Struggling To Increase Weight

RidleyRider

So as the thread title says I'm struggling to increase the weight on some exercises, particularly my squat and deadlift.

I've tried the 5 x 5 route for the past few weeks and it doesn't seem to be helping me gain strength. So then I altered things a bit and decided to add more volume to the week on each exercise.

It worked for my bench pressing, was at 70kg 1RM and two weeks after adding some more volume I'm pressing 30kg DB without a spotter and pressing 75kg w/out a spotter also.

Its annoying and incredibly disheartening. For instance , today I was blasting through deadlifts and got up to 140kg no problem, went to go higher and the bar wouldn't shift from the floor.

Should I train closer to my 1RM each time maybe 85-90% for 5 sets or am I better off sticking to 70-75%?

Its irritating because everything else I do is progressing and this is just one of those things that I hate being stuck at a weight that should be increasing.

So anyone got any comments? I can add my training routine for each if needed or you can see my log in the logs section.

Dathai

Are you doing 5x5 with the same weight across your working sets?

RidleyRider

Dathai wrote: »

Are you doing 5x5 with the same weight across your working sets?

Well I'll start on a certain heavy weight and increase it to such a weight where it's heavier but form is good.

I don't follow the 5 x 5 workout for say, just add the principles to a lot of the compound moving for the 'heavy' days and then the other days when it's 'volume' I'll increase the sets and reps and lower the weight.

Gummy Panda

You are suppose to follow 5x5 as the program lays out. If you are stalling increase calories. If you keep stalling do a deload week.

If its stronglifts, try Bill Starr beginner 5x5. I found that a good program

the drifter

From reading the general posting from you across boards try this

1) sleep more...lots more
2) eat more......lots more.
3) let the program progress and stop testing PB's every week if its a 12 week program then the next time you max unless the program tells you too is 13 weeks!!!
4) stop dead lifting every second day! yes its awesome...but your not benni.

RidleyRider

the drifter wrote: »

From reading the general posting from you across boards try this

1) sleep more...lots more
2) eat more......lots more.
3) let the program progress and stop testing PB's every week if its a 12 week program then the next time you max unless the program tells you too is 13 weeks!!!
4) stop dead lifting every second day! yes its awesome...but your not benni.

Okay fair enough. I'll address your points :pac:

Sleep- Virtually impossible for me to sleep, body just doesn't or want to shut down so that's out of my hands really.

Food- I've cleaned that up in the past two weeks. Eating about 6 meals a day now starting at about 9am and last meal about 8pm. Calorie intake is about 3,200 in the past few days.

I'd go along with the testing PB's every week but say you're feeling good on a particular day, for me yesterday, and you think you can PB like I did with my bench yesterday by 5 kg. Then what? The urge not too is hard:pac:

I deadlift twice a week- one heavy day and one lighter day with many sets and reps. I started doing this to hopefully increase the weight. Bad idea?

deadlybuzzman

RidleyRider wrote: »

Okay fair enough. I'll address your points :pac:

Sleep- Virtually impossible for me to sleep, body just doesn't or want to shut down so that's out of my hands really.

Food- I've cleaned that up in the past two weeks. Eating about 6 meals a day now starting at about 9am and last meal about 8pm. Calorie intake is about 3,200 in the past few days.

I'd go along with the testing PB's every week but say you're feeling good on a particular day, for me yesterday, and you think you can PB like I did with my bench yesterday by 5 kg. Then what? The urge not too is hard:pac:

I deadlift twice a week- one heavy day and one lighter day with many sets and reps. I started doing this to hopefully increase the weight. Bad idea?

The sleep thing is definitely worth looking into, lifting doesn't make you stronger, recovering from it does. what's your caffeine intake like?

Are your deadlifts touch and go or deadstop?

RidleyRider

deadlybuzzman wrote: »

The sleep thing is definitely worth looking into, lifting doesn't make you stronger, recovering from it does. what's your caffeine intake like?

Are your deadlifts touch and go or deadstop?

Well aware, I've gotten one good nights sleep in two weeks so fatigue is murdering me!

I don't drink coffee or anything like that. The past few days, especially before training, I've been drinking a can of redbull to try and spike my energy for training.

deadlybuzzman

RidleyRider wrote: »

Well aware, I've gotten one good nights sleep in two weeks so fatigue is murdering me!

I don't drink coffee or anything like that. The past few days, especially before training, I've been drinking a can of redbull to try and spike my energy for training.

I remember Hanley saying Caffeine has a half life of 5 hours so unless you train early in the day it could make your problem worse. I was in the same boat without realising it and ended up deloading every 4th week even after I finished the 5/3/1 program

RidleyRider

deadlybuzzman wrote: »

I remember Hanley saying Caffeine has a half life of 5 hours so unless you train early in the day it could make your problem worse. I was in the same boat without realising it and ended up deloading every 4th week even after I finished the 5/3/1 program

Well sadly I can't train till half 3 due to car restrictions. So would it be a good idea to use next this week as a deload week and next week follow onto 5 x 5 or something but actually stick too it?

link_2007

deadlybuzzman wrote: »

I remember Hanley saying Caffeine has a half life of 5 hours so unless you train early in the day it could make your problem worse. I was in the same boat without realising it and ended up deloading every 4th week even after I finished the 5/3/1 program

Sorry, what do you mean by half life?

cc87

link_2007 wrote: »

Sorry, what do you mean by half life?

How long caffeine has an effect on your body for

Dathai

If you got a 5kg PB on your bench yesterday, that's definitely progress.

Just stick to consistent weight across your working sets and you'll see an increase in your lifts. If you're just looking for more volume, just drop to 50% or 60% and do a few sets of 10 or 15 reps after your working sets.

deadlybuzzman

RidleyRider wrote: »

Well sadly I can't train till half 3 due to car restrictions. So would it be a good idea to use next this week as a deload week and next week follow onto 5 x 5 or something but actually stick too it?

Going by how it used to be for me once I felt wrecked all the time, felt too twitchy to sleep and the lifts stalled I knew it was deload time for me. You could see how that works for you