Strength increases while eating at a deficit
abozoki
Posts: 8
My problem is the Stronglifts principle of increasing weight on all lifts by 5 pounds each time you do it for 12 weeks. I don't think I can do this, or even remotely close, and would like to know how much is because I'm female, and how much is other stuff, that I could do something about.
I have been at it for 6 weeks now. When I started, I could back squat 135 for 5 reps (just barely). After weeks of squatting lower weight than that, I'm finally up to 135, and it's all I can do to squat the weight for 5x5, with sub-par form. Same story with my other lifts- I am back to my initial 5RM but definitely pushing the envelope with 5x5 reps. There is NO WAY I can keep increasing the load by 5 pounds each training day for the next 8 weeks. So, what do you all recommend for getting stronger? Do I try increasing the weight less often? If so, how often? I could buy 1.25 lb plates and try to go up by 2.5 each time instead of 5? What is a realistic goal in terms of increasing the weight?
FYI:
1. I am not a newbie to lifting (18 months already), but decided to "get serious" about increasing strength instead of being satisfied with lifting the same weight month after month. So I definitely won't be getting any "newbie gains."
2. I am eating a few hundred calories under my supposed TDEE (which is ~1900-2300/day) so eating between 1600-1800 with min. 100 gm protein/day. But, I definitely haven't lost any weight, and don't think I've succeeded in any recomp because none of my measurements are any smaller - 5'2", 131ish, about 22% BF. Not sure how much this affects strength gains (I know it affects hypertrophy, but that's not my goal).
I have been at it for 6 weeks now. When I started, I could back squat 135 for 5 reps (just barely). After weeks of squatting lower weight than that, I'm finally up to 135, and it's all I can do to squat the weight for 5x5, with sub-par form. Same story with my other lifts- I am back to my initial 5RM but definitely pushing the envelope with 5x5 reps. There is NO WAY I can keep increasing the load by 5 pounds each training day for the next 8 weeks. So, what do you all recommend for getting stronger? Do I try increasing the weight less often? If so, how often? I could buy 1.25 lb plates and try to go up by 2.5 each time instead of 5? What is a realistic goal in terms of increasing the weight?
FYI:
1. I am not a newbie to lifting (18 months already), but decided to "get serious" about increasing strength instead of being satisfied with lifting the same weight month after month. So I definitely won't be getting any "newbie gains."
2. I am eating a few hundred calories under my supposed TDEE (which is ~1900-2300/day) so eating between 1600-1800 with min. 100 gm protein/day. But, I definitely haven't lost any weight, and don't think I've succeeded in any recomp because none of my measurements are any smaller - 5'2", 131ish, about 22% BF. Not sure how much this affects strength gains (I know it affects hypertrophy, but that's not my goal).
0
Replies
-
You can increase strength while on a deficit, but it can feel much harder to do. Like many other things how eating at a deficit affects you will vary by quite a bit, some people have no issue while others really struggle. For me personally I can still lift the weight it just feels 5x heavier than when I'm eating at maintenance. To my knowledge newbie gains are kind of a genetically predetermined ceiling. Not something that starts a count time timer from the moment you touch a weight.
A few questions:
What program where you doing before?
How and when are you failing squats?
What are your form issues now and before you started SL?
How is your progress on other lifts?0 -
Sounds like taking a few lbs off the bar and focusing on form might be helpful for you?
Although, you could try cycling calories and eating at maintenance on lifting days, and less on the other days, and see if that helps any.
How close is 135lbs to your current body weight?
How long do you typically rest between sets? And when do you typically work out? If it's first thing in the morning, something as simple as a little bit of food before your session might help with strength.
Or maybe you're at the point where you need to up the weight but get down to 3 sets of 5 instead. It's actually something that's recommended by a smart guy when on a cut, too.0 -
Hey Abozoki... I'm making strength gains while cutting weight. I bench more now than I did when I was 20 pounds heavier actually. Now to Stronglifts. I had to give up the idea of making gains every time I worked out. If I feel like something was too heavy for me, I'll work it out three times that week and go up the next week. I go up when I feel like I can handle it. Sometimes I do a weight for 1 workout, 2 workouts or 3 workouts... if it's bench, it's going to take longer to make those gains. I may stay at a weight much, much longer.
There is nothing worse than continually progressing your lifting weight just because a program says to but your body says not to.0 -
I reached a point where I couldn't increase every workout, so I increase when I feel confident and ready to.
I haven't reached a point where I don't progress after two or three workouts yet, except for that long dry spell on OHP.0 -
There is nothing worse than continually progressing your lifting weight just because a program says to but your body says not to.
This. I've taken the approach that if I feel like I can beast out a workout, I'll go up. Otherwise I found myself struggling. Some of my lifts are better than others because of it (i.e., my squats are doing fine, my benchpress... well, let's just say I'm using dumbbells until my poor, weak upper body decides to catch on to this whole training thing).0 -
There is nothing worse than continually progressing your lifting weight just because a program says to but your body says not to.
This. I've taken the approach that if I feel like I can beast out a workout, I'll go up. Otherwise I found myself struggling. Some of my lifts are better than others because of it (i.e., my squats are doing fine, my benchpress... well, let's just say I'm using dumbbells until my poor, weak upper body decides to catch on to this whole training thing).
That's a great idea. Sometimes you just need to step back and do what works for you.
I injured my back doing overhead presses that were absolutely too heavy for me. I took a half year break... did physical therapy and cable or goblet squats that kept weight off my back. Built up my core and focused on lower back exercises. Now I'm back to lifting normally again a year later, but going at my own pace and listening to my body.
But I will never attempt to increase my overhead press again. I feel like that is the most dangerous exercise for me, so I leave it as is... maybe crank out more reps or do seated dumbbell presses, but not going to put my lower back through what it would have to go through to get up in weight.0 -
Wow; thanks guys. It's reassuring to hear that other Stronglifts enthusiasts don't take the "increase by 5 pounds each session" thing too much to heart. Having said that, I also don't hear any of you talking about this deload business (that is, if you can't make all 5x5 reps at a certain weight for 3 tries, then you decrease the weight by 10% and work your way back up). Have any of you tried that? Does it work to push you through the “barrier”? Have any of you tried using "microplates" to increase weight by just 1-2 pounds per session? The only option I really don’t like is the idea of dropping back to 3 sets, because at only 5 reps, I don’t feel like I’ve exercised at all if that’s all I do.
Fittreelol, I did the New Rules of Lifting for Women and finished it about a year ago. I have been essentially re-doing the last few stages ever since, for want of something better. I have only failed my squat twice, and the hard part is definitely “getting out of the hole” - getting to above horizontal when I’m all the way down. I can’t tell you what my form issues are, because I can’t really see myself but I've watched 3-4 training videos, including the Stronglifts ones. As for progress, NONE of my 5 RM numbers have improved, except possibly bent-over row, and maybe only because I’m jerking the bar more.
Krokador, I always work out right before dinner, so I’m usually sort of hungry but definitely not in a fasting state. And I currently weigh 131, so 135 is a few pounds more than my body weight. FWIW, I can DL 170 (with difficulty), bench 95, OHP 70 and row 90. I have no idea if my form is really ok because I work out alone. There’s a mirror so I can watch myself, but it’s hard to tell :>(
I am SURE that I don’t go as deep on squats at 135 as I can with 15 pounds less on the bar, because I use a security bar in the cage that I set to hit with the barbell when I am at my lowest point in the squat, and I stop hitting it at 125. But I’m still going (just) below parallel even with 135. I rest about 90 seconds between sets, but will often do a different, bodyweight exercise (like incline crunches, or pushups) when I’m “resting” to try and get some metabolic activity in. Not doing the bodyweight stuff doesn’t seem to make a difference in how well I squat though.0 -
Honestly, I have tried deloading and when I get back up to the same weight, it feels the exact same. However, my boyfriend would deload all the time and break through "the wall" he was hitting prior.
But I don't deload at all. I do something until I am comfortable doing it so there is no reason to deload. I have used microplates, especially while benching. It definitely helps. If I didn't have microplates, I would put a ton of weight clips on each side of my bar to add up to roughly a pound.0 -
For max strength gain:
Step 1: You need longer rest periods. Wait at least 3 minutes between working sets- up to 5 if it's really heavy.
Step 2: Stop doing exercises between sets.
Step 3: If you're failing on sets 4 and 5 but doing fine on 1-3 you might consider dropping to 3x5. If you're not feeling like you're getting a work out it's because the weight isn't heavy enough.
Step 4: Profit
Random thought 1: Fractionals and purposefully repeating weights can be beneficial, but until you get adequate rest it's kind of a moot point.
Random thought 2: Doing what works for you is fine if your interest is in general fitness. General fitness is a pretty good goal and will help with zombies. I mean that sincerely. If your goal is to really increase strength you need to actually do work even when you don't feel like it, and on a pretty set schedule.0 -
Fittreelol, sorry, not to be ignorant, but what does Step 4 mean (profit)? And "zombies"?
I've actually been doing the SL program pretty much to the letter so far, 3 lifting sessions per week, haven't missed one yet and I do all my reps, every time. In general, I'm a pretty motivated person and take my fitness seriously.
I will try waiting 3 minutes between sets, without doing anything else. I've done a lot of HIIT, and those long empty waits feel interminable to me (like an opportunity wasted), but I will see if longer rests let me lift (and squat) more effectively.
Amy and Lowe, I will try buying fractional plates and going up by 2.5 pounds on upper body lifts.0 -
Oh I was just joking so I said profit instead of success. Zombie was a reference to the zombie apocalypse meme, but I was basically just saying that for general fitness and badassery maintaining a level of fitness such as the ability to squat 135 is perfectly fine.
General tips for getting out of the hole. Stay tight through the whole lift. Don't dive bomb, but don't go grandpa slow either. Really spread the floor and push your knees out the whole way up.0 -
Set a timer on your phone. Don't look at it. When you think you've rested enough, check the timer. My natural 'set point' where I think I've rested enough is about a minute and a half. Make it at LEAST 3 minutes (and I now need at least 5..).
Notice how much better the next set is!0 -
My strength gains are slow going as well. I decided to try eating at maintenance on my workout days (I workout in the evening) to see if that helps. I actually did stronglifts for a few months a couple years ago then quit (lame I know) and this time around, I feel like it's taking so much longer for me to get up to a good weight in squats... I was at least using the 25lb plates for my squats and right now I'm stuck at 85lbs.... I was never any good at bench press before but I'm still not back up to where I was. Oh well, I will get better. In a couple months I will hopefully be at a good weight and I can just eat at maintenance all the time.0
-
Set a timer on your phone. Don't look at it. When you think you've rested enough, check the timer. My natural 'set point' where I think I've rested enough is about a minute and a half. Make it at LEAST 3 minutes (and I now need at least 5..).
Notice how much better the next set is!
I would also add...Do you work out at home? Do a quick chore in between sets...I fold laundry, do dishes, pack lunches, etc...and it's actually a good use of time! Lol.0 -
I rest as long as I need to between sets. Basically, I wait till my heart rate gets back to normal. That is was is suggested, I think. I do not increase by 5 pounds every time. I don't think it's necessary. And I have increased my strength in all my lifts. When I started Squats, the 45 pound bar seemed like a lot. Now I can do 130, but am staying at 125 to work on form for a while.
You can absolutely gain strength while losing weight. I've been losing the whole time I've been doing this.0
