Why The Fuck Cant I Get Stronger!!!

[seizer]

This is awesome information...Im feelin good about this now. But will me being on a cutting diet make it more difficult to gain strength?

 

[seizer]

Just outta curiousity...what should my lifts be at thus far in my 'career'?

 

[NorgePrecision]

You seem a little big for what you're pushing up. 16 in. arms and only 185 bench? At this point I don't think you should worry about cutting. I think you should worry about eating quality foods and getting quality sleep. Try some protein and creatine also. Have you tried any supplements? Creatine is what opened the door for me to gain some serious mass. If you've been lifting for a year, then I think it's time to try it. BTW, how much have you gained in strength in one year?

 

[seizer]

well, considering i was a weakling when i first began, i guess you could say a substantial amount. Then again, i never really forced myself to lift heavy from the beginning because i was very good at the lifts and just tried to get the form down early on. But just as an example, when i started out, i was pushing 95 pounds on the bench lol, but i gained alot of strength fast, and not i've been stuck at the same poundages for a long time. Btw, i use protein all the time, and cycle on and off creatine. The reason i am doing a cutting cycle is because i want to shed some more body so i will beable to preform a cleaner bulk and still remain relatively lean by the end of it.
Size wise, i've done ok for myself...i've eatin like a pig during my bulks... but it doesn't show in my lifts and its kind of embarrasing.

 

[curgeo]

Ceasar...do you think you can elaborate on how you are training? What is your rep scheme? What is your training cycle like? How many sets do you do for each bodypart? What exercises are you concentrating on? What order do you do your lifts?

Some more info can maybe help me pinpoint what you are doing. It might be something minor that we can fix easily......my opinion is that it probably is something simple and we can get you as strong as you want to be.

 

[seizer]

Ok, well here is my newest routine:

Chest,calves:
InclineBB press 5x5
Flat BB press 2x8
Incline flies 2x8
seated calves 2x8
some ab work

Back:
BB rows 5x5
DL 2x8
Lat Pulldown 2x8
Db rows 2x8
BB Shrugs 3x8
Ab work

Legs, shoulder:
Squats 5x5
Leg press 2x8
leg ext 3x8
military press 5x5
Rear shoulder raises 2x8
ab work

Arms:
Close grip press 5x5
skull crusher 2x8
tri ext 3x8
BB curls 5x5
seated incline curls (spyder?)
Db preacher curls 2x8

Mind you this routine isnt exactly the best way to measure where i have been going wrong, but i have been using it for two weeks now. Previously i was using hst and some other splits with pyrimiding...same general excerises. Actually another reason why i want to cut is so i can perform more chins...right now im too heavy to get decent work done and i really want a big back eventually.

 

[seizer]

Hst worked ok, but i didn't like how light the weight felt, i want to have a challenge. SUre i get burned from all the reps early on but thats not what i really like. I should say though that when i did do Max-ot a while ago, i really enjoyed the heavy lifting style with core lifts. And one question, in the 5x5 link that was posted, it has no direct arm day...is this better for gaining overall strength?

 

[curgeo]

I am on my way to the gym in a couple of minutes so I can't get too indepth. If Madcow sees this he is going to post a bunch I am sure.

First you have to decide what it is you want. It is next to impossible (with few exceptions) to get big, cut and get strong all at the same time. The 5x5 is the closest to strength/size that I can find. The reason you don't need to do arms when doing it is due to direct and indirect stimulation from all the other lifts. The back, legs and chest are the largest bodyparts right? If they grow, your body will respond in kind with mass all over....not just the back, chest and legs.....but in the arms and shoulders too.

Again, you have to figure out what you want. A bodybuilder is training for muscle size while a powerlifter is training for absolute strength and an olympic weightlifter is training strength-speed (or is that speed-strength?...Madcow will tell you..LOL). Each one trains a little bit different to get the desired training effect.

Take a look at my post on this page titled "What I learned going from bb to pl." It should provide a little bit of information on what it takes to become strong. The 5x5 is a good place to start for strength/size.

I have to go to the gym and train with my fat training partners now....I will finish when I get back.......Again, madcow I know is going to add something.

 

[seizer]

awesome, thanks curgeo. I guess i more concerned about gaining actual size the strength. However, i would like to gain a little bit of strength along the way to...for safe measures of course. What i might do now actually is take some pics of myself, and maybe you guys can help judge if i should continue cutting or go on for a bulk. I personally would like bulking alot more, but i dont want to turn lardo.

 

[curgeo]

Ceasar...you will be pleased with the gains from the 5x5. Make sre to stick to it and dedicate yourself for a couple of months. The strength gains will come.

Don't let me or anyone else decide what you want to do. Figure it out for yourself. If you want to get lean...do that. If you want to get bigger...do that. If you want to get stronger....do that. I found that out when I started training early on. I used to do it because I thought I could get girls.......after a couple of years I found out it's what I want that's important.

Find out what's the most important to you and then go for it. I will help any way I can.