What to Do When Progress Stops?

Hi guys,

Well the title says almost everything. Recently I encounterd the situation that I lifted in one Workout exactly the same number of reps than the workout before. ( of course the same muscles ).
I am sure that the recovery between these 2 workouts was long enough, so there only can be 2 reasons

too less food
body adopted to rep scheme

Normally I would instinctivilly eat more, however I really can’t imagine that my TEE is that high and i fear to get just fat by eating more food.
I am 92 kg heavy and 6’2 tall, I was eating something like 3500cal on days I dont workout. Something like 4000-4100 on days I workout ( the 500 cal are simply the Post workout shake )
But i really dont have a activity at the moment. I am on vacations right now and i do nothing but sleeping, working out and resting :smiley:

The strange thing is, that I progress on my leg days. However the back/bi day shows no progression either. What would you recommend ?

Dude… Slow down and breath.

You had A SINGLE workout where you didnt lift more weight or reps and are worried that you are stagnating?

Suffice it to say that some days are better than others… They cant all be 10’s brother.

Head back to the gym next week with a little fire in your belly and see what happens.

Yeah but this is not concluded by a single workout. I really have a hard time at the moment progressing. My strength is still very bad and I am still very skinny. I dont think its normal to stall that long. My bench press and military press for example are at the same level for months !

Although I have to add that I had some breaks which threw me back. however I should be much further when it comes to size and strength.

We’ll need some information before we can address your problem.

How long have you been lifting weights? Are you lifting CONSISTENTLY (Same days, every week)?

How long have you been stalling? What were these breaks that threw you back?

What does your lifting program look like?

What weight are you lifting now? What were you lifting when you started?

What do you weigh now versus when you started? Are you still gaining weight? Are you SURE you are eating that much food? How do you know?

And here is just something to think about: You say that you “should be much further when it comes to size and strength.” - How much further should you be? What are your expectations? Why do you think you should be further along than you are now?

I’ll get back to you in the morning here, gotta sleep.

[quote]Lonnie123 wrote:
We’ll need some information before we can address your problem.

How long have you been lifting weights? Are you lifting CONSISTENTLY (Same days, every week)?

since 2 years ; always consistently as far as possible. There were some breaks I HAD to take, for example a tonsil surgery.

How long have you been stalling? What were these breaks that threw you back?

When I started working in a hospital ( 1.5 years ago ), I stalled. I think it was because I underestimated my TEE, but instead of eating more I switched routines and all that stuff you shouldn’t do. After 6 months my civiliant service ( hospital ) has ended and I kept training, but never really achieved great success. I cant remember exactly what routines I followed and so on, but it didnt work obviously.

What does your lifting program look like?

At the moments its the 3 day split from king beef

What weight are you lifting now? What were you lifting when you started?

[b]starting weights :

Squats 60kilos
Deadlift : 60 kilos
MP 20 kilos
BP 35kilos

now ( and before I started working in a hospitel ) :

Squats : 80 kilos
Deadlift : 110kilos
MP: 35 kilos
BP: 55kilos

Note that this is not 1 RM[/b]

What do you weigh now versus when you started? Are you still gaining weight? Are you SURE you are eating that much food? How do you know?

I started out with something about 77 kilos I guess and after 10 months or so I went up to almost 95.
I gained a little fat and started a diet to lose the fat. losing fat is fairly easy for me.
At the moment I am at 92, about 11-12% BF. I am 6’2
Moreover I write down exactly how much I eat. I have been doing this all the time.
and ya i am still gaininf weight, but its very alternating. it may happen that i gay in one week almost 1kilo, eventhough i am prett sure its neither all fat nor muscles. i cant see the fat in the mirror , maybe its just from the large amount of food, idk…

And here is just something to think about: You say that you “should be much further when it comes to size and strength.” - How much further should you be? What are your expectations? Why do you think you should be further along than you are now?

After the 2 years I really wished I would bench at least 80 kilos , MP 50 kilos Squat and Deadlift about 140kilos

I’ll get back to you in the morning here, gotta sleep.

Good Night :smiley:

[/quote]

If your weight is staying constant, you need more food, and most likely better QUALITY food. How much protein are you getting each day? What food sources are you getting fat/carbs from?

protein : chicken, kangaroo( this stuff is lean :smiley: ) , beef, eggs, protein powder and littl bit milk
carbs : oats, potatoes , sweet potatoes, rice, bread , vegetables and fruits
fats : eggs, nuts , coconut milk

protein is between 250 and 300g each day

In that case, eat some more damn food, and make sure you’re doing exercises properly, with serious intensity.

Well damn, maybe you need more COW and less KANGAROO.

I saw in your posting history that you just switched over to KB’s routine recently, what kind of lifting have you been doing before that (the last 2 years)?

the first months something like this :

squats
bench press
overhead press

wokrout 2 :

deadlifts
barbell rows
dips

I dont remember it exactly, but every big lift was included. After that I did some 2 day splits. In the beginning I neglected the big lifts like squats or bench press and switched to something shitty like leg press. However after couple of months I started doing them again, without big progression :confused:

Write down your routine exactly as it is done.
Put the sets/reps and weight in.
You say those weights are not 1rm, so what are they? 10rm? They are not very heavy at your height and weight, so maybe your doing to much volume.
Training for 2 years, you should be way stronger.

I know that I should be way stronger, otherwise I wouldn’t open a thread.

Chest/shoulder/tri

Bench Press 55kgs 8 6 5 reps
dumbell incline BP 25 6 5 5 reps
military press 32kg 7 5 5
dumbell lateral raise 17kilos 6 6 5
Dips withoud add. weight 5 3
triceps pushdown 23kg 8 6

back/bi

barbell rows 52kgs 8 8 8
lat pulldowns 50 8 8 6
barbell curls 30kgs 8 6 5
alternating dumbell curls 15kgs 8 6
calf raises 60kgs 8 8 8

legs

front squats 62kgs 8 8 8
leg press 230kilos 10 10 16
romanian DL 90 kgs 8 8 6
leg curls 50kilos 8 7 5

These are the last workout logs, always 90sec rest , except between the second and the last set. I rest something like 2mins between them. Once I hit 8 8 8 I increase the weight ,

[quote]Lonnie123 wrote:
Dude… Slow down and breath.

You had A SINGLE workout where you didnt lift more weight or reps and are worried that you are stagnating?

Suffice it to say that some days are better than others… They cant all be 10’s brother.

Head back to the gym next week with a little fire in your belly and see what happens.[/quote]

Agreed.

My bench has slowed, to a damn grinding slow painful halt. Maybe a kilo a month. Maybe. Maybe one more rep. But, atleast it is increasing!