Or so it seems. For about a month I've been stuck with most of my lifts, I deload and work myself back up but it doesn't seem to get my very far. What should I do? I've been doing SL for about a year now and wouldn't have a problem doing it longer but it seems that it's no longer effective. I've been contemplating CF for quite a long time but there are a few issues with it, mostly the only CF gym around me is absurdly expensive($200/mo) and my current gym doesn't have everything I'd need or the layout to make some of the exercise feasible.
hit a plateau
- Thread starter Pantlegz
- Start date
What kind of a plateau are we talking about here? Cause there is a big difference between a plateau at a 200lb squat and a 500+lb squat.
Edit: I just saw your log. Maybe you could try lowering down to 3x5 on the big lifts and taking more rest between sets to get your numbers rising again.
Edit: I just saw your log. Maybe you could try lowering down to 3x5 on the big lifts and taking more rest between sets to get your numbers rising again.
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You want to juice a beginner routine for as long as possible - everything that comes after it results in slower gains and more complicated programming. A few things to try:
* Switch to a 3x5 rep scheme instead of 5x5. Less volume = easier recovery.
* Go up in the smallest increments you can. 5lb jumps or if you have microplates, even less. If you don't have microplates, you can buy metal washers (~1lb each) with 2 inch holes for dirt cheap.
* Check your technique. Many beginners stall because of technique issues - lacking hip drive on squat, hips shooting up on deadlift, etc.
* Aren't you cutting? If so, this could be a big reason for stalling.
* Switch to a 3x5 rep scheme instead of 5x5. Less volume = easier recovery.
* Go up in the smallest increments you can. 5lb jumps or if you have microplates, even less. If you don't have microplates, you can buy metal washers (~1lb each) with 2 inch holes for dirt cheap.
* Check your technique. Many beginners stall because of technique issues - lacking hip drive on squat, hips shooting up on deadlift, etc.
* Aren't you cutting? If so, this could be a big reason for stalling.
I am cutting, which I thought may have a lot to do with my stalling. I've been paying close attention to my form and getting people to check it as often as possible(we have 2 decent trainers that I trust at the gym now to check my form) I think my form is good but I'm always working on that.
by 3x5 you mean 3 sets of 5, right? That would actually be a lot easier, for a while I typically lose a lot of steam those last 2 sets, especially when I'm pressed for time and don't rest as long as I should.
Thanks for the advice
Once you get to a certain point, maintaining your strength during a cut is about all you can expect. Just keep total volume in check (3x5, as suggested) for recovery reasons and keep the weights up. You may be able to still gain strength, but don't get discouraged if you don't. The important thing is that you're not getting weaker.
This is the most likely culprit. In fact, it's not unusual to lose strength while cutting, and the faster you lose weight, the worse it is.
Yup. Starting Strength uses the 3x5 scheme and Stronglifts recommends switching to it when you start to stall. In my experience, most people that have been lifting more than a few months find it easier to make progress using the 3x5.
How many calories a day are you getting? What are your lifts at? It may be time for intermediate programming if you've deloaded a few times and everything else is in check.
getting between 3000 and 3500 calories a day.
Squatted 325x5
Bench 225x5x5
DL 315x5
As of yesterday, I had my squat up to 345 at one point but that was before my cut and bench was 235.
Thats the problem with the favored bulk/cut cycles... The Bulking is easy and nice but the cutting afterwards gives some trouble ^_^
I cut at 2300 calories when I weighed 225 and it worked just fine... down to 197 now. I maintained strength, I didn't expect to gain strength while cutting in general.
Cutting at 3000? The hell.
Cutting at 3000? The hell.
sitting at about 230 right now, I need to drop my calories more but I'm hungry. On top of lifting 3x a week I also play football which is 2 or 3 2 hour practices a week as well as a 3 hour game weekly. So it's not like I'm sitting around jogging a mile once a week and going on a 3000 calorie 'diet'. And in all honestly it's probably more like 2500-3000 calories typically but some of my more active days I'll get close to 3500 calories. Hell my BMR is ~2200 calories so given my exercise I'm still probably averaging a 500 calories deficit daily.
If I'm doing my math right, I'm ~230 and ~18% bf which means I've got about 41lbs of fat. 215 would put me at about 10% bf if I keep the same composition, I don't seen getting below 205 unless I'm cutting hardcore if I decide to fight (semi)professionally sometime down the road.
That's actually not very many calories for his size and activity level. He should be around 4000 at this point in the program.
Those numbers are good, if you say you've been doing this for a year that's about the maximum time people take to finish the novice level programming.
Have you thought of switching to the texas method? or something similar...
Those numbers are good, if you say you've been doing this for a year that's about the maximum time people take to finish the novice level programming.
Have you thought of switching to the texas method? or something similar...
SociallyChallenged
Elite
- Mar 22, 2002
- 10,483
- 32
- 81
An individual his size should not be having trouble with those weights. The stall in progression is due to his caloric deficit alone. I guarantee that, if he started eating at caloric maintenance and made sure his form was perfect, he would be progressing in a linear fashion. Reduced caloric intake has a huge effect on recovery and strength progression. Putting him on an intermediate program wouldn't change his strength gains.
If I were you, I would eat 4000+ calories until my novice progression ends. Then cut it down when you start intermediate as you won't need as many in that period of your training. That's my plan at least!
It was a caliper test by the guy that owns the gym I go to, he apparently does everybody there including a few ametuer bodybuilders and claimed his readings were always close to what people that had their bf tested at the local university submerged in water. I don't know how true that is but I'm not fat at 230, I'll try to get my girlfriend to take some pics of me later tonight and add to my log. I've got some fat to lose but I'm a lot leaner than what most people imagine at 230lbs.
Yeah I was definitely not lean at 230, but my deadlift had gotten to 375 so I was blind to it. The ladyfriend's snoring complaints and a look in the mirror lead me to a cut. Props to being leanish at that weight.
Drop to 3x5 definitely and up your calories to progress or just maintain while cutting.
Also, from my personal experience, consider belting up if you haven't already and make sure to breathe adequately and not rush reps.
Also, from my personal experience, consider belting up if you haven't already and make sure to breathe adequately and not rush reps.
kalrith
Diamond Member
- Aug 22, 2005
- 6,628
- 7
- 81
Fixed that for you
And you really need to decide what you want at this point. You can continue to add weight to your lifts and muscle mass, or you can cut. You can't do both at the same time. People have already detailed how to go either route, so I have nothing to add to that.
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Fixed that for you
And you really need to decide what you want at this point. You can continue to add weight to your lifts and muscle mass, or you can cut. You can't do both at the same time. People have already detailed how to go either route, so I have nothing to add to that.
haha I don't know that she would be too happy about that. I'll try tho
. I think I'm going to keep cutting and move to a 3x5 if I'm still stalled in a week or 2. Then work on a 'slow bulk' basically eat enough to keep my lifts moving and not gain (much) weight. I think 215-220 is a good weight for my frame so I would like to try to keep it in that ballpark. Thanks for the advice guy it's much appreciated.
I'm eating around 4000 calories give or take a day, and my weight has stabilized at 215. Havn't gained any weight in weeks.
I'll probably be between 3500 and 4000 once I get to a decent weight. shouldn't take too long to drop down to 215, I hope.
And I posted pics in my journal if anyone wants to go laugh. Tell me what you think, they really don't do me justice though. I have quite a bit more definition in my stomach and for whatever reason I just wasn't able to get it to show up on the pics. basically my top two abs are easily visible without flexing.
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