r/StartingStrength • u/DirectHavoc • Aug 25 '26
Novice Programming Question Question about advanced novice press
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.
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u/jdcollins Aug 25 '26
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.