Background-
2 years ago, I started working out.Decided to do Starting Strength at 140 pounds a years later. I did starting strength on and off for the next year while drinking half a gallon of milk a day.
Current Stats-
Age-16 (17 by end of summer)
Height- 5’8
Weight- 172
Squat- 255 X 5
Bench- 170 X 5
Deadlift- 355 X 5
I did no assistance work and no ab work. My work out basically consisted of Bench, Squats, Deadlifts, OHP, and pull ups.
All my lifts have stalled except Deadlift which I still add 5 pounds weekly.
I am confused on what to do from here. My main goal right now is to actually look like I work out. I have seen friends workout for a month and look much bigger then me.
In one month’s time, I will have to fast daily from sunrise until 10:00 pm for a month. I have read on some sites that losing weight is much easier then gaining muscle, and since I have to fast in one month, I thought it would make sense to cut. But I think I am not really big enough to cut yet… being 170 pounds and all.
My question is basically this, what should I do from here? Getting stronger would be nice, but my main goal now is to actually look strong. Should I try to bulk for the summer and try stuffing 3000 cal after 10:00 pm? or should I just cut?
You have visisble abs, why on earth would you “cut”.
You said your lifts are stalling, Starting Strength doesn’t work forever. Surely you knew that at some point you would have to change to a different program. Just pick any intellegent program with intellegent progression.
I don’t know why you won’t be able to eat for a month, but my advice would be to not do that if at all possible. You need to start eating more food. Don’t “bulk”. Just eat more.
[quote]Chris87 wrote:
You have visisble abs, why on earth would you “cut”.
You said your lifts are stalling, Starting Strength doesn’t work forever. Surely you knew that at some point you would have to change to a different program. Just pick any intellegent program with intellegent progression.
I don’t know why you won’t be able to eat for a month, but my advice would be to not do that if at all possible. You need to start eating more food. Don’t “bulk”. Just eat more.[/quote]
The fasting is religious and avoiding unfortunately would not be possible.I guess I’ll eat more from now and on.
[quote]Ethan7X wrote:
OP, you stalled at about the numbers that Starting Strength begins to stall for everybody.
Look into any of the common programs people use after.
Madcows 5x5 is notorious for getting people into the 250+bench / 350+ squat / 450+ deadlift range if you are specifically looking for strength.
My friend got up to a 585 squat using MadCows 5x5; take a look into it.[/quote]
I was seriously considering Madcow 5x5, but can I not do a 4-5 day split or something more BB oriented and make the same progression in terms of strength? As I said the only routine I have ever done was SS, I hoping to change it up a bit.
[quote]Chris87 wrote:
I don’t know why you won’t be able to eat for a month, but my advice would be to not do that if at all possible.[/quote]
Ramadan [/quote]
I figured it was this, but for some reason I was under the impression that you only had to fast from sun up to sun down, meaning you could still get up and eat breakfast and then eat in the evening.
I was seriously considering Madcow 5x5, but can I not do a 4-5 day split or something more BB oriented and make the same progression in terms of strength? As I said the only routine I have ever done was SS, I hoping to change it up a bit.[/quote]
You definitely can do a bodybuilding split if you wanted to. You won’t make the same progression in strength however. Madcow is a strength program, that’s where the advantage is going to be.
Yep, sunrise to sunset. As I’m in Kuwait I have to go through exactly the same thing; anyone caught eating or drinking in public here will likely be thrown in jail for a few weeks regardless of their religion or ethnic origin.
You should see the Iftar(sp?) (breaking fast) dinners they have in the evening here - basically gigantic all you can eat buffets. I’ve seen Kuwaiti staff gaining 10-20Ibs (fat, obviously!) over the Ramadan period before.
[quote]Grumpig Hunt wrote:
Yep, sunrise to sunset. As I’m in Kuwait I have to go through exactly the same thing; anyone caught eating or drinking in public here will likely be thrown in jail for a few weeks regardless of their religion or ethnic origin.
You should see the Iftar(sp?) (breaking fast) dinners they have in the evening here - basically gigantic all you can eat buffets. I’ve seen Kuwaiti staff gaining 10-20Ibs (fat, obviously!) over the Ramadan period before.[/quote]
Well their you go OP, bust ass in the gym and buffet it up every night.
With your noob stats you could see some real mass gains over Ramadan.
