8 Months in to Lifting - Getting Fat But Lifts Progressing

BOHtox

Hey, I started lifting there in about February. I've increased my weight from 66kg to 73kg. Aiming for about 80/82kg in this bulk. Lifts are progressing steadily. Chest Press up from 15kg to 22.5kg, shoulder Press from 12.5kg to 17.5kg etc etc. I'll save you the rest.

My first question is this:
I'm getting a bit fat around the stomach, which is where I carry practically all my fat. Obviously this is to be expected, to a degree, being in a caloric surplus. As long as my lifts are steadily progressing there's no real need to worry too much about the stomach fat is there? If I'm getting fatter and lifts were plateauing maybe I should be worried. Would I be right in saying that?

Second question:
I've hit 73kg three times on this bulk. First just up to my exams in college (I really hit the books hard in April and the gym took a hit), secondly just coming up to 6 weeks in Asia (July) and thirdly just before Electric Picnic (September). I've never been above 73kg but I imagine this is due to the fact life gets in the way as opposed to faults in my lifting diet and if I stay on the straight and narrow now that summer is over I might finally get above that?

Cheers lads.

Nervous Wreck

Why are you trying to gain weight? Why are you accepting the gain in belly fat as an unavoidable thing? What are the goals? Also what height are you?

s7ryf3925pivug

You're better off keeping your belly within healthy limits. Excess stomach fat is a serious health concern - specifically the fat under the muscle. This compresses your organs which is obviously not good. (The fleshy soft fat on top of the muscle is less of a health concern.)
Your lifts are not progressing anywhere close to in line with your body weight - and they're just not progressing well per se. I suggest reviewing your whole approach and identifying what you're doing wrong.
I would drop the focus on gaining weight, because you're mainly gaining fat. Use increased lifts as a metric of progress. If you have become overweight then I suggest you lose some before you gain more. You could aim to increase your strength at a better rate than what you've described even while losing weight, if you learn an effective approach (while at a beginner level at least).

Zillah

A small bit of fat is expected on a bulk, but personally if you've got a belly I think you're eating too much. You can lift very hard on a small surplus and steadily get bigger and stronger.

You don't tell us what height you are so it's hard to tell what counts as "a bit fat" in your book, but personally if I was getting noticeably fat on a bulk I would cut way back.

BOHtox

Zillah wrote: »

A small bit of fat is expected on a bulk, but personally if you've got a belly I think you're eating too much. You can lift very hard on a small surplus and steadily get bigger and stronger.

You don't tell us what height you are so it's hard to tell what counts as "a bit fat" in your book, but personally if I was getting noticeably fat on a bulk I would cut way back.

I'm something like 184/185 cms. A bit fat is subjective. "Carrying a bit more fat" might be a somewhat more accurate description.

Zillah

BOHtox wrote: »

I'm something like 184/185 cms. A bit fat is subjective. "Carrying a bit more fat" might be a somewhat more accurate description.

Well, the point is, you're ok with your bodyfat level or you're not. If you're not ok with them, then you're either ok with staying that way for a while (cut later) or fixing it ASAP (cut now). Your total weight is right in the middle of the normal range, so if you've any decent amount of muscle you couldn't be getting all that fat.

We can't really tell you if your approach is correct, because it depends on your goals.

I can tell you that you shouldn't be rapidly gaining fat during a bulk - if you are then you're on too much of a caloric surplus.

seefin

I don't know too much but wondering is he he still lifting very light and not progressing fast enough to gain significant muscle? I'm a female( in early 40s) and was pressing 2/3 my body weight after 6 months consistent progressive lifting. So doesn't sound like he's building much muscle if still lifting so light?

Transform

BOHtox wrote: »

Hey, I started lifting there in about February. I've increased my weight from 66kg to 73kg. Aiming for about 80/82kg in this bulk. Lifts are progressing steadily. Chest Press up from 15kg to 22.5kg, shoulder Press from 12.5kg to 17.5kg etc etc. I'll save you the rest.

My first question is this:
I'm getting a bit fat around the stomach, which is where I carry practically all my fat. Obviously this is to be expected, to a degree, being in a caloric surplus. As long as my lifts are steadily progressing there's no real need to worry too much about the stomach fat is there? If I'm getting fatter and lifts were plateauing maybe I should be worried. Would I be right in saying that?

Second question:
I've hit 73kg three times on this bulk. First just up to my exams in college (I really hit the books hard in April and the gym took a hit), secondly just coming up to 6 weeks in Asia (July) and thirdly just before Electric Picnic (September). I've never been above 73kg but I imagine this is due to the fact life gets in the way as opposed to faults in my lifting diet and if I stay on the straight and narrow now that summer is over I might finally get above that?

Cheers lads.

post full training program and typical days eating please

Nervous Wreck

seefin wrote: »

I don't know too much but wondering is he he still lifting very light and not progressing fast enough to gain significant muscle? I'm a female( in early 40s) and was pressing 2/3 my body weight after 6 months consistent progressive lifting. So doesn't sound like he's building much muscle if still lifting so light?

I'd agree with this. No mention of bar work, puny lifts (no offense OP) in what sounds like either dumbbell or machine work...

Four Winds

OP it doesn’t sound like you’re including the weight of the bar?

Zillah

Four Winds wrote: »

OP it doesn’t sound like you’re including the weight of the bar?

I once said this to a friend and he looked sad and said "Yes I am..."

BOHtox

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

I'd agree with this. No mention of bar work, puny lifts (no offense OP) in what sounds like either dumbbell or machine work...

Full Push, Pull, Legs 6 days a week with 3000 cals a day. The above was dumbell work but I use the bar for squats and OHP and rows etc.

As I've said already life gets in the way too. I'd rather go on holiday for 6 weeks while I'm in college than stay at home count my macros. It hasn't been solid lifting for 8 months.

Push:
Chest Press
Shoulder Press/ OHP
Incline Chest Press
Lateral Raise
A flye movement for chest (cables or machine)
Two tricep isolations varying between whatever I'm feeling or whatever's free. Dumbbell skulls, tricep work on the cables etc

Pull:
2/3 Vertical Pulls
2/3 Horizontal Pulls
Face Pulls (No real need for training rear delts I just like the movement and that warrants its inclusion imo. It takes 2-3 minutes)
Hammers with cables for forearms
Then finish with a superset. So could be preacher bar curls with dumbbell curls or could be Barbell curls with the hammer curl bar

Legs:
Squats
Leg Press
Calf Raise (Either with the bar or on the machine)
Leg Extensions
Hamstring Curls

Transform

BOHtox wrote: »

Full Push, Pull, Legs 6 days a week with 3000 cals a day. The above was dumbell work but I use the bar for squats and OHP and rows etc.

As I've said already life gets in the way too. I'd rather go on holiday for 6 weeks while I'm in college than stay at home count my macros. It hasn't been solid lifting for 8 months.

Push:
Chest Press
Shoulder Press/ OHP
Incline Chest Press
Lateral Raise
A flye movement for chest (cables or machine)
Two tricep isolations varying between whatever I'm feeling or whatever's free. Dumbbell skulls, tricep work on the cables etc

Pull:
2/3 Vertical Pulls
2/3 Horizontal Pulls
Face Pulls (No real need for training rear delts I just like the movement and that warrants its inclusion imo. It takes 2-3 minutes)
Hammers with cables for forearms
Then finish with a superset. So could be preacher bar curls with dumbbell curls or could be Barbell curls with the hammer curl bar

Legs:
Squats
Leg Press
Calf Raise (Either with the bar or on the machine)
Leg Extensions
Hamstring Curls

whats your weighted pull up? Whats your current squat and why no deadlift?

JC01

What's your Rep range, weight for each of the above? I'm a fair bit shorter than you and started off at a very scrawny 63kg, I'm now mid 80s after hitting my first platau at mid 70s so I'd say we might have similar issues.

My biggest block against pushing on from the "beginner gains" at 75ish was simply me not working hard enough. Once I realised this my sessions got twice as hard but actually shorter at the same time and I got back to steadily building size and strength. Progressive overload is vital.

Mellor

Are those chest press, shoulder press etc on machines? Have you tried increasing the weight more? 15kg to 22.5kg is fairly slow going over 8months. I'd be surprised you couldn't rep out much more

BOHtox

Mellor wrote: »

Are those chest press, shoulder press etc on machines? Have you tried increasing the weight more? 15kg to 22.5kg is fairly slow going over 8months. I'd be surprised you couldn't rep out much more

Nah they're dumbbells. If I've a spotter I'd bench. My progress hasn't been linear either. I've been up to 22.5kg probably twice before but then exams, a month off lifting, and 2 months in Asia with a poor diet, again no lifting, brought me right back down.

Fwiw, Tuesday I went up to 25kg. Did 5 sets aiming for 5 reps. Ended up getting 5, 5, 4, 5 and then 2. Yesterday I went aiming for 5*6 and got 6, 5, 4, 4, 3. Probably gonna aim for 6 the next time I'm down again and when I can get 5*8, or 4*8 and 1*6, I'd up the weight again. I don't do 5*8 for every exercise. My very first exercise is usually a heavy compound and that's the only one I'd do it for. The rest could be 4*8 (Shoulder Press) or 3*12 (lateral raise) for example.

Brian?

BOHtox wrote: »

Nah they're dumbbells. If I've a spotter I'd bench. My progress hasn't been linear either. I've been up to 22.5kg probably twice before but then exams, a month off lifting, and 2 months in Asia with a poor diet, again no lifting, brought me right back down.

Fwiw, Tuesday I went up to 25kg. Did 5 sets aiming for 5 reps. Ended up getting 5, 5, 4, 5 and then 2. Yesterday I went aiming for 5*6 and got 6, 5, 4, 4, 3. Probably gonna aim for 6 the next time I'm down again and when I can get 5*8, or 4*8 and 1*6, I'd up the weight again. I don't do 5*8 for every exercise. My very first exercise is usually a heavy compound and that's the only one I'd do it for. The rest could be 4*8 (Shoulder Press) or 3*12 (lateral raise) for example.

If you don't want to bench with no spotter you can dumb bell press.

Your program isn't great to be honest. It seems a little unbalanced.

BOHtox

Brian? wrote: »

If you don't want to bench with no spotter you can dumb bell press.

Your program isn't great to be honest. It seems a little unbalanced.

That's what I do.

Brian?

BOHtox wrote: »

That's what I do.

So when you say "chest press" you mean dumb bell bench? Cool.

Do you barbell back squat?