100 lb weaking :(.

maruby95

I've been lifitng for about a year and a half now, maybe even a bit longer if I count the bodyweight exercises I started with. But I've only been in a gym for about 6 months. Before that, I was at home with more limited equiptment. Now, I acknowledge, that I'm pretty small in general with less LBM than your average woman (5'3", 103 lbs, 18%BF). So I guess I can't expect too much. But when I see some of the weights you ladies around here are lifting (Sara!!!) I realize I'm just dorking around.

What I'm doing feels heavy to me, and I know we are not suposed to compare, but seriously, I'd love some feedback on whether I'm just kidding myself that I'm progressing. Maybe I just need to suck it up and lift more?! Maybe I'm capable of more than I think?

Here's my current deal: Lifting 3 days a week, about 1 hour each session. I focus mainly on compound lifts but do some accessories each day. I'm just going to list the weights for the main lifts and I think you'll get the idea...

Mon: DL 5x5, currently at 40 kg
SL DL 3X 8-10, currently 30 kg


Wed: Bench 5x5, currently 18kg (seriously?!?!)
one arm row, 3x10, 15 kg
OHP, 3x10, 8 kg DB in each hand (not on bar)

Fri: Squats 5x5, currently 16 kg- and been here forever! (seriously?!?!?)
Single leg split squats, 3x8-10 holding 25 kg dumbbell
ATG Goblet squats holding 25 kg dumbbell, 3x as many as possible (10-15)

Again- these are just my main compound lifts. My goal is strength and overall body recomp. But I really feel like I should be able to do more weight for the amount of time I've been lifitng. When I leave the gym- I am exhausted. On one day I actually puked from over exertion, so I don't think I'm being too easy on myself, but maybe I am? Or maybe there is something about my form in general that is hindering me from lifting more?

Technicaly, I do progress- when I up my weight, I aim for 5x5. When I hit it, I up it next time.

I've been eating at basically maintenence for months now, without much change in body comp etc. Just last week, I started experimenting with calorie cycling so now I eat +20% on lifting days and -20% on non-lifting days.

Help? I am just destined to be a 100 pound weakling forever?!

SideSteel

Have you considered bulking slowly (eat at about a ~200 calorie surplus or so)?

Have you considered doing a program like stronglifts so that you're doing those compound lifts at a greater frequency?

Martucha123

tagging as I'm intrested in responses

maruby95

Hi SS-

Yes, I have considered a slow bulk, but really just wanted to wait until fall (long bikini season around here :0).

As for SL or something similar- I actually was doing the 3 main compound lifts 3 days a week when I first started lifting, and that worked fine. But as the intensity increased, I found I wasn't fully recovering between lifting days. However, at the time I was eating at a deficit, so that could have played a big part.

Even now though, I worry about recovery. For example, it takes me until about Tuesday to feel like my legs have really recovered from Fri. That's not to say I couldn't squat on Mon if I had to, but I wonder if it would be helpful or harmful. I guess I'm not sure how recovered I really need to be before using the same muscles again. Or maybe I'm pushing too hard and if I backed down a bit I could do them three days a week and progress faster? not sure which is better?

With a program like SL, can you add a few accessory things like pull ups/ push ups/ rows/ dips? I find that I like the 'rounded out' feeling of a few accessories in addition to the main lifts. Or is the idea to just give everything you've got to those 3 and call it a day? In some ways that sounds appealing since my gym has no air con and it's getting HOT here- the less time in there the better :0.

So I guess I was thinking that intensity was better than frequency...maybe I had it backwards?

Sarauk2sf

Is it mainly squats that you are having recovery issues from?

maruby95

Yes, mainly squats. And I'd say DL come in second place.

SideSteel

With a program like SL, can you add a few accessory things like pull ups/ push ups/ rows/ dips? I find that I like the 'rounded out' feeling of a few accessories in addition to the main lifts. Or is the idea to just give everything you've got to those 3 and call it a day? In some ways that sounds appealing since my gym has no air con and it's getting HOT here- the less time in there the better :0.

So I guess I was thinking that intensity was better than frequency...maybe I had it backwards?

Frequency > Volume generally speaking but at the same time it's important not to make blanket statements and try to apply them to everyone in all contexts.

If you're having recovery issues it makes some sense to try and tweak the frequency but on the other hand, the reason you are likely having recovery issues was due to being in a prolonged calorie deficit and being quite lean.

Regarding accessories and SL, if you're having recovery issues then ADDING accessory lifts is the wrong decision as this is going to increase volume (and relative your current plan it will also increase frequency). But generally speaking, yes you can add some accessories. I'd just start out by only adding ~2 accessories and monitor your recovery closely.

I can't tell you what your physique goals should be so that's on you, but given the information I'm working with, bulking is a reasonable suggestion.

If you're concerned about recovery AND you're not going to up the calorie intake then another option would be to either move to some sort of an upper/lower type of split or take a model like SL and adjust the frequency by removing a squat day so that you're effectively squatting every-other workout day instead of every.

IronSmasher

Your goblet squats are far heavier than your normal squats?

maruby95

Your goblet squats are far heavier than your normal squats?

Actually- no. I failed to account for the bar in my squat number. So with the bar I'm doing about 36kg. Still pretty lame, but more than the goblet squats. I actually think I could do more weight in the goblets, but I find my grip becomes the problem.

maruby95

With a program like SL, can you add a few accessory things like pull ups/ push ups/ rows/ dips? I find that I like the 'rounded out' feeling of a few accessories in addition to the main lifts. Or is the idea to just give everything you've got to those 3 and call it a day? In some ways that sounds appealing since my gym has no air con and it's getting HOT here- the less time in there the better :0.

So I guess I was thinking that intensity was better than frequency...maybe I had it backwards?

Frequency > Volume generally speaking but at the same time it's important not to make blanket statements and try to apply them to everyone in all contexts.

If you're having recovery issues it makes some sense to try and tweak the frequency but on the other hand, the reason you are likely having recovery issues was due to being in a prolonged calorie deficit and being quite lean.

Regarding accessories and SL, if you're having recovery issues then ADDING accessory lifts is the wrong decision as this is going to increase volume (and relative your current plan it will also increase frequency). But generally speaking, yes you can add some accessories. I'd just start out by only adding ~2 accessories and monitor your recovery closely.

I can't tell you what your physique goals should be so that's on you, but given the information I'm working with, bulking is a reasonable suggestion.

If you're concerned about recovery AND you're not going to up the calorie intake then another option would be to either move to some sort of an upper/lower type of split or take a model like SL and adjust the frequency by removing a squat day so that you're effectively squatting every-other workout day instead of every.

Thanks SS! This is helpful. I am not opposed to a bulk- just want to wait a couple of months. Believe me, you won't miss it when I decide to do it. I'm sure I'll be on here freaking out and whining about getting fat :0.

In the meantime, I like the SL idea. I think I'll start wth the program as written and if recovery becomes an issue (maybe it won't this time b/c Im eating at maintenance and not a deficit) I'll try your idea of skipping one squat day.

I'll let you know how it goes...

SideSteel

What has your bodyweight been doing at your current level of calorie intake over the past few weeks and what is your average calorie intake currently?

maruby95

What has your bodyweight been doing at your current level of calorie intake over the past few weeks and what is your average calorie intake currently?

My average intake over the last 30 days has been 1760 (with the goal being my average TDEE of 1850- per FitBit). My weight has stayed steady at 103-105 depending on training and diet of course. Protein goal is 106 and I almost always get at least 100, sometimes up to 120. So at the moment I'm eating those calories at 1600 on rest days and 2100 on lifting days. Seems to help with performance, but I could be talked out of it.

SideSteel

What has your bodyweight been doing at your current level of calorie intake over the past few weeks and what is your average calorie intake currently?

My average intake over the last 30 days has been 1760 (with the goal being my average TDEE of 1850- per FitBit). My weight has stayed steady at 103-105 depending on training and diet of course. Protein goal is 106 and I almost always get at least 100, sometimes up to 120. So at the moment I'm eating those calories at 1600 on rest days and 2100 on lifting days. Seems to help with performance, but I could be talked out of it.

I don't see an issue with doing a cyclical intake if that meets your preference and performance demands. It may be worth it to slowly increase intake to make sure that you're indeed at maintenance and then back down if any gains occur. So for example, you could try and average 1800 for the next couple of weeks and if you don't gain any weight, bump to 1850, etc.

maruby95

Yes- good suggestion. I have averaged 1850 before without any significant gain, which is why it's my goal. Just don't always get there. But I have considered going even higher to see what I can get away with. I guess if it's too much, it would just count as a 'bulk' .

SideSteel

Yes- good suggestion. I have averaged 1850 before without any significant gain, which is why it's my goal. Just don't always get there. But I have considered going even higher to see what I can get away with. I guess if it's too much, it would just count as a 'bulk' .

^ That's sort of what I'm getting at. You should see if you can get away with a slightly higher intake. If anything, you gain two lbs and you back down on intake a little bit. For all you know you could get away with more intake and not gain anything and only good things come from that.

bumblebums

If I may butt in for a second, 5x5 sounds like a lot for deadlifts--they are supposed to be neurally taxing and require a lot of recovery time. I do only 1 set of 5...

SideSteel

If I may butt in for a second, 5x5 sounds like a lot for deadlifts--they are supposed to be neurally taxing and require a lot of recovery time. I do only 1 set of 5...

Stronglifts has you do 1 set of 5 for deadlifts but the program is still referred to as 5x5.

bumblebums

If I may butt in for a second, 5x5 sounds like a lot for deadlifts--they are supposed to be neurally taxing and require a lot of recovery time. I do only 1 set of 5...

Stronglifts has you do 1 set of 5 for deadlifts but the program is still referred to as 5x5.

No, I mean in the original post, the Monday workout is 5x5 and then 3x10 deadlift sets? Or did I misread it?

maruby95

If I may butt in for a second, 5x5 sounds like a lot for deadlifts--they are supposed to be neurally taxing and require a lot of recovery time. I do only 1 set of 5...

Stronglifts has you do 1 set of 5 for deadlifts but the program is still referred to as 5x5.

No, I mean in the original post, the Monday workout is 5x5 and then 3x10 deadlift sets? Or did I misread it?

Yes- that's what I have been doing. Granted, the 3x10 are at a lower weight and are SL vs normal. But by the time I'm done, I'm pretty trashed. Too much?

bumblebums

If I may butt in for a second, 5x5 sounds like a lot for deadlifts--they are supposed to be neurally taxing and require a lot of recovery time. I do only 1 set of 5...

Stronglifts has you do 1 set of 5 for deadlifts but the program is still referred to as 5x5.

No, I mean in the original post, the Monday workout is 5x5 and then 3x10 deadlift sets? Or did I misread it?

Yes- that's what I have been doing. Granted, the 3x10 are at a lower weight and are SL vs normal. But by the time I'm done, I'm pretty trashed. Too much?

You should be able to pull a bigger weight if you only aim for five reps per workout... Provided your grip is strong enough, and your form is good, and so on.

maruby95

If I may butt in for a second, 5x5 sounds like a lot for deadlifts--they are supposed to be neurally taxing and require a lot of recovery time. I do only 1 set of 5...

Stronglifts has you do 1 set of 5 for deadlifts but the program is still referred to as 5x5.

No, I mean in the original post, the Monday workout is 5x5 and then 3x10 deadlift sets? Or did I misread it?

Yes- that's what I have been doing. Granted, the 3x10 are at a lower weight and are SL vs normal. But by the time I'm done, I'm pretty trashed. Too much?

You should be able to pull a bigger weight if you only aim for five reps per workout... Provided your grip is strong enough, and your form is good, and so on.

Thanks! I hope so. Grip strength has definetly been a limiting factor. And my gym has these awful fat diameter bars that just make it worst. Ugh.

PriceK01

What kind of grip are you using? Over/under or hook? I just starting using a hook grip, and while it's taken some getting used to, it has helped.

bumblebums

What kind of grip are you using? Over/under or hook? I just starting using a hook grip, and while it's taken some getting used to, it has helped.

Might not work for OP as she is a small woman (= usually means small hands) and is using a wide-diameter bar. But yes, the hook grip would theoretically help.

PriceK01

What kind of grip are you using? Over/under or hook? I just starting using a hook grip, and while it's taken some getting used to, it has helped.

Might not work for OP as she is a small woman (= usually means small hands) and is using a wide-diameter bar. But yes, the hook grip would theoretically help.

I didn't think of that. I have kind of long fingers.

bumblebums

What kind of grip are you using? Over/under or hook? I just starting using a hook grip, and while it's taken some getting used to, it has helped.

Might not work for OP as she is a small woman (= usually means small hands) and is using a wide-diameter bar. But yes, the hook grip would theoretically help.

I didn't think of that. I have kind of long fingers.

Me too--I have giant "basketball and piano" rakes for hands, so the hook grip was easy for me. But I do the overhand grip usually, and it's not that bad for the weights I move (currently, 113% of body weight on the standard DL).

Sarauk2sf

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