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***Weightlifting Thread***

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CC09LawAg
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 1:55p, 10/6/25
fav13andac1)c said:
I've also gone from 191 to about 220 after starting to lift in late February. Going on a cut has been on my mind. The way I see it, if I can lose 15-20 lbs, I may lose some strength, but I'm also giving my body some extra runway. I'm vizualizing a roller coaster graph; my lifts may go down some, but the next bulk they'll go higher than what they were before I cut. I haven't gotten a dexa scan but know I should. Let me know if I'm going about this the right way and if there are other things to consider. I know cutting or bulking is somewhat personal preference as well.

I'd try to start small and lose 5-10 pounds and see if you can maintain where you are at. That should be doable in a month and lets you gauge the difference in energy vs. the programming you're doing.

Now, if you feel fat/sluggish at 220, it may be worth it to do the cut. But if you feel fine, I'd either just do a slight deficit or try to maintain where you are now.
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fav13andac1)c
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In reply to jtraggie99 • 2:28p, 10/6/25
AG
jtraggie99 said:
That's some impressive weight gain, almost 30 lbs in just over 6 months.

I appreciate the positive spin. I'm sitting here thinking "Holy ****, 30 lbs???" Best tip I can give is ALWAYS eat your kids' leftover chicken tenders.
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fav13andac1)c
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 2:38p, 10/6/25
AG
CC09LawAg said:
fav13andac1)c said:
I've also gone from 191 to about 220 after starting to lift in late February. Going on a cut has been on my mind. The way I see it, if I can lose 15-20 lbs, I may lose some strength, but I'm also giving my body some extra runway. I'm vizualizing a roller coaster graph; my lifts may go down some, but the next bulk they'll go higher than what they were before I cut. I haven't gotten a dexa scan but know I should. Let me know if I'm going about this the right way and if there are other things to consider. I know cutting or bulking is somewhat personal preference as well.

I'd try to start small and lose 5-10 pounds and see if you can maintain where you are at. That should be doable in a month and lets you gauge the difference in energy vs. the programming you're doing.

Now, if you feel fat/sluggish at 220, it may be worth it to do the cut. But if you feel fine, I'd either just do a slight deficit or try to maintain where you are now.

That's a good thought. I don't feel sluggish or fat. Really just hoping to pop more and keep the strength gains going while not skyrocketing to 250. Thanks!
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Tex117
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 2:45p, 10/6/25
AG
fav13andac1)c said:
Providing an update:

As of this morning I'm at 295 on squat, 207.5 on BP, and 330 on DL. I've moved to 3x5 sets for all lifts except DL and will keep going until I hit a plateau. Extremely happy to still be progressing at this point. Now I'm wondering if 225 on BP is on the table (3x5) before switching programs!

I also just started using wrist straps for DL. I had all but given up on them because they would slip out of my hand when I would use them, only to realize that I was wrapping them over the bar instead of under the bar...*facepalm*. I missed 330 on Wednesday, and this morning with wrist straps used the correct way I did all 5 reps no problem. You live and learn, I guess.

I've also gone from 191 to about 220 after starting to lift in late February. Going on a cut has been on my mind. The way I see it, if I can lose 15-20 lbs, I may lose some strength, but I'm also giving my body some extra runway. I'm vizualizing a roller coaster graph; my lifts may go down some, but the next bulk they'll go higher than what they were before I cut. I haven't gotten a dexa scan but know I should. Let me know if I'm going about this the right way and if there are other things to consider. I know cutting or bulking is somewhat personal preference as well.


Great work man! If you are struggling on BP, switch to 5x3 and push further.

Today's winner for the General Board Burrito Lottery is:

Tex117
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fav13andac1)c
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In reply to Tex117 • 3:00p, 10/6/25
AG
Thanks! Just to clarify, are you saying 5 sets of 3? I've switched to 3 sets of 5 so just double-checking.
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 3:40p, 10/6/25
Yes - more first reps, more rest, and same volume as a 3x5.
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texasaggie2015
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10:18a, 10/8/25
AG
I actually came here to ask something similar.

I'm 10 months in and I've noticed the gains have slowed quite a bit. I assume most has to do with the newbie gains now being a thing of the past.

I usually do roughly 3x10 on each exercise. Do you guys think going lower rep and higher weight (3x5) would help sort of "kickstart" the gains again?
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 10:30a, 10/8/25
texasaggie2015 said:
I usually do roughly 3x10 on each exercise. Do you guys think going lower rep and higher weight (3x5) would help sort of "kickstart" the gains again?

3x10 for the major barbell exercises?

I would start with a 5x5 and then do appropriate accessories for that muscle group in 3x6-10. I would probably use a 1 RM calculator to determine what you're doing for 10, see what it says you should do for 5, and then shave 10 or 15 pounds off that to give you a little runway while your body adjusts.

Then increase weekly in 2.5 to 5 pound increments depending on your comfort level and frequency of workouts.

Another alternative would be to go a bit heavier and do a 10x3 - 10 sets of 3. It's more time consuming so probably less accessory work depending on your schedule - I usually do an accessory lift in between on those workouts. So if I'm benching, I do pullups in between to save time.

Edit to add: As another example, running 5/3/1, I will do escalating sets to a heavy weight, then back off and do a 5x10 on the barbell movement. But that is more of an intermediate program and probably overcomplicating where you are - I'd try the tried and true vanilla 5x5 Stronglifts type structuring to see if it gets you over your plateau.
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Tex117
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 10:39a, 10/8/25
AG
fav13andac1)c said:
Thanks! Just to clarify, are you saying 5 sets of 3? I've switched to 3 sets of 5 so just double-checking.

Run the three sets of 5 until that last set (or the last rep of each set) is really challenging. Not quite seeing god or the white light, but while its going up you definitely have the thought you may not make it.

Then switch to five sets of 3. This should give you a little bit more runway to keep adding weight to the bar for a few more weeks/month.

After that, probably time to start thinking about intermediate programming for the bench.

You are doing great!

Today's winner for the General Board Burrito Lottery is:

Tex117
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 10:43a, 10/8/25
I'll also add, depending on your appetite for aggressiveness with progressive overload, if you like doing the higher reps schemes, this is something I've been doing for my wife that she has been very successful with. She isn't nearly as "into it" as I am, so this works for what she wants to accomplish.

Workout A:
3x5 Squat
DB OH Press 3x10
3x10 RDL
3x10 Lat Pull
Arm Accessories

Workout B:
3x5 Hex Bar DL
3x10 Squat
3x5 Bench
3x10 Cable Row
Shoulder & Ab Accessories

I have her go up to 4 sets, then 5 sets, then she goes up 5 pounds on each barbell lift and either increases reps or small weight jumps (2.5 pounds) on any dumbbell or cable stuff. Goal is to lift every other day but that obviously doesn't happen with life, but she usually gets about 3 in a week.

She hasn't missed a lift yet and is making slow and steady progress without feeling like she's being ground to dust.
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Tex117
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 10:46a, 10/8/25
AG
texasaggie2015 said:
I actually came here to ask something similar.

I'm 10 months in and I've noticed the gains have slowed quite a bit. I assume most has to do with the newbie gains now being a thing of the past.

I usually do roughly 3x10 on each exercise. Do you guys think going lower rep and higher weight (3x5) would help sort of "kickstart" the gains again?

You had a hell of a run with those newbie gains! Great work.

I would suggest now really thinking about what direction you want to head. Im not sure what your whole program entails, however, I doubt an across the board 3x5 to all lifts is necessarily a good idea.

Not sure how much, squat, press, deadlift, bench you are doing, but maybe you should take a look at running a beginner strength program. Starting Strength, StrongLifts, Madcow, GraySkull....something like that.

IMO, accumulating strength is very rarely the wrong move. I think most folks should run up their linear progressions (adding about 5 pounds to the bar every workout, or even every other work out), see where they end up. THEN, if they want to do something "hypertrophy" focused (and not focused on outright max strength, if you are stronger, you are bigger), the lifter is in a much better position to really get alot out of that program because they are so much stronger.

Plus, good things happen to your health and body when you train it with force going all the way through it. Plus, the chasing numbers bug can be fun (so long as don't go crazy).


Today's winner for the General Board Burrito Lottery is:

Tex117
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texasaggie2015
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10:50a, 10/8/25
AG
FWIW right now I do a 6 day PPL split
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Tex117
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 11:13a, 10/8/25
AG
texasaggie2015 said:
FWIW right now I do a 6 day PPL split

That's alot.

Im betting if you ran a 3 day a week strength program, your body would respond really well. Just cutting alot of that volume out will give it some breathing room to recover, adapt, and get stronger. (Not too be too general here, but dudes getting the most out of 6 days a week long term are usually on the juice).

Your body has to have time to recover and adapt. You build muscle OUT of the gym. Not in it.

Just something to consider.

Today's winner for the General Board Burrito Lottery is:

Tex117
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texasaggie2015
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In reply to Tex117 • 11:15a, 10/8/25
AG
Interesting - I guess the way I was looking at it, I was still only hitting each muscle group twice a week which was time to rest between. Possible I've been doing it wrong, I'm a newbie.
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texasaggie2015
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11:17a, 10/8/25
AG
Updated progress pic. Thanks to all for the advice, encouragement, etc the last 10 months.

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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 11:21a, 10/8/25
AG
texasaggie2015 said:
Interesting - I guess the way I was looking at it, I was still only hitting each muscle group twice a week which was time to rest between. Possible I've been doing it wrong, I'm a newbie.
it depends on your PPL split, in my opinion. If you're spamming heavy compound lifts each day, I don't think it's sustainable. If you're doing 3 days of heavy compounds (strength focused) and then 3 days of more hypertrophy focused (and the inverse of the what you did on the first days, ie, more triceps and less chest) it's works well. That's what I aim for when I can get 6 days a week in
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texasaggie2015
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 11:23a, 10/8/25
AG
Thanks.

Yeah - totally possible I'm doing a few things wrong. I spent so much time researching and reading and trying to find the "perfect" plan and decided I just need to get in there and start doing something. This is just what I got in a groove doing and stuck with it.
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Tex117
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 11:27a, 10/8/25
AG
texasaggie2015 said:
Interesting - I guess the way I was looking at it, I was still only hitting each muscle group twice a week which was time to rest between. Possible I've been doing it wrong, I'm a newbie.

Nah, in the beginning, its not super critical. In the beginning, a person really isn't strong enough to push hard enough to need big time rest.

However, now that your gains are slowing, that's probably (again, don't know with certainty) what is happening. You are strong enough to really push it and you aren't recovering (and/or you aren't eating enough).

Not saying a 6-day PPL cant work. It all depends on the volume. For natural lifters, 8 to 12 sets per week per big body part (ie, back, lets, chest, arms, shoulders), is about the sweet the spot (on average).

I really would suggest just saying EFF it. Switch it up. Go for a 3-day full body strength training routine for as long as you can keep adding weight to the bar. (Its going to feel light and boring in the beginning...but then...it wont). maybe you get 6 months out of it? Now you have a strong base to go back to bodybuilding (which is what you are doing...with great success I may add, your hard work is absolutely paying off and you should be damn proud of what you have accomplished).

Today's winner for the General Board Burrito Lottery is:

Tex117
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Tex117
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 11:28a, 10/8/25
AG
ttha_aggie_09 said:
texasaggie2015 said:
Interesting - I guess the way I was looking at it, I was still only hitting each muscle group twice a week which was time to rest between. Possible I've been doing it wrong, I'm a newbie.

it depends on your PPL split, in my opinion. If you're spamming heavy compound lifts each day, I don't think it's sustainable. If you're doing 3 days of heavy compounds (strength focused) and then 3 days of more hypertrophy focused (and the inverse of the what you did on the first days, ie, more triceps and less chest) it's works well. That's what I aim for when I can get 6 days a week in

LOL! Man, a natural lifter would fall apart if they did the big heavy compounds with the required intensity going 6 days a week.

Today's winner for the General Board Burrito Lottery is:

Tex117
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to Tex117 • 11:37a, 10/8/25
AG
Oh for sure - that's the only reason I am not doing them. I have tried and it never yields anything positive. Maybe one day if I hop on that vitamin T. I'll continue to work out with the mortals for now though…
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Tex117
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 11:42a, 10/8/25
AG
ttha_aggie_09 said:
Oh for sure - that's the only reason I am not doing them. I have tried and it never yields anything positive. Maybe one day if I hop on that vitamin T. I'll continue to work out with the mortals for now though…

LOL and with as heavy as you lift...goodness.


Today's winner for the General Board Burrito Lottery is:

Tex117
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