Workout Routine Problem

so i workout on my own 3 days a week. decided to do starting strength two weeks ago since my program was just too much. anyway im liking the program a lot. for my diet i eat 4000 calories a day. i just eat anything really. i just want to get stronger

my problem is. i am taking a required fitness class at my college. i have class 2 days a week. we are required to do a form of cardio for 20 minutes, and a form of weight lifting. professor makes us use 10 machines(yes machines weights) the weight lifting routine is 2x of 10 on every machine and thats it. i never even lift heavy in class. for most of the machines like the overhead press or leg extension i just keep the weight at 80lbs of leg extension and 50 for overhead. i try not to even break a sweat. for the cardio aspect of the class i just go on the stationary bike and ride it. i don’t workout to hard not really trying to break a sweat.

will this class affect my strength gains from starting strength. i usually workout on mondays wednesdays and fridays. i have the class on tuesdays and thursdays.

also new prs for my lifts
Bench:135(hopefully can do 140 by the end of this week)
squat:175(might be able to do more but don’t want bad squat form)
overhead:85lbs(goal is to do 135 one day)
deadlift:above 165. not sure because i was able to do 5 reps of 165. probably 180 is my max.

Look man, if doing physical activities that cause you to “break a sweat” can negatively affect your performance on your program at your level, in the words of a famous person who used to post here, you may not be cut out for this.

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It is a rare instance that lifting weights does NOT make someone bigger and stronger. You should continue to lift more weights, as you are currently doing.

I can’t wait for @Chris_Colucci to arrive.

Liban, let me remind you of our exchange in your last thread:

So yeah, you’re falling right back into the same old habits. The problem is not with the fitness class. The problem is with your lack of focus and dedication to a single plan.

Just last month, you were training with your friend doing a 3x10 program, and shortly before that you were training 5x5. So, that’s at least three different training programs in like three months. You changing training plans like Taylor Swift changes boyfriends. (Okay, that’s a cheap shot on Tay-Tay. Sorry, girl. You’re adorable.)

For reference, 8 weeks ago your PRs were:
Bench: 125 max
Squat: 150 max
Deadlift: 135x5

So in two months and however many workouts, your bench went up 10 pounds, squat 25, and dead 30. That’s progress, yes, but it’s trickling progress for someone like you because you keep changing things so much.

What do you weigh right now? If the answer is less than 185 pounds, then you forfeit the right to complain about how you train, because you’re not putting in the work outside the weight room. Any training plan with plenty of food will help. Pretty sure you’ve been hearing this for years, but it’s not sinking it.

Everybody on three. One, two, three… “What, exactly, did you eat yesterday?”

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Uh, totally more important, but isn’t Taylor Swift getting married?

Are there any girls in the class?

Is she? Even better.

If T-Swift can find true love and spend her life with one dude, then Libanbolt can find a good nutrition plan and spend 16 weeks following one workout program.

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drop out of college,join army,
after 3 years go to college,start weight training

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I haven’t weighed myself in awhile. last time I did I weighed myself mid day and I was 90kgs

But yet only 2 months ago you were,

Okay, that’s something to work with. Mid-day means you probably had one or two meals in you, so that’s a few kilos over actual bodyweight, but still, it’s something.

The only thing that worries me is that you put on about 25 pounds of bodyweight but nothing close to a comparable amount of strength. That’s almost-always a recipe for fat gain since you’re giving your body calories but you’re not giving it enough of a reason to build muscle.

So, we’re actually back to the same advice you’ve been getting forever. Choose one program, stick with it for 16 weeks, keep eating as you were (maybe, maybe scale back a bit based on your actual current bodyfat), and carry on.

If you keep doing what you’re doing without making corrections, you’re on track to be an Artem. Don’t be an Artem.

The story of Artem began long ago
Just a teenage lifter looking to grow.
Two gallons of milk everyday he did drink,
We warned of his waistline and begged him to think.

But he went right along eating and eating
And bodyweight PRs were all he was beating.
In the gym he did slack and forgot to train hard,
All his new size couldn’t squat two plates on the bar.
Not 135 could be put overhead,
But he went right along, killing loaves of bread.

To be fair, he did gain one hundred pounds in a year,
Hardly a hint of real muscle and love handles quite clear.
“Time to cut”, he declared, and crashed down quite hard
Fifty pounds in three months, he got rid of the lard.
Followed by 25 more in one month after that,
It became quite apparent, he lost more than just fat.

And then he was done, the journey now over.
Quest for size gone astray, not much left to show for
Time and energy wasted, right back where he started.
May no lifters become their own version of Artem.

7 Likes

don’t feel like making another thread so here’s a question.
last week I maxed out on bench and hit a 145lb 1rmx. felt like I could do 150lbs but decided not to try. so today I decided to increase the weight on my sets. instead of doing 105x5 115x5 and 125x5 I did 115x5 125x5 and 135x5. as I was on my last set I struggled doing 135 for 2 reps. I did the rest of the reps but only with assistance(asked a guy to spot me since this was my first time doing 135 for reps, he literally curled it.)

How come I am having trouble benching 135 still.

also I really don’t want to be an artem. fuck that shit.

Why are you maxing?.

i haven’t maxed out in a while so I wanted to see how much I could do.

Right…but why? What program are you following that has you maxing?

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I’m just doing starting strength. i just felt like seeing how much i could bench press now since i was feeling a bit stronger. Am i not suppose to max out? if that’s true should i not test out my max that much. maybe like once every two weeks or once a month.

on Monday after i did my 3x5 overhead press i attempted a 1rm of 95lbs and i lifted it up. felt good.
i usually do 65x5 75x5 and 85x5. after my 85x5 set i attempted 95lbs.

Starting Strength doesn’t actually have any maxing in it.

I guess I’m not understanding why you are maxing out. You don’t get stronger when you max out, you don’t get bigger when you do it, and it seems that you actually get weaker in following training sessions.

Were I in your situation, I’d spend more time getting bigger and stronger and less time maxing. The only time I would test a max would be in a competition setting, as otherwise it’s of no benefit.

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Try limiting maxing out (1RM) to every 3 months or longer.
If you want to max out try these ideas:

Pick a weight, say 125lb, and when you test your max go for reps until you get 12+, then up your test weight.

Try a 5RM instead of 1RM, you will get a training effect from this.

Find a weight you can get 5 solid reps (not a 5RM though) and add a second set, if you get 5 reps again add another set. once you can get all three sets at 5 )or more on last set) then put weight up by 5lb and do 3 sets of 3 (3+ on last set) if last set is more than 3 aim for 3 sets of 4 next session. Do this until you are doing the increased weight for 3 sets of 5.