How to gain some weight!

[NAC]

You've made good progress.

How much are you adding each workout?

If I had to guess - you can perhaps still add 5# each time for squat and deadlift - but not for press or bench.
I found that ~1/2 pound washers really helped in allowing me to continue to lift more each and every workout. I got 6 2" washers from fastenal - not cheap for just washers, but well worth it.

If you aren't adding weight (especially once you can do so in 1 lb increments) every workout, at those numbers and your age - then I think you aren't eating enough or sleeping enough.

 

[repoman0]

You've made good progress.

How much are you adding each workout?

If I had to guess - you can perhaps still add 5# each time for squat and deadlift - but not for press or bench.
I found that ~1/2 pound washers really helped in allowing me to continue to lift more each and every workout. I got 6 2" washers from fastenal - not cheap for just washers, but well worth it.

If you aren't adding weight (especially once you can do so in 1 lb increments) every workout, at those numbers and your age - then I think you aren't eating enough or sleeping enough.

The smallest weights at my gym are 2.5lbs, so I increase by 5 pounds whenever all of the last workout's sets in a particular exercise were good. So for example - a couple days ago squats at 180 felt fine so I moved up to 185 today, but even though I completed 5x5 the last couple reps of the last couple sets got a little sloppy so I will do 185 again on Sunday. Also last press day towards the end they turned into push presses at 95 lbs, but today I did 95 again and they were all fine so I'll do 100 next time.

Anyway, today:

Forgot to weigh myself, probably 162-163

Squats - 185 - felt good to get to the 45 + 25 lb plates. But as I said above the last couple reps of the last set accidentally turned into half squats / half good mornings, which I want to fix before going to 190.

Press - 95 - completed 5x5 without much of an issue - 100 next time

Deadlift - 220 - 1 set of 5 - success, but the last rep was really slow and difficult. Thinking I should do 220 again before 225 but I'm excited to get to the 2 plate mark!

 

[repoman0]

Weight - 162lbs

Yesterday did a decently paced 35 mile ride out towards Dover Mass, so I didn't think squats would go too well today but they did.

Bench - 135lbs - 5x5

Squat - 185lbs - 5x5 all with good form

Row - 125lbs

Will move up 5lbs on each of these next time!

 

[repoman0]

Weight - 162lbs

Squat - 190lbs 5x5 - difficult but good form on all. Will probably do 190 again before moving up

Press - 100 5x5x5x4x3 - actually did 5x5 but the 'missed' ones were push presses

Deadlift - 225x3, fail, 225x2 a minute later. Have to stick at 225 next time

 

[repoman0]

Weight - 162lbs

Bench Press - 140lbs 5x5x4x3x3 - This is where I couldn't move past last couple times too - deloaded once and accidentally deloaded again because of the sprained wrist. I'll give this a couple more tries then will move to 3x5 just for bench press.

Squat - 190 5x5 again

Rows - 125 5x5 - decided not to move up on these because I was exhausted. Also I think I'm at the point where I can't move up 5lbs every time in anything, but will end up doing the same weight 2 or 3 times (2 for squats/deads, 2-3 for everything else). And, even eating 4000 cals/day, my body weight won't move anymore and I can't afford to eat more than this

 

[repoman0]

Weight - 161lbs

Squat - 195lbs 5x5 - last rep in the last couple sets was shaky

Press - 100lbs 5x5

Deadlift - 225 1x5

A ton of low weight 45 and 65lb power cleans just to practice form. I want to start incorporating them somehow, but am not sure how to change up the program.

 

[Saint Nick]

repo what are you macros and calories right now? I just started SL 5x5

I am going for a clean bulk and eating 2700 for a while, 30P, 40C, 30F

 

[repoman0]

repo what are you macros and calories right now? I just started SL 5x5

I am going for a clean bulk and eating 2700 for a while, 30P, 40C, 30F

I'm definitely not an expert but 2700 seems pretty low for putting on mass. Guess it depends on your age and a lot of other stuff too but I'm eating 3500-4000 a day and that has kept me at 161-162lbs (at 5'10") for probably a month now.

I do something like 55/30/15 fat/carbs/protein. Could use more protein but I dont want to buy powder until I secure a job for after graduation. Also would like to increase to 4000-4500 cals/day but same story, it gets expensive!

You should post progress somewhere, I'd be curious how things work for you.

 

[Saint Nick]

I'm definitely not an expert but 2700 seems pretty low for putting on mass. Guess it depends on your age and a lot of other stuff too but I'm eating 3500-4000 a day and that has kept me at 161-162lbs (at 5'10") for probably a month now.

I do something like 55/30/15 fat/carbs/protein. Could use more protein but I dont want to buy powder until I secure a job for after graduation. Also would like to increase to 4000-4500 cals/day but same story, it gets expensive!

You should post progress somewhere, I'd be curious how things work for you.

Check out the main macro thread on BB.com...

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981

Pretty much tells you how to come up with your numbers and so I just added 10% on to what my maintenance is and called it a day. If my lifts stall I'll just eat more. I am trying to avoid getting fat

 

[repoman0]

Today

Weight -162lbs

Bench press -140 5x4x4x2 - benches felt terrible today. I don't know what it is; I can do 135 5x5 pretty easily but I don't know how many times I've reset and that extra 5lbs makes me fail. I'm going to go back to 125 doing 3 sets of 5 and see if I can finally get past this point.

Squat - 195 5x5 - success again but these felt pretty crappy and weak. I think it was just an off day ...

Row - 125 5x5 - same story as squats

 

[mple]

Am I reading those correctly? 55% of your calories comes from fat and only 15% protein?

 

[RavenSEAL]

NOTE: If you really want to eat a "bad for you" snack, consider a small amount of cheese poofs. They are lower carb and higher protein than pretty much any other junk food I have come accross. Only a small handful of them though.

 

[repoman0]

Haha^

And yeah you're reading it right. 15% protein puts me right at 150 grams per day, which is about equal to my body weight in pounds. The fat/carb split might vary by day to something like 45/40 to 55/30 though.

 

[repoman0]

Weight: 164lbs

Squat - 4x5 200lbs. Couldn't do another set and I've been debating doing 3x5 in everything for a while now so I think I'll just cut out a single set

Press - 105lbs 4x3x3 - that extra 5 pounds is heavy! Guess I'll try again next week

Deadlift - 230 1x5

Chin-ups - 5x5x4 - I want to see if adding pushups on bench days helps me move past 140lbs so figured I might as well add these on deadlift days.

 

[repoman0]

Ran a 5k on Saturday for the first time all winter and I think it screwed up my squats yesterday.

Squat - 5x200, barely got the last rep up so did 4x5x185 for the rest. Guess I'll do 5x5x185 tomorrow and try to get past 200 still doing 5 sets, I don't think there's any reason to move to 4 sets until at least 225.

Bench - 3x5x140 - barely got the last rep up, luckily my spotter didn't help and I did. Now I get to try 145 finally. I don't know why I so consistently suck at these - got to 135 pretty quickly (last year even) and just can't move past this range. I'm hoping the push-ups I'm adding at the end help.

Row - 5x5x130 - felt good

Pushups - 3x12 - easy. Should I do more?

 

[mple]

Try adding in some dips on bench days and maybe do tricep extensions once a week. Both of those really helped improve my bench.

 

[repoman0]

Cool, thanks. I'll consider moving from push-ups to dips since pushups are really easy. But they also seem to work the chest more than dips

Today - Weight 163lbs

Squat - 5x5x185 - relatively easy, just trying to move back to 200+ with 5 sets of 5

Press - 105lbs, 5x3x3x2x1 - better than last time but I'm going to have to reset

Deadlift - 235lbs, 4 reps, short break, 1 rep. I'll have to do this weight again next time

Chin-ups - 5, 5, 2. Exhausted!

 

[repoman0]

Yesterday -

weight 163lbs

Bench - 3x5x140 - felt pretty good! Hopefully 145 will feel good too.

Squat - 5x5x190

Rows - 5x5x130

Pushups - 15, 15, 12

 

[Mr. Lennon]

That's so true. A lot of people claim they are hard gainers. I am one of them, naturally thin. I thought I was eating a ton when trying to gain weight but was probably around 3500 calories a day. If you want to gain weight you force feed yourself 5000 calories a day and lift heavy and you will gain weight.

A lot of people think they are eating a lot, but when they count calories it's really not THAT much. I never went into the 5000 calorie range or anything crazy when bulking just b/c it was too expensive and I didn't want to gain that much weight where I had to buy new clothes and stuff. But look at my earlier post in this thread about eating...you physically have to gain weight if you eat like that

How the hell does one manage to consume 5k calories a day with a busy schedule? I don't cook either...

I'm 6 ft, 154 pounds and I'm lucky to get over 2500k.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[repoman0]

I don't cook either...

Then what do you for food

Anyway - haven't updated this in a while because nothing is really different. I moved to 3x5 and did a full reset in everything because I started running and wanted to get used to it without doing too difficult weights. Also I haven't moved from 162-163 pounds in months now, not even day by day fluctuations.

Yesterday -

Squat - 3x5 195

OHP - 3x5 100

deadlift - 1x5 215

My row and bench are still at 135lbs, 3 sets of 5. My upper body strength is going nowhere and hasn't for a long time, but I guess I can't expect anything else since I haven't been eating enough to even gain a couple pounds in months. I guess about 3500 cals is my maintenance..

 

[Mr. Lennon]

Then what do you for food

Burritos, burgers, pb sandwiches, bananas.

 

[neha46101]

you increase weight with food

you eat

1 potato
2 portage

 

[repoman0]

Haven't moved up much in weights since last update - definitely need to eat more but for that I need a job post graduation so I can afford it!

Today -

Squats - 205lbs 3x5 - felt like a boss with the 45 and 35 on each side, not many people at my gym squat this much, let alone properly. Not that it's particularly heavy compared to some here but still.

Bench - 140lbs 3x5 still - most I'll do without a spotter because sometimes I can't get sets of 5 at 145 and the last rep at 140 is a struggle. Don't know why I suck at bench presses so much.

Row - 135lbs 3x5

Pushups 3xF (sets of around 16-20)

Weight still around 163lbs.

Last gym day -

Squats were at 200, OHP 100, and deadlift 225, and 3xF chinups (8, 6, 3 I think. Usually I get at least 8,7,6 or something)

 

[mple]

My row and bench are still at 135lbs, 3 sets of 5. My upper body strength is going nowhere and hasn't for a long time, but I guess I can't expect anything else since I haven't been eating enough to even gain a couple pounds in months. I guess about 3500 cals is my maintenance..

Something isn't adding up. Either you're not counting your calories correctly, or you're doing a ridiculous amount of cardio (college sports?). At 163, your BMR is 1750. You would need an activity factor of ~2.0 (very very active lifestyle) to be at 3500 cals maintenance.

 

[Xcobra]

OP, maybe consider doing DB bench? I feel like I can better work out my chest by doing these (besides the fact that I don't have a bench or BB) and then doing flies.