The dude wants to get better at squatting, he'll get bigger legs by squatting yeah. If he doesn't work out upper body more to compensate, that's his problem.
4 months ago
Anonymous
no true, if you train your upper body with the same intensity you will be balanced. i have quite slender legs and i squat in low 200kgs and deadlift in the high 200kgs
4 months ago
Anonymous
Yeah cuz you have a good frame. You probably benched 165 in like 2 weeks of working out right?. Most of the morons on this website are skinny fat genetic garbage that will end up t-rex mode by the time they have a 2 plate squat. And their small frames and narrow clavicles make it impossible to even get to a 2 plate bench without adding tons of bodyfat to cope with fake strength. Which therefore results in the typical SS look.
4 months ago
Anonymous
the guy is squatting once a week like a bro split and wonders why he's weak. Idk how strong i would be if i did the same thing
4 months ago
Anonymous
5/3/1 is only once a week squats and works great.
The problem is OP likely has dogshit fricking form, no concept of training intensity and volume, and tons of imbalances from sitting around all day jacking off and playing vidya. His glutes probably can't even fire correctly.
4 months ago
Anonymous
i assume it's once a week squatting but there's more leg work on other days for this program?
Maxed my squat this morning just for giggles. Been back at the gym since the beginning of November. Went from 185 for 5 reps to 315 for 3 reps this morning. It was fun!
Also, that's me OP. I just squat, deadlift, and Bulgarian Split Squat, but I got to my strongest before with just Squats and Deadlifts.
OK but is that like the same reason why I can't improve my bench either? because I do a lot more chest stuff and I can't really improve that beyond 170lbs
in fact for a while my bones began hurting when I was benching and doing dips and when I looked that up that seemed to be a symptom of overworking.
4 months ago
Anonymous
you are such a helpless moron
4 months ago
Anonymous
Maybe so, but theres nothing much to be done about it.
i see. yeah at that weight your lifts should look different.
[...]
sidenote. this anon is asking the perfect question. I have not seen a routine that people recommend for bodybuilding in a similar vein to SS
[...]
yes it is super unbalanced and it is heavily hindering your progress. you pretty much do not train your core and back, which i think is the reason that you are experiencing pain and lack of strability.
If you go four days a week already why not run an upper/lower split?
For added information, I did years ago attempt to do SS(albiet incorrectly) and I did it for months. Weak squats or not, I did them 3 times a week for a while to the point that it seemed my legs we're getting big, and I went from like 130 lbs to 200lbs. Had my weight from a failed squat get stuck on my back with no one to help, and it spooked me off of lifting for a few years.
I knew obviously with my split that I was hitting the chest and shoulders a lot more, I was just under the assumption that my lower body didnt need as much work this time around with all the squatting I did before.
Man im assuming youre fat if this is the case which is going to give you a shit max squat if youve never bulked and build muscles. Commit to the cut. Losing weight is going to make your squat easier since you dont have to raise as much bodyweight along with the bar.
https://i.imgur.com/Iez45Re.gif
In comparison, how bad is my record bench of 170lbs 3x8 after 2 years?
https://i.imgur.com/yFi7dp3.jpg
I’m working on 175 5x5 this week (at 3x5 now, prob 1-2 week away from finishing)
Bro I started lifting seriously in June… it’s been 7-8 months and you’re maybe a month ahead of me after 2 years
I was skipping leg day for the first few months because of form issues and other stuff, after maybe 4-5 months of training I’m at 185 5x5 and I weigh 185
https://i.imgur.com/RbPyAZb.jpg
Well thats ok, I just think I wasn't meant to be a good weightlifter. Sometimes people arent meant to succeed.
Youre both moronic because this means absolutely nothing without knowing your height/weight.
Nta but I can do 90kg zercher no problem and I've only been lifting a little over a month, only done squats twice, weigh 70kg, squats and deadlifts are literally the easiest thing ever
I’m working on 175 5x5 this week (at 3x5 now, prob 1-2 week away from finishing)
Bro I started lifting seriously in June… it’s been 7-8 months and you’re maybe a month ahead of me after 2 years
I was skipping leg day for the first few months because of form issues and other stuff, after maybe 4-5 months of training I’m at 185 5x5 and I weigh 185
Honestly who gives a frick? You should be more worried about your upper body muscles. If you can actually squat 175 with proper form then your legs wont look anorexic which is all that matters.
very simple. anon is not following any progression scheme at all. notice how they dodge this very simple question throughout the whole thread? they know what the problem is. they just want to revel in self pity
oh okay then. Well the progression scheme is a set of rules for when and how you will progress in terms of your lifts.
Linear progression for example states that you will add weight to the bar when you clear your current lift
double progression will have you add reps in a set range while not adding weight until you reached all the reps for all sets in said range. then you add weight and start at the lowest amount of res of the range again and work up.
then there is for a lack of better term triple progression. where you add sets when you cleared your double progression and once you have done all those sets you will add weight to the bar.
Then there is Percentage based progression schemes like wave loading and so on.
For you to only be able to squat 80kg after 2 years means that you have no progression scheme in place to force you to become larger. Your muscles will straight up not grow if you are not challenging them more and more. When do you increase the weight you lift?
For beginner lifters it is recommended to add 5kg to the bar for lower body lifts every session when they start out. So if you were to squat every session and add 5 kg you would reach 80kg in 12 sessions if you started out with just the bar.
With your program that would happen after 12 weeks. With a regular beginner program it would happen in just 3. But you have been 2 years in so you are doing something very wrong. And it is either diet or lack of volume/intensity in your lifts.
4 months ago
Anonymous
I had for a while been doing dynamic double progression, which is why my rep range is generally 5-8 for all primary lifts. I When I could hit my upper rep range, I would increase weight. But then I started getting advice from here stating that increasing rep range is not something I should be increasing for heavy compounds when I was asking why its so hard to squat for more reps than 5 even when I like halve the weight I'm squatting. That, plus as I stated above my intention with lifting being for bodybuilding as opposed to pure strength gains. I had been told that doing a standard 3x5 is pointless for developing aesthetic size and was only for strength training.
Also, I for a good while was steadily increasing my lifting weight, I just hit plataeus that I can't cross essentially. I've been stuck at my 170 bench for months.
And finally, the weight rack I have is
https://i.imgur.com/yT97eQ2.jpg
[...]
My dad bought it years ago when he was weightlifting and I was toddler. This is what I have.
Its designed for benching, or OHPing or other barbell motions, not for squats. My dad was a leg day skipper it seems kek.
[...]
Why is that bad?
as you can see, there are no safeties on it. If I cannot drive my hips up, I'm trapped with weight on my back. its happened to me once before when I attempted to squat 195 3x5
Also a general sentiment that you should go slow when increasing weight otherwise its likely that you're going to injure yourself.
4 months ago
Anonymous
>for bodybuilding
then you need to throw out the advice of not adding sets out of the window.
your range from 5-8 is considered too low. Usually one takes a 5 rep difference to smooth out the weight jump when adding weight. It will benefit your fear of failing the lift too. >is pointless for developing aesthetic size
Generally yes. Try 6-10 reps on your main lift. See how that works. Bodybuilding progression is supposed to be slower.
If you need to decrease weight to hit those 6 reps on your lifts it does not matter you need a better progression scheme.
You dodged the height question again. WHAT IS YOUR HEIGHT ANON
4 months ago
Anonymous
my bad i forgot to post it. but seriously. your weight means nothing if you're super tall and lanky. and everything if you're short and fat
4 months ago
Anonymous
I'm a 5'10 manlet so at 204 im a little fat
4 months ago
Anonymous
i see. yeah at that weight your lifts should look different.
>Follow a routine
Ok, whats the SS of bodybuilding
sidenote. this anon is asking the perfect question. I have not seen a routine that people recommend for bodybuilding in a similar vein to SS
Out of curiosity, why exactly is my routine bad?
I mean in general. Is it just the lack of volume for my legs? Were my upper body lift choices also terrible? Was i wasting time everywhere?
I just tried to keep it to 2-3 lifts per body part.
yes it is super unbalanced and it is heavily hindering your progress. you pretty much do not train your core and back, which i think is the reason that you are experiencing pain and lack of strability.
If you go four days a week already why not run an upper/lower split?
4 months ago
Anonymous
>If you go four days a week already why not run an upper/lower split?
I could. I just hadn't even really heard of it until you mentioned it
4 months ago
Anonymous
You're incorporating all these ideas you've heard and built an incomprehensible mess. Pick a program and stick to it. It hardly matters which program. It would be an improvement to what you're doing now
>Drop the weight to 150. >Day 1 do 150 3x5 >1 Rest day >Day 2 do 155 3x5 >1 rest day >Day 3 do 160 3x5 >1-2 rest days >restart at day 1 but at 165 do this until you can't anymore
Maxed my squat this morning just for giggles. Been back at the gym since the beginning of November. Went from 185 for 5 reps to 315 for 3 reps this morning. It was fun!
How is that even possible? I'm a lanklet at 140lbs and can squat 215, and I've been training for just short of a year. What the frick are you doing (or not doing), OP?
Was going to say that's not too bad, but then I realized you were talking about lbs. Literally do any program? 170 took me 13 months chaining SS into TM ([email protected]) and even that is mediocre.
Same though I can do like 205 and I weight 203. I fricking suck. Also when running uphill and hiking I guess I've always been too moronic to use my glutes or basically anything other than my calves. So I just have juicy calves and weak ass thighs
i was in the same boat as you anon, try doing 8 sets of 3, then slowly add more weight. Barely could do 225, then i reached 315. Remember to do accessory workouts to (hip ad/abductors, leg extensions/curls, leg press, Bulgarian split squats)
I'm already eating close to a gram of protein per lb of my bodyweight. And aren't you only suppose to eat a g per lbs of LEAN weight?
The only thing I can think is that I don't push hard enough because I have a home gym and a regular barbell rack so theres no safeties for me if I can't get the weight up. I can somewhat comfortably do 175 so I'm sure I probably could go higher, but at significant risk to my safety.
>I have a home gym and a regular barbell rack so theres no safeties
What the actual frick you god damn moron, what kind of bootleg chinese shit did you buy that doesn't have safeties?
You're weak because you're a fricking idiot. Squat more with a decent program and upgrade your shit so that you don't legitimately neck your stupid fricking self.
>no safeties
This is pure moronation. Fix that shit yesterday.
My dad bought it years ago when he was weightlifting and I was toddler. This is what I have.
Its designed for benching, or OHPing or other barbell motions, not for squats. My dad was a leg day skipper it seems kek.
Just a bro split. I was trying to focus on upper body, specifically chest and shoulder. >Monday
Squats 3 x 5 175
Weighted glute bridges 3 x 16 45
and Calf raises or lunges
OHP 3 x 8 105
Side lateral raises 3 x 10 20
Shrugs 3 x 25 45
>wed
Bench press 3 x 8 170
Chest flies 3 x 10 40
and Dips or incline dumbell press 3 x 10 40.
Tricep extensions 3 x 10 40
Skull crushers 3 x 10 40
tricep pushdowns 3 x 8 60
>Fri
Lat pulldowns 3 x 8 100
Deadlift 1 x 5 225
Pullups 2 x failure
OHP 3 x 8 105
side lateral raises 3 x 10 25
shrugs 3 x 25 45
>Sat
Bicep curls 3 x 8 40
Wrist curls 3 x 12 20
Bench 3 x 8 170
Chest flies 3 x 10 40
Incline dumbell press 3 x 10 40
I'm guessing you don't look like you lift
what a waste of time
this is why I only squat, dead, bench, and press. why spend all that effort doing other stuff if you're just gonna be dyel anyways
Well I try moving up in weight but I plateau and can't really improve. I used to move up in weight, but for example I've been stuck at 105lb OHP for months.
What is the progression scheme here. Linear? So weight on the bar once you clear the weight? If so you aren't progressing because your noob gains are done.
anons are right. just do GZCL. fits your four days a week approach perfectly, gives you a proper progression scheme, ups the volume and lets you basically do all the things you did already. you have stalled since you have no idea what you're doing.
You know I mean lbs.
Still, that would be close to 4 plates right?
Do people actually get that strong after 2 years of lifting?
Thats a level thats incomprehensible to me.
If you work hard, eat hard, have a good routine and follow it religiously you... probably still won't hit a 385 squat in 2 years. But you should be a hell of a lot higher than 175.
Just a bro split. I was trying to focus on upper body, specifically chest and shoulder. >Monday
Squats 3 x 5 175
Weighted glute bridges 3 x 16 45
and Calf raises or lunges
OHP 3 x 8 105
Side lateral raises 3 x 10 20
Shrugs 3 x 25 45
>wed
Bench press 3 x 8 170
Chest flies 3 x 10 40
and Dips or incline dumbell press 3 x 10 40.
Tricep extensions 3 x 10 40
Skull crushers 3 x 10 40
tricep pushdowns 3 x 8 60
>Fri
Lat pulldowns 3 x 8 100
Deadlift 1 x 5 225
Pullups 2 x failure
OHP 3 x 8 105
side lateral raises 3 x 10 25
shrugs 3 x 25 45
>Sat
Bicep curls 3 x 8 40
Wrist curls 3 x 12 20
Bench 3 x 8 170
Chest flies 3 x 10 40
Incline dumbell press 3 x 10 40
>3x5 squat once a week >Deadlift 1x5 once a week
No fricking wonder. Go do GZCLP or hell even Starting Strength - even if it is hot garbage you'll make gains. You need way, way more volume on the big lifts if you want to progress them at all.You've got okay-ish accessory work, which is nice but that's all really hypertrophy work not strength work. Which is fine if you just want to bodybuild and look better (but you can probably do way better on your programming, maybe see if you can steal a RP template or something), but is not going to make you strong. So you have to choose.
>if you just want to bodybuild and look better
Thats kind of why I got into lifting to begin with tbh. I had the mindset of "If I can't be a male stripper or pose nude for someone to paint. What am I even doing with my life." Though I'm sure I could probably be doing that better too.
I just assumed I wouldnt like my body until I had been lifting for like at least over 8 years
Well that's fine but if you're lifting purely for aesthetics then yeah your actual strength is going to suck.
Although that said I don't think your routine is gonna get you looking particularly great either since it's way too low volume.
Why is SS le bad tho?
Way too much squat focus, progression works for beginners but people tend to stick on it long after they should stop or hit a plateau and fart around for months because the programs don't really teach you how to overcome (and the failure protocol with SS is moronic), most people don't actually do any accessory work with it, the progression is a bit too aggressive so beginners tend to snap their shit up on it too.
Like any program it will work on a beginner and a lot of people will even see good gains, but you can do something way smarter instead and save yourself a lot of wasted time. This equation is different if you're already an athlete and just getting into lifting mind you, but if you are then you're probably informed enough to pick a real program.
Idk I'm doing greyskull LP (SS 2: Electric Boogaloo) and I'm doing way better than OP, so I'm clearly doing smthn right.
4 months ago
Anonymous
It's almost impossible to do worse than OP. That's an incredibly low bar.
Any program is better than that shit he's doing.
4 months ago
Anonymous
Ok but why is linear progress bad
Just lift moar every week >noooo muh cns
Taze yourself in the spine between reps for CNS gains >noooool thats not how it works
kys Black person
4 months ago
Anonymous
So what's your plan when you can't lift more every week?
4 months ago
Anonymous
Deload, and not doing this forever. Im gonna do this like 8 weeks and I'm on the 5th lil homie.
4 months ago
Anonymous
That's fine then as long as you move on to a different program once it is done.
I always figured that I'm not going to have a good physique without being strong. I mean, besides of course powerlifters forgoing all aesthetics for strength so of course they will be stronger.
Still, I assumed I would at least have to hit 1/2/3/4 >I don't think your routine is gonna get you looking particularly great either since it's way too low volume.
oh, well I guess that's no surprise at this point. Still I've been doing it for 2 years, so its habit by this point.
>Do people actually get that strong after 2 years of lifting?
if you're willing to get fat
then you lose the fat and keep most of the muscle
it's the only realistic way for natties to get remotely strong relatively quickly
don't fall for the maingain meme
you should cut yes. but I would not consider it starting over. since you said you went from 58kg to 92kg at 178cm while training and if done so regularly you should have gotten some muscle. your entry point after cutting successfully would be higher.
https://i.imgur.com/kIBv2IM.jpg
Maybe so, but theres nothing much to be done about it.
[...]
For added information, I did years ago attempt to do SS(albiet incorrectly) and I did it for months. Weak squats or not, I did them 3 times a week for a while to the point that it seemed my legs we're getting big, and I went from like 130 lbs to 200lbs. Had my weight from a failed squat get stuck on my back with no one to help, and it spooked me off of lifting for a few years.
I knew obviously with my split that I was hitting the chest and shoulders a lot more, I was just under the assumption that my lower body didnt need as much work this time around with all the squatting I did before.
https://i.imgur.com/rLoF9Vq.png
>If you go four days a week already why not run an upper/lower split?
I could. I just hadn't even really heard of it until you mentioned it
>I was just under the assumption that my lower body didn't need as much work this time around with all the squatting I did before.
have a goal body in mind anon? you wanting to get more muscular is rather vague and not training legs sounds like the direct opposite. Maybe you do not want large legs then the thought is in line with your goals. But 80kg will not give you huge legs. I believe it is skewed due to the fact that you are fat. We have the same height and I have not had large legs even when I was squatting 90kg. Sure I our proportions will most likely differ and therefore how one perceives mass on bodyparts. But I would doubt that they were large enough to neglect them. >I could. I just hadn't even really heard of it until you mentioned it
you should do some learning at least. Not doing so will lead you to spin your wheels. If your goal is looking good you should never bulk as far as you did. Most circle between having a six pack and losing it again.
If you intend to cut I would read up on how to diet and train for it. Otherwise you could lose a lot of gains you made that were covered under all the fat.
>have a goal body in mind anon?
probably something like slightly smaller and slightly leaner cavill in Man of Steel pic related.
>If your goal is looking good you should never bulk as far as you did.
Yeah I started to question it when I realized a while back that I had become fat for the first time in my life when before I was always really skinny. I always got vague answers on the bulk and cut cycles like "cut/bulk until you like what you look like" but I never really liked the physique I had.
Except for once when I first started lifting again 2 years ago and I cut all the way down to 70kg and could kinda see abs for the first time in my life. >you should do some learning at least. Not doing so will lead you to spin your wheels. >If you intend to cut I would read up on how to diet and train for it. Otherwise you could lose a lot of gains you made that were covered under all the fat.
I always just assumed as long as you're working out the muscles and eating sufficient protein(1g per lb of lean body weight, so for me would be about 150g's daily I believe) that was all that was necessary when cuttting.
I know IST likes that guy mike israetel and he makes videos on the science of cutting weight so I'll probably check him out some more
4 months ago
Anonymous
>as long as you're working out
you need intensity to keep the muscles. and the weights you lift do not guarantee that. hence the program change >https://dioxyme.com/pages/maximum-muscular-potential-calculator
you can try this one. it is a crude estimation but it should give you an idea how far you can push your bodyweight
4 months ago
Anonymous
So then if the range it gives me is 76kg to 80kg, am I just supposed to be cutting til the bottom of that range and bulking to the top of it?
4 months ago
Anonymous
as far as i understand not quite. the bottom of the range will get pushed farther and farther up since you want to accumulate more muscle mass. the top end is what you might want to bulk to. going beyond is useless.
you should take abs as the estimator for the lower range. if you have abs you want too cut no further because then you start burning a lot of muscles
What's your sports background, if any? I've noticed that men who played a lit of sports (doesn't really matter which) understand how to push past what merely feels difficult. I played hockey as a kid and into adulthood. Quitting on your teammates because you're tired is a non-starter. I squat in the mid-300s and everything over 245lbs feels heavy to me.
If I'm estimating, I'm sure I could probably lift closer to 200lbs. I've never tested my ORM on basically anything because it always seemed like an ego lifting thing. I can do 3x5 175 squats fairly comfortably, so I'm sure I probably could go higher. Just at more risk to me considering the weightlifting setup I have.
Damn this is probably what my problem is. In the past few years I've felt more and more that doing nothing athletic and staying inside playing video games every day during childhood fricked my brain in so many ways.
That’s impossible, even if you ar below average it should be at least 225 pounds after two years, you gotta be trolling.i woul understand if you were talking about bench
I do try, squats hurt my upper body more than it does my legs though idk why. If I load to heavy I can't balence either. I can do 3 plates on leg press though is that ok?
I have been lifting for 5 weeks on le epic greyskull LP program and I squat 107.5kg for reps atm, still going up.
Just do any linear progression lil homie. And eat big.
I maybe don't always eat the best, especially around holiday time. But my regular diet is chicken, deli sandwiches, and protein shakes.
idk how to be sleeping better, I just sleep.
I’m working on 175 5x5 this week (at 3x5 now, prob 1-2 week away from finishing)
Bro I started lifting seriously in June… it’s been 7-8 months and you’re maybe a month ahead of me after 2 years
I was skipping leg day for the first few months because of form issues and other stuff, after maybe 4-5 months of training I’m at 185 5x5 and I weigh 185
like genetics are a big deal and if you spent your childhood never doing sports and never being active you're gonna have a way harder time gaining strength and building muscle but you have to actually try and push yourself
What's your sports background, if any? I've noticed that men who played a lit of sports (doesn't really matter which) understand how to push past what merely feels difficult. I played hockey as a kid and into adulthood. Quitting on your teammates because you're tired is a non-starter. I squat in the mid-300s and everything over 245lbs feels heavy to me.
is right on about this
https://i.imgur.com/OdnUnyX.gif
If I'm estimating, I'm sure I could probably lift closer to 200lbs. I've never tested my ORM on basically anything because it always seemed like an ego lifting thing. I can do 3x5 175 squats fairly comfortably, so I'm sure I probably could go higher. Just at more risk to me considering the weightlifting setup I have.
The "a-ha" moment is when you truly understand that what feels heavy and what is heavy are two different things
you should take this advice and try pushing yourself further
next time you squat 175 do your first set or two and then load 185 for just one rep. feel how easy it is. then go up. 175 3x5 could get you 215-225 1rm if you actually committed to it.
I have been lifting for more than 10 years and the most I have been able to do is 2PL for like 5 reps when I myself weighed the same amount as the bar. My max bench was exactly 3PL but I can't do it anymore despite my training schedule being objectively more advanced nowadays, but I'm not as fat anymore. What I have been able to advance with a tiny bit in recent years is upper back though.
What I noticed early on is that low bar squats don't feel good to me but for high bar ones I get butt wink. Ankle and hip mobility exercises are worth a try but for me they didn't do shit. Angled lifting shoes can also be helpful but may sometimes not be enough.
Interestingly my physique looks bottom heavy but all my strength is in upper body. Anyhow for now I have given up for squats for the most part and instead do bulgarian splits a lot. That didn't give me extra strength but legs got quite a bit more defined. You could also look for alternate exercises and see whether there's some carryover to squats. For me barbell lunges and RDLs have been the icebreakers in the past.
>at 165 lbs bodyweight >working sets on squat are only 210, working sets on bench are only 170 >have only ever hit 235 on squat and 185 on bench
guys should i just kill myself
Out of curiosity, why exactly is my routine bad?
I mean in general. Is it just the lack of volume for my legs? Were my upper body lift choices also terrible? Was i wasting time everywhere?
I just tried to keep it to 2-3 lifts per body part.
I stopped squatting. I do leg press, hack squats, and leg extensions for thighs. My squat has always been shit and I've did everything to try to increase it. I eventually said frick it and switched to machines instead.
Maybe so, but theres nothing much to be done about it.
[...]
For added information, I did years ago attempt to do SS(albiet incorrectly) and I did it for months. Weak squats or not, I did them 3 times a week for a while to the point that it seemed my legs we're getting big, and I went from like 130 lbs to 200lbs. Had my weight from a failed squat get stuck on my back with no one to help, and it spooked me off of lifting for a few years.
I knew obviously with my split that I was hitting the chest and shoulders a lot more, I was just under the assumption that my lower body didnt need as much work this time around with all the squatting I did before.
>a failed squat get stuck on my back
oh also regarding that there is other ways to train your legs than back squats that will enable you to fail without having to fear doing so. If you have dumbbells lunges and split squats for example where failing means you just let go of the weight. or barbell hacksquats.
I'm only squatting 125 lbs atg (for reps, projected 1RM is ~140) after a year of lifting at 145 lbs bodyweight. I can deadlift 225 x5, bench 115 x7, pullup +35 lbs x6, dip +45 lbs x5.
For as long as I can remember, I just haven't really liked having to stop other things I'm doing to go eat. There are obviously some foods I really enjoy eating, but eating enough food to gain weight consistently is much harder psychologically for me than going to the gym and lifting. I weighed ~125 lbs at the end of high school at 5'11", then in college was terrible about feeding myself and was also on drugs a lot of the time, got down to 110 by the time I started working out.
I can't progress with my squat weight past 175 like OP, but in my case it's because the right side of my upper back hurts like hell for the rest of the week after I do my 5x5. I feel the bar crushing my back muscles when I'm just supporting it and not even squatting.
Ok thanks for advice everyone, my new years resolution was to ask more questions and not be afraid of looking stupid so I appreciate all the advice. And I hope the best for all of you. Hope you don't end up stuck on a plataeu for months or fail to improve like me.
Here's hoping I can do better this year
I got myself a barbell pad since I want to do hip thrusts as well, but I suppose I'll start doing barbellbhack squats and/or bulgarian split squats as a regular squat substitute.
Now I just have to find substitutes for the other lifts i cant do with my equipment like leg press or leg curls.
Now I am excited to lift again
You need to lift closer to stimulation with heavier weight, make it more and more challenging each session with variation in either the way you're executing the exercise or the exercise itself.
How much do you weigh?
204
yikes
Try running uphill to build legs.
Unironically starting strength. Or something.. anything. Do you even squat normally? What's your program?
I don't skip leg day. every monday. Squats and weighted glute bridges. Sometimes lunges or calf raises as well.
stop meme exercises do 2 sets of squats every other day, and 2 sets of deadlifts on the other day again every other day.
That's the recipe for a power bottom physique
The dude wants to get better at squatting, he'll get bigger legs by squatting yeah. If he doesn't work out upper body more to compensate, that's his problem.
no true, if you train your upper body with the same intensity you will be balanced. i have quite slender legs and i squat in low 200kgs and deadlift in the high 200kgs
Yeah cuz you have a good frame. You probably benched 165 in like 2 weeks of working out right?. Most of the morons on this website are skinny fat genetic garbage that will end up t-rex mode by the time they have a 2 plate squat. And their small frames and narrow clavicles make it impossible to even get to a 2 plate bench without adding tons of bodyfat to cope with fake strength. Which therefore results in the typical SS look.
the guy is squatting once a week like a bro split and wonders why he's weak. Idk how strong i would be if i did the same thing
5/3/1 is only once a week squats and works great.
The problem is OP likely has dogshit fricking form, no concept of training intensity and volume, and tons of imbalances from sitting around all day jacking off and playing vidya. His glutes probably can't even fire correctly.
i assume it's once a week squatting but there's more leg work on other days for this program?
Also, that's me OP. I just squat, deadlift, and Bulgarian Split Squat, but I got to my strongest before with just Squats and Deadlifts.
If you wana get big, just lift the weights.
>squats and weighted glute bridges
Bruh squat more than once a week holy shit youre moronic. Do 5 sets twice a week at least my god no wonder youre stuck.
OK but is that like the same reason why I can't improve my bench either? because I do a lot more chest stuff and I can't really improve that beyond 170lbs
in fact for a while my bones began hurting when I was benching and doing dips and when I looked that up that seemed to be a symptom of overworking.
you are such a helpless moron
Maybe so, but theres nothing much to be done about it.
For added information, I did years ago attempt to do SS(albiet incorrectly) and I did it for months. Weak squats or not, I did them 3 times a week for a while to the point that it seemed my legs we're getting big, and I went from like 130 lbs to 200lbs. Had my weight from a failed squat get stuck on my back with no one to help, and it spooked me off of lifting for a few years.
I knew obviously with my split that I was hitting the chest and shoulders a lot more, I was just under the assumption that my lower body didnt need as much work this time around with all the squatting I did before.
In kilograms, right?
Man im assuming youre fat if this is the case which is going to give you a shit max squat if youve never bulked and build muscles. Commit to the cut. Losing weight is going to make your squat easier since you dont have to raise as much bodyweight along with the bar.
Youre both moronic because this means absolutely nothing without knowing your height/weight.
I am OP.
The 170lbs bench post is mine. I was curious because I thought my bench was a lot better than my squat.
obviously, since they are the same
Ok he was just kind of implying that he didn't know my weight when I posted my height and weight above
Nta but I can do 90kg zercher no problem and I've only been lifting a little over a month, only done squats twice, weigh 70kg, squats and deadlifts are literally the easiest thing ever
6’1 185 pounds 16% bf
Honestly who gives a frick? You should be more worried about your upper body muscles. If you can actually squat 175 with proper form then your legs wont look anorexic which is all that matters.
Yes they will look anorexic lmao.
175 is what 140 pound girls lift after training for like 6 months.
how is this possible?
very simple. anon is not following any progression scheme at all. notice how they dodge this very simple question throughout the whole thread? they know what the problem is. they just want to revel in self pity
ok, I'm not trying to dodge questions. Please clarify exactly what you mean by progression scheme
oh okay then. Well the progression scheme is a set of rules for when and how you will progress in terms of your lifts.
Linear progression for example states that you will add weight to the bar when you clear your current lift
double progression will have you add reps in a set range while not adding weight until you reached all the reps for all sets in said range. then you add weight and start at the lowest amount of res of the range again and work up.
then there is for a lack of better term triple progression. where you add sets when you cleared your double progression and once you have done all those sets you will add weight to the bar.
Then there is Percentage based progression schemes like wave loading and so on.
For you to only be able to squat 80kg after 2 years means that you have no progression scheme in place to force you to become larger. Your muscles will straight up not grow if you are not challenging them more and more. When do you increase the weight you lift?
For beginner lifters it is recommended to add 5kg to the bar for lower body lifts every session when they start out. So if you were to squat every session and add 5 kg you would reach 80kg in 12 sessions if you started out with just the bar.
With your program that would happen after 12 weeks. With a regular beginner program it would happen in just 3. But you have been 2 years in so you are doing something very wrong. And it is either diet or lack of volume/intensity in your lifts.
I had for a while been doing dynamic double progression, which is why my rep range is generally 5-8 for all primary lifts. I When I could hit my upper rep range, I would increase weight. But then I started getting advice from here stating that increasing rep range is not something I should be increasing for heavy compounds when I was asking why its so hard to squat for more reps than 5 even when I like halve the weight I'm squatting. That, plus as I stated above my intention with lifting being for bodybuilding as opposed to pure strength gains. I had been told that doing a standard 3x5 is pointless for developing aesthetic size and was only for strength training.
Also, I for a good while was steadily increasing my lifting weight, I just hit plataeus that I can't cross essentially. I've been stuck at my 170 bench for months.
And finally, the weight rack I have is
as you can see, there are no safeties on it. If I cannot drive my hips up, I'm trapped with weight on my back. its happened to me once before when I attempted to squat 195 3x5
Also a general sentiment that you should go slow when increasing weight otherwise its likely that you're going to injure yourself.
>for bodybuilding
then you need to throw out the advice of not adding sets out of the window.
your range from 5-8 is considered too low. Usually one takes a 5 rep difference to smooth out the weight jump when adding weight. It will benefit your fear of failing the lift too.
>is pointless for developing aesthetic size
Generally yes. Try 6-10 reps on your main lift. See how that works. Bodybuilding progression is supposed to be slower.
If you need to decrease weight to hit those 6 reps on your lifts it does not matter you need a better progression scheme.
You dodged the height question again. WHAT IS YOUR HEIGHT ANON
my bad i forgot to post it. but seriously. your weight means nothing if you're super tall and lanky. and everything if you're short and fat
I'm a 5'10 manlet so at 204 im a little fat
i see. yeah at that weight your lifts should look different.
sidenote. this anon is asking the perfect question. I have not seen a routine that people recommend for bodybuilding in a similar vein to SS
yes it is super unbalanced and it is heavily hindering your progress. you pretty much do not train your core and back, which i think is the reason that you are experiencing pain and lack of strability.
If you go four days a week already why not run an upper/lower split?
>If you go four days a week already why not run an upper/lower split?
I could. I just hadn't even really heard of it until you mentioned it
You're incorporating all these ideas you've heard and built an incomprehensible mess. Pick a program and stick to it. It hardly matters which program. It would be an improvement to what you're doing now
>Drop the weight to 150.
>Day 1 do 150 3x5
>1 Rest day
>Day 2 do 155 3x5
>1 rest day
>Day 3 do 160 3x5
>1-2 rest days
>restart at day 1 but at 165 do this until you can't anymore
If you fail this just give up.
I'm 5'10" & weigh 155-160, and my best is 240.
Maxed my squat this morning just for giggles. Been back at the gym since the beginning of November. Went from 185 for 5 reps to 315 for 3 reps this morning. It was fun!
How's your form. Don't tell me you fell for the squat morning powershart meme.
yeah OP you're gonna need to post a vid, preferably over at the /plg/ thread because they'll give it to you straight
How is that even possible? I'm a lanklet at 140lbs and can squat 215, and I've been training for just short of a year. What the frick are you doing (or not doing), OP?
>Can't squat your body weight
I could do that starting out, how can you not do that after 2 years?
People are different.
More than that, people lie.
Why would people lie on the internet?
Was going to say that's not too bad, but then I realized you were talking about lbs. Literally do any program? 170 took me 13 months chaining SS into TM ([email protected]) and even that is mediocre.
Same though I can do like 205 and I weight 203. I fricking suck. Also when running uphill and hiking I guess I've always been too moronic to use my glutes or basically anything other than my calves. So I just have juicy calves and weak ass thighs
you mean to tell me you're still in victim of rape terrority and you're just letting me know this?
i was in the same boat as you anon, try doing 8 sets of 3, then slowly add more weight. Barely could do 225, then i reached 315. Remember to do accessory workouts to (hip ad/abductors, leg extensions/curls, leg press, Bulgarian split squats)
>Bulgarian split squats
I was like OP. These saved me. My fricking legs just cheat so well. I hate being tall
Eat more protein. Lift to failure.
I'm already eating close to a gram of protein per lb of my bodyweight. And aren't you only suppose to eat a g per lbs of LEAN weight?
The only thing I can think is that I don't push hard enough because I have a home gym and a regular barbell rack so theres no safeties for me if I can't get the weight up. I can somewhat comfortably do 175 so I'm sure I probably could go higher, but at significant risk to my safety.
protein doesn't matter if you're not a bodybuilder. eat normal foods and milk, eat at surplus
Thats just going to turn me into a fatass isn't it?
I'm already a little fatter than I'd like to be at 204 and 5'10
It’s a bit late for you to worry about that
> eat at surplus
> 175lb squat at 204
He doesn't need a surplus you moron. He needs high protein and high intensity workouts.
i do not know what he weighs don't call me moron i have perfectly explained how he will squat more
i agree with polite bro lol i can squat 365 ATG and i literally have the worst diet. eat candy and chips all day @ 205 pounds 6'4
In all likelihood, the reason OP is still in an 'untrained' level of strength is because his intensity with his lifts is exceptionally lacking
also stop the bro split. do a full body every day one day biasing push the other pull
>no safeties
This is pure moronation. Fix that shit yesterday.
>I have a home gym and a regular barbell rack so theres no safeties
What the actual frick you god damn moron, what kind of bootleg chinese shit did you buy that doesn't have safeties?
You're weak because you're a fricking idiot. Squat more with a decent program and upgrade your shit so that you don't legitimately neck your stupid fricking self.
My dad bought it years ago when he was weightlifting and I was toddler. This is what I have.
Its designed for benching, or OHPing or other barbell motions, not for squats. My dad was a leg day skipper it seems kek.
Why is that bad?
>not built for squat
Let me tell you about zercher squats, lil niggy.
that shouldn't matter can you not do 175 for reps?
Yeah, I do 3x5 175
Do amraps.
>noooo its dangerous
ngmi, no wonder u got stuck so long
you gotta train to failure bro
Pls be kg
squat more
skip leg day and just do sprints on an elliptical to build your legs.
What is your exact program? Post the whole routine, day, exercise, sets, reps and progression scheme please
Just a bro split. I was trying to focus on upper body, specifically chest and shoulder.
>Monday
Squats 3 x 5 175
Weighted glute bridges 3 x 16 45
and Calf raises or lunges
OHP 3 x 8 105
Side lateral raises 3 x 10 20
Shrugs 3 x 25 45
>wed
Bench press 3 x 8 170
Chest flies 3 x 10 40
and Dips or incline dumbell press 3 x 10 40.
Tricep extensions 3 x 10 40
Skull crushers 3 x 10 40
tricep pushdowns 3 x 8 60
>Fri
Lat pulldowns 3 x 8 100
Deadlift 1 x 5 225
Pullups 2 x failure
OHP 3 x 8 105
side lateral raises 3 x 10 25
shrugs 3 x 25 45
>Sat
Bicep curls 3 x 8 40
Wrist curls 3 x 12 20
Bench 3 x 8 170
Chest flies 3 x 10 40
Incline dumbell press 3 x 10 40
Why won't you people just listen to the sticky
Why do people with sub novice lifts think they can come up with their own routine
I'm guessing you don't look like you lift
what a waste of time
this is why I only squat, dead, bench, and press. why spend all that effort doing other stuff if you're just gonna be dyel anyways
>0 progressive overload
If you never attempt more volume you will never get stronger
Well I try moving up in weight but I plateau and can't really improve. I used to move up in weight, but for example I've been stuck at 105lb OHP for months.
What is the progression scheme here. Linear? So weight on the bar once you clear the weight? If so you aren't progressing because your noob gains are done.
anons are right. just do GZCL. fits your four days a week approach perfectly, gives you a proper progression scheme, ups the volume and lets you basically do all the things you did already. you have stalled since you have no idea what you're doing.
you're telling me you squat a max of 175, and then fricking do OHP sets of 8 at 105? are you built like a dorito on sticks?
Idk ive been told I look ok, but thats by normie standards
In kilograms, right?
You know I mean lbs.
Still, that would be close to 4 plates right?
Do people actually get that strong after 2 years of lifting?
Thats a level thats incomprehensible to me.
If you work hard, eat hard, have a good routine and follow it religiously you... probably still won't hit a 385 squat in 2 years. But you should be a hell of a lot higher than 175.
>3x5 squat once a week
>Deadlift 1x5 once a week
No fricking wonder. Go do GZCLP or hell even Starting Strength - even if it is hot garbage you'll make gains. You need way, way more volume on the big lifts if you want to progress them at all.You've got okay-ish accessory work, which is nice but that's all really hypertrophy work not strength work. Which is fine if you just want to bodybuild and look better (but you can probably do way better on your programming, maybe see if you can steal a RP template or something), but is not going to make you strong. So you have to choose.
>if you just want to bodybuild and look better
Thats kind of why I got into lifting to begin with tbh. I had the mindset of "If I can't be a male stripper or pose nude for someone to paint. What am I even doing with my life." Though I'm sure I could probably be doing that better too.
I just assumed I wouldnt like my body until I had been lifting for like at least over 8 years
Well that's fine but if you're lifting purely for aesthetics then yeah your actual strength is going to suck.
Although that said I don't think your routine is gonna get you looking particularly great either since it's way too low volume.
Way too much squat focus, progression works for beginners but people tend to stick on it long after they should stop or hit a plateau and fart around for months because the programs don't really teach you how to overcome (and the failure protocol with SS is moronic), most people don't actually do any accessory work with it, the progression is a bit too aggressive so beginners tend to snap their shit up on it too.
Like any program it will work on a beginner and a lot of people will even see good gains, but you can do something way smarter instead and save yourself a lot of wasted time. This equation is different if you're already an athlete and just getting into lifting mind you, but if you are then you're probably informed enough to pick a real program.
Idk I'm doing greyskull LP (SS 2: Electric Boogaloo) and I'm doing way better than OP, so I'm clearly doing smthn right.
It's almost impossible to do worse than OP. That's an incredibly low bar.
Any program is better than that shit he's doing.
Ok but why is linear progress bad
Just lift moar every week
>noooo muh cns
Taze yourself in the spine between reps for CNS gains
>noooool thats not how it works
kys Black person
So what's your plan when you can't lift more every week?
Deload, and not doing this forever. Im gonna do this like 8 weeks and I'm on the 5th lil homie.
That's fine then as long as you move on to a different program once it is done.
Which program should I do though
I always figured that I'm not going to have a good physique without being strong. I mean, besides of course powerlifters forgoing all aesthetics for strength so of course they will be stronger.
Still, I assumed I would at least have to hit 1/2/3/4
>I don't think your routine is gonna get you looking particularly great either since it's way too low volume.
oh, well I guess that's no surprise at this point. Still I've been doing it for 2 years, so its habit by this point.
Why is SS le bad tho?
>Do people actually get that strong after 2 years of lifting?
if you're willing to get fat
then you lose the fat and keep most of the muscle
it's the only realistic way for natties to get remotely strong relatively quickly
don't fall for the maingain meme
Ok but since I'm already kinda fat am I stuck cutting weight so i can start over?
you should cut yes. but I would not consider it starting over. since you said you went from 58kg to 92kg at 178cm while training and if done so regularly you should have gotten some muscle. your entry point after cutting successfully would be higher.
>I was just under the assumption that my lower body didn't need as much work this time around with all the squatting I did before.
have a goal body in mind anon? you wanting to get more muscular is rather vague and not training legs sounds like the direct opposite. Maybe you do not want large legs then the thought is in line with your goals. But 80kg will not give you huge legs. I believe it is skewed due to the fact that you are fat. We have the same height and I have not had large legs even when I was squatting 90kg. Sure I our proportions will most likely differ and therefore how one perceives mass on bodyparts. But I would doubt that they were large enough to neglect them.
>I could. I just hadn't even really heard of it until you mentioned it
you should do some learning at least. Not doing so will lead you to spin your wheels. If your goal is looking good you should never bulk as far as you did. Most circle between having a six pack and losing it again.
If you intend to cut I would read up on how to diet and train for it. Otherwise you could lose a lot of gains you made that were covered under all the fat.
ok maybe I'll just transition into a PHUL routine
>have a goal body in mind anon?
probably something like slightly smaller and slightly leaner cavill in Man of Steel pic related.
>If your goal is looking good you should never bulk as far as you did.
Yeah I started to question it when I realized a while back that I had become fat for the first time in my life when before I was always really skinny. I always got vague answers on the bulk and cut cycles like "cut/bulk until you like what you look like" but I never really liked the physique I had.
Except for once when I first started lifting again 2 years ago and I cut all the way down to 70kg and could kinda see abs for the first time in my life.
>you should do some learning at least. Not doing so will lead you to spin your wheels.
>If you intend to cut I would read up on how to diet and train for it. Otherwise you could lose a lot of gains you made that were covered under all the fat.
I always just assumed as long as you're working out the muscles and eating sufficient protein(1g per lb of lean body weight, so for me would be about 150g's daily I believe) that was all that was necessary when cuttting.
I know IST likes that guy mike israetel and he makes videos on the science of cutting weight so I'll probably check him out some more
>as long as you're working out
you need intensity to keep the muscles. and the weights you lift do not guarantee that. hence the program change
>https://dioxyme.com/pages/maximum-muscular-potential-calculator
you can try this one. it is a crude estimation but it should give you an idea how far you can push your bodyweight
So then if the range it gives me is 76kg to 80kg, am I just supposed to be cutting til the bottom of that range and bulking to the top of it?
as far as i understand not quite. the bottom of the range will get pushed farther and farther up since you want to accumulate more muscle mass. the top end is what you might want to bulk to. going beyond is useless.
you should take abs as the estimator for the lower range. if you have abs you want too cut no further because then you start burning a lot of muscles
What's your sports background, if any? I've noticed that men who played a lit of sports (doesn't really matter which) understand how to push past what merely feels difficult. I played hockey as a kid and into adulthood. Quitting on your teammates because you're tired is a non-starter. I squat in the mid-300s and everything over 245lbs feels heavy to me.
Non-existant. I am or at least was, a skinny videogame burnout
The "a-ha" moment is when you truly understand that what feels heavy and what is heavy are two different things
If I'm estimating, I'm sure I could probably lift closer to 200lbs. I've never tested my ORM on basically anything because it always seemed like an ego lifting thing. I can do 3x5 175 squats fairly comfortably, so I'm sure I probably could go higher. Just at more risk to me considering the weightlifting setup I have.
Damn this is probably what my problem is. In the past few years I've felt more and more that doing nothing athletic and staying inside playing video games every day during childhood fricked my brain in so many ways.
That’s impossible, even if you ar below average it should be at least 225 pounds after two years, you gotta be trolling.i woul understand if you were talking about bench
I can only do 120lbs after almost 2 years. Is it really that bad?
If you're a 100lb tiny woman, it's ok, albeit still a bit underwhelming.
If you're a man then... I do not believe ylu even tried.
I do try, squats hurt my upper body more than it does my legs though idk why. If I load to heavy I can't balence either. I can do 3 plates on leg press though is that ok?
You're supposed to brace so that the bar doesn't snap your spine.
I have been lifting for 5 weeks on le epic greyskull LP program and I squat 107.5kg for reps atm, still going up.
Just do any linear progression lil homie. And eat big.
Are you me OP? My squat is 175 while my bench is 195. I've only been lifting 9 months though, weight is 205.
I don't believe you
You haven't been lifting regularly for those two years. Or you eat and sleep like absolute shit, or you have an injury
I maybe don't always eat the best, especially around holiday time. But my regular diet is chicken, deli sandwiches, and protein shakes.
idk how to be sleeping better, I just sleep.
Maybe some people just arent meant to succeed
Kilo or pound?
Bro I squat 450 by my senior year of highschool lol
Maybe get a new hobby. Try running?
Your 450 highschool squat probably didn't involved decreasing your knee angle below 150 degrees
Nah my weight coach was some state champion wrestler 3 years in a row.
I had to go to 90 or he would say it was 0 lbs on the scoreboard we kept.
In comparison, how bad is my record bench of 170lbs 3x8 after 2 years?
I’m working on 175 5x5 this week (at 3x5 now, prob 1-2 week away from finishing)
Bro I started lifting seriously in June… it’s been 7-8 months and you’re maybe a month ahead of me after 2 years
I was skipping leg day for the first few months because of form issues and other stuff, after maybe 4-5 months of training I’m at 185 5x5 and I weigh 185
Well thats ok, I just think I wasn't meant to be a good weightlifter. Sometimes people arent meant to succeed.
this is unbelievable given that at a weight of 120 lbs I was squatting 175 after a month
some people just dont try very hard
like genetics are a big deal and if you spent your childhood never doing sports and never being active you're gonna have a way harder time gaining strength and building muscle but you have to actually try and push yourself
is right on about this
you should take this advice and try pushing yourself further
next time you squat 175 do your first set or two and then load 185 for just one rep. feel how easy it is. then go up. 175 3x5 could get you 215-225 1rm if you actually committed to it.
i think after 3 or 6 months i could squat 225 for 5x5
Try lowering the weight and working your way back up. If your stalling you need to change your training
do less weight and more reps with good slow form and make sure your diet is on point should break through pretty quick
I have been lifting for more than 10 years and the most I have been able to do is 2PL for like 5 reps when I myself weighed the same amount as the bar. My max bench was exactly 3PL but I can't do it anymore despite my training schedule being objectively more advanced nowadays, but I'm not as fat anymore. What I have been able to advance with a tiny bit in recent years is upper back though.
What I noticed early on is that low bar squats don't feel good to me but for high bar ones I get butt wink. Ankle and hip mobility exercises are worth a try but for me they didn't do shit. Angled lifting shoes can also be helpful but may sometimes not be enough.
Interestingly my physique looks bottom heavy but all my strength is in upper body. Anyhow for now I have given up for squats for the most part and instead do bulgarian splits a lot. That didn't give me extra strength but legs got quite a bit more defined. You could also look for alternate exercises and see whether there's some carryover to squats. For me barbell lunges and RDLs have been the icebreakers in the past.
>at 165 lbs bodyweight
>working sets on squat are only 210, working sets on bench are only 170
>have only ever hit 235 on squat and 185 on bench
guys should i just kill myself
>Follow a routine
Ok, whats the SS of bodybuilding
How strong are you supposed to be before doing bodybuilding routine.
at least 1/2/3/4 for reps
but really the way you 'build' your body is by getting stronger
all the isolation crap is just for bringing up weak points
Just ignore squats and focus on hip thrusts
Out of curiosity, why exactly is my routine bad?
I mean in general. Is it just the lack of volume for my legs? Were my upper body lift choices also terrible? Was i wasting time everywhere?
I just tried to keep it to 2-3 lifts per body part.
I stopped squatting. I do leg press, hack squats, and leg extensions for thighs. My squat has always been shit and I've did everything to try to increase it. I eventually said frick it and switched to machines instead.
Post legs.
i'm also stuck at these similar numbers of 180lb squat, 155lb bench, 105lb ohp 🙁
height, weight, routine, years of lifting?
>a failed squat get stuck on my back
oh also regarding that there is other ways to train your legs than back squats that will enable you to fail without having to fear doing so. If you have dumbbells lunges and split squats for example where failing means you just let go of the weight. or barbell hacksquats.
I'm only squatting 125 lbs atg (for reps, projected 1RM is ~140) after a year of lifting at 145 lbs bodyweight. I can deadlift 225 x5, bench 115 x7, pullup +35 lbs x6, dip +45 lbs x5.
Are you guys all in refugee camps? Do they ration your calories?
For as long as I can remember, I just haven't really liked having to stop other things I'm doing to go eat. There are obviously some foods I really enjoy eating, but eating enough food to gain weight consistently is much harder psychologically for me than going to the gym and lifting. I weighed ~125 lbs at the end of high school at 5'11", then in college was terrible about feeding myself and was also on drugs a lot of the time, got down to 110 by the time I started working out.
this tbh.
Eating enough is honestly harder than the lifting part
I can't progress with my squat weight past 175 like OP, but in my case it's because the right side of my upper back hurts like hell for the rest of the week after I do my 5x5. I feel the bar crushing my back muscles when I'm just supporting it and not even squatting.
Anyone?
Ok thanks for advice everyone, my new years resolution was to ask more questions and not be afraid of looking stupid so I appreciate all the advice. And I hope the best for all of you. Hope you don't end up stuck on a plataeu for months or fail to improve like me.
Here's hoping I can do better this year
you'll do well. don't take anons by their word and read up on what they're saying. there is a lot of people on here who are just malicious
I got myself a barbell pad since I want to do hip thrusts as well, but I suppose I'll start doing barbellbhack squats and/or bulgarian split squats as a regular squat substitute.
Now I just have to find substitutes for the other lifts i cant do with my equipment like leg press or leg curls.
Now I am excited to lift again
You need to lift closer to stimulation with heavier weight, make it more and more challenging each session with variation in either the way you're executing the exercise or the exercise itself.