Is my progress here faster or slower than should be expected? I don't do maxes so these stats will just be what I do on my last sets.


March 10th 175 lbs:

Bench - 185 x 10

Skullcrushers - 85 x 9 x 12 (the x12 is benching the curlbar)

Curls - 75 x 10 (curved curlbar)

Squat - 175 x 8

DL - 210 x 8


April 30th 192 lbs:

Bench - 205 x 10

Skullcrushers - 95 x 9 x 14

Curls - 85 x 10

Squat - 215 x 8

DL - 265 x 7

It's been pretty consistent so I haven't had to switch things up yet to avoid plateauing, don't know how long that will last though. I also have never really had to worry about it, what changes do you guys make once you plateau to keep the gains coming?

I presume that you have not been lifting for long, in that case your gains seem pretty standard. As you become more trained you will encounter the law of diminishing returns, your gains will slow a lot as you get closer to your peak. You should expect your gains to slow a bit in the coming months, then probably a lot in about 6 months to a year.

As a recent convert to the program, I have to recommend Starting Strength. It has strategies to stop plateauing for the most part. Once you are pretty well trained, have been doing weights consistently for around a year you will get most/all of the gains from a program within 4 weeks. As a beginner you won't get all the gains for much longer. One could reset the weight (not sure if that would work for you with your 10rep sets), make slight changes to the program or just change the program completely.

The amount of weight gain makes me puke. If you're on teh juices, its really pathetic amount of strength. If you're not, it vomit **** huge.

Or Shieler is correct and you're just noobzor. Either way the weight gain is absurdo large.

Though SS is good, an intermediate program will probably benefit you more than a beginners program since you're not just starting out.

Lifts look to be a standard in terms of weight gain.

Can always count on you for an original response.

I'm not on juice and take no supplement. Never have, never will. Just eat right.

I'm not really a "noobzor", if by this you mean it's my first time in the gym. I would not expect someone who just started lifting to be able to lift my starting amounts. I go in spurts, 3-4 months then usually take a lot of time off, been this way for maybe 5 years this is just the 2nd time I've seen actual good gains imo, and these have been better than the previous time. Took a lot of time to find what worked for me.

Also I disagree that it is a sick amount of weight gain. I mean, when I was at 175 at started I was inactive, so the first 5 pounds came on in under a week from all the food I started eating (very high metabolism), the last 3 weeks the weight gain has slowed considerably but not the gains. Probably 1 lb per week the last 3-4.

lol thrempaments.

If you've been out of lifting for 6 months you go back to the beginner stage.

Which means what exactly? I didn't lose any strength or get in any worse shape since my last program, so call me whatever you want but I don't think it carries any weight.

I find it funny you ask for advice. Disagree with what I write then try to pass off 17 pounds of weight gain in 50 days as "normal".

Cool.

If you didn't do anything in those 6 months, yes you did.

I just said I take long breaks from the gym. I stay very active, playing basketball, volleyball, and doing pushups/situps at home during these times.

you still lost strength, OR you had basically no strength to begin with OR you aren't accurately measuring your strength. I think both 1 and 3 are most likely.

I have no idea really, and I don't know how we got so far off topic imo. All I can say is what I lifted when I ended my last program, I was still able to lift when I started this current program. Don't know what else to say.

You probably weren't lifting efficiently the last time around then.

Anyway, good gains if true, and not a beginner/juiced.