When to Go Up Weight Class?

well I’m roughly 80 pounds off from my goal…

To the original poster. Yes, gain weight. However, I think you’ll find that your body weight will go up without a lot of deliberation. If you are training hard- taking max and near-max weights regularly- and getting in enough volume overall, you will naturally gravitate towards a heavier weight.

When I started training for powerlifting, I think I was set up about like you- 210 at 6’4"- so pretty lanky by PL standards. I also started out training following a westside style plan. This was after a year or two of generally fucking around in the gym (lots of benching, lot of curling, and like 10 different machine exercises per workout) with little results in terms of growth or strength. I jumped from 210 to 240 in a little over a year of following the basic plan. I also got a shit-load stronger. This was done drug-free, when I was about 29-30 (not much youthful hormonal advantage to be had there), and really I didn’t even pay that much to attention to diet. I ate three good meals a day. Occasiaonally, I would buy a tub of protein. But I was far from consistent on it. Gaining more weight (I’m 270-280 now) took a little more thought and a lot more effort, but the first 30 lbs was easy.

I think that if you putting in the work, your body will probably will gravitate towards about 220 pretty quickly- especially if you are young.

[quote]Pinto wrote:
If you are training hard- taking max and near-max weights regularly- and getting in enough volume overall, you will naturally gravitate towards a heavier weight.

[/quote]

I’m going through this right now. Like you I restarted training at 29-30 years old (5ft 6in at 150lbs and a 34" waist). First couple years was a lot of trial and error, fixing old injuries, etc… Now my bodyweight is moving up without me even trying. I’m about 175lbs (waist still the same) this morning and that is with trying to stay lower for the next month due to a meet coming up. I’m looking forward to moving up a weight class (or two) in the next few months.

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
…since I can’t find any power lifting crews around her .[/quote]

As for this, start a thread about places to train in your area. There are lifters from Texas on here so some may be in your area (I know it’s a big place and I’m not sure where you are) or they may know someone there.

For example, there is a guy “Matt” that has a great setup in Houston somewhere and he’s always posting that his crew is looking for lifters.

242 seems big until you eat your way to 230 in a year and still feel scrawny.

just keep eating and lifting, you’ll getter there faster than you think. at least you have a target now because you will find it difficult to be competitive in the 181s

[quote]Pinto wrote:
To the original poster. Yes, gain weight. However, I think you’ll find that your body weight will go up without a lot of deliberation. If you are training hard- taking max and near-max weights regularly- and getting in enough volume overall, you will naturally gravitate towards a heavier weight.

When I started training for powerlifting, I think I was set up about like you- 210 at 6’4"- so pretty lanky by PL standards. I also started out training following a westside style plan. This was after a year or two of generally fucking around in the gym (lots of benching, lot of curling, and like 10 different machine exercises per workout) with little results in terms of growth or strength. I jumped from 210 to 240 in a little over a year of following the basic plan. I also got a shit-load stronger. This was done drug-free, when I was about 29-30 (not much youthful hormonal advantage to be had there), and really I didn’t even pay that much to attention to diet. I ate three good meals a day. Occasiaonally, I would buy a tub of protein. But I was far from consistent on it. Gaining more weight (I’m 270-280 now) took a little more thought and a lot more effort, but the first 30 lbs was easy.

I think that if you putting in the work, your body will probably will gravitate towards about 220 pretty quickly- especially if you are young.
[/quote]

Hmm… I’ve always been a ‘hardgainer’. About 3 years ago, I was a skinny fat 145 (rail thin arms and legs, protruding gut, concave chest) so I’ve already gained over 35 lbs muscle (waist is smaller than it was then). As I remember, it was a struggle gaining that weight. I measured how much I was eating when going from 170-180 and on workout days it was as high as 4000 calories for lower body days. Just ‘letting the weight gain come from the way I trained’ worked till I was about 165, then I had to actually focus.

edit: On that note, I’m about to make some chili mac for late afternoon/earl evenging meal, snack on pistachio crisp and finish my 3 scoops Metabolic Drive + 1and3/4 cup whole milk protein shake (just did my ME lower body workout, ssb squats are crazy, My numbers were 70lbs lower than normal squat).

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:

Hmm… I’ve always been a ‘hardgainer’. About 3 years ago, I was a skinny fat 145 (rail thin arms and legs, protruding gut, concave chest) so I’ve already gained over 35 lbs muscle (waist is smaller than it was then). As I remember, it was a struggle gaining that weight. I measured how much I was eating when going from 170-180 and on workout days it was as high as 4000 calories for lower body days. Just ‘letting the weight gain come from the way I trained’ worked till I was about 165, then I had to actually focus.[/quote]

You may be right. It sounds like you’ve put on a lot of size already! It’s just that most guys about your height seem to end up in the low 200s after a couple years. Of course many get much bigger, but, in my experience these tend to involve individuals with fantasitc genetics and/or that that respond very well to supplementation.

How about this- eat one more full meal per day. You may not blow up to 220 in a month. But I bet your recovery will improve and you’ll get stronger. Which is all that ultimately matters- right?

^

I’ve already made a plan. My breakfast has been 1 cup milk + half cup oatmeal + 1 scoop Metabolic Drive. I’m now adding 2 jimmy dean pork sausage patties and 2 tablespoons of omega 3 fortified butter. I’m also going to begin snacking on pistachio crisp throughout the day and drink a 1.5 scoop Metabolic Drive shake before bed. Hopefully, this will not just end up spiking my metabolism and leaving me no weight gain. I’ll add more food as needed. The goal is 1-2 lbs a week.

edit: that should come out to 600-900 extra calories a day (depending on how many pistachio crisp I eat)

Olive oil is your new best friend. You can put it on a lot of different things and it’s very calorie dense.

Fuck yeah- Jimmy Dean is some legit breakfast sausage. I like the spicy and the classic, the sage flavor is OK- but not as good as the spicy.

Good point about olive oil. It’s prtty easy to toss back a shot of it and even the really tasty stuff is still pretty affordable.

I’m a big fan of whole milk. For about $2, a gallon of this flavorful refreshing beverage adds 2300+ calories and 128 grams of protein.

^

I know, it’s the best. But I’m saving that for later in the game plan. I was planning on eating like one of those $5 digiornos or freschettas and adding several tablespoons of oil once or twice during the week. Try to scarf it down in an hour or so. I remember at one point as I was nearing 180 is that I would do olive oil shots. Not pleasant… but it’s over with real fast. I might start doing that if my weight gain starts stalling.

edit: The only time I would not drink whole milk is if I’m doing a major cut… whole milk vs 1% is like chicken vs beef… there’s just something about it that gets the test. and energy levels up.

hardgainer??? you were having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, it’s time to start eating.