Put some weight on that bar

[Ilk]

So I am just getting back after 3-4 months of being lazy fat ass. My weightlifting experience is poor. I lift for 2-3 months and then I move place and start a new job and usually cant find a gym to train for the next 4 months. Then I go back home for 2-3 months and start lifting again. I work in hospitality and usually there is a winter and summer season with about 4 months work per season. Last winter I ran a lot when working and that is it.

I finally settled down at my home town. I started working out and dieting to try to get to a normal weight. I very over weight and have been so in the past 10 years, so I decided to end it.

However all of my friends joke at my strength levels. And they are really funny.
I barely bench 60kg 5 times right now. But my max has been 70kg for 8 reps.
I cant squad with a proper form for 60kg too. With a bad form I put 80kg. My max here has been 110kg.
I can only dead lift 80kg right now, my max has been 110kg.

All of my friends joke with me to put some weight on the bar. How I am supposed to put weight when I can not even lift it?

I am following an upper-lower body body building split as I think a BB split is a good base to start with.I do one work out for explosiveness and one for conditioning and I do boxing twice per week. My strength gains will not be significant I think, but in the long term I may have a solid base to work with. But it really bothers how do I gain freaking strength and get some normal levels? Like really how? I am really trying to put 5 kg more after a successful workout but I cant freaking lift them. Last time I almost hit myself with the bar on the last rep when incline bench pressing with the amazing 40 kg...

 

[LatFlare]

Do starting strength

 

[Sano]

Alright a few things you can do:

1. Be consistent with the training and be patient. If you're used to doing a little, then not doing it, then doing it, and so forth, it's no wonder you haven't progressed.

2. Dont do too many different modalities of training on your strength days. Meaning, when you're working on your barbell strength, don't do all kinds of conditioning and too many exercises during the same session. It'll just tax you.

3. If you're trying to put 5kg on the lifts after each workout and constantly hitting the wall, then you shouldn't do that. Completing your reps is more important than trying to lift more and failing. Over time, you will increase the weight, but you have to be able to lift what you're actually putting on the bar. You have to be patient. Ego lifting is the worst way to make progress. You are there to build strength and if everyone was so strong to begin with there would be no reason to train.

4. Show us your routine.

 

[Ilk]

https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/the-muscle-building-workout-routine/ 4 days a week upper A, lower A, rest, Upper B, lower B, 2x rest.

I sometimes change some of the accessory lifts depends on what is empty in the gym, but trying to keep the same movement patterns.

 

[Sano]

https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/the-muscle-building-workout-routine/ 4 days a week upper A, lower A, rest, Upper B, lower B, 2x rest.

I sometimes change some of the accessory lifts depends on what is empty in the gym, but trying to keep the same movement patterns.

The lower body part looks alright, but the upper body part is way too exaggerated.

If you're already running several times a week, while trying to add distance, and doing conditioning, and training boxing and doing a BB program 4 times a week AND trying to ADD weight to the compounds each week no wonder you dont get results. Nevermind that you just started out. It's way too much.

Cut half of the upperbody exercises out, add less to the bar and don't do it after every week but wait longer. Frankly I would choose another strength program.

 

[Ilk]

The lower body part looks alright, but the upper body part is way too exaggerated.

If you're already running several times a week, while trying to add distance, and doing conditioning, and training boxing and doing a BB program 4 times a week AND trying to ADD weight to the compounds each week no wonder you dont get results. Nevermind that you just started out. It's way too much.

Cut half of the upperbody exercises out, add less to the bar and don't do it after every week but wait longer. Frankly I would choose another strength program.

What would you advice, Sano? Which one? I am actually looking for a BB stuff, cause this time around I want to look smexy

 

[Sano]

What would you advice, Sano? Which one? I am actually looking for a BB stuff, cause this time around I want to look smexy

Depends entirely on your goal, and also what program appeals to you. Which program really doesn't matter, the important things are reasonably volume and good exercise selection, and most importantly sticking to it.

It's all fine you want BB stuff, but then don't worry about your numbers and don't try to add kgs to the bar as often. It's not that you can't strength train and get in good shape at the same time, but you are spread a little too thin in your goals, or, you are having unrealistic expectations of how fast you can improve everything at once.

Again, whichever program works, but if you're asking for what I would suggest. Let's say 3x times a week:

Week 1
Workout A

Squat:
Warmup sets
3-4 sets x 5 reps with 70% 1RM
Bench:
Warmup sets (get more volume here on the bench if you want dat beach bod)
3-4 sets x 5 reps with 70% 1RM

Accessory:
Single Leg exercise, Vertical Row/Chinup exercise, Lateral Raises and Reverse Flys.

Workout B

DL/Trapbar DL/Block DL:
Warmup sets
3-4 sets x 5 reps with 70% 1RM
OHP:
Warmup sets (get more volume here on the bench if you want dat beach bod)
3-4 sets x 5 reps with 70% 1RM

Accessory:
Hamstring curls (ball or machine), Horizontal Row exercise and Core exercise.

Workout A

Squat:
Warmup sets
3-4 sets x 5 reps with 70% 1RM
Bench:
Warmup sets (get more volume here on the bench if you want dat beach bod)
3-4 sets x 5 reps with 70% 1RM

Accessory:
Single Leg exercise, Vertical Row/Chinup exercise, Lateral Raises and Reverse Flys.

Week 2 you do the same thing but Squat, Bench, OHP and DL are 3-4 sets x 5 reps at 75% 1RM
Week 3 you do the same thing but Squat, Bench, OHP and DL are 3-4 sets x 3 reps at 85% 1RM

After week 3 you start over. When you've gone through it again, meaning it's been 6 weeks, then you re-test your 1RM and put in the new numbers. Then repeat (but change the exercises if you want for the next block of 6 weeks).

Accessory work just do 3 sets of 8-10 reps with whichever weight that you can do it with while pushing but keeping good form. Chinups, if you can do them, I'm guessing is less, so just do how many reps you can but stop 1 or 2 short of complete failure. Every 3 weeks add a small increment to the resistence you are using on your accessory work.

I just threw this together, but I think it would be a good balance between strength, hypertrophy, consistency and not overwhelm you so that you can do boxing and running as well.

 

[Ilk]

Thanks a lot, Sano. Really appreciated. I am going to give it a go from the next week. I trust your knowledge more than picking up a random routine online and you know more stuff about me. Again really appreciated.

 

[Sano]

Thanks a lot, Sano. Really appreciated. I am going to give it a go from the next week. I trust your knowledge more than picking up a random routine online and you know more stuff about me. Again really appreciated.

No worries man. I adjusted the percentages a little so check it again.

Rationale for the accessory ones are:

Single leg exercise works balance and rotational component. Also counters any possible asymmetry of being an orthodox boxer and has good carryover to any athletic activity.
Hamstrings are often a weak point in novices. It's a good injury prevention tool too in regards to the quad/hamstring ratio.
You'll work bigger shoulder muscle groups in the bench and OHP, especially the anterior delts and upper traps, so lateral raises and reverse flyes will hit the medial and posterior delt which is both good to balance things out, but will also give you a better look aesthetically. Well developed shoulders all around makes a big visual difference.
Vertical and Horizontal rows to balance the pressing, also chins is an excellent exercise for any kind of clinching.
Core exercise mixed in there because it can be a good supplement, I'd suggest something more full body like deadbugs, turkish getups or hanging leg raises.

I'd recommend doing them as circuits, but you can do them as you want.

Try to stick to it for 6 weeks and PM me if you're having trouble.

 

[Ilk]

Hey
@Sano few questions arised. How do you measure max rep? Is it okay for example Bench Press. I feel comfortable doing 8 reps with 50kg. Should I start with doing 5 reps on 60kg? Last time we were doing some circuit with cleans, bench press, bulgarian bag and body weight rows and I barely managed, but still managed to do 5 bench presses with 60kg. I really have no clue how to test my max reps and when I weight lift I mostly do it alone.

Second question is % progression. Lets say I move to week 2, It says it will be a 75% out of my max rep, which is 5 % higher than these 60kg for the bench for example. However the lowest weight I can add on the bar is 2,5kg plates on each side or total 5kg. Which is close to 5% increase. Then week 3 it is written 85% I guess I ll try to add another 5kg or try to go directly to 10kg increase?

Also do I start every week with Day A? It leaves me with 2 bench and squad days and and 1 DL and OHP day per week. Or 12 Squat + Bench and 6 DL + OHP days? Am I getting this right?

Lastly the core exercises. Man Turkish Get Ups look really hard. Can you suggest other full body core exercises to loook into. I am not sure I can do these Get Ups without someone showing them to me.

 

[Sano]

Hey
@Sano few questions arised. How do you measure max rep? Is it okay for example Bench Press. I feel comfortable doing 8 reps with 50kg. Should I start with doing 5 reps on 60kg? Last time we were doing some circuit with cleans, bench press, bulgarian bag and body weight rows and I barely managed, but still managed to do 5 bench presses with 60kg. I really have no clue how to test my max reps and when I weight lift I mostly do it alone.

Second question is % progression. Lets say I move to week 2, It says it will be a 75% out of my max rep, which is 5 % higher than these 60kg for the bench for example. However the lowest weight I can add on the bar is 2,5kg plates on each side or total 5kg. Which is close to 5% increase. Then week 3 it is written 85% I guess I ll try to add another 5kg or try to go directly to 10kg increase?

Also do I start every week with Day A? It leaves me with 2 bench and squad days and and 1 DL and OHP day per week. Or 12 Squat + Bench and 6 DL + OHP days? Am I getting this right?

Lastly the core exercises. Man Turkish Get Ups look really hard. Can you suggest other full body core exercises to loook into. I am not sure I can do these Get Ups without someone showing them to me.

Hey Ilk.

1. The max is your 1RM, which is your 1 repetition maximum. Meaning how much you can lift once. So in say the benchpress, you either add weight and find out how much you can lift for one rep (with good form) or you use a calculator: http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html which is not as exact, but if you don't feel comfortable the other way.

Also, DON'T do the compounds lifts (bench, OHP, Squat and Deadlifts) as part of a circuit. Take your time with those and leave the circuits for the accessory work. Max strength training is about being, relatively, rested between sets.

2. So lets say that you find out your benchpress one rep max is 70kg with good form. Then for week 1, you do 3x5 reps with 50kg (70kg * 0.70% = 50kg). Second week would be 52,5kg (70kg * 0,75% = 52,5). Third week would be 59,5kg (70kg * 0,85% = 59,5kg). If you don't have the exact plates for the numbers just use the closest to it.

3. Yes A, B, A. Squat is easier to do in higher volume and wont tax you as much as DL, also the bench will give you a little more beach body than OHP, but those could be the other way.

4. If not getups, then do deadbugs or hanging leg raises instead.