Drop down more. Most of your sets should not be RPE 9-10. It is tempting to do this type of work all the time, but I have had great progress using lots of sets that are not pushing it to the limit.
In fact, one of the thing experienced lifters at my gym comment on all the time is beginners / early intermediates training too heavy. The guys who are really strong seem to not push the limit all the time. I know a guy who can deadlift 800 lbs. Most of his sets on deadlift are in the 500s / low 600s. He spends most of his time there, and then spends a little time in the 700s, and very little time near the 800s.
Set up your weights so that you can make 4 weeks of progress, and in the last week set a PR. I make this mistake too often as well (starting to high, and not having enough room to progress).
I know guys, but man, I don’t know why but this gym session rekt my whole day. Feels like I’m back to spinning wheels again. I hope this time I can make progress, I can’t stop thinking about it (and the last 7 years), its running in my head so fast… Maybe I need a Xanax or something…
No Xanax needed. You just have to separate from your pride for awhile on this. It’s telling you “man, you have to keep trying this weight until you make it, I know you can” and that’s the worst possible thing you can do. Take 3-5 steps backwards in weight, build confidence in your form and bar speed, and work your way back up. If you’re missing reps or barely making them you’re pushing way to hard for your current strength level and movement proficiency, and are learning bad habits.
Any day I can come in and hit minimums of a 440 squat, 295 bench, and 500 deadlift, but I haven’t handled more than 75% of those numbers in the gym for months. Next time I push hard I’ll blow them out of the water because I’ve built muscle, confidence, and bar speed.
I know man but its just so damn hard to see myself struggling to bench 1 fucking plate at 175 lbs 6 foot you know, its just absolutely soulcrushing; I feel really destroyed today mentally (as you can probably tell).
I don’t know how I led myself to end up here, its such a shit position to be in. I wish I could just do gear or something without crazy side effects. That’s not me looking for a short cut, thats just me looking for any way out being down on my knees after all the years and after failing today still at the same level I was in 2018, not a single improvement.
Imagine what kind of man struggles to bench press 135 being 6 foot and 175 lbs, so depressing and I just keep thinking about it again, and again… and again, and again…
Honestly, it wouldn’t be much of a short cut. People hear about the guys who make all sorts of gains on gear. Those are the outliers who report how great they did. In many cases, they were doing more than they say, or have very good genetics for gear.
Most of the beginners who are using gear, don’t make very good long term progress. Mostly cause they don’t know about training and eating. They take two steps forward while they are on, and 1.5 steps back once they get off. You have to think over that period of time, they probably could have made .5 steps forward without drugs.
The drugs are for taking it to the next level IMO. You should already be muscular and strong when you start them. That means you either know at least a bit what you are doing, or have great genetics. We don’t have the latter, so figure out what you are doing for a couple years before you even consider.
So what is the solution for regular people who just can’t get gains despite trying really hard? Say people with poor genetics (probably my case at this point)?
Have you ever seen someone struggle at around 135-150 lbs bench before? Just curios, it seems like everyone easily blows past this even with shit training
I guess that is right, but its so hard to not dwell upon, its been on my mind the whole day now, my cortisol is probably super high which isn’t gonna help either. I guess I just need some big distraction right now
I’ve been with you every step of the way. First post and your name change.
I’ve read it all.
Too much advice. Some of it conflicts.
At some point you decide who you are going to listen to, don’t ask any more questions and just work the plan for 6-8 weeks then assess your progress.
21 days ago I suggested you don’t diet, you start around 2500 calories w/ 180 grams of protein. And run 5/3/1 bbb exactly as written. Build a base of strength on the compound lifts.
I can appreciate what you said to me. I don’t care about strength I want to look a certain way. You wanted to train in a way that would get you to your physique goal.
Now today you are unhappy with your level of strength on a compound lift.
Firstly, thanks for following along, i do appreciate it.
That is true, there were some ppl saying cut, some maintenance and some surplus, I guess I did drop 2kg ish and now I not dieting anymore.
It is true, my main goal was (and is) aesthetics, but I doubt I can get it without progressing in any case. This program is supposed to be focused on hypertrophy but also get you somewhat stronger (albeit not as fast as 5/3/1 or other powerlifting focused programs). The main thing is just to achieve progressive overload in some way, which is where I am unable to make a move.
I had a response typed out, but this is way better.
Putting your head down and keeping your nose to the grindstone isn’t sexy, doesn’t feel new, and won’t get style points, but it’s the way all of us that have been successful lifting have made our progress. Below is the best advice you’ve been given.
I started off as a 150 pound guy that’s 5’8" and couldn’t bench 95 pounds, squat anything, deadlift 95 pounds, or overhead press anything more than an empty bar. Definitely not a genetic freak by any stretch of the term. I spun my wheels for a long time maxing out, pushing every set as hard as I could to hit numbers that made me feel validated, and felt terrible the whole time. Backed off, went with 5/3/1 (have run probably 20 different 5/3/1 templates over the last 7-8 years), and have continually gotten bigger/stronger the whole time.
Time and consistency. It takes a lot of time. It also takes a lot of work, work that isn’t always fun or glamorous.
A little insight for you. Almost everyone thinks they work hard in the gym, very few do.
For now, you need to do your work, which is building a base of strength (and some size will come with it too). To do that, you need to drop your weight used a bit to get better form. Failure seems to really get to you, so don’t put yourself in a position where you will fail.