Need some advice on how to increase strength

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jsukhan
jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This fall I went back to school. Since I have free gym access I started working out again. Before this year I had not been working out in a gym in 8 years. For the past three years I worked out at home.
When I used to work out at the gym I was doing a three day split, Day 1 chest/back, Day 2 Arms (including shoulder), Day 3 Legs, I worked out six days a week. I drank protein powder, and would use creatine for two to three at times then go off for 6. I weighed about 155lbs and I was benchpressing just over my body weight. I was trying to gain muscle mass so I was training using heavy weight/low reps.
In the past couple years I have gotten bigger so I currently weight 170lbs. I have free gym access this year so I am going somewhat easy, since I have no guaratees of somewhere to work out next year. I don't want to gain a huge amount of muscle mass and then have no method to maintain it.
I'm currently just doing 3 sets of 10 reps for all exercises I do. I only work out three days a week, so I only train each muscle group once a week. After two months I am still only benchpressing what I started at 115lbs (including bar). I realize no really cares what I can lift, but for me personally I am embarassed to only be able to lift that much. I at least want to bench my body weight again.
Any advice for what I can do? Do I need to train more? Can I accomplish my goals with my current sets/reps combination?
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Replies

  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
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    Drop your bro split and get on an actual strength program like Starting Strength or Stronglifts.
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    Split or no split, the key to gaining strength is progressive loading.

    I do agree that something like Stronglifts would be very beneficial, though.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    What they said, and are you eating enough?
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    pick a well known program and do it. You're plan is obviously proving to be ineffective for you. Don't ego lift.


    My stab in the dark is that you're doing way too much accessory work, on top of your bench press, using the same muscles. More isn't necessarily better.

    Type out a typical day of exactly what you do in the gym.
  • mitchiemo
    mitchiemo Posts: 61 Member
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    Do you have a workout partner? If not then maybe that's what you need to get the weight up again especially with bench pressing. Have a look at bodybuilding.com - they've got some excellent tailored workouts on there.
  • jsukhan
    jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
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    pick a well known program and do it. You're plan is obviously proving to be ineffective for you. Don't ego lift.


    My stab in the dark is that you're doing way too much accessory work, on top of your bench press, using the same muscles. More isn't necessarily better.

    Type out a typical day of exactly what you do in the gym.

    For my chest/back day I do 3 sets of 10 reps of:
    Inclinded Dumbell Press
    Flat Bench Press
    Flat Bench Dunmbell Flies
    Peck Deck
    Lat Pull Downs wide grip
    Lat Pull Downs narrow grip
    Sholder Shrugs
    Dead Lifts
    Back extensions

    I also have my arms/shoulder day and leg day.
  • jsukhan
    jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
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    What they said, and are you eating enough?

    I am currently eating at a calorie deficit. But I don't want to get any bigger, just stronger. But that might not be a realistic goal.
  • jsukhan
    jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
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    Do you have a workout partner? If not then maybe that's what you need to get the weight up again especially with bench pressing. Have a look at bodybuilding.com - they've got some excellent tailored workouts on there.

    I do work out alone. I work out at school don't want to rely on anyone else to join me. I think I'm the only one of the 10 guys on my class that use the gym at school.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Doing 3x10 sets of the same non-challenging weight once per week is just hoping to maintain.

    Also, diary shows caloric intake of a small sedentary woman. Gonna feel weak with that.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    More sets, less reps, increase weights will give you strength.

    Same sets, more reps(12), increase weights when you do 3(12) will give you more mass.

    Also dump the lats pull downs and do pull/chin ups. Bigger bang for you buck.

    Make sure your getting enough protein and fats in your diet.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    What they said, and are you eating enough?

    I am currently eating at a calorie deficit. But I don't want to get any bigger, just stronger. But that might not be a realistic goal.

    You're currently working in a hypertrophy (muscle bulking) rep range. For strength gains work in the 3-5 rep range. You can make awesome strength gains while in a deficit working in the appropriate rep range. You'll definitely plateau faster than you otherwise would on those gains, but that can be rectified once you go back to maintenance or do a bulk.

    Also, do you log everything? Your diary looks pretty sparse. I'm a 5'10" male @ around 183/184 Lbs and I cut about 1 Lb per week at 2100 - 2200 gross calories per day. My stats are probably different than yours, but there's really not any need for a guy to be eating 1200 calories per day and what not. That's for sedentary old ladies. You want a deficit to cut the fat, but too large a deficit is going to destroy that muscle mass that you have.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    What they said, and are you eating enough?

    I am currently eating at a calorie deficit. But I don't want to get any bigger, just stronger. But that might not be a realistic goal.
    YMMV, but I can tell you it wasn't realistic for me. At just an 80-calorie deficit, I was losing strength with my workouts, not gaining it. When I switched to an 80-calorie surplus, I started seeing strength gains on all my lifts. For comparison's sake, I'm around 130 pounds and female, and I usually eat 1800-2100 calories depending on whether it's a workout or rest day. Never know, I might still get big and fat from doing this, but it hasn't happened yet.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    You need to do either Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. The first one you can google and download for free. The second one you need to buy the book. Actually, whichever one you do you should buy the book as it will teach you everything you need to know on how to get strong.
  • jsukhan
    jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
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    More sets, less reps, increase weights will give you strength.

    Same sets, more reps(12), increase weights when you do 3(12) will give you more mass.

    Also dump the lats pull downs and do pull/chin ups. Bigger bang for you buck.

    Make sure your getting enough protein and fats in your diet.

    I forgot to add I start all my workouts with as many chin ups as I can do (13-14) and end it with as many pull ups as I can do (10).
  • jsukhan
    jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
    Options
    What they said, and are you eating enough?

    I am currently eating at a calorie deficit. But I don't want to get any bigger, just stronger. But that might not be a realistic goal.

    You're currently working in a hypertrophy (muscle bulking) rep range. For strength gains work in the 3-5 rep range. You can make awesome strength gains while in a deficit working in the appropriate rep range. You'll definitely plateau faster than you otherwise would on those gains, but that can be rectified once you go back to maintenance or do a bulk.

    Also, do you log everything? Your diary looks pretty sparse. I'm a 5'10" male @ around 183/184 Lbs and I cut about 1 Lb per week at 2100 - 2200 gross calories per day. My stats are probably different than yours, but there's really not any need for a guy to be eating 1200 calories per day and what not. That's for sedentary old ladies. You want a deficit to cut the fat, but too large a deficit is going to destroy that muscle mass that you have.

    I'm eating the typical three meals a day, plus snacks morning and afternoon while at school, and two more snacks in the evening at home. If I'm not hungry I cant make myself. Also sadly due to budget I can't afford to eat anymore.
  • jsukhan
    jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
    Options
    What they said, and are you eating enough?

    I am currently eating at a calorie deficit. But I don't want to get any bigger, just stronger. But that might not be a realistic goal.
    YMMV, but I can tell you it wasn't realistic for me. At just an 80-calorie deficit, I was losing strength with my workouts, not gaining it. When I switched to an 80-calorie surplus, I started seeing strength gains on all my lifts. For comparison's sake, I'm around 130 pounds and female, and I usually eat 1800-2100 calories depending on whether it's a workout or rest day. Never know, I might still get big and fat from doing this, but it hasn't happened yet.

    I may need to adjust my calorie goals. I was working full time in labour type jobs when I joined MFP. Now I spent my days sitting in a class room at school. Since joining MFP I have gained weight rather then loosing it, which was my goal. But at the same I have also gained muscle mass so gaining weight was to be expected.
  • jsukhan
    jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
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    You need to do either Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. The first one you can google and download for free. The second one you need to buy the book. Actually, whichever one you do you should buy the book as it will teach you everything you need to know on how to get strong.

    I looked at stronglift and I will do more reading about it when I have more time.
  • jsukhan
    jsukhan Posts: 149 Member
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    Thank-you all for your advice and feedback.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    Here is another option besides 5x5 or Starting Strength but what the others have said is right on. Pick a beginner strength program and stick to it. Increase calories at least up to maintenance.

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
  • mitchiemo
    mitchiemo Posts: 61 Member
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    Do you have a workout partner? If not then maybe that's what you need to get the weight up again especially with bench pressing. Have a look at bodybuilding.com - they've got some excellent tailored workouts on there.

    I do work out alone. I work out at school don't want to rely on anyone else to join me. I think I'm the only one of the 10 guys on my class that use the gym at school.

    I would ask them anyway, maybe one of them would jump at the chance and is waiting to be asked. You could make their day! In terms of relying on them well they don't have to be there every time. There must be other people in the gym when you are, why not buddy up with someone for the occasional exercise . I go to the gym with my boyfriend, we don't do every exercise together but when I need help pushing out those 'to failure' reps I couldn't ask for anything better. Sometimes he'll just put his finger on the bar, it tricks my mind into thinking he's taken some of the weight and I achieve my goal. Furthermore my buzzing feeling is met with a high five!

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