I bulked and just got fat.

auddii

slideaway1 wrote: »

I couldn't give a flying *kitten* weather I'm on a cut or a bulk or how many cals I had yesterday or that day when I'm in the gym. One way or another I'm going to try to move the weight and I wont let weather I'm on a cut or a bulk get in my head.

This. I started strong lifts on a cut, and I've never bulked. I went from starting weights (bar for everything except 65lbs for DL, and by the time I ended SL after two years these were my lifts:

Squats - 3x5 @ 170lbs
Bench - 3x5 @ 95lbs
Rows - 3x5 @ 95lbs
OHP - 3x5 @ 65lbs
DL - 1x5 @ 210lbs

Again, all of that strength gain was while on a deficit.

lucygoesrawr

Okay, thanks guys. I think I'll try and go by how I'm feeling when it comes to putting weight on the bar. I can't imagine that over the four months or so I'll be cutting for, that the weight on each lift won't get any easier. That seems silly.

LolBroScience - Yes, Texas Method. Though I've been told that's definitely not suitable for a cut because there's too much volume - what do you think? There is, of course, the fact that my hypermobility means I get physically fatigued more easily than others (no idea why, but it happens to a lot of people with the condition).

Koldnomore -
Yeah, I hope it is just having more muscle mass. I'm certainly not complaining, haha.
I'm glad you'll be helped by this thread too Sorry to hear about your accident.

LolBroScience

lucygoesrawr wrote: »

Okay, thanks guys. I think I'll try and go by how I'm feeling when it comes to putting weight on the bar. I can't imagine that over the four months or so I'll be cutting for, that the weight on each lift won't get any easier. That seems silly.

LolBroScience - Yes, Texas Method. Though I've been told that's definitely not suitable for a cut because there's too much volume - what do you think? There is, of course, the fact that my hypermobility means I get physically fatigued more easily than others (no idea why, but it happens to a lot of people with the condition).

Koldnomore -
Yeah, I hope it is just having more muscle mass. I'm certainly not complaining, haha.
I'm glad you'll be helped by this thread too Sorry to hear about your accident.

Depends on personal recovery. But... there are some 3x5 variations you could maybe run in place of the 5x5. Google Texas Method templates

lucygoesrawr

Today hasn't gone well. Two days of rest but still have DOMS in my quads and hamstrings. Tried that squat weight I failed last time again, only managed one rep. Took some weight off so it was a weight I have succeeded with before, only managed one rep of that before failing. My body is so exhausted.

keithcw_the_first

Okay, so something similar is happening to me! What's the answer? More food? Deload? Week off?

3laine75

lucygoesrawr wrote: »

Today hasn't gone well. Two days of rest but still have DOMS in my quads and hamstrings. Tried that squat weight I failed last time again, only managed one rep. Took some weight off so it was a weight I have succeeded with before, only managed one rep of that before failing. My body is so exhausted.

Are you feeling the DOMS in a different place than usual? Could be a good thing, you could've nailed the form and be hitting muscles you usually don't. I got that last year, after visiting a coach - widened my stance and, my god did my hamstrings feel it!

And hey, you got 1 rep at a weight you failed before - that's progress! Well done

LolBroScience

When was your last deload?

lucygoesrawr

keithcw_the_first -
You might want to make your own thread and give a lot more detail to get advice (assuming you haven't already - I've not looked), it's not really clear what your 'something similar' is.

3laine75 -
I'm not sure it's in a different place, it has just been a lot more painful, I think.
Thank you for the encouragement Though I think you might have misunderstood - I had managed three sets of three, out of five, before with that weight, while last time I only managed one rep, and then only one or two reps of a weight I had previously completed all sets with. So it's kind of like I'm going backwards.

LolBroScience -
Hm... well, going by the posts in this thread as I don't have the excel spreadsheet at the moment, I think I deloaded my squats around the 12th February and came out of that deload a couple of weeks ago.

auddii

There is a difference between deloading because you missed a lift and a scheduled deload. I know stronglifts isn't written to incorporate scheduled deloads, but it might be really useful for you.

More info on deloads:
http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/deloading-101-what-is-a-deload-and-how-do-you-do-it

nakima

I am on a cut right now and I am doing my best to maintain my weights (strength). Some days are easier than others. my squats and deads are good I tend to lose strength in my bench press but then my upper body has always been a little weak (im working on that) one thing I have noticed tho is when I eat a good slow absorbing carb along with a good protein source oats and eggs an hour before my workout along with a pre workout drink( 30 mins prior) I maintain my strength and focus.This is what seems to be working for me. I am about 3 months on my cut and thinking about maintaining for a little while then bulking. Anyway good luck! you have lots of good advice here!

upgradeddiddy

lucygoesrawr wrote: »

I've been bulking for a few weeks, maybe a month, I don't know. At first, lifting was a bit easier. Then it went back to how it was before - failures, fatigue. So I kept increasing my calories. Been eating 2300, my maintenance is 1700. I've just put on a few pounds of fat (my scales read body fat percent. And I can see it. My small amount of muscle definition looks the same as before.). I just failed to squat again, I've been failing my dead lifts - it's done no good at all. Why does it work so well for everyone else but not me? I think I'm going to cry now. If anyone has advice to offer, please do.
(For the record, I'm already overweight)

Too much nonsense to go through but... OP, do you know your body fat % to know if you actually should be bulking right now?

auddii

upgradeddiddy wrote: »

lucygoesrawr wrote: »

I've been bulking for a few weeks, maybe a month, I don't know. At first, lifting was a bit easier. Then it went back to how it was before - failures, fatigue. So I kept increasing my calories. Been eating 2300, my maintenance is 1700. I've just put on a few pounds of fat (my scales read body fat percent. And I can see it. My small amount of muscle definition looks the same as before.). I just failed to squat again, I've been failing my dead lifts - it's done no good at all. Why does it work so well for everyone else but not me? I think I'm going to cry now. If anyone has advice to offer, please do.
(For the record, I'm already overweight)

Too much nonsense to go through but... OP, do you know your body fat % to know if you actually should be bulking right now?

She was bulking because her doctor told her it would be a good idea to put on some muscle to help with a medical condition. I think she actually is about to finish up her bulk. There were about 8 pages of more information provided...

lucygoesrawr

Auddii -

There is a difference between deloading because you missed a lift and a scheduled deload. I know stronglifts isn't written to incorporate scheduled deloads, but it might be really useful for you.

Thanks for the link, I see what you mean about scheduled deloads. However, the long deload I had (from February) was not because of missing a lift, it was to make my form issues easier to correct. So that would have been kind of like what you're suggesting, I think?
(Also, probably not relevant, but it's Starting Strength I've been doing)

Nakima -
Thanks for the advice. I might try having a little something before workouts and see if it helps. Trouble is, I like to not eat within a few hours of working out (I do it first thing in the morning, usually) as it makes me feel really sick. Maybe there's something I can find that won't, though.

auddii

lucygoesrawr wrote: »

Auddii -

There is a difference between deloading because you missed a lift and a scheduled deload. I know stronglifts isn't written to incorporate scheduled deloads, but it might be really useful for you.

Thanks for the link, I see what you mean about scheduled deloads. However, the long deload I had (from February) was not because of missing a lift, it was to make my form issues easier to correct. So that would have been kind of like what you're suggesting, I think?
(Also, probably not relevant, but it's Starting Strength I've been doing)

Nakima -
Thanks for the advice. I might try having a little something before workouts and see if it helps. Trouble is, I like to not eat within a few hours of working out (I do it first thing in the morning, usually) as it makes me feel really sick. Maybe there's something I can find that won't, though.

Yeah, that's going to be a decent deload. I'm just thinking you should contemplate putting a standard deload week in your routine. I'm doing a more intermediate program, so it works on a monthly cycle, ramping up each week and then the fourth week is a deload week every month. If you're having fatigue issues, a scheduled deload might do you some good, especially with your health issues. I can't remember, but have you been able to discuss with a trained physical therapist your specific health issues to see if they have any ideas?

lucygoesrawr

That's definitely something to consider, yes. Possibly near a certain time of the month... I've heard some women have issues with their lifts at that time, and it does just so happen to be that time at the moment.

I spoke to an orthopedic surgeon about the fatigue issue when I was initially diagnosed, but he basically just said to focus on getting enough rest (in general and between sets) and kind of 'listening to my body' - and it's just the way it is, I suppose. I don't think there's anything that can be done about it.
(He also said he didn't usually find most of his patients found physiotherapy very useful and I was doing the right sort of thing, so he didn't want to refer me for that)