How Do I Get Stronger!

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hey all ive been lifting for 2 years now my lifts are not great as in the 2 years ive been training most of it has been improper. I did stronglifts 5x5 i wish i had done SS but that is a conversation for another day. Im 5’8 and went fom 204lbs to 197 lbs in a month that i have been cutting. I switched from stronglifts 3x5 to madcow 5x5.

I was getting overwhelmed on stronglifts so i switched to madcow. The issue that i am having with madcow is that it is impossible to recover from if you are not bulking. I have been stalling on that program. I really need some help in losing about 10 to 15 lbs and adding 80 lbs to my squat. im 5’8 21 years of age and really looking into making good progress. My 5m are squat ATG 280lbs x5 bench 205 x5 ohp 140lbs x5 Deadlift,285lbs x5. I know many people advice not to do ATG squat and i dont mean to sound stubborn but i am not interested in changing that. I love ATG squats i have the flexibility to do them and they feel natural to me. So what can i do to reach these goals? I was thinking of doing 5/3/1 to achieve this.

2

Pick a program, stick with it, and eat to fuel your body. Stop trying to cut so much. It is very difficult to build strength in a calorie deficit. Most just try to maintain strength while cutting. Lift, eat, rest, repeat.

3

You cannot serve two masters. If you read 5/3/1, especially Beyond, Wendler specifically states over and over that you should not “eat like a bird” if you want to get stronger. Weight loss and strength gains are two different animals, best to handled separately.

You can maintain strength, and possibly make some progress, while dieting. You can. But everything must be in check. The lifting, the conditioning, the diet, and the recovery.

So the easiest way, and most recommended method, is to pick one goal and give it your all. Typically, diet down first. Then get strong and avoid getting fat while doing it.

You lost 7lbs in a month, which puts you around 2lbs/week. That rate gives you 5-7 weeks of dieting left. Can you handle waiting a month or two to achieve one goal? You will be primed to gain lean mass once you hit your weight, if you did it correctly due to increased insulin sensitivity.

If you check out Dan John’s “Mass Made Simple,” he recommends dieting prior to starting the program for the above reasons. Not a bad program, by the way.

Also, final point, this is a long game you’re playing. Patience pays dividends.

4

[quote]AceRock wrote:
You cannot serve two masters. If you read 5/3/1, especially Beyond, Wendler specifically states over and over that you should not “eat like a bird” if you want to get stronger. Weight loss and strength gains are two different animals, best to handled separately.

You can maintain strength, and possibly make some progress, while dieting. You can. But everything must be in check. The lifting, the conditioning, the diet, and the recovery.

So the easiest way, and most recommended method, is to pick one goal and give it your all. Typically, diet down first. Then get strong and avoid getting fat while doing it.

You lost 7lbs in a month, which puts you around 2lbs/week. That rate gives you 5-7 weeks of dieting left. Can you handle waiting a month or two to achieve one goal? You will be primed to gain lean mass once you hit your weight, if you did it correctly due to increased insulin sensitivity.

If you check out Dan John’s “Mass Made Simple,” he recommends dieting prior to starting the program for the above reasons. Not a bad program, by the way.

Also, final point, this is a long game you’re playing. Patience pays dividends.[/quote]

I love this bit of advice, my problem is and i admit it is a dumb problem is seing other people make better and faster progress. It makes me feel like shit when i see some dude surpass me. So far it looks as though my strength has stayed the same. I tested my squat max and it has remained the same in a month and i am 7 lbs ligther. If i remember correctly there was a part in which wendler posted 3 diets.

one for bulking one for losing weight and one other diet. I dont mind making this weight loss super slow. Im alright with my current weight. I am not happy or super angry about it. But i def donot want to go back to over 200 lbs. Im only 7 pounds lighter but my clothes are starting to fit again. According to everyone’s experience on here would if be a waste of time to do wendlers program on a small cut? im not trying to be ripped i just want to go down to 15 percent body fat from 20 and maintain my bf levels at 15 to 20 while getting stronger.

5

[quote]raptor669 wrote:

I tested my squat max and it has remained the same in a month and i am 7 lbs ligther. [/quote]

If I am reading this correctly, are you saying you tested your max twice within a 1 month span?

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The OP posted the exact question, word-for-word, on the Starting Strength forum yesterday. Got laughed at because of all the programs he switched.

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[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:

[quote]raptor669 wrote:

I tested my squat max and it has remained the same in a month and i am 7 lbs ligther. [/quote]

If I am reading this correctly, are you saying you tested your max twice within a 1 month span?
[/quote]
Why do people constantly feel the need to test their 1RM so often? I only test mine in competition, and even then, I know within a small range of what it will be based on what my lifting has been. If I was doing a weight and now doing it for more reps, It is safe to assume I am getting stronger. If the weight that I can do for 3-4 reps goes up, it is safe to assume my max goes up. Its that simple.

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Im not sure why people on starting strength feel the need to be douche bags. Im honestly just asking for some help is that really all that bad? clearly when something does not work you go ahead and ask for help. I should just stay away from forums when you are anon people tend to be assholes. I switched programs because it was no longer working. And im switching from madcow because i cant recover from it doing it on a caloric deficit.

We all struggled at some point and had to start at some place. I really dont get this whole lets try to put another person down and have a good laugh at his expense. I tested my max 2 months ago i rarely test maxes. Only reason why i did it a second time was to see if weight loss was causing strength loss. I figured since i was 7 lbs lighter and stalling i must of gotten weaker. But i matched my 1rm all i am asking is for a simple straightforward answer. Does 5/3/1 work on a cut? will i be able to go down to 15 percent bf from 20 and add 80 lbs to that squat in one year?

9

If you have read 5/3/1, not the articles, the actual book, then follow the advice and you will be on your way to greatness. Fuck the haters, screw anyone else’s progress, this is about YOU and YOUR goals. The time it takes you to accomplish them has no bearing on anyone else. Life your life as you want, and enjoy it! This is supposed to be fun.

If you can handle not “cutting” and simply eat real, simple food, and lift correctly, you will look better and your clothes with fit in the right places, until you get so hyooooge you need new ones. 5/3/1 isn’t a “cut” program, but if you take the long approach you stated in your reply, you will be more than happy.

10

[quote]raptor669 wrote:
Only reason why i did it a second time was to see if weight loss was causing strength loss. I figured since i was 7 lbs lighter and stalling i must of gotten weaker. But i matched my 1rm all i am asking is for a simple straightforward answer. Does 5/3/1 work on a cut? will i be able to go down to 15 percent bf from 20 and add 80 lbs to that squat in one year?[/quote]

I realize you are looking for a straight forward answer, but the reason I asked you this question is because I believe that maxing this often is part of the issue. Maxing is a very taxing experience, and in doing it that frequently, it may explain why you were experiencing issues making progress.

I do not think you will find any program that will allow you to meet your goals. A 5% drop in bodyfat with an 80lb increase in squat in a 1 year timespan is a huge goal. I would say its necessary to either increase the timespan or decrease the numbers.

11

[quote]raptor669 wrote:
will i be able to go down to 15 percent bf from 20 and add 80 lbs to that squat in one year?[/quote]

How much do you want it?

Yes, it’s possible. Difficult, but I’m sure you can figure out how to do it if you want it enough. And if you don’t figure it out, I’m sure you will have learned a lot about yourself in the process.

If I may ask, why do you want to add 80lbs to your squat in a year? Why a year, why 80lbs?

12

Thanks for being supportive T Nation, i really appreciate all the great feedback. 80 lbs has been my goal for the squat because it is the difference between 325lbs and 405 squat. At worst i want to maintain strength and lose 12lbs on 5/3/1. Then i plan on bulking from 185lbs to 190 lbs then having a small cut phase and going back to 185 lbs and repeating.

13

[quote]raptor669 wrote:
Thanks for being supportive T Nation, i really appreciate all the great feedback. 80 lbs has been my goal for the squat because it is the difference between 325lbs and 405 squat. At worst i want to maintain strength and lose 12lbs on 5/3/1. Then i plan on bulking from 185lbs to 190 lbs then having a small cut phase and going back to 185 lbs and repeating.[/quote]

Why? Constantly going from bulk to cut, especially at such a small difference seems to be a recipe for frustration and stagnation.

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Step 1-5…Pick up fork put food in mouth repeat until gagging.
Step 6. Go to gym lift bar.
Step 7. Repeat step 1.
Step 8. Sleep like a hibernating bear.

REPEAT ALL OF THIS UNTIL YOUR DEAD. You will need a big box to be buried in and will be very strong.

15

[quote]raptor669 wrote:
Thanks for being supportive T Nation, i really appreciate all the great feedback. 80 lbs has been my goal for the squat because it is the difference between 325lbs and 405 squat. At worst i want to maintain strength and lose 12lbs on 5/3/1. Then i plan on bulking from 185lbs to 190 lbs then having a small cut phase and going back to 185 lbs and repeating.[/quote]

That’s not cutting and bulking that’s called waking up at 185 and eating breakfast (190) then taking a shit and piss (185) I dont know who or where your getting your nutritional info from but, you should probably not listen to them.

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1015×158 45.4 KB

[quote]raptor669 wrote:
Hey all ive been lifting for 2 years now my lifts are not great as in the 2 years ive been training most of it has been improper. I did stronglifts 5x5 i wish i had done SS but that is a conversation for another day. Im 5’8 and went fom 204lbs to 197 lbs in a month that i have been cutting.[/quote]
Marvin, I consider it thoroughly unnecessary and really kind of insulting for you to have started a new account to, what, trick people into taking a fresh look at your situation? Get fucking serious, man.

Ya fucking think so? Jesus. Good idea, so how about trying it?

17

Chris, you need to work for your local PD. You have a knack for finding posts/accounts like this. Preach.

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[quote]Apothecary wrote:
Chris, you need to work for your local PD. You have a knack for finding posts/accounts like this. Preach.[/quote]
Ha, I swear it’s not nearly as cyber-stalky as I worry it might seem sometimes. I tend not to reply to a ton of threads and I usually invest time in those I do, so some things tend to stick in my memory.