5% Off: Navigating PRs and Performance in the Gym
One of our athletes at Westside Barbell recently attempted a snatch-grip deadlift—heels close together, hands at the widest grip—and ended up roughly 5% short of their old personal record (PR). It’s natural to question whether you should expect a PR every time you train. And if you miss it, at what point does a drop in weight signal a problem?
Below, we’ll break down why hitting 5% under a previous max is often no big deal, explore common reasons for slight performance dips, and share how to adjust your training so you stay on track toward your goals.
Rewriting Expectations Around PRs
Contrary to what some might think, the Conjugate Method isn’t about setting a record every single session. Life outside the gym—sports practices, stress from work or school, and changes in body weight—can all affect your performance from day to day.
If you’re consistently in the ballpark of your best lift—within 5%, give or take—you’re likely dealing with normal fatigue or minor fluctuations. When you see drops of 10% or more over multiple weeks, that’s the cue to re-evaluate everything from training volume to accessory exercises.
Why 5% Matters
At Westside, we’ve seen firsthand how small dips in performance often come down to missing pieces in your training. For example, sled work plays a huge role in driving and maintaining heavy pulls. If your sled volume is down, it can directly affect your deadlift performance.
The takeaway: 5% off doesn’t mean you’ve lost strength; it’s often a sign you need to shore up a key element of your routine—like reintroducing or increasing sled work—to get back in PR range.
The Role of Accessory Work
Accessory exercises form the foundation upon which max effort lifts are built. Good mornings, split-leg movements, 45-degree hypers, and back extensions all target the posterior chain. If these exercises start slipping through the cracks, your PRs may follow suit.
Before you panic about missing a lift, check your accessory work. Are you consistent? Are you hitting the right angles and rep schemes? A small tweak here can lead to big payoffs on the platform.
Smart Warm-Ups Lead to Better Lifts
How you ramp up to your heaviest sets is just as important as the top set itself. Sure, you can breeze through 50% or even 80% of your max, but once you cross 90%, every incremental jump should be deliberate. Spending enough time in that 90–97% zone primes your central nervous system for truly maximal efforts.
Balancing Sport and Strength
If you’re an athlete, remember that your main focus is excelling in your sport—not necessarily breaking PRs every week. Max effort work, done properly, can build the tissue density and resilience you need to stay competitive. Jiu-Jitsu athletes, for example, can often handle a max effort lift up to a week before competition without hindering their performance—if their overall program is structured correctly.
The Bottom Line
Being 5% off your best lift is rarely cause for alarm. It might be a sign you need more sled volume or better accessory work—or you simply had an off day. Keep an eye on trends, manage your training smartly, and remember: if you’re an athlete, your true testing ground is the field or the mat, not the gym.
Watch the Full Podcast
For a deeper dive into PR expectations, training volume, and how to navigate those off days, check out our latest Westside Barbell Podcast episode below. Tom Barry and Burley Hawk discuss everything from percentages to athlete-specific considerations—all through the lens of the Conjugate Method.
