High Session RPE and DOMS on PPL

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi,

I’m currently in Week 4 of the PPL Hypertrophy program.

I would rate my leg day sessions as RPE 9. I am taking 3 minutes between sets and I’m confident that I am not exceeding the RPE cap per set. Yet I feel nauseas (like I might throw up) and barely able to recover my breath and heart rate between sets by the end of the sessions. I have brutal leg, low back, glute, and hamstring DOMS the day after which take about 3 days to subside.

Which route would you suggest I follow:

  1. Reduce volume by one set per exercise.
  2. Keep volume but reduce RPE per set.
  3. Keep everything the same and let my body adapt over some weeks. (Trust the process.)
  4. Distribute leg volume throughout the week, therefore changing the PPL program to a full body.

If it matters, I train weights Fri, Sat, Sun, and I do the cardio sessions Mon-Thurs.

Historically, I have trained legs with about half the volume of this program (admittedly, with little progress in strength or size).

For the record, I don’t mind the nausea and DOMS, as long as I know I’m not imposing too much unproductive stress. (Surprisingly, my nagging knee pain has gone away since beginning the program.)

Thanks for any suggestions!

Noah

2

Hey Noah,

Welcome to the forum. Good to see you here.

With respect to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), it’s a bit like Goldilocks. We want some soreness to crop up here and there, but not too much or too little. Any line in the sand about soreness frequency and severity is admittedly arbitrary, but I am typically okay with up to ~2 sessions per week of moderate soreness (5-6/10) at the beginning of a new training program, which should both decrease throughout the program.

Since you’re at about 4-weeks, I’d probably just keep things the same. If this persists throughout weeks 4 and 5, I’d reduce RPE by 2 for each compound lift.

Other changes I’d consider, if applicable:

  • Eliminate any use of pre-workout with caffeine
  • Eliminate any pre-lift hype
  • No carbonated beverages within 2 hours pre workout
  • Make sure to eat 90 to 120-minutes prior to a workout

Let me know how this goes.

-Jordan