Stalling out on weight lifting?

littlelouis
littlelouis Posts: 54 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I'm quite new to the whole "lifting heavy" thing and I'm trying out the Stronglifts program. I'm 5'3 and 109 pounds if it means anything. At first, I was doing great and I was easily able to add weight. My benching max was 5x5 of 50 pounds. I've been stuck at this for longer than expected, and today I actually had to unload to 40 pounds just to finish. My form is suffering for every different exercise because it just feels so heavy and impossible to finish. I do this alone in my basement and I don't have a trainer to give me proper advice so any advice you have would be appreciated! I'll leave my diary open as well. Thanks!

Also, out of curiosity, does anyone else feel a pulse in their stomach when benching?

Replies

  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    How much are you eating? What's your protein intake? If you aren't eating enough that will do it.
  • lmckillo
    lmckillo Posts: 127 Member
    Well its only natural that your progress would slow down. Sometimes its a mental thing that prevents you from progressing. You convince yourself you can't. You fail, then you become afriad of trying to lift heavier. Try visualizing yourself lifting a heavier weight before you start, or don't be afraid to only slightly increase the weight so you can move pass your sticking point. Say 1 pound or slightly more. It will help you get passed your mental block. Also try a spotter to help you lift a little heavier weight. Good luck
  • cstigs84
    cstigs84 Posts: 15 Member
    Being thin, it is probably normal that you feel a pulse in your stomach but you really should go see your primary care provider to rule out high blood pressure, AAA, etc. If you're stalling on your lifts then you need to examine your diet and form. Make sure you're getting enough protein to continually grow(~1g per lb of body weight is a good goal to shoot for) and enough calories overall. Examine your form -- record yourself with your phone or camcorder and see what it looks like if you don't have anyone else to give feedback. If you don't hit that workout's numbers, repeat it the following time you're on that day. It can also help to dial back the weight a bit and then go from there in order to give your body more time to adjust and grow.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    I second the protein increase to at least 100 grams per day (you can sacrifice a few carbs to make up the diff), and would also ask about your fluid intake and recovery. You might not be sleeping enough to recovery adequately before your next lifting session.
  • littlelouis
    littlelouis Posts: 54 Member
    I eat anywhere from 70-100 grams of protein on lift days and let rest days fall where they want to. I try to hit 1550 calories a day, and I've been thinking about increasing that, but I'm not sure? I do the typical 8 cups of water a day and get about 6 hours of sleep every night with the occasional nap during the day. Thanks for the advice so far, everyone! I really do appreciate it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    How long have you been doing the program? I can't remember exactly, but aren't you supposed to de-load when you miss 3 times consecutively...and at some point go to a 3x5? Your strength gains aren't going to be as linear if you're in a calorie deficit...your body just doesn't have the requisite energy. Also, get your sleep. What else are you doing on non-lift days...if it's much of anything you're probably not getting the requisite recovery either. I did SS and reached a point in that program where I couldn't recover if I did anything more than walk on my non-lifting days, which is why I ultimately changed to 5/3/1.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    What kind of equipment are you using? Just a bench, or do you have a power rack?

    And, do you have fractional plates smaller than 2.5 lb?
  • jdm_taco
    jdm_taco Posts: 999 Member
    Its tough to build strength if in a deficit. How is strength progressing in muscles that assist in bench press, i.e. triceps and front delts?

    Be patient, strength will not always jump weekly and some days will just be bad days.
  • lsiberian
    lsiberian Posts: 69
    You need a bulk to gain more muscle and at your level I think it's a good idea. Start adding some more high protein foods to your diet.

    I think this is all diet related now.
  • littlelouis
    littlelouis Posts: 54 Member
    I'm almost 2 weeks into the routine and I'm a senior still, so I also do high school level cheer leading on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I do a competitive squad on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I do see that I'm most likely in a deficit. I only have a bench with a 20 pound barbell and the lowest plate weight I have is 2.5 pounds. The highest I believe is 10, but I have multiple of each weight. It's an old set, so I don't know much about it. I think I'll try adding more protein in to my diet. Thanks again!
  • CatMou5
    CatMou5 Posts: 12
    I eat anywhere from 70-100 grams of protein on lift days and let rest days fall where they want to. I try to hit 1550 calories a day, and I've been thinking about increasing that, but I'm not sure? I do the typical 8 cups of water a day and get about 6 hours of sleep every night with the occasional nap during the day. Thanks for the advice so far, everyone! I really do appreciate it.


    I'm not sure of your height and ht but 1550 is more than likely a calorie deficit. When you are in calorie decifit you lose fat and muscle so you should not expect to make large gains. You have probably experinced "noob" gains to this point and it's normal that these have slowed. If you want to BUILD muscle then you need to be eating a calorie surplus (ie more than your maintenence calories). If you increase your cals then you will see your lifts improve tremendously. Everyone is different but as an example I'm 5'5, 117 pounds, lift 4x per week and my maintenence is around 2000-2200 calories. My cutting (weight/fat loss) calories are 1550 and I bulk/gain on 2400+. A good approach is to reverse diet by adding 100 cals every week or two until you hit a surplus. Check out this article > http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    I'm almost 2 weeks into the routine and I'm a senior still, so I also do high school level cheer leading on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I do a competitive squad on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I do see that I'm most likely in a deficit. I only have a bench with a 20 pound barbell and the lowest plate weight I have is 2.5 pounds. The highest I believe is 10, but I have multiple of each weight. It's an old set, so I don't know much about it. I think I'll try adding more protein in to my diet. Thanks again!

    Get some fractionals so you can keep increasing weight in smaller increments. You can order them online, or go to the hardware store and pick up some large diameter washers. They can weigh as much as a pound, and you can use several per side. Just measure the diameter of your bar.

    The people who suggest that you cannot make strength gains on a calorie deficit are not entirely correct. A beginning lifter will make large proportional gains for some time before hitting a wall even while on a deficit. But at your current weight, given your age, I think 1550 kcal a day gives you too big a deficit, to be honest. Your TDEE according to the scooby calculator is above 2000 calories. The leaner you get, the smaller a deficit you can tolerate.

    Finally, yes, protein is important if you are trying to build and maintain muscle. Even if you are not adding muscle mass, you are constantly rebuilding it after the stresses caused by lifting. A common recommendation is 1 g of protein per lb of lean body mass per day, or you can crudely estimate by taking your weight in lb and multiplying by 0.8. Getting more protein than that is fine as long as you do not have any preexisting kidney issues, and it helps you feel full.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    I didn't read all the posts but I'm sure you've already received a lot of great advice. But my experience was that as soon as I started eating more my strength increased. Not just a little either, it REALLY increased.

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