, benched 205, and deadlifted 385 (singles at RPE 8). This is at age 53 and under 180 lbs.

Just as Chase L. is a positive outlier for the SS NLP, I'm a negative outlier. I think "low-responders" to resistance training are especially ill-served by staying on SS more than 8 weeks or so. We need to switch to a higher-volume, lower-average-intensity, slower-progressing scheme sooner.

[TheDuke]

I wish there was something like this when I was doing SSLP.

This.

I went through SSLP few times cause Rip said that a 6'3 young guy in 20s needs to squat 400 lbs 3x5 or something is wrong. And yea, minimum 275 lbs bodyweight. Even Jordan said something similiar back then.

I did fat fuck myself to 275 lbs, but clearly didn't do the program since I didn't get that numbers.

Best lifts on SSLP, bodyweight 275 lbs

Squat 347 lbs 3x5
Bench press 286 lbs x5
Deadlift 385 lbs x5
Press 192.5 lbs x4

[perman]

Just as Chase L. is a positive outlier for the SS NLP, I'm a negative outlier. I think "low-responders" to resistance training are especially ill-served by staying on SS more than 8 weeks or so. We need to switch to a higher-volume, lower-average-intensity, slower-progressing scheme sooner.

You should eat until you have the weight of an Adult Male and do the fucking program.

Thusly.

[cgeorgiev]

I wish I documented started weights and dates more than I did during my LP, but if I remember correctly my stalling weights were:
SQ: 335 x 5 x 3
DL: 385 x 5 x 1
BP: 212.5 x 5 x 3
PR: 160 x 5 x 3
PC: 165 x 3 x 5

I went from around 165lb to 195lb at 5'9". All around April - September 2016. I forgot about that 200/300/400/500 standard that was totally the norm, and if you couldn't attain that then you were doing something wrong. Fuck off.

Moving onto Texas method after that is one of the greatest regrets in my life, right up there with dropping out of high school, and heroin.

[cwd]

Just as Chase L. is a positive outlier for the SS NLP, I'm a negative outlier. I think "low-responders" to resistance training are especially ill-served by staying on SS more than 8 weeks or so. We need to switch to a higher-volume, lower-average-intensity, slower-progressing scheme sooner.

You should eat until you have the weight of an Adult Male and do the fucking program.

Thusly.

Yes. I believed that too.
At one point I touched 199 lbs. My belly was starting to overlap my belt at that weight, and it did nothing to heal my tendons.

Side note -- I just got done benching 150 lbs, at bodyweight 177, 9 weeks into a cut, for 9 sets of 5, with 2 minute rests.

RPE was too low to rate. It didn't hurt. Volume sensitive and intensity dependent my ass. "Low responders" need a higher dose of volume, not lower.

[KyleSchuant]

My son was getting toilet training, and at 3am had woken to go the toilet, when he finished he chucked his nappy on the floor and ran back to bed. I bent to pick it up, and my back seized up, I didn't get back to sleep after that. I thought: what the fuck is the point of grinding out heavy weights in the gym if you can't even pick up a wet nappy at 3am without injuring yourself? This was with 115kg work sets on squat, something like that.

At WFAC in 2014 I didn't see anyone doing the 200/300/400/500. None of the 65 members. It was just a bigger and emptier version of my garage, with lots of ordinary people with fucked backs or whatever plugging along trying to improve their lives, but not letting weights dominate their lives.

To be fair in looking at the numbers in this thread, bear in mind that this site collects people who are disappointed in SS.

[Ragholmes]

As an Australian living in the US I can translate for you guys. Nappy = Diaper

[KyleSchuant]

Don't translate for them, Rag. Make them research things. Make them into careful observers.

[cwd]

To be fair in looking at the numbers in this thread, bear in mind that this site collects people who are disappointed in SS.

Code: Select all

(all people who train with barbells
  (and discuss it on forums
    (and on Exodus in particular)
      (this thread)
) ) )

A very non-representative sample, I'm sure.

[augeleven]

It would be cool if some of the stronger guys added their LP ends too. Not only is there the dissatisfied SS consumer bias Kyle mentioned, but there is probably also an "I'm not actually ashamed of my LP results so I won't post here" bias.


Male, 5'10"
nickname on jr peewee football team: slow motion
My last season of little league I batted an .000
defacto last pick in gym class

I ran LP in the middle of my first real running training block (for a half marathon). So from the beginning of LP until mid-November, I was running at least 20 miles a week. After the half, I stopped running to "maximize my squat gains". I ended up losing what aerobic base I had accumulated and not gaining much in the squat. I feel like I'm still trying to fix this 2 years later.

Squat
8/17?/16-12/3/16
BW 195-210
45x5x3 ->235x5x3 and nasty golfer's elbow that took me a year and a switch to high bar to get rid of it
went up to 255x5x3 on HLM by the end of May '17, crashed and burned

Bench
8/17/16-2/8/17 (right before my vasectomy break{pun intended})
45x5x3 - 170x5x3
up to 190x5x4 on HLM in May of '17, stopped benching for months due to shoulder pain (front delt)

Deadlift
8/17/16-1/5/17
45x5-315x1
went up to 335x1 by the end of May on HLM

Press
8/17/16-2/8/17
45x5x3 - 105x5x3 There were a lot of mini resets and missed reps here

[andrewm]

Started as a 37 year old 205lbs 6' male with a 39" waist. Ended at 220lbs with a 41" waist.

Lift	Start (lbs)	End LP (lbs)	End Adv. Novice (lbs)	All time PRs
Deadlift	125x5	295x3 (injury)	295x5	405x1 (straps)
Squat	85x5x3	240	245x5x3 (repeatedly reset and failed here)	345x1
Bench	70x5	157.5	170x5x3	245x1
Clean	80x5x3	115x5	135x3	Stopped cleaning
Press	65x5	105x5	122.5x5	155x1
Chin(s)	1	4	8	9

Thanks for creating this thread - it was fun to go back to the SS website and re-read my log. In hindsight I stuck with SS for too long. Texas Method and getting fat prolonged the problem. Some nagging injuries included a few low back tweaks, recurrent golfer's elbow and some groin pain. This stopped almost entirely after switching to HLM where I used more volume at lower intensities.

Even with it's issues, after a long history of just fucking around in the gym and not really getting anywhere SS was the first time I'd ever been successful at changing my body. I did get stronger than I'd ever been, and I wonder what would have happened if I'd known how to squat, deadlift, bench and press in my 20s.

If I did it again, would I stick with it and keep hurting myself as long as I did? No. Would I start there again and switch to something else when I was routinely training @9 or @10 on work sets? Absolutely.

[Griff]

It would be cool if some of the stronger guys added their LP ends too.

Agreed! I’m more interested in the stories of how LP went and how and why it ended than in collecting any sort of data.

[Griff]

Even with it's issues, after a long history of just fucking around in the gym and not really getting anywhere SS was the first time I'd ever been successful at changing my body. I did get stronger than I'd ever been, and I wonder what would have happened if I'd known how to squat, deadlift, bench and press in my 20s.

If I did it again, would I stick with it and keep hurting myself as long as I did? No. Would I start there again and switch to something else when I was routinely training @9 or @10 on work sets? Absolutely.

Exactly my experience. Totally agree.

[noviceLIfter]

I ran the LP so many times I lost count. I ended up with the similar numbers with each run.

SQ: 265x5x3 (attempted the weird peaking method in PP but made little progress)
Bench: 205x5x3
Deadlift: 315x5x1
OHP 125x3x5

Weight: ~155 lbs --> 203 lbs. GOMAD for a bit too long.

I wasted a lot of time on Aasgaard post-novice programming (well over a year!). I kept trying to 'eat my way through the sticking points' and ballooned up to ~220 lbs. Not really bad for a guy who is 6 feet tall, but everything past 195 lbs was not muscle.

On the flip side I am glad I ran the LP. It did teach me the barbell movements, improved my physical and mental strength, and I gained a lot of confidence from it. As a skinny runner, I never though I could squat 135, let alone 225 or anything above that. Unfortunately the LP is only useful for the first several months of programming. Aasgaard is useless after that.

Anyways, started BBM/RTS programming in late Fall 2018 and never looked back. Sitting at 198 lbs (below my preferred weight but I'll gain some weight again in Fall 2019)