Hey guys, this is my first attempt at making a thread on here, so be indulgent with my form (or lack of).
Here are my current PR and my stats, to get you started.
Age: 20
Height: 5’7
Weight: 160
BF%: around 13-14
Main lifts:
Bench: 245
Deadlift: 385
OHP: 155
Squat: …225ish.
There it is, my major flaw has been revealed. Any suggestions besides DUDE GET DOWN AND SQUAT?
Any help would be appreciated. Feel free to bash me guys.
How long have you been lifting and what is your current routine
No bashing my friend. We are all friends here.
Just by looking at the numbers, I would guess you are more or less a guy who has spent a ton of time benching, and your form on your deadlift is probably pretty shitty because with a squat that low in comparison to your squat, you’re probably using a very rounded back and almost no legs and hips. But that’s all guesswork. First piece of advice would be to put up videos of yourself lifting, so we can actually see you lifting and critique.
Secondly, 160 at 13-14% and 5’7" is pretty small. Second piece of advice is start eating more. Much much more, best quality food you can get.
Third piece of advice is programming advice. First of all, start adding a lot of volume on assistance movements. Utilize that extra food you are eating and make some good, quality muscle. Second of all, keep doing whatever you are doing for bench because it seems a strong point… just double your back work, and add in more strict pressing, because as I said if you are a typical “guy who spent a lot of time benching” your back is probably lagging and that will be a bummer in the long run. Secondly, start squatting 3 x a week. One time can be lighter technique work, say after a heavy deadlift session. One time should be heavier for reps, like 3 x 8 at 75 % or so, and the third time should be heavy, 5 reps or less, done as the first movement of the day so that it really gets emphasized and you give it your all. Squat deep and often. Thirdly, watch a bunch of videos of good deadlifts/teching your how to deadlift so you can get your form good, and then drill that form with lighter weights. Don;t stress deadlift too much… it’s way ahead of your other lifts, and if you get your back stronger and your squat stronger, the deadlift will get stronger too.
That’s the best advice I can give based on the information you gave us. Good luck bud. GET DOWN AND SQUAT
[quote]N.K. wrote:
No bashing my friend. We are all friends here.
Just by looking at the numbers, I would guess you are more or less a guy who has spent a ton of time benching, and your form on your deadlift is probably pretty shitty because with a squat that low in comparison to your squat, you’re probably using a very rounded back and almost no legs and hips. But that’s all guesswork. First piece of advice would be to put up videos of yourself lifting, so we can actually see you lifting and critique.
Secondly, 160 at 13-14% and 5’7" is pretty small. Second piece of advice is start eating more. Much much more, best quality food you can get.
Third piece of advice is programming advice. First of all, start adding a lot of volume on assistance movements. Utilize that extra food you are eating and make some good, quality muscle. Second of all, keep doing whatever you are doing for bench because it seems a strong point… just double your back work, and add in more strict pressing, because as I said if you are a typical “guy who spent a lot of time benching” your back is probably lagging and that will be a bummer in the long run. Secondly, start squatting 3 x a week. One time can be lighter technique work, say after a heavy deadlift session. One time should be heavier for reps, like 3 x 8 at 75 % or so, and the third time should be heavy, 5 reps or less, done as the first movement of the day so that it really gets emphasized and you give it your all. Squat deep and often. Thirdly, watch a bunch of videos of good deadlifts/teching your how to deadlift so you can get your form good, and then drill that form with lighter weights. Don;t stress deadlift too much… it’s way ahead of your other lifts, and if you get your back stronger and your squat stronger, the deadlift will get stronger too.
That’s the best advice I can give based on the information you gave us. Good luck bud. GET DOWN AND SQUAT[/quote]
First thanks ALOT for the feedback! Yeah, all of what you said is true, maybe beside my form on deads. Anyway, form can and will always be an issue with any max effort lift, but I use a lot of legs and minimal back rounding, at least thats what the trainer watching me on my last PR said…(which could be total BS).
Than, what kind of programming would you suggest me to get on? I mean, I work in a gym at the moment (not a trainer, just selling shakes and supps and memberships) but still I have free access to the gym. Been lifting seriously for 3 years ( by seriously I mean 4-5 times a week) nutrition has been on point for the past months, but still need to get past the fact that I will have to gain some more fat in order to grow. (Aiming for around 3000cals as of now).
Yeah I have a somewhat good pressing strenght, but my chest is one of my weakest looking bodyparts. Will post pictures soon to show ya how I look.
Seiko 29. Your squat will either improve or you’ll get crushed.
[quote]TheKraken wrote:
Seiko 29. Your squat will either improve or you’ll get crushed. [/quote]
Will look it up. But then again, my main goal ain’t really powerlifting, posted here because of my major lack of squating skills, but looking for a overall ‘‘make me bigger and stronger’’ program. Will see if it can get me there! Thanks for posting btw!
[quote]jeanmich wrote:
[quote]TheKraken wrote:
Seiko 29. Your squat will either improve or you’ll get crushed. [/quote]
Will look it up. But then again, my main goal ain’t really powerlifting, posted here because of my major lack of squating skills, but looking for a overall ‘‘make me bigger and stronger’’ program. Will see if it can get me there! Thanks for posting btw![/quote]
Sorry, that was a little blunt but you are in the PL section here. Sheiko improved my squat because it is high volume but the percentages are manageable if you are honest with your max’s. Doing #29 forces you to “do it right,” because you squat soooo damned much but never so heavy you’ll get hurt. You’ll uncover weaknesses and can correct them through practice and assistance work.
Another good option is Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1, boring but big. If you’re concerned with aesthetics, maybe add in a 5th “clean up” day with some curls, calves, extra pulling, etc. it’s a powerlifting program but if you eat a lot and work hard you will probably put on a lot of quality size and some great strength running it.
[quote]N.K. wrote:
Another good option is Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1, boring but big. If you’re concerned with aesthetics, maybe add in a 5th “clean up” day with some curls, calves, extra pulling, etc. it’s a powerlifting program but if you eat a lot and work hard you will probably put on a lot of quality size and some great strength running it. [/quote]
Thanks again for the feedback. Yeah I’ve thought about running some variation of a PL routine.
I’ve attached a pic of me taken around 2-3 weeks ago, weigth has not changed much, maybe 1-2 pounds, just to give you an idea of my ‘‘build’’.
You don’t look bad at all. Some solid size, especially if you’re only 160 ish. Your back is pretty big, seeing your avatar pic I can believe that you can dealift without much of a round back. But I still can’t imagine that you are really using your legs much at all in those pulls, unless your legs are very strong and your squat technique just needs a lot of work. Again, if you want good advice I would suggest you take some videos of your lifts, so people here can give technique criticism. Plus, start squatting a lot more. You know that that’s your weakness, so get to it.
If you are interested in aesthetics more than strength, though, I would maybe check out bodybuilding or the bigger stronger leaner forum. Here, people are going to suggest things to get your lifts stronger. Obviously many powerlifters care about aesthetics too, but pretty much everyone here will tell you to just run a powerlifting program (5/3/1, sheiko, smolov, WS4SB, etc etc) with higher-volume bodybuilding type assistance. If you want to get strong and put on size, check out any number of those programs, find one with flexible assistance work, and you’ll get better. But if you really want advice on physique or bodybuilding, I’d check out the other forums. They squat there too haha.
[quote]N.K. wrote:
But if you really want advice on physique or bodybuilding, I’d check out the other forums. They squat there too haha. [/quote]
This times a million. Nobody cares how you look in this section because we’re not judged on it.
The other areas squat but they aren’t as fixated on increasing that number as they are about leg growth so you could potentially get different advice here or there.
It never hurts to film yourself (full body, front and side if possible) and ask for feedback.
Best of luck,
james
I think it’s fair to say that one can pursue both physique and a bigger 1RM at the same time, and if your concern at the moment is getting a bigger squat you still probably came to the right place.
Like most others have said, the biggest thing is to squat more often. Some program that has you squatting at least twice a week, if not three times.
And definitely take videos of your squat the next time you work at a decent intensity. Looking at your build and your DL/bench numbers, there has to be some kind of technique issue that’s also holding you back. It doesn’t look like you have the kind of leverages that would naturally produce this kind of disparity.
Thanks guys, really like your answers and the help you’re giving me! I’ll be looking out PL programs and see if I can get to squat at least twice a week and get proper assistance work in to get that volume in.
Oh and thanks for the compliments on my back, working hard on that one!
Have a good one guys.
