Lifting a few years and my lifts suck, need help!

[curly_vancouver]

Im 21, 215 6'2 and my max bench is only 180.

I'm lifting heavy, squatting regularly, don't dead lift as much as I should cuz it hurts my back.

What can I do to start lifting more weight

[curly_vancouver]

Could it be that I'm lifting 8-10 reps for 3-4 sets, should I move to 5x5. I still want to be gaining mass tho.

[jypoll]

i cant be the biggest and the stongest so you gotta make your choice...

i am only concerned about my strength.. I will actually avoid doing this i think will increase my weight or size.

i only do squat bench dead, alternating 1 each day... 2 sets x 5 reps, never to fail

with the strength the key is too not overload by lifting too much or too hard... size is just about the opposite

[curly_vancouver]

Can Increase my strength and cut at the same time or is that another thing entirely?

[jypoll]

no, if you cut you will lose size and strength

[curly_vancouver]

with the strength the key is too not overload by lifting too much or too hard... size is just about the opposite

So I'm not gaining any strength because I'm pushing myself to falure, this is good for mass and not for strength.
Will I lose mass if I start dropping down my reps?

[jypoll]

i dont think you will lose any size.. you will just put more size on slower. It really depends on your body

[mightym451]

Big and strong! I'm 6'1.5 245 bf about %10 I can bench over 440 and squat over 405... But, to be honest I Don't any longer. You're young still and it's not a race. I'm 48 will be 49 in a few months I'm strong enough but not as strong as I was or as strong as a "WEIGHT LIFTER" Decide what you are shooting for and just be consistent with your work outs and life style the weight will come over time. When I was 21 I could bench maybe 285 at a body weight of 210. Leave your ego at the door when you are working out.. only person you need to impress is you while you're at the gym!

[Toefl101]

So do you want to get bigger and build mass or just strength, or both. If you want to build strength lower your rep range to 1-4 reps and increase the weight. If you want to get mass and build muscle stay in the 8-12 rep range and dont worry about weigh because its not important, dont let your ego get the best of you (let me make this clear weight is important but if you cant do a certain weight you should not worry about it like if you see a guy curling 50lbs but you can only curl 35lbs 8 times with good form dont try the 50lbs stay with the 35). What I started doing is adding strength training to my routine. For example on chest day I do my 4 sets on bench with a good amount of weight and stay in my 8-12 rep range and when I finish I put on a weight that I can do only about 4 times and do it for a set or two, with that I have noticed that my regular sets have gone up in weight and my strength has increased. Good luck hope this helped a bit!

[xun_18]

just make sure you still keep good form on every exercise you want to increase the strenght in the primary muscle not your adjacent muscle also maybe you should check what part of your bench you struggling on it my be your tricep keeping you from pushing a heavier bench

[showgun07]

how's your diet? are you getting enough calories to have the energy to push the weight and put on size? diet is 70% of weight training and growth

[xun_18]

showgun right the workout is a hour or 2 a day, diet is always 24/7 year round

[Ace111]

You could try Wendler's 5/3/1. Low reps for the main compound lifts for strength and higher reps for the assistance lifts for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (size).

Template - http://www.mensfitness.com/training/...iations?page=2
Explanation of 531- http://www.**************/free_onlin..._pure_strength edit - nation-t
simpler explanation here - http://www.mensfitness.com/training/...cle/531-method

[mirin_serratus]

You could try Wendler's 5/3/1. Low reps for the main compound lifts for strength and higher reps for the assistance lifts for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (size).

Template - http://www.mensfitness.com/training/...iations?page=2
Explanation of 531- http://www.**************/free_onlin..._pure_strength

531 is a waste of time when hes benching 180. go with 5x5 your gains will come much faster

[Ace111]

531 is a waste of time when hes benching 180. go with 5x5 your gains will come much faster

I agree he should do a 5x5 program but you know how some people are, they need high reps to feel the pump otherwise they think their muscles didn't get enough of a workout, which is why I suggested 531 since it's got strength and hypertrophy. But yeah do 5x5 for at least 3 months to get your strength up.

[ironbeck]

A pyramid approach works well for gaining strength, and no disrespect intended, but sounds like you only work out part time.

[Coolhand5599]

Make sure you have proper form with a full range of motion and you do slow and controlled movements.

[phoenix44]

Something isn't working right. At lifts as low as your bench anything you do should really bring it up.
I don't think you should over think gaining strength or muscle at this point just lift your butt off.

When I was benching real low like that, we even incorporated 10x10. Strength came quick during that time.

[curly_vancouver]

Thanks for all the posts, I have been on the fence about 5x5 for a while and now think I should give it a shot

[xun_18]

you can also try rack off on and your main lifts it help me alot on my deadlifts

[>Good Luck<]

Something isn't working right. At lifts as low as your bench anything you do should really bring it up.
I don't think you should over think gaining strength or muscle at this point just lift your butt off.

When I was benching real low like that, we even incorporated 10x10. Strength came quick during that time.

Is the 10x10 same concept as 5x5 just doubled up?

[phoenix44]

Yeah we didn't know what we were doing but figured the more we lift the better we would be.

[Donman1001]

10x10 can also be called gvt, look it up it is one of the oldest and best mass gaining programs you can do.

[phoenix44]

That's where we got it from but wasn't sure if we actually followed it.

When we did legs with GermanVT they blew up like crazy.