Where Do I Go From Here (SL 5x5)

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

I’ve been lifting for almost a year now and I’ve been making less than noteworthy progress. I went from 160 lbs to 180-5ish lbs. My numbers are as follows (never set foot in a gym so prior numbers are worthless):

Squat: 255x1
Dead: 315x1
OHP: 135x1
Bench: 195x1
Row: 190x1

I had worked my way up to slightly higher numbers (265x5 squat, 325x3 deadlift), but I keep getting sick every couple of months and traveling at least once a quarter. I know this is something I need to assess with my doctor, but besides that I’ve been trying to stay consistent. I notice every time I get sick I lose 20 to 30 pounds off of my lifts so I deload and restart.

I followed Stronglifts to 3x5 and got so frustrated / bothered by the weight that I started looking at alternatives. I know Madcow is what I should have done / should still do, but I ended up with 5/3/1 BBB and a few more assistance exercises. I wasn’t very happy with the speed so I decided (like a dumbass) to change the amounts that I add to the bar after each cycle. This has lead me to working back up to the same weight that I was at before and stalling.

I enjoy my time in the gym, but I’m wondering if I’m cannibalizing my strength gains with too many accessories or I screwed myself by adding too much weight too fast. I don’t like how slow 5/3/1 moves, but I want to get bigger while getting stronger.

I watch my burn rate with a bodymedia armband and eat a 500 calorie surplus every day. I have been stuck around 180 to 185 pounds for months and I can’t seem to add any strength either…

I know my numbers suck so I’m trying to figure out what to do to keep moving forward.

Thanks!

2

  1. Gaining 20-25 lbs in a year is pretty noteworthy. Even if you’re a newb.

  2. It doesn’t really matter what type of tried-and-true program you do so long as you are consistent AND enjoying it. If you’ve done the same routine for a year then feel free to mix it up but don’t program jump thinking you will find the workout-utopia.

  3. the whole “500 calorie” isn’t set in stone. If you don’t find that 500 is sufficient to put weight on the bar/your body then up the calories.

  4. Your numbers don’t suck. So far they are the heaviest you’ve ever lifted and you should be proud of that and not concerned about what other lift.

  5. Focus on other aspects of your life which can be slowing down gains (sleep, stress etc).

3

Your numbers don’t suck. Something that seems to get ignored a lot around here is how your natural build will affect your rate of progress. I had to work pretty hard to get the numbers you’ve put up (i was a bit stronger on squats at the same point). Honestly, some guys start out lifting what you’re putting up, and they are the guys who think you’re a retard who has wasted their time if you can’t bench 225 in 6 months of training, and shout loudly about it on the internet.

Some of the people on here I am guessing are lying through their arses about how much they can lift, just to fit in. And then you also need to take into consideration that this is a bodybuilding/powerlifting site, so it will naturally attract and retain a lot of guys who have great genetics for this game.

The numbers you put up already make you stronger than 95% of people you will come across in daily life. It’s only on the internet where everybody is putting up plates and plates worth of weight. Sure, there’s a long way to go before you’re really fuck off strong.

But add 100+lbs to your squat and dead over the next 2 years, an 50+ lbs to your upper body lifts, you’ll be damn strong by almost any standard other than the strength athletes. Spend another 5 years working away and you’ll start to be holding your own amongst the competitively strong. Real strength takes a long time and a lot of hard work to develop, no matter what strangers say on the internet.

4

Also, thanks for asking a question and then disappearing and not thanking anybody for the responses. Good on ya.