cant seem to build strenght...help

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Replies

  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    by the way, is it okay to change order of the three exercises in one day?
    For example, WEEK 2 DAY 1 is supposed to be squats, head press and deadlift. I ended up doing head press, deadlift and squats because i was waiting for the rack to become available.

    good? also when can i start seeing results?

    Once you get to the heavier weights were you may or may not fail, it may make a difference. In other words, after doing deadlifts and OH press, you may not get all 5 sets of 5 in the squat. so although not issues technically, it may impact progression

    Results in strength should become apparent pretty fast, as you move up weight. are you talking body composition? that will come down more to diet than the lifting.

    so then what should I do once I come to a halt to the limit of weight that I can lift?
    by the way, I did squat today with 15 lbs and didn't feel a thing! Sounds like this program is working for me! Although I am not sure how correct my posture is while doing all these exercises.

    Is there anyone here from Toronto who wants to come to my gym just for a few session to see how my workout is?

    Life is pretty complicated, no matter what. Maybe wait to worry about things like the bolded until you get there, or close? It's pretty early times yet; that's a good long way in the future.

    In the short run, I think you're much smarter to focus on that other thing in your post: Making sure you're using good form at the start, so that you build a good foundation, and so that bad habits don't become ingrained now that will limit your progress (or cause injury) later.

    ok but how long till i get there? how ling is the strong lifts process going to last? 3 months, 4 months? 6 months? how do i know exactly when i will reach the max limit? how long do i know for sure am i supposed to do this before i decide to switch to a new routine? can someone please advise from their experience?

    This has already been answered, several times. Months, maybe a year. Long enough that worrying about it right now is pointless.

    Just focus on getting your form correct and monitoring your progress in adding more weight over time. You will see results.
  • OP I spent 3 months doing strong lifts. Others spend up to about a year. It really varies. I just couldn’t keep adding weight each session. As soon as that happens to you then you are ready to change to an intermediate programme. There’s loads of free programmes on the internet that will do the job. If you like powerlifting then I’d suggest barbell medicines free programme called the bridge. They also have a range of other programmes on their website. If you are concerned about form and technique you can post videos of yourself lifting on the thread in the gaining weight and bodybuilding forum.
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    Btw the process of gaining muscle and getting strong takes most people years and years and years. So buckle in and enjoy the ride. Impatience will not serve you well.

    when will i start seeing my forearms and biceps getting formed?
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Danp wrote: »
    Just to clarify when people are telling you to do 'resistance training' they're not talking about resistance against the helpful advice they're offering.

    You've come with a question, lots of people have offered excellent advice, suggestions and insight but you seem to be flatly ignoring it all. Are you really just looking for someone to agree with the approach you've already decided on so you can feel better about it?

    why are all these machines at the gym anyways if all im supposed to do are just powerlift exercises 3 times a week?
    whats the point of sitting leg curl or shoulder press or biceps cable extension if im not supposed to do them at all
    ? who are these exercises meant for then?

    PS - all the machines and stuff? I use a whole damned bunch of them. I'm not a powerlifter though I do do the 3 main lifts regularly, but going against the grain here, they are not the be all and end all. It all depends on what you want. You want pure strength with the added bonus of muscle aginz? fine. powerlift away. You want body sculpting? You'll need a bunch of accessories and that includes machines.

    So yeah, at the moment you just want to be able to bench press - so - the stronglifts or 5x5 or whatever other powerlifty program will be good for you. They are good programs. But - if you can't feel your chest on your press - like I said just before - get a trainer to show you how to feel it.
  • You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    Do you even have any kind of definitive idea of what you want to accomplish?
    Stop worrying about the kinds of particulars that don't currently apply to your situaion and may or may not even apply to you in the future.
    Focus on the steps you should be taking now. Once you've completed those steps and met those goals, then establish your plan for step 2.
    In the meantime, chill out and take a few months to build up your strength base.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Btw the process of gaining muscle and getting strong takes most people years and years and years. So buckle in and enjoy the ride. Impatience will not serve you well.

    when will i start seeing my forearms and biceps getting formed?

    when you lose enough fat to reveal the muscle underneath... which depends on where you carry your fat, how much you have and where you lose from, where you carry and lose from is genetic, none of us can answer that for you.
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    erickirb wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Btw the process of gaining muscle and getting strong takes most people years and years and years. So buckle in and enjoy the ride. Impatience will not serve you well.

    when will i start seeing my forearms and biceps getting formed?

    when you lose enough fat to reveal the muscle underneath... which depends on where you carry your fat, how much you have and where you lose from, where you carry and lose from is genetic, none of us can answer that for you.

    mainly on the stomach.
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    edited September 2019
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    Do you even have any kind of definitive idea of what you want to accomplish?
    Stop worrying about the kinds of particulars that don't currently apply to your situaion and may or may not even apply to you in the future.
    Focus on the steps you should be taking now. Once you've completed those steps and met those goals, then establish your plan for step 2.
    In the meantime, chill out and take a few months to build up your strength base.

    well yes I wonna gain strength but at the same time i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long I can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program?
    I just realized I did something wrong.
    In the stronglifts guide it says to increase weight by 5lbs for every exercise's next run. I didn't realize it meant 5lbs in TOTAL. I have been putting 5lbs on each side of the bar when I really should have been putting 2.5 lbs on each side.

    How can I fix this for my next exercise?
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    zamphir66 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »

    good? also when can i start seeing results?

    I collected all the answers to this and similar questions here, so you have them in one place! Enjoy!
    As a newbie you don’t need to worry about accessories until you stop seeing regular progress from your main lifts. Don’t over complicate things starting out.

    ...

    Um, I dunno how long it is for most people. It was somewhere between six months and a year for me? Guys, help me out here, how long did you stay with your beginner strength program before swapping to intermediate.
    For me, as an older lifter with some schedule restraints I trained 5 times every two weeks, which made my progression slower than others. It still worked fine, but it took me about 8 months to exhaust my linear progression. Many novices blast through it in 6 months or less.
    Really depends on you and your progress.

    I ran 5x5 for nearly a year before it was too much for me and I needed to switch things up.
    erickirb wrote: »

    ... until you stop progressing after a few deloads.

    You can go to the list someone provided earlier and pick an intermediate program (this should be 6 months to 2 years away though)

    Probably longer [than 3 months], but again depends on variables. Think 6-8 months....maybe a year if life gets in the way a bit, which happens to many.
    mmapags wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    by the way, is it okay to change order of the three exercises in one day?
    For example, WEEK 2 DAY 1 is supposed to be squats, head press and deadlift. I ended up doing head press, deadlift and squats because i was waiting for the rack to become available.

    good? also when can i start seeing results?

    Re the bolded: Dude you need to put on some patient pants. This is a long process. Weeks at least. Month more likely. The question you have to ask yourself is how soon will you see progress if you don't do anything. There is no shortcut to results.
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    also when can i start seeing results?

    Results are not important right now, with time and diligence they will come.

    What is important is taking the process seriously, not rushing, and really focusing on practising the movements.

    People can lift pretty heavy with poor form, but there is eventually a price to pay if they do.

    Work on making sure you are doing it right, before you worry about doing it heavy.

    And if you go through the program well, results will follow.
    mike_bold wrote: »
    Given your levels of strength right now, I would stick with it for at least one year. There isn't really a defined "finish", the quest for strength can last a life time. But if you want some arbitrary numbers, change it up when you can bench your bodyweight for reps, squat 1.5 - 2 x BW for reps, deadlift 2 x BW for reps.
    aokoye wrote: »
    Others have already answered this, 6 months to a year.
    Honestly you seem very anxious about the whole thing, if not, very impatient. Unfortunately none of us have a crystal ball and won't be able to tell you with certainty when you'll get to a point where it would be appropriate to move to a different plan. What you need to do now is be patient and follow the plan.

    This has already been answered, several times. Months, maybe a year. Long enough that worrying about it right now is pointless.

    Just focus on getting your form correct and monitoring your progress in adding more weight over time. You will see results.


    thanks, but thats not what my new question is.

    My questions is that i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long into this stronglifts program can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program? or how long was it for when you started incorporating accessories into your routine?
    also ,when it says to increase weights by 5 lbs, does it mean increase 5lbs on each side or in total?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    zamphir66 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »

    good? also when can i start seeing results?

    I collected all the answers to this and similar questions here, so you have them in one place! Enjoy!
    As a newbie you don’t need to worry about accessories until you stop seeing regular progress from your main lifts. Don’t over complicate things starting out.

    ...

    Um, I dunno how long it is for most people. It was somewhere between six months and a year for me? Guys, help me out here, how long did you stay with your beginner strength program before swapping to intermediate.
    For me, as an older lifter with some schedule restraints I trained 5 times every two weeks, which made my progression slower than others. It still worked fine, but it took me about 8 months to exhaust my linear progression. Many novices blast through it in 6 months or less.
    Really depends on you and your progress.

    I ran 5x5 for nearly a year before it was too much for me and I needed to switch things up.
    erickirb wrote: »

    ... until you stop progressing after a few deloads.

    You can go to the list someone provided earlier and pick an intermediate program (this should be 6 months to 2 years away though)

    Probably longer [than 3 months], but again depends on variables. Think 6-8 months....maybe a year if life gets in the way a bit, which happens to many.
    mmapags wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    by the way, is it okay to change order of the three exercises in one day?
    For example, WEEK 2 DAY 1 is supposed to be squats, head press and deadlift. I ended up doing head press, deadlift and squats because i was waiting for the rack to become available.

    good? also when can i start seeing results?

    Re the bolded: Dude you need to put on some patient pants. This is a long process. Weeks at least. Month more likely. The question you have to ask yourself is how soon will you see progress if you don't do anything. There is no shortcut to results.
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    also when can i start seeing results?

    Results are not important right now, with time and diligence they will come.

    What is important is taking the process seriously, not rushing, and really focusing on practising the movements.

    People can lift pretty heavy with poor form, but there is eventually a price to pay if they do.

    Work on making sure you are doing it right, before you worry about doing it heavy.

    And if you go through the program well, results will follow.
    mike_bold wrote: »
    Given your levels of strength right now, I would stick with it for at least one year. There isn't really a defined "finish", the quest for strength can last a life time. But if you want some arbitrary numbers, change it up when you can bench your bodyweight for reps, squat 1.5 - 2 x BW for reps, deadlift 2 x BW for reps.
    aokoye wrote: »
    Others have already answered this, 6 months to a year.
    Honestly you seem very anxious about the whole thing, if not, very impatient. Unfortunately none of us have a crystal ball and won't be able to tell you with certainty when you'll get to a point where it would be appropriate to move to a different plan. What you need to do now is be patient and follow the plan.

    This has already been answered, several times. Months, maybe a year. Long enough that worrying about it right now is pointless.

    Just focus on getting your form correct and monitoring your progress in adding more weight over time. You will see results.


    thanks, but thats not what my new question is.

    My questions is that i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long into this stronglifts program can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program? or how long was it for when you started incorporating accessories into your routine?
    also ,when it says to increase weights by 5 lbs, does it mean increase 5lbs on each side or in total?

    You are working all those muscle groups with strong lifts, so you are not neglecting anything. What you are doing is building a strong foundation upon which to build from.

    As for the increase in weight per session, it is 5 lbs total so 2.5lbs/side, otherwise you will increase weight too quickly.
  • RealWorldStrengthLLC
    RealWorldStrengthLLC Posts: 552 Member
    edited September 2019
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    When you have built a good, solid base of strength.

    Those exercises aren't very important. To give you an Idea of what is important, I'll break down my current routine for you.

    Shoulders day - log presses and sledgehammer tire hits.
    Back day. Pull-ups, deadlifts, barbell rows, tire flips.
    Chest day - Bench, incline DB bench, cable flyes if I feel like it. Also sledgehammer tire hits as a cool down.
    Leg day. Squats, farmers walks, sled pushes or pulls. If I have time, I might do some calf raises and Bulgarian split squats/lunges. I work 12 hour days so I rarely have time.

    ARMS/ACCESSORIES DAY: 3 types of curls for 2 sets/3 types of tricep isolation/3 types of shoulder isolation...this is basically a pure vanity day, and also a kind of break from big movements...it doesn't have a set place in my routine and I easily go without it and it probably wouldn't affect *kitten* as far as strength goes. Like I said, it's purely for vanity and largely unnecessary.

    As for cardio, I'm slightly to heavy to run still so I ride my bike 2-3 days a week (whenever I'm feeling taxed on strength and like my lifts would be sub par.) It's almost just active recovery, I dont log it and often I just ride to run errands like my mid week groceries or to go get vacuum filters from Walmart etc.

    EDIT: your routine should not be a bro-split with some strongman specific focus. I've been training 7+ years and have a desire to compete.

    Go check out Starting Strenth, maybe throw in some bodyweight stuff like dips and pull-ups. Do JUST THAT for 3 months.

    Rome wasn't built in a day.
  • Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    Do you even have any kind of definitive idea of what you want to accomplish?
    Stop worrying about the kinds of particulars that don't currently apply to your situaion and may or may not even apply to you in the future.
    Focus on the steps you should be taking now. Once you've completed those steps and met those goals, then establish your plan for step 2.
    In the meantime, chill out and take a few months to build up your strength base.

    well yes I wonna gain strength but at the same time i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long I can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program?
    I just realized I did something wrong.
    In the stronglifts guide it says to increase weight by 5lbs for every exercise's next run. I didn't realize it meant 5lbs in TOTAL. I have been putting 5lbs on each side of the bar when I really should have been putting 2.5 lbs on each side.

    How can I fix this for my next exercise?

    Why do you think those exercises are important? They're not. Not for a beginner who's already working all the same muscles with other movements.

    You don't need to do lat pulls or dumbbell curls because you're already doing bent over barbell rows.
    You don't need to do shoulder press because you're already doing overhead press.

    You don't need these accessory movements to progress in a beginner's strength training program and get stronger, which is your goal.
    Thus, they are not important.

    As for how to fix the fact that you're supposed to go up in weight by 5 lbs total at the next session, simply go up by 5lbs at the next session. You can't (and don't need to) change what you've already done. Just adjust and proceed from here.


    I agree with everything pretty much everyone has said here except I gotta point out that rows aren't going to help much with the pull-up motion. I haven't reviewed SL but when I put a friend on SS I had him also incorporate pull-ups and bw dips because those are extremely important for a strength base. Being able to pull/push your own bodyweight is not only important for the gym but just for life in general.
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    zamphir66 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »

    good? also when can i start seeing results?

    I collected all the answers to this and similar questions here, so you have them in one place! Enjoy!
    As a newbie you don’t need to worry about accessories until you stop seeing regular progress from your main lifts. Don’t over complicate things starting out.

    ...

    Um, I dunno how long it is for most people. It was somewhere between six months and a year for me? Guys, help me out here, how long did you stay with your beginner strength program before swapping to intermediate.
    For me, as an older lifter with some schedule restraints I trained 5 times every two weeks, which made my progression slower than others. It still worked fine, but it took me about 8 months to exhaust my linear progression. Many novices blast through it in 6 months or less.
    Really depends on you and your progress.

    I ran 5x5 for nearly a year before it was too much for me and I needed to switch things up.
    erickirb wrote: »

    ... until you stop progressing after a few deloads.

    You can go to the list someone provided earlier and pick an intermediate program (this should be 6 months to 2 years away though)

    Probably longer [than 3 months], but again depends on variables. Think 6-8 months....maybe a year if life gets in the way a bit, which happens to many.
    mmapags wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    by the way, is it okay to change order of the three exercises in one day?
    For example, WEEK 2 DAY 1 is supposed to be squats, head press and deadlift. I ended up doing head press, deadlift and squats because i was waiting for the rack to become available.

    good? also when can i start seeing results?

    Re the bolded: Dude you need to put on some patient pants. This is a long process. Weeks at least. Month more likely. The question you have to ask yourself is how soon will you see progress if you don't do anything. There is no shortcut to results.
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    also when can i start seeing results?

    Results are not important right now, with time and diligence they will come.

    What is important is taking the process seriously, not rushing, and really focusing on practising the movements.

    People can lift pretty heavy with poor form, but there is eventually a price to pay if they do.

    Work on making sure you are doing it right, before you worry about doing it heavy.

    And if you go through the program well, results will follow.
    mike_bold wrote: »
    Given your levels of strength right now, I would stick with it for at least one year. There isn't really a defined "finish", the quest for strength can last a life time. But if you want some arbitrary numbers, change it up when you can bench your bodyweight for reps, squat 1.5 - 2 x BW for reps, deadlift 2 x BW for reps.
    aokoye wrote: »
    Others have already answered this, 6 months to a year.
    Honestly you seem very anxious about the whole thing, if not, very impatient. Unfortunately none of us have a crystal ball and won't be able to tell you with certainty when you'll get to a point where it would be appropriate to move to a different plan. What you need to do now is be patient and follow the plan.

    This has already been answered, several times. Months, maybe a year. Long enough that worrying about it right now is pointless.

    Just focus on getting your form correct and monitoring your progress in adding more weight over time. You will see results.


    thanks, but thats not what my new question is.

    My questions is that i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long into this stronglifts program can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program? or how long was it for when you started incorporating accessories into your routine?
    also ,when it says to increase weights by 5 lbs, does it mean increase 5lbs on each side or in total?

    And everyone's answer is THOSE EXERCISES AREN'T IMPORTANT*.

    What is preventing you hearing this?

    *For you, at this beginning stage


    so once i become comfortable with my current routine can i incorporate them in my routine after 2-3 months?
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    edited September 2019
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    Do you even have any kind of definitive idea of what you want to accomplish?
    Stop worrying about the kinds of particulars that don't currently apply to your situaion and may or may not even apply to you in the future.
    Focus on the steps you should be taking now. Once you've completed those steps and met those goals, then establish your plan for step 2.
    In the meantime, chill out and take a few months to build up your strength base.

    well yes I wonna gain strength but at the same time i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long I can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program?
    I just realized I did something wrong.
    In the stronglifts guide it says to increase weight by 5lbs for every exercise's next run. I didn't realize it meant 5lbs in TOTAL. I have been putting 5lbs on each side of the bar when I really should have been putting 2.5 lbs on each side.

    How can I fix this for my next exercise?

    Why do you think those exercises are important? They're not. Not for a beginner who's already working all the same muscles with other movements.

    You don't need to do lat pulls or dumbbell curls because you're already doing bent over barbell rows.
    You don't need to do shoulder press because you're already doing overhead press.

    You don't need these accessory movements to progress in a beginner's strength training program and get stronger, which is your goal.
    Thus, they are not important.

    As for how to fix the fact that you're supposed to go up in weight by 5 lbs total at the next session, simply go up by 5lbs at the next session. You can't (and don't need to) change what you've already done. Just adjust and proceed from here.

    im not a beginner though, thats the thing. I've been exercising ever since I was 18 and now I'm 30. Also, literally every other buff looking guy at the gym is doing all those exerices to get more buff. If they are so useless, why are they doing them?
    so you're saying I should not be touching those accessories at all for however long Im going to be on this program for?
    Thanks for the last tip
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    Do you even have any kind of definitive idea of what you want to accomplish?
    Stop worrying about the kinds of particulars that don't currently apply to your situaion and may or may not even apply to you in the future.
    Focus on the steps you should be taking now. Once you've completed those steps and met those goals, then establish your plan for step 2.
    In the meantime, chill out and take a few months to build up your strength base.

    well yes I wonna gain strength but at the same time i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long I can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program?
    I just realized I did something wrong.
    In the stronglifts guide it says to increase weight by 5lbs for every exercise's next run. I didn't realize it meant 5lbs in TOTAL. I have been putting 5lbs on each side of the bar when I really should have been putting 2.5 lbs on each side.

    How can I fix this for my next exercise?

    Why do you think those exercises are important? They're not. Not for a beginner who's already working all the same muscles with other movements.

    You don't need to do lat pulls or dumbbell curls because you're already doing bent over barbell rows.
    You don't need to do shoulder press because you're already doing overhead press.

    You don't need these accessory movements to progress in a beginner's strength training program and get stronger, which is your goal.
    Thus, they are not important.

    As for how to fix the fact that you're supposed to go up in weight by 5 lbs total at the next session, simply go up by 5lbs at the next session. You can't (and don't need to) change what you've already done. Just adjust and proceed from here.


    I agree with everything pretty much everyone has said here except I gotta point out that rows aren't going to help much with the pull-up motion. I haven't reviewed SL but when I put a friend on SS I had him also incorporate pull-ups and bw dips because those are extremely important for a strength base. Being able to pull/push your own bodyweight is not only important for the gym but just for life in general.

    I cant do this..what was I thinking. This is so hard!

    i effed up today doing OP and DeadLift. I first did squats, 17.5 lbs which was okay. I think I'm going pretty good at this.
    However, when it came to DL, 40 lbs, not sure what happened but I hurt my back to the point I can't move. Now I dont know how to fix this. Is there a simple video on YT that shows correct posture for it? I can't seem to find a simple video without the gym bro going on 15 minute useless lecture.

    Then it came to doing Overhead Press. I only had to do 7.5 lbs of added weight but it was so hard!
    I barely managed to get through all the reps.

    Just to confirm, this is the bar I'm supposed to use for OP right? https://imgur.com/KgSosHe

    Is it okay to take advil/pain killer for my back pain? is my back going to return to normal? :(
  • zamphir66
    zamphir66 Posts: 582 Member
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    Do you even have any kind of definitive idea of what you want to accomplish?
    Stop worrying about the kinds of particulars that don't currently apply to your situaion and may or may not even apply to you in the future.
    Focus on the steps you should be taking now. Once you've completed those steps and met those goals, then establish your plan for step 2.
    In the meantime, chill out and take a few months to build up your strength base.

    well yes I wonna gain strength but at the same time i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long I can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program?
    I just realized I did something wrong.
    In the stronglifts guide it says to increase weight by 5lbs for every exercise's next run. I didn't realize it meant 5lbs in TOTAL. I have been putting 5lbs on each side of the bar when I really should have been putting 2.5 lbs on each side.

    How can I fix this for my next exercise?

    Why do you think those exercises are important? They're not. Not for a beginner who's already working all the same muscles with other movements.

    You don't need to do lat pulls or dumbbell curls because you're already doing bent over barbell rows.
    You don't need to do shoulder press because you're already doing overhead press.

    You don't need these accessory movements to progress in a beginner's strength training program and get stronger, which is your goal.
    Thus, they are not important.

    As for how to fix the fact that you're supposed to go up in weight by 5 lbs total at the next session, simply go up by 5lbs at the next session. You can't (and don't need to) change what you've already done. Just adjust and proceed from here.


    I agree with everything pretty much everyone has said here except I gotta point out that rows aren't going to help much with the pull-up motion. I haven't reviewed SL but when I put a friend on SS I had him also incorporate pull-ups and bw dips because those are extremely important for a strength base. Being able to pull/push your own bodyweight is not only important for the gym but just for life in general.

    I cant do this..what was I thinking. This is so hard!

    i effed up today doing OP and DeadLift. I first did squats, 17.5 lbs which was okay. I think I'm going pretty good at this.
    However, when it came to DL, 40 lbs, not sure what happened but I hurt my back to the point I can't move. Now I dont know how to fix this. Is there a simple video on YT that shows correct posture for it? I can't seem to find a simple video without the gym bro going on 15 minute useless

    Did you not look at videos or ask for help before doing a complex exercise like a deadlift? Were you just kind of winging it? That is indeed a recipe for hurting yourself.

    I am not a physical therapist but the conventional wisdom is you don't want to just lay around when you tweak your back even though maybe that sounds like a good idea. If your back will allow you to stand walk Etc you should keep doing so. Within reason.

    Also remember that the bar weighs 45 pounds So when you say you squatted 17 1/2 pounds you really mean 62 and a half. That might sound like a nitpick but it's about accuracy. You squatted 62.5 lb literally.

  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    zamphir66 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    Do you even have any kind of definitive idea of what you want to accomplish?
    Stop worrying about the kinds of particulars that don't currently apply to your situaion and may or may not even apply to you in the future.
    Focus on the steps you should be taking now. Once you've completed those steps and met those goals, then establish your plan for step 2.
    In the meantime, chill out and take a few months to build up your strength base.

    well yes I wonna gain strength but at the same time i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long I can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program?
    I just realized I did something wrong.
    In the stronglifts guide it says to increase weight by 5lbs for every exercise's next run. I didn't realize it meant 5lbs in TOTAL. I have been putting 5lbs on each side of the bar when I really should have been putting 2.5 lbs on each side.

    How can I fix this for my next exercise?

    Why do you think those exercises are important? They're not. Not for a beginner who's already working all the same muscles with other movements.

    You don't need to do lat pulls or dumbbell curls because you're already doing bent over barbell rows.
    You don't need to do shoulder press because you're already doing overhead press.

    You don't need these accessory movements to progress in a beginner's strength training program and get stronger, which is your goal.
    Thus, they are not important.

    As for how to fix the fact that you're supposed to go up in weight by 5 lbs total at the next session, simply go up by 5lbs at the next session. You can't (and don't need to) change what you've already done. Just adjust and proceed from here.


    I agree with everything pretty much everyone has said here except I gotta point out that rows aren't going to help much with the pull-up motion. I haven't reviewed SL but when I put a friend on SS I had him also incorporate pull-ups and bw dips because those are extremely important for a strength base. Being able to pull/push your own bodyweight is not only important for the gym but just for life in general.

    I cant do this..what was I thinking. This is so hard!

    i effed up today doing OP and DeadLift. I first did squats, 17.5 lbs which was okay. I think I'm going pretty good at this.
    However, when it came to DL, 40 lbs, not sure what happened but I hurt my back to the point I can't move. Now I dont know how to fix this. Is there a simple video on YT that shows correct posture for it? I can't seem to find a simple video without the gym bro going on 15 minute useless

    Did you not look at videos or ask for help before doing a complex exercise like a deadlift? Were you just kind of winging it? That is indeed a recipe for hurting yourself.

    I am not a physical therapist but the conventional wisdom is you don't want to just lay around when you tweak your back even though maybe that sounds like a good idea. If your back will allow you to stand walk Etc you should keep doing so. Within reason.

    Also remember that the bar weighs 45 pounds So when you say you squatted 17 1/2 pounds you really mean 62 and a half. That might sound like a nitpick but it's about accuracy. You squatted 62.5 lb literally.

    thanks kid next to me was doing 135 lbs and he was doing 5 reps.
  • fitpal02020
    fitpal02020 Posts: 193 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    zamphir66 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    jonmarrow wrote: »
    You need to focus on the big, compound movements first...think bench, squat, deadlift, dips, pull-ups, standing overhead press. Once you have those down, then you can start adding accessory work. Eat to gain, follow a program, and apply the principles of progressive overload.

    how long before i can start adding accessory work?

    Do you even have any kind of definitive idea of what you want to accomplish?
    Stop worrying about the kinds of particulars that don't currently apply to your situaion and may or may not even apply to you in the future.
    Focus on the steps you should be taking now. Once you've completed those steps and met those goals, then establish your plan for step 2.
    In the meantime, chill out and take a few months to build up your strength base.

    well yes I wonna gain strength but at the same time i dont want to neglect other important exercises such as lat pull, dumbbell curls, shoulder press etc. for too long. Hence, I am asking after how long I can start to slowly incorporate accessories into this program?
    I just realized I did something wrong.
    In the stronglifts guide it says to increase weight by 5lbs for every exercise's next run. I didn't realize it meant 5lbs in TOTAL. I have been putting 5lbs on each side of the bar when I really should have been putting 2.5 lbs on each side.

    How can I fix this for my next exercise?

    Why do you think those exercises are important? They're not. Not for a beginner who's already working all the same muscles with other movements.

    You don't need to do lat pulls or dumbbell curls because you're already doing bent over barbell rows.
    You don't need to do shoulder press because you're already doing overhead press.

    You don't need these accessory movements to progress in a beginner's strength training program and get stronger, which is your goal.
    Thus, they are not important.

    As for how to fix the fact that you're supposed to go up in weight by 5 lbs total at the next session, simply go up by 5lbs at the next session. You can't (and don't need to) change what you've already done. Just adjust and proceed from here.


    I agree with everything pretty much everyone has said here except I gotta point out that rows aren't going to help much with the pull-up motion. I haven't reviewed SL but when I put a friend on SS I had him also incorporate pull-ups and bw dips because those are extremely important for a strength base. Being able to pull/push your own bodyweight is not only important for the gym but just for life in general.

    I cant do this..what was I thinking. This is so hard!

    i effed up today doing OP and DeadLift. I first did squats, 17.5 lbs which was okay. I think I'm going pretty good at this.
    However, when it came to DL, 40 lbs, not sure what happened but I hurt my back to the point I can't move. Now I dont know how to fix this. Is there a simple video on YT that shows correct posture for it? I can't seem to find a simple video without the gym bro going on 15 minute useless

    Did you not look at videos or ask for help before doing a complex exercise like a deadlift? Were you just kind of winging it? That is indeed a recipe for hurting yourself.

    I am not a physical therapist but the conventional wisdom is you don't want to just lay around when you tweak your back even though maybe that sounds like a good idea. If your back will allow you to stand walk Etc you should keep doing so. Within reason.

    Also remember that the bar weighs 45 pounds So when you say you squatted 17 1/2 pounds you really mean 62 and a half. That might sound like a nitpick but it's about accuracy. You squatted 62.5 lb literally.

    thanks kid next to me was doing 135 lbs and he was doing 5 reps.

    Yeah, your right. Quit all this and just go back to doing lat pulldowns with 5 lbs and dumbell curls.

    i thought you wanted me to do stronglifts?

This discussion has been closed.