Making gains with lighter weights?

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wargrrl
wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I think for a while now ive hit a plateau w muscle gains and im80% sure its because my diet is crap as in i dont eat enough to bulk up. My strength continually sees improvement but not so much my muscles.

So heres my question.. lets say i stopped noticing gains when 155lbs was my max squat weight. now i am squatting 205, still not noticing much gains. if i were to improve my diet and calorie intake, wud i still be able to make gains if i were to squat lighter than 205? or would i have to squat 205+ to make gains? lol i hope im making sense.
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Replies

  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
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    Well I'm no expert, but I think to be really successful at this you need to do a little bit of both, especially when doing just one alone isn't working. Check out powerbuilding as a intermediate form of lifting, if you haven't already. It's a mix of classic low rep, high weight compound powerlifting and high rep, low weight bodybuilding. I'm practicing it now and I feel like I'm seeing results.

    And I do tend to eat way more than I should, it helps. =)
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Strength gains can happen even without muscle gain. Are you noticing the scale going up? It might be time to re-adjust your calorie goal. As you gain you may hit plateaus and usually have to up your cals from time to time. Progressive increases in lifting is what helps build muscle - you have to challenge the muscle in order for it to grow. If you force them to do more work, they will get bigger - to an extent of course depending on your genetic potential.
  • wargrrl
    wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
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    Bump
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    How much are you eating?
    What's your TDEE?
    What does your lifting schedule look like?
    What set/rep scheme are you using?
    What is your RPE for the lifts?

    Gaining mass is more than just eating and lifting. The sets and reps are important as well as how close or far from failure you are. I don't gain mass if my main lifts are under 7 reps even if my accessory work is 8-12 reps.

    There's a chance you aren't eating enough and there's an even better chance that you need to rethink your training program.
  • SweatLikeDog
    SweatLikeDog Posts: 272 Member
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    Agree with usmcmp. Once you hit a plateau, everything else being equal, you need to start using periodization. Basically, you go for more weight every 3rd workout injecting a light weight day and a medium weight day in between. Check out Starting Strength by Rippetoe or just google periodization.
  • wargrrl
    wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
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    I train legs 2-3 days a week

    Im 100lbs, 5'0'

    i changed up my squats to 5 x 5 recently...used to do 4 x 8
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    SweatLikeDog wrote: »
    Agree with usmcmp. Once you hit a plateau, everything else being equal, you need to start using periodization. Basically, you go for more weight every 3rd workout injecting a light weight day and a medium weight day in between. Check out Starting Strength by Rippetoe or just google periodization.

    Not everyone makes lean mass gains on a strength program (during 4 months of powerlifting I gained half a pound of lean mass versus 5 pounds of lean mass in 4 months on a hypertrophy routine).

    Now, something like Layne Norton's PHAT program may be a good idea. Two days of strength and three days of hypertrophy. It's a bit of the best of both worlds, but it does require more days in the gym.
  • TheUnwritten
    TheUnwritten Posts: 158 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I am also wondering this. I got bad shoulders so I go light on shoulder lifts. Started my first bulk a couple weeks back hopefully I can make some gains even though I cant go heavy.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    SweatLikeDog wrote: »
    Agree with usmcmp. Once you hit a plateau, everything else being equal, you need to start using periodization. Basically, you go for more weight every 3rd workout injecting a light weight day and a medium weight day in between. Check out Starting Strength by Rippetoe or just google periodization.

    Not everyone makes lean mass gains on a strength program (during 4 months of powerlifting I gained half a pound of lean mass versus 5 pounds of lean mass in 4 months on a hypertrophy routine).

    Now, something like Layne Norton's PHAT program may be a good idea. Two days of strength and three days of hypertrophy. It's a bit of the best of both worlds, but it does require more days in the gym.
    PHAT is a program I've always wanted to run. Volume was an issue so I went with PHUL, but PHAT is definitely in the future. I agree it looks like a solidly planned program.

    Find the original version of PHAT! I've looked at the original and the current version, I think he nailed it with the first one (second was came out because people complained and he adjusted a few things to appease the masses).
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Old one:
    http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Layne_Norton's_Power/Hypertrophy_Routine

    New one:
    http://www.simplyshredded.com/mega-feature-layne-norton-training-series-full-powerhypertrophy-routine-updated-2011.html

    Most people don't know there are two versions ;)
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Old one:
    http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Layne_Norton's_Power/Hypertrophy_Routine

    New one:
    http://www.simplyshredded.com/mega-feature-layne-norton-training-series-full-powerhypertrophy-routine-updated-2011.html

    Most people don't know there are two versions ;)

    Wow. What a difference. I had only seen the updated one. Honestly, I can't decide if I should feel excitement, irritated that I didn't find it before or impatience to leave work now and go to the gym.

    Young lady, you have made my day. :flowerforyou:

    Glad I could make your day! Now you can go share that there are two versions!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    I use very close bastardized version of Wendler's 5/3/1that I personalized for myself including accessory lift that I have had some amazing gains with. I would also look into your diet as you might need to eat more. Are you deloading when you fail at squats? Have you taken anytime off for body charge?
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    TUT -- Time Under Tension
    You have to do something to stimulate muscle.

    So if you don't want to up your weights, then up your reps....

    Take a gander at German Volume Training....

    But it will also be a result of your calorie intake
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Old one:
    http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Layne_Norton's_Power/Hypertrophy_Routine

    New one:
    http://www.simplyshredded.com/mega-feature-layne-norton-training-series-full-powerhypertrophy-routine-updated-2011.html

    Most people don't know there are two versions ;)

    Wow. What a difference. I had only seen the updated one. Honestly, I can't decide if I should feel excitement, irritated that I didn't find it before or impatience to leave work now and go to the gym.

    Young lady, you have made my day. :flowerforyou:


    I am currently doing the "new one"...with some tweaks of my own.

    I will say this, if you start doing it.....about 3 - 4 weeks in, you are gonna feel it....
    He mentions it in the article, and you have to push through it...maybe deload, or cut back on volume a bit, till you get through....
    But if you do push on, your body will adjust, and it won't be as bad.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    SweatLikeDog wrote: »
    Agree with usmcmp. Once you hit a plateau, everything else being equal, you need to start using periodization. Basically, you go for more weight every 3rd workout injecting a light weight day and a medium weight day in between. Check out Starting Strength by Rippetoe or just google periodization.

    Not everyone makes lean mass gains on a strength program (during 4 months of powerlifting I gained half a pound of lean mass versus 5 pounds of lean mass in 4 months on a hypertrophy routine).

    Now, something like Layne Norton's PHAT program may be a good idea. Two days of strength and three days of hypertrophy. It's a bit of the best of both worlds, but it does require more days in the gym.


    I am thinking in a couple weeks, I may drop the PHAT program I am on....
    And go to a hypertrophy routine....for a couple months.
    See what happens.

    Right now, I just need to get my calories where I am putting on some weight.

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