Been doing Starting strength since June of this year. IIRC around early - mid June. I posted this in the Exercise forum, but thought that I should post this here too. Current lifts. This obviously includes the 45 lbs bar. Squat: 145 Deadlift: 135 Bench: 115 Overhead Press: 85 Barbell row: 115 I've been adding 10 pounds(overall. So it'd be 5 lbs on one side, and 5 in the other) to Squats and Deadlifts in each workout. And I've been adding 5 pounds overall to Bench, Overhead Press, and Barbell row for each workout. The issue? 1. I failed SS yesterday. Take Overhead press for example. I could only do ONE rep at the most. When I tried to do the next, no matter how much I tried I could not do another rep. When I took off 10 lbs, I still could not do any more. Hell there was a point where I took off all the weights and left the 45 lbs bar and I STILL COULD NOT LIFT IT UP OVER MY HEAD. Last week, I was able to do it with lower weight .but even then I struggled and it almost felt like my max. 2. Unsure and doubting my form on Barbell row. Are there any other alternatives to Barbell Rows, when doing Starting Strength? If not, can anyone show a really good video of it? Because when I look on YT, people always bitch about form. So It's hard to know whats right, and whats wrong. 3. Main issue. BENCHING. I've always sucked at it. Last year the most I could do was 135 lbs at only a few reps. Now I can barely do 115 and I have to struggle to bring up the bar. And yet Benching has ALWAYS been my weakness. No matter what. HOWEVER, I've FOUND DECLINE BENCHING to be easier and I've been able to do more weights with that exercise,compared to the flat bench. Can I use decline Benching when using SS? Or is flat benching MANDATORY? If it is, what are my options for improving my flatbench? Right now I am 139 lbs. Before working out, I was 130 lbs. Gained 9 lbs since doing SS in early- Mid june. The most I ever weighed was 148 lbs last year . But then I stopped for a long time(june of last year) and lost all my gains. Now I'm trying to gain it back. I've been taking creatine 1-2 times a day, drinking whey with other ingredients and stuff to make it around 800 calories-1,000 calories. I've been eating 3,000 - 3,500 calories a day. And yet I'm still having trouble! CLIFFS - Doing SS since early to mid june of this year - Current lifting stats are at the start of the topic -I add 10 lbs to each squat and Deadlift workout - I add 5 lbs to the other exercises - My max for Overhead press is 85 lbs. I only did it once with 85 lbs yesterday. And I could not do any more. Even lowering the weights did not help. What can I do to improve? - I feel that my barbell row form is flawed and wondering if there are alternatives to this exercise for SS - I am terrible at flatbenching. I struggle with 115 lbs. I've always struggled with it. Wondering if i can replace it with decline benching for SS. If not, what can I do to DRASTICALLY improve my Bench? - I am 139 lbs now. gained 9 lbs since SS. - Most I ever weighed was 148 lbs and that was last year. But I stopped lifting and lost all my gains to the point where I hit 130 lbs. - I take creatine 1-2 times a day. And eat 3,000- 3,5000 calories a day Workouts: I workout 3 days a week. It goes like this and alternates. SS #1 Squats. 3x5 Flat Barbell Bench 3x5 Deadlift 1x5 With two sets of warm ups SS#2 Squats 3x5 OVerhead Press 3x5 Barbell row 3x5 And again with two sets of warmups
I failed starting strength Firstly, what were your starting lifts? Also for flat benching, you can try using a more powerlifting - esque form. Dave tate's videos on youtube really helped me bench more comfortably.
I failed starting strength He could have a high metabolism and work full time orplay sports. 35000 might not be enough to bulk...its not for me.
I failed starting strength You probably started too heavy. Just deload, keep eating in a surplus, fit your macros , sleep, and you should be okay. Edit: also what lifts did you start at?
I failed starting strength You: A) Don't eat 3000-3500 calories a day B)Need more calories than that, but it's probably A C)Don't sleep enough, don't train hard enough, don't train often enough
I failed starting strength he's 139 lbs, 3k is enough of a bulk for him let alone 3500. He's probably doing something that he isn't telling us. He has gained 9lbs in 4 weeks, he is eating too much. Food is not the problem
I failed starting strength Well I followed this guide Following this. When you first go to do each day, start every exercise with the empty bar. Do a set of 5, and then add 10lbs to each side of the bar. Do a set of 5, and repeat (if necessary - it may not be for the Press) until it gets hard. Then switch to adding 5lbs to each side of the bar. When that gets hard, stop adding weight, do another 1-2 sets of 5, and move on to the next exercise. Remember (or, more ideally, record) every set you do. Generally speaking, the weights used will follow this pattern: Deadlift > Squat > Bench = Row > Press. There'll be variation, but not too much of it. A break in this pattern usually means you have bad form. Next time you come in to do that Workout, put on 5-10lbs more than you finished with (chances are that it'll be 5lbs for Bench, Press, and Row; 10lbs for Squat and DL). Keep adding 5-10lbs per workout until you can't do a full 3x5; then repeat with the same weight until you can, and then add another 5lbs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/212-m...3121832?page=1 My max at the first days were more or less Squat: 95 Bench: 95 Deadlift: 95 Overhead press: 55 Barbell row: 95 Were my lifting stats at the first date supposed to all be radically different?
