Squatting Heavy

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wargrrl
wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hey so i'm 5'0", 100lbs, currently squatting 115lbs and 125lbs on a good day.

ive been squatting for almost 4 months now and initially, i found that i was increasing weight by 5-10lbs every week. now that i am squatting above my own weight, is it normal that it is taking me a little longer to add more weight to the bar? ive been squatting 115lbs for about 2 weeks now and on a sluggish day, i cant even do more than 10 reps in one set.

also, since i am taking a little longer to add more weight to the bar, does that mean i wont see more gains until i add more weight? how do gains work? lol

Replies

  • dweat62
    dweat62 Posts: 12 Member
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    Hey wargrrl,
    That's awesome that you have been making some strength gains on squats!
    Let's try and fix this plateau though.

    1) Are you on a structured Training Program? (Ex. 5x5 Starting Strength)

    2) Are you just doing your one set at max effort then calling it on squats?

    3) Is your training beginning with squats?

    4) How many times a week are you squatting?

    Get back with me and I will try to help!!!

    -Devin
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    how many reps are you aiming for per set?

    It is typical for your gains to slow down….you calorie intake will also determine how much weight you can add. I find that when I am in a cut that I will stop adding weight and maybe even decrease a bit ..but when I increase my calories to maintenance or surplus then I start to see the weight go up.

    Over the past year I have gone from squatting 175# to the 230# to 250# range …When I first start five pounds a week was pretty realistic ….now it take about two to three weeks before I can add another five pounds…so it sounds like you are on track ….patience and perseverance….
  • wargrrl
    wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
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    Hey wargrrl,
    That's awesome that you have been making some strength gains on squats!
    Let's try and fix this plateau though.

    1) Are you on a structured Training Program? (Ex. 5x5 Starting Strength)

    2) Are you just doing your one set at max effort then calling it on squats?

    3) Is your training beginning with squats?

    4) How many times a week are you squatting?

    Get back with me and I will try to help!!!

    -Devin

    1. nope
    2. ill do like 3 sets at 115lbs, and depending on how i feel that day, i'll either increase or decrease it by 5lbs on the 4th (and sometimes 5th) sets
    3. yeah i always start with squats
    4. i squat 2-3 days a week

    thanks!
  • wargrrl
    wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
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    how many reps are you aiming for per set?

    It is typical for your gains to slow down….you calorie intake will also determine how much weight you can add. I find that when I am in a cut that I will stop adding weight and maybe even decrease a bit ..but when I increase my calories to maintenance or surplus then I start to see the weight go up.

    Over the past year I have gone from squatting 175# to the 230# to 250# range …When I first start five pounds a week was pretty realistic ….now it take about two to three weeks before I can add another five pounds…so it sounds like you are on track ….patience and perseverance….

    i aim for 10-12 reps, but on my bad days its a real struggle pushing thru to the 10th rep while squatting 115lbs
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
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    Only inevitable for progress to stall over time. If your goal is strength, try three sets of five reps (not to muscle failure).

    Squat three times a week and add 5lbs each week. You could also microload by adding 2.5lbs a week if you feel a 5lb jump is too much.

    If you can't complete all 5 reps for three sets for three workouts in a row, deload the weight by 10%.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    how many reps are you aiming for per set?

    It is typical for your gains to slow down….you calorie intake will also determine how much weight you can add. I find that when I am in a cut that I will stop adding weight and maybe even decrease a bit ..but when I increase my calories to maintenance or surplus then I start to see the weight go up.

    Over the past year I have gone from squatting 175# to the 230# to 250# range …When I first start five pounds a week was pretty realistic ….now it take about two to three weeks before I can add another five pounds…so it sounds like you are on track ….patience and perseverance….

    i aim for 10-12 reps, but on my bad days its a real struggle pushing thru to the 10th rep while squatting 115lbs

    is that one set or multiple…if multiple how many?

    you may want to back off into more of a 4x8 type set up …or 5x5 like some have mentioned...
  • wargrrl
    wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
    Options
    how many reps are you aiming for per set?

    It is typical for your gains to slow down….you calorie intake will also determine how much weight you can add. I find that when I am in a cut that I will stop adding weight and maybe even decrease a bit ..but when I increase my calories to maintenance or surplus then I start to see the weight go up.

    Over the past year I have gone from squatting 175# to the 230# to 250# range …When I first start five pounds a week was pretty realistic ….now it take about two to three weeks before I can add another five pounds…so it sounds like you are on track ….patience and perseverance….

    i aim for 10-12 reps, but on my bad days its a real struggle pushing thru to the 10th rep while squatting 115lbs

    is that one set or multiple…if multiple how many?

    you may want to back off into more of a 4x8 type set up …or 5x5 like some have mentioned...

    i usually try to do 4-5 sets

    p.s. idk if this is relevant but my goal is pretty much geared towards booty building
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    how many reps are you aiming for per set?

    It is typical for your gains to slow down….you calorie intake will also determine how much weight you can add. I find that when I am in a cut that I will stop adding weight and maybe even decrease a bit ..but when I increase my calories to maintenance or surplus then I start to see the weight go up.

    Over the past year I have gone from squatting 175# to the 230# to 250# range …When I first start five pounds a week was pretty realistic ….now it take about two to three weeks before I can add another five pounds…so it sounds like you are on track ….patience and perseverance….

    i aim for 10-12 reps, but on my bad days its a real struggle pushing thru to the 10th rep while squatting 115lbs

    is that one set or multiple…if multiple how many?

    you may want to back off into more of a 4x8 type set up …or 5x5 like some have mentioned...

    i usually try to do 4-5 sets

    p.s. idk if this is relevant but my goal is pretty much geared towards booty building

    IMO 4-5 at 12 reps each is probably over kill..

    I think if you backed down to 4x8 you would see that you could increase weight again ..

    you would also do 5x5 which is more for strength but still effective….
  • wargrrl
    wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
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    sooo... if my goal is to build muscle on my bum and im stuck squatting the same weight for a couple weeks, does that mean i wont see much gains within those weeks?
  • wargrrl
    wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
    Options
    how many reps are you aiming for per set?

    It is typical for your gains to slow down….you calorie intake will also determine how much weight you can add. I find that when I am in a cut that I will stop adding weight and maybe even decrease a bit ..but when I increase my calories to maintenance or surplus then I start to see the weight go up.

    Over the past year I have gone from squatting 175# to the 230# to 250# range …When I first start five pounds a week was pretty realistic ….now it take about two to three weeks before I can add another five pounds…so it sounds like you are on track ….patience and perseverance….

    i aim for 10-12 reps, but on my bad days its a real struggle pushing thru to the 10th rep while squatting 115lbs

    is that one set or multiple…if multiple how many?

    you may want to back off into more of a 4x8 type set up …or 5x5 like some have mentioned...

    i usually try to do 4-5 sets

    p.s. idk if this is relevant but my goal is pretty much geared towards booty building

    IMO 4-5 at 12 reps each is probably over kill..

    I think if you backed down to 4x8 you would see that you could increase weight again ..

    you would also do 5x5 which is more for strength but still effective….

    i'll give 4x8 a try during my next workout. thanks !!
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
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    If your goal is hypertrophy, add on more volume with weighted glute bridges, hip thrusts, and deadlifts.
  • wargrrl
    wargrrl Posts: 76 Member
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    If your goal is hypertrophy, add on more volume with weighted glute bridges, hip thrusts, and deadlifts.

    thanks. will look into glute bridges, never done em
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
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    If your goal is hypertrophy, add on more volume with weighted glute bridges, hip thrusts, and deadlifts.

    thanks. will look into glute bridges, never done em

    ^all of those.

    definitely bridges and hip thrusts. you'll have a better activation of glute muscles than you do from a squat.
  • RhineDHP
    RhineDHP Posts: 1,025 Member
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    If your goal is hypertrophy, add on more volume with weighted glute bridges, hip thrusts, and deadlifts.

    thanks. will look into glute bridges, never done em

    Just gotta say, even though glute bridges are kind of awkward to look at they are AMAZING for the butt!
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    If your goal is hypertrophy, add on more volume with weighted glute bridges, hip thrusts, and deadlifts.

    thanks. will look into glute bridges, never done em

    ^all of those.

    definitely bridges and hip thrusts. you'll have a better activation of glute muscles than you do from a squat.

    Glute bridges are the devil, if you like being able to sit down the next day.

    Which, you know, I don't mind. Sitting down is overrated.

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