Is My Goal for Dec 2010 Appropriate?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hi there, a quick question for my own peersonal expectations.

My strength balance is WAY off and I want to correct it. Here are my rough 1RM #s:

Deadlift 1RM - 300-320
Bench 1RM - 255-260
Squat 1RM - 225

Wacked…as I said. I am getting back into my 5/3/1 routine now and would like to aim for Bench 300, Squat 300, DL 400 by December 2010. I’m 6’2" ~190# and typically a hard gainer.

I haven’t ever consistently trained squats or DLs so I expect some faster gains in those in the near term. If I progress with 5# increases on bench per 5/3/1 cycle and 10# on squat/DL then in theory I should be able to do it. But that sounds aggressive.

I am also doing the BBB (for some hypertrophy) accessory work along with the 5/3/1.

Unrealistic goals?

2

These seem very attainable.

The DL and squat should be easy, with over a year of training, youll probably be in the mid 300’s on squat, and low 400’s on DL.

Dont count on bench though, it’s the hardest of the Big 3 to increase. (In most cases anyway)

With alot of hard work, these numbers should come easier than you think!

3

Thanks for the reply BlackLabel. That is encouraging.

5/3/1 4 days a week with BBB/triumverate mix and 3-4 20min interval sessions a week is the plan, along with good eating.

Clever picture btw.

4

That goal seems too low - aim higher maybe

5

Thanks for the vote of confidence but I am typically a hard gainer, and I’m not as young as I used to be :wink:

I think 300/300/400 is my ultimate goal anyways and if I can reach that I am happy. Anymore than that is really meaningless for my goals. 300/350/500 might be nice eventually but…I’m not sure I want to deal with the stress on my body that would entail.

6

At least go for 300/350/400. Your Squat should be more than your bench. And its your goals so they can be as high or low as you want them to be. I just recommend keeping some balance, look at the size of your legs vs arms, legs should be able to lift more.

7

It is much better to aim too high and fail short of the goal then to aim to low and reach it, complacency is a killer.

Good program + adequate recovery/prehab/mobility work (as needed) + good warmup protocol = big gains with minimum “stress” on the body. You’re stressing it by training, but keep pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Those are very attainable numbers, going after the hard to attain numbers will make reaching your actual goal that much easier for you in your head.

Stay Strong and God Bless. GOOD LUCK!

8

Thanks for the encouragement all! I already considered 300/300/400 ‘pushing it’ as I’ve not had much luck getting past that yet, but that is mostly due to injuries, 6 week vacations with no gym around, etc.

Perhaps I’ll aim for 300/350/450 then :slight_smile:

9

I’m a bit confused on why you are planning on doing 3-4 interval sessions when you are light and a hard-gainer. I think your goals are attainable if you drop the cardio and concentrate on increasing weight by 30 pounds in the next year. Good luck!

10

I don’t disagree with anyone else’s comments, but here are a couple things that popped into my mind.

1- Technique: How is it? Either post a video of some lifts and ask for comments (I haven’t checked to see is you’ve already done this, I’m lazy this morning) or have someone that knows what he/she is doing watch you lift (friends don’t count unless they will call you out on mistakes). The reason this is #1 is that you will end up making the same mistake as most of us which is hitting your goal squat, post a video and people will rip you a new one for calling that a “300” squat. Fix form first!

2- Choose a conservative max. This has been beaten to death by Wendler, I think he says it in his sleep by now. I’d start the squat 5/3/1 with a 195 training max, this will give you a top squat of 185 on week 3 (195 x 95%). Hopefully you will hit this for reps (assuming you still consider 225 your true 1RM after you’ve had your technique evaluated). If your max drops below 225, then start lower accordingly. A week 3 at 185 will have you squatting ~300 for REPS by December 2010.

3 - Take the word “hardgainer” and lose it. Never again refer to yourself as that. It’s nothing but an excuse for failure. Progress comes in waves for everyone. You lifts will take off for a period and then for a while everything will knock the shit out of you. Just keep training and the progress will come.

4 - Give it an honest effort. Don’t cheat yourself by skipping deadlifts every other week because your sore or tired. Do the work!

Good luck and keep us updated.

11

[quote]mrodock wrote:
I’m a bit confused on why you are planning on doing 3-4 interval sessions when you are light and a hard-gainer. I think your goals are attainable if you drop the cardio and concentrate on increasing weight by 30 pounds in the next year. Good luck![/quote]

Actually it’s more like 2-3 a week ‘if I can’. It’s more for heart and health reasons than anything else. I want to have a good mix of strength/cardio without having the cardio impact my ability to recover or grow. Hence why only 20 minute sessions doing intervals.

Increasing weight by 30# without significantly increasing my body fat historically for me is very difficult. I have a very fast metabolism.

12

[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
I don’t disagree with anyone else’s comments, but here are a couple things that popped into my mind.

1- Technique: How is it? Either post a video of some lifts and ask for comments (I haven’t checked to see is you’ve already done this, I’m lazy this morning) or have someone that knows what he/she is doing watch you lift (friends don’t count unless they will call you out on mistakes). The reason this is #1 is that you will end up making the same mistake as most of us which is hitting your goal squat, post a video and people will rip you a new one for calling that a “300” squat. Fix form first!

2- Choose a conservative max. This has been beaten to death by Wendler, I think he says it in his sleep by now. I’d start the squat 5/3/1 with a 195 training max, this will give you a top squat of 185 on week 3 (195 x 95%). Hopefully you will hit this for reps (assuming you still consider 225 your true 1RM after you’ve had your technique evaluated). If your max drops below 225, then start lower accordingly. A week 3 at 185 will have you squatting ~300 for REPS by December 2010.

3 - Take the word “hardgainer” and lose it. Never again refer to yourself as that. It’s nothing but an excuse for failure. Progress comes in waves for everyone. You lifts will take off for a period and then for a while everything will knock the shit out of you. Just keep training and the progress will come.

4 - Give it an honest effort. Don’t cheat yourself by skipping deadlifts every other week because your sore or tired. Do the work!

Good luck and keep us updated. [/quote]

  1. Technique. I believe it is OK. I have a friend who used to lift seriously for competition (and is now a physiotherapist) and has helped me with squat and deadlift form. My DL form was horrid and I think it’s pretty good now. Will concentrate more on squats going forward by having him watch form, me doing more box squats to get that form grooved. I go deep enough, that’s definitely not my issue. I mostly need to concentrate on removing the hip wiggle that sometimes comes out when I go heavy.

  2. Have done, 5/3/1 max right now is set to 190. Squat day is today. I should have posted this before but here is my log so far (below). Big gap in it from august till now since I had swine flu, broke two ribs, and torn 4 muscles in my shoulder playing squash (it’s been a rough year for me!). Historically I don’t injure much but something about 2009 doesn’t like me. I’m looking forward to getting to 2010.

  1. I mostly use that word since my metabolism is extremely fast. If I stop working out I tend to lose weight even with heavy eating, but point taken. I’m not one of those guys that can just pack on weight if they eat and workout consistently. I really need to push it.

  2. Will do. I’m really good about willpower with the gym etc. My three snafus are injuries, vacations (I tend to travel a lot), and interruptions in schedule due to parties/etc. All three are being concentrated on going forward. I’m in physio twice weekly now for my shoulder and knees.

Thanks for the input, appreciated.

13

That goal seems very obtainable. Even if you have not trained with the basis of your program as power movements, the next year will get your very strong. Everyone’s advice is very good, make sure your technique for each lift is spot on. Scuba steve’s advice was golden make sure you are warming up properly and maintain mobility!!! I would also look up Dave tates last interview and learn the true secret to gaining weight. I mean this with all due respect, but there is no such thing as a hardgainer… only those who cannot eat hard!!! Eating must be come just as important as your training. I don’t want to go on a rant… best of luck… keep us posted

14

[quote]BrockStone wrote:
Hi there, a quick question for my own peersonal expectations.

My strength balance is WAY off and I want to correct it. Here are my rough 1RM #s:

Deadlift 1RM - 300-320
Bench 1RM - 255-260
Squat 1RM - 225

Wacked…as I said. I am getting back into my 5/3/1 routine now and would like to aim for Bench 300, Squat 300, DL 400 by December 2010. I’m 6’2" ~190# and typically a hard gainer.

I haven’t ever consistently trained squats or DLs so I expect some faster gains in those in the near term. If I progress with 5# increases on bench per 5/3/1 cycle and 10# on squat/DL then in theory I should be able to do it. But that sounds aggressive.

I am also doing the BBB (for some hypertrophy) accessory work along with the 5/3/1.

Unrealistic goals?

[/quote]

Sounds very realistic, you have essentially the same body composition as i do, as well as the same numbers when i started doing squats and deads. i’ve found that 5/3/1 is great for deadlifts and it helped me add 60 lbs in 2 months. Squat has been one of the hardest lifts for me to put pounds on, and i’m working on increasing that.
Those goals sound great, work hard and good luck!

15

[quote]Raw Meat wrote:
Sounds very realistic, you have essentially the same body composition as i do, as well as the same numbers when i started doing squats and deads. i’ve found that 5/3/1 is great for deadlifts and it helped me add 60 lbs in 2 months. Squat has been one of the hardest lifts for me to put pounds on, and i’m working on increasing that.
Those goals sound great, work hard and good luck! [/quote]

Thanks for the feedback.

If I may ask where are you now on the 3 lifts?

16

Hardgainer… extremely fast metabolism… can’t gain weight no matter what…

THE ANSWER IS: EAT MORE, AND THEN EAT SOME MORE!!!

I was a stick when I started myself, and actually the first few years of strenght training, I was still a stick. The reason was I did not eat enough. I tell you, eating is the secret, it is EVERYTHING! Train hard, EAT and rest, and the results will come. Eat poorly and you might as well take up golf.

Talking of experience, and not being an easy gainer myself, those goals seems absolutely obtainable, in fact, you should be disappointed if you don’t get them, especially the deadlift and squat goals.

You squat and deadlift will skyrocket when you start training them regularily. Don’t expect awesome progress in the bench press if you already train this pretty seriously. I typically gain around 7.5kg-10kg on my bench every year, and I work pretty hard for it… Now… that’s a slowgainer. :wink:

Point is: Time and patience are the greatest warriors, and if you want to win the war, those are the soldiers you need to hire!

Even if you get injured, sick, your gf leaves you, or a family member dies, these are just obstacles, and nothing will stand in your way and stop you achiving your goals and your dreams, apart from yourself.

I say: YES IT IS POSSSIBLE, SO GOT DAMN JUST FREAKING DO IT!!! KEEP MOTIVATED AND TRAIN HARD!!! NOTHING IS AS GREAT AS SEEING THE RESULTS FROM YOUR HARD WORK.

Also I have to say it is nice to see someone making a plan for a whole year, most people don’t think that far! :slight_smile:

17

Thanks Stallion.

I am ramping up the eating but I do not want to go over about 4000 calories per day. My goal is not necessarily to get only stronger (and fatter), but to get stronger and look better while doing it as a secondary goal. If it were pure strength then yes I would eat my ass off, but it is a combined goal so I do not mind the strength taking a little longer if it means not becoming a fat ass :slight_smile:

Am doing it.

Although I am pretty sore today and have to go do DL right now…guh :slight_smile:

18

[quote]BrockStone wrote:
Raw Meat wrote:
Sounds very realistic, you have essentially the same body composition as i do, as well as the same numbers when i started doing squats and deads. i’ve found that 5/3/1 is great for deadlifts and it helped me add 60 lbs in 2 months. Squat has been one of the hardest lifts for me to put pounds on, and i’m working on increasing that.
Those goals sound great, work hard and good luck!

Thanks for the feedback.

If I may ask where are you now on the 3 lifts?
[/quote]

At last max’s my lifts were
350/325/475 for squat/bench/deadlift

i’ve put 20 lbs on bench in the last two months as well.