I don’t train til failure, but I’m always fatigued and extremely sore

[jimkbeau]

Even though I don't train to failure, I push myself hard during workouts, and always end up extremely sore. Despite being consistent with my training (now around 2 years but I’ve had some inconsistencies), eating enough protein, and getting decent sleep, progress feels sluggish and recovery is a struggle. My lifestyle isn't overly stressful, and I don't overdo cardio, yet I'm perplexed by my slow recovery. I'm wondering if this is normal and if there are ways for me to recover better and faster (or is this what every natural builder goes through?).

PS. I follow Jeff Nippards PPL program.

Edit: btw I’m grateful for any piece of advice, thank you guys! And please let know about your experience as well if you have the time.

2nd Edit: I just wanna say thank you to all of you once again, everyone is so kind and informative, I didn’t expect this amount of great advice and I will definitely be applying it, thank you everyone!

 

[asperd]

@jimkbeau Excessive volume without failure can lead to soreness too. Are you doing an unusual number of sets or total reps per muscle?

 

[jimkbeau]

@asperd I don’t think I am at all, I’m following a well praised workout routine made by Jeff Nippard (sounds like an ad haha), and honestly it doesn’t seem to be that taxing when it comes to my energy in the gym

 

[timothyalex]

@jimkbeau Have you tried reducing the volume, or perhaps just taking an extra days rest somewhere intelligently in the program? We're not all built the same and you might recover better by doing less / resting more. Remember, you need your body to recover to actually make the gains!

 

[confusedgirl98]

@jimkbeau As someone who has done Nippard's PPL, it's honestly not that well put together, and the volume is pretty high.

Either way, the program wasn't made specifically for you, and your recoverability will differ. You ought to reduce volume for the muscles that get really sore until you adapt to the stimulus (don't get sore) and then increase volume accordingly

 

[jimkbeau]

@confusedgirl98 Yeah especially legs can feel a little overwhelming throughout the week, do you recommend any programs? Or do you think I should just tweak this one?

 

[confusedgirl98]

@jimkbeau Honestly yeah, I forgot how brutal Nippard's prescribed leg days were. I'd honestly die or tear something if I tried it now.

I'd start by tweaking it to suit your volume needs, but otherwise I really like RP's old PPL templates (you should be able to find the .xlsx somewhere on reddit), basically they just prescribe a movement pattern, which you ascribe your own exercise to, then you modulate volume according to your needs.

 

[jimkbeau]

@confusedgirl98 That actually sounds sick, RP’s is doctor Mike’s app?

 

[lili2707]

@jimkbeau RP is Renaissance Periodization, which Dr. Mike co-owns. What K_oSTheKnut is referring to is their old excel templates, which kinda functions like the app. Check your private messages for more "info" :d

 

[staceyw]

@lili2707 Could I piggyback on this “info?”

 

[darjohns]

@lili2707 Please share the info with me as well

 

[truewolf12]

@confusedgirl98 I'm pretty sure the programs he posts on YouTube are his own routines or they explicitly state they're for intermediate/advanced lifters.

 

[truewolf12]

@jimkbeau I hope you're not doing Jeff's personal workout or the PPL/Upper Lower ones he posts on YouTube. Fundamentals Hypertrophy is the only beginner program he has.

 

[frustratedhusband]

@jimkbeau Is that Nippard program aimed at beginners though ?

 

[niece0628]

@jimkbeau reduce workout days to 3 or 4 days if you are training 6 days right now. reduce to 2 sets per exercise if you are doing 3 sets per exercise, or reduce to 2 or 3 sets per exercise, if you are doing 4 sets right now. that would be, what i would try

 

[jimkbeau]

@niece0628 It seems everyone thinks I should incorporate more rest days, I feel like I’m already resting too much at a max of 4 days a week, and I’m doing less than 70 sets per week

 

[jacobsonofjohn]

@jimkbeau 70 total or per muscle group? 70 total sets per week is not bad

 

[kyotzo]

@jimkbeau 70 sets is insane. I wouldn’t do more than 12 sets a day, 4 days a week (48 sets).

Personally, I’ve made the best progress doing 8 sets per day, on a 4 days on, 2 day off schedule (32 sets every 6 days)

You tend to push closer to failure when doing less sets too.

 

[viri]

@kyotzo that's less than 10 sets per muscle group a week. How is that insane?

 

[dawn16]

@jimkbeau 70 sets per week is fucking insanity.

50 sets is more more than enough per week total for all muscle groups