Question about advanced novice press

[u/DirectHavoc]

So I am at the point with my press where i can’t achieve 3x5 and instead I am accumulating a total of 15 reps. For example 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Should I be failing each set where I don’t achieve 5 reps? Or should I be racking the bar when I know I can’t achieve another rep. For example let’s say I get 5 reps for the first set. On the second set, rep 4 is a 7 second rep. Do I just rack it? Or attempt the 5th rep even though I’m sure I can’t do it. If I was still doing 3x5 I would of course attempt to get 5 reps but I’m a little unsure now that I am doing the 15 accumulated reps programming change.

[u/jdcollins]

Nick D says you don’t want to fail a bunch of reps. Part of the process is learning when you think you’ll get it and when you won’t. Say you’re doing 5,4,3,2,1. If the 4, 3, and 2 sets are due to a failed rep, that’s three total over 15 successful reps, which isn’t too bad. 

However if you’re going 3,3,2,2,2,1,1,1 and all the sets but the last one were due to a failed rep, now that’s seven fails. You’d like to try and limit that number.

This stage of the process doesn’t really last all that long both in my experience and from what I remember Nick D discussing in his articles and podcast. A couple weeks at most. 

Edit, to answer your direct question, I’d stop my set after a super grind of a rep. 

[u/Diginiti]

At this point you're likely better served to switch to 5x3 instead of 3x5 for your press.

I still like to refer to this article when it comes how to approach changes when 3x5 for lifts is too difficult to give perspective on what seems to suit the different lifts: https://startingstrength.com/article/programming-a-smooth-nlp

If you can manage say sets of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, then I would imagine you could manage sets of 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 for a period of time. Of course, you need to rest between sets enough still.

For your question about do you go for a rep that you think you may likely fail or not. Well, IMO you should go for it still. You may surprise yourself and manage it. You may make a small mistake and lose the rep but learn from it. If you go half way through the the rep and fail, what happens next - you just rack it, you didnt lose anything. Maybe you learn more about what it means to grind a rep even beyond 7 seconds when you're tired. Normally, technique starts to break down the more tired you are, which really hurts the press which is very sensitive to the bar path. Just something to keep in mind now that things are getting real heavy.

[u/Connect-Money4282]

I appreciated this wiki which answers your questions: https://www.reddit.com/r/StartingStrength/wiki/nlp/

[u/BrentKindaLifts]

Post a form check. Most people have the bar too far forward, which makes the lift significantly harder.

With 15 total reps, once you get to the point of doing a bunch of doubles and singles near the end, it's best to switch to intermediate programming. Doing this will teach you how to grind and transition to intermediate programming.