Strength Template SOS

Running the 12Week Strength Template 2.0 and all was well until this week, Week 11 of the program, when I hit a wall, crashing and burning. Turning here to see how I should proceed so close to the end of the program. Days 1 & 2 felt fine, hit all my lifts. Work and other life obligations got in the way and needed to take two days off before training Day 3 (which I modified to be Day 2 by the program). Hit Bench (start with it since its my weakest lift), but RPE is a little higher than I’d like. Then I go to do DL’s and thats when everything goes South. Work up to my first working set @ 89% x 3 and it feels like RPE 9. Heavy single work ensues (I do the heavy singles after one work set - I tend to do better this way) and I miss going for 95%. WTF? Back off to do 92% (usually go for 93%), miss again. Fuming, I decide to go back to 89% and call it a day. Do one rep and then fail on my second rep. I don’t proceed any further.

Eat like a madman, get plenty of rest and decide to attempt at least the rest of the working sets on DL, approx 24hrs later (AKA, just a couple hours ago). Doing warm-ups and do two reps @ 315lbs which is about 53% 1RM and it feels like goddamn RPE 9. Glutes and lower back not happy at all. I know it’s not even worth it to proceed and unload the bar and truncate the session right there. I’m at a loss now though, mainly due to it being so close to the end.

How do I proceed? Do I take a couple more days off and try to re-do Day 3? Do I just keep pushing on into Week 12, or should I re-do Week 11 in its entirety?

I’m sure work stress plays a large role, but sleep and diet really haven’t changed during the entire program. Not much I can do about work stress, especially with the warmer weather, it’s only going to get worse.

Hey Leo,

Understandable that you’re feeling that way, but I wouldn’t worry about it- off days happen. I think this is more indicative of internal training load, e.g. stress, life stuff, etc. vs anything related to under nutrition, training “recovery” etc.

I would just move on to Week 12 and don’t worry about it. Weird stuff happens in the gym sometimes. If week 12 doesn’t go your way, I’d move back to some more training volume and the next time you’re going to peak, try a slightly different strategy with more volume (e.g. our “fast peak”, which is a free downloadable “plug in” that you could use in place of the last few weeks of the 12 WS).