# Muscular but lacking strength?



## allnatural999 (Mar 26, 2013)

Hi,

I am 24, 67kg and 5'6''. I am relatively muscular but I really feel I am lacking strength in my major lifts. There are people a lot smaller than me lifting much heavier! My bench press in particular has stalled somewhat in recent weeks/month. My 1RM is around 95 BP, 110 for SQ and 120 DL, although I havn't tested them. My macros are on point eating in a calorie surplus of around 200-300 cals and currently training upper/lower split 4 x a week. I have been training for 3 years now but only since september have I been more serious and moved away from ''Broscience', stop drinking (due to university) and properly counts macros. My strength compared to this time last year has increased but not by very much, especially my upper body. My goal is hypertrophy but also really want to increase my main lifts to 110, 140 and 170 respectively. Here is a quick glance at the routine I do. I have 2 heavier days and 2 lighter days with a higher rep scheme. I aim to progressively add weight to the bar/add more reps from week to week. I dont train to failure and get good recovery from sleep.

Monday - BP 5x5

BOW 5x5

OHP 2-3 x 6-8

Pull ups 2-3 x 6-8

Lateral raises 2-3 x 10-12

Face pulls 2 x 10-12

Tuesday - Squats 3 x 8-10

RDL 3 x 8-10

Front squat 3 x8-10

Ham curls 3 x 12

Calves 4-6 x 12

Thursday - BP 3-4 x 8-10

BOW 3-4 x 8-10

Inclined shoulder press 2-3 x 8-10

Pull ups 2-3 x 8-10

Incline curls - 3 x 10

Tricep extension 3 x 10

Friday - Squat 5x5

DL 4-5 x 5

Leg press 2-3 x6-8

Ham curls 3 x 10-12

Calves - 4-6 x 12

I am seeing progress but I feel I shoulder be lifting heavier numbers. Am I expecting too much too soon? How much can one expect to gain in 1st and second year of training? Flaws in training program? Is my body weight to strength ratio reasonable? Genetics?

Thoughts and inputs would be appreciated.


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## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

You weight 67kgs and are 'Muscular'? That's not even eleven stone mate.

Secondly your focus is ****ed up - got away from the broscience yet you complain about your bench - I'd be more worried if my squat was only 15kg ahead of my bench press!!!! You are still very much in Egosville and have checked in to the "How much d'ya Bench" Hotel

If you really want to get some serious size and strength then you need to drastically cut a lot of **** from your workout and focus on the basics. You are doing 5 x 5 wrong, it isn't just a number of sets and reps to do.

You do 5 x 5 on a small selection of movements such as:

Squat

Deadlift

Bench

Military Press

Bent Over Row

Stiff Leg Deadlift

You dedicate around 90% of your effort into this training, you shouldn't be able to do much more training naturally after doing the big movements or train as frequently so you are obviously not putting in what you need to.


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## Ash1981 (Jun 16, 2009)

Ive been in that hotel before


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## Dezw (May 13, 2009)

Strength is gained through hard work.

Push yourself harder....train to failure!

Also eat more, and don't bother with counting every single gram of whatever, you don't require that level of detail, just add in extra food every day until you start seeing decent gains, them more again once the gains slow.

Change your rep range to between 3 and 5 reps.


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## DoIEvenLift (Feb 10, 2011)

> My 1RM is around 95 BP, 110 for SQ and 120 DL, although I havn't tested them.


 da fuq? :confused1:


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## Dr Manhattan (Jan 8, 2012)

There have been some strange posts today.


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## allnatural999 (Mar 26, 2013)

I am aware I need to improve my squats... Here because I want to improve. I am also aware that I dont weigh much but I am a short guy. Do you have any suggestions as to what to cut out of that program based on my goals? Or a more optimal routine to attain my goals?



MattGriff said:


> You weight 67kgs and are 'Muscular'? That's not even eleven stone mate.
> 
> Secondly your focus is ****ed up - got away from the broscience yet you complain about your bench - I'd be more worried if my squat was only 15kg ahead of my bench press!!!! You are still very much in Egosville and have checked in to the "How much d'ya Bench" Hotel
> 
> ...


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## allnatural999 (Mar 26, 2013)

Based on what my current 3 rep max is.


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

put a picture up mate - it does help.


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## zack amin (Mar 13, 2012)

allnatural999 said:


> I am aware I need to improve my squats... Here because I want to improve. I am also aware that I dont weigh much but I am a short guy. Do you have any suggestions as to what to cut out of that program based on my goals? Or a more optimal routine to attain my goals?


Mate I'm same height, at 70kg body weight I was benching 140, dead lift 190 and squat 160, I now weigh 80kg ,listen to what matt Griffin stated, he knows his sh1t.


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## anabolik (Aug 19, 2010)

Look up Starting Strength by Rippetoe. That's all you need right now.


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## Dave 0511 (Feb 13, 2009)

allnatural999 said:


> Based on what my current 3 rep max is.


the ONLY way of working out a 1rm is by doing 1 maximum repetition, the answers in the question

no amount of calculating can account for actually lifting a weight

feels a lot different when it's in your hands and not on a screen!


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## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

allnatural999 said:


> I am aware I need to improve my squats... Here because I want to improve. I am also aware that I dont weigh much but I am a short guy. Do you have any suggestions as to what to cut out of that program based on my goals? Or a more optimal routine to attain my goals?


I have already given you an answer if you read it properly.


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## BigTrev (Mar 16, 2008)

Get back to basics like MattGriff already told you

Push to failure and eat eat eat.


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## stoatman (Sep 13, 2012)

I can dead 400 kg , bench 200 for 1 RM . Not tested them yet though.


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## Big Kris (Aug 25, 2009)

zack amin said:


> Mate I'm same height, at 70kg body weight I was benching 140, dead lift 190 and squat 160, I now weigh 80kg ,listen to what matt Griffin stated, he knows his sh1t.


140kg weighing 70kg i would have to see a video of that or im taking it as a vicious lie


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## zack amin (Mar 13, 2012)

Big Kris said:


> 140kg weighing 70kg i would have to see a video of that or im taking it as a vicious lie


Dont be a numpty I've been here a while if I wanted to make a lie, it'd be a better weight then that!lol Sunday I did 100 x10 , 120 x 4 cutting so strength is not all that, your welcome to come to my gym on chest day, rochdale, called evolution


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## allnatural999 (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks for the input guys. I am looking into doing Jason Blaha's novice routine (similar to SS by Rippetoe) to get to a decent standard. Basic lifts. Heres his sticky http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=148036063


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

allnatural999 said:


> Thanks for the input guys. I am looking into doing Jason Blaha's novice routine (similar to SS by Rippetoe) to get to a decent standard. Basic lifts. Heres his sticky http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=148036063


You know Griff is an established strength coach... Or whatever he wants to call himself

I wouldn't brush off and over look the advice he's given you


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

why is it so hard for people to fathom??##

basic compounds, lots of food and rest, easy it aint rocket science to be fair


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## Guest (Mar 27, 2013)

Breda said:


> You know Griff is an established strength coach... Or whatever he wants to call himself
> 
> I wouldn't brush off and over look the advice he's given you


This is the thing man, people won't take advice off others unless they are "big in the game", we all know what the strength guys on here are capable of, and that they know their stuff, yet the newbies only wanna take advice from ppl who've written a book, or been on TV. You actually learn more from people on here than them, why ? Because they don't just follow 1 method of training, they listen and learn from ALL The big names, and adapt to suit.

If Mattgriff, or Ewen, or one of the strength guys on here gave me advice, i'd fking take it and run like fk with it.


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## Big Kris (Aug 25, 2009)

zack amin said:


> Dont be a numpty I've been here a while if I wanted to make a lie, it'd be a better weight then that!lol Sunday I did 100 x10 , 120 x 4 cutting so strength is not all that, your welcome to come to my gym on chest day, rochdale, called evolution


Im not being a numpty pal... just seems like a hell of a lot of weight for a lad of your size

Personally im just getting two out at 150kg and thats on gear

I live in Rochdale actually  go to body matters in Heywood


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## paulandabbi (Mar 13, 2013)

Cheeky Monkey said:


> This is the thing man, people won't take advice off others unless they are "big in the game", we all know what the strength guys on here are capable of, and that they know their stuff, yet the newbies only wanna take advice from ppl who've written a book, or been on TV. You actually learn more from people on here than them, why ? Because they don't just follow 1 method of training, they listen and learn from ALL The big names, and adapt to suit.
> 
> If Mattgriff, or Ewen, or one of the strength guys on here gave me advice, i'd fking take it and run like fk with it.


Me too lol. I love getting advice of the bloke's on here! Fully agree with the thing of these guy's mix up everything from all the well known people and make like a hybrid method to get max effect.


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## paulandabbi (Mar 13, 2013)

MattGriff said:


> You weight 67kgs and are 'Muscular'? That's not even eleven stone mate.
> 
> Secondly your focus is ****ed up - got away from the broscience yet you complain about your bench - I'd be more worried if my squat was only 15kg ahead of my bench press!!!! You are still very much in Egosville and have checked in to the "How much d'ya Bench" Hotel
> 
> ...


So with the 6 movements do you split them in to two workouts and then do alternate 3 times a week?


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## zack amin (Mar 13, 2012)

Big Kris said:


> Im not being a numpty pal... just seems like a hell of a lot of weight for a lad of your size
> 
> Personally im just getting two out at 150kg and thats on gear
> 
> I live in Rochdale actually  go to body matters in Heywood


Wwaahhaayyy a fellow rochdalien! That's actually made my day, were you live? Yeh milky trains there mate, drove past it today actually, never done 150 1 day maybe, well you know were evolution is castleton mate, welcome anytime , I've also got membverships at full contact mma gym, and gymll fix it opposite robinsons lol


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## Big Kris (Aug 25, 2009)

zack amin said:


> Wwaahhaayyy a fellow rochdalien! That's actually made my day, were you live? Yeh milky trains there mate, drove past it today actually, never done 150 1 day maybe, well you know were evolution is castleton mate, welcome anytime , I've also got membverships at full contact mma gym, and gymll fix it opposite robinsons lol


I live near town flats

Dont like your gym i trained there a few years back and didnt take to it for some reason


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## zack amin (Mar 13, 2012)

Big Kris said:


> I live near town flats
> 
> Dont like your gym i trained there a few years back and didnt take to it for some reason


Lol this gets weirder, I live on top side off falinge park, neat the commons off mizzy road, I've just joined back at evo, the equipment is to fcukin solid mate


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## Poke (May 31, 2012)

If you train for strength your muscles are actually allot smaller but more dense, as opposed to body building where you do lots of sets of lighter weights, you look bigger because your muscle fibers are not as dense and close together and have more room for glycogen (which is needed as energy for the more repetitions you do) but you will be weaker ( as in not be able to lift as much weight in a few reps) as apposed to the smaller looking person who trains for strength.


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## Dan 45 (Aug 16, 2012)

Google 'stronglifts 5x5'.

Give this go and EAT EAT EAT.

Your clearly a 'newbie' so this routine is all you need.

Would be interested in seeing this muscular 11st body too.


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## valleygater (Aug 29, 2012)

I don't want to seem nasty here but your training plan is a mess, you mix up all sorts on different days I just dont get it. Decided what you want strength or bodybuilding and then go from there. As above you can stick to big compounds for strength or try doing better splits for BB. Fact is you go on about benching and you do one tri exercise (and no where near the best one), that shows a real lack of knowledge. Forget about what you bench as unless you are going into a strongman comp it dont mean ****. Go on the training forums and get a better split sorted.


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## BigTrev (Mar 16, 2008)

valleygater said:


> I don't want to seem nasty here but your training plan is a mess, you mix up all sorts on different days I just dont get it. Decided what you want strength or bodybuilding and then go from there. As above you can stick to big compounds for strength or try doing better splits for BB. Fact is you go on about benching and you do one tri exercise (and no where near the best one), that shows a real lack of knowledge. Forget about what you bench as unless you are going into a strongman comp it dont mean ****. Go on the training forums and get a better split sorted.


Exactly this,,,,For tris alone you should be doing 3 different exercises to hit the 3 heads of the tri

Alarm bells ring when i hear someone going on about the weight they bench.

As said here its got f2ck all to do with what weight you lift its more about the way you do it and doing it right.

With the proper diet and technic strenght comes in time and is the least to worry about until the others are in place


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