Realistic goals

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Simpsyla

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I started Stronglifts just over a year ago and I'm really enjoying it. I've trained pretty consistently for most of that time, despite missing the odd week here and there (holiday, birth of child etc.).

I have now set a goal of reaching the 400kg club (160kg deadlift, 140kg squat, 100kg bench press).

My best lifts to date on Stronglifts are:

Squat - 2 (sets) *3 (reps) at 122.5kg
Deadlift - 1*4 at 115kg
Bench - 2*5 + 1*4 at 62kg
OHP - 2*5 + 1*4 at 44kg
Row - 3*5 at 70kg

I'm 5"7 and currently at 71kg - but looking to get to 68kg.

Is this enough information to set a timescale on how long it may take me to hit my goal? And does anyone have any guidance on how long it may take? I want it to be tough enough to mean I can't let the intensity drop but not too difficult that I will sicken myself - if that makes sense. I tend to train first thing on a morning, before breakfast, as this suits my lifestyle.

Thanks in advance for any help offered and more than happy to provide any more information that may help.

Simpsyla said:
I started Stronglifts just over a year ago and I'm really enjoying it. I've trained pretty consistently for most of that time, despite missing the odd week here and there (holiday, birth of child etc.).

I have now set a goal of reaching the 400kg club (160kg deadlift, 140kg squat, 100kg bench press).

My best lifts to date on Stronglifts are:

Squat - 2 (sets) *3 (reps) at 122.5kg
Deadlift - 1*4 at 115kg
Bench - 2*5 + 1*4 at 62kg
OHP - 2*5 + 1*4 at 44kg
Row - 3*5 at 70kg

I'm 5"7 and currently at 71kg - but looking to get to 68kg.

Is this enough information to set a timescale on how long it may take me to hit my goal? And does anyone have any guidance on how long it may take? I want it to be tough enough to mean I can't let the intensity drop but not too difficult that I will sicken myself - if that makes sense. I tend to train first thing on a morning, before breakfast, as this suits my lifestyle.

Thanks in advance for any help offered and more than happy to provide any more information that may help.
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I'm also 30 years old, I'm a well controlled type 1 diabetic and walk the dogs for 20 minutes on training days, 40 minutes on non-training days and usually about an hour each day on the weekend if any of that makes a difference.
 
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have you tried testing your one rep maxs before? If you're repping the weights you've posted I wouldn't say you're a million miles off tbh. Especially your squat. Bench could be a challenge, but that's just from my experience cause my upper body has always been weak as piss.

After lifting for a year, you may want to hold off cutting more weight if you want your lifts to go up.
 
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I am a similar weight.

When I was eating more I got to 1RM of 130kg at deadlift and 90kg at bench.

You will find that you are naturally better at some compound movements than others.

You will probably have to have a calorific surplus to increase strength.

Rather than absolute strength, have a think about relative strength.

I.e. if I weigh 65kg and can deadlift 2x my body weight then I am relatively more strong than someone who weighs 75kg and deadlifts 140kg.
 
maygo said:
Do you ever have a deload week? I find the weeks immediately after one I am stronger than before the deload
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The OP might struggle on stronglifts eventually as you get loads of stalling and can only add weights of 0.5kg each session.

It’s a good initial programme but after 12 months it may be time to tailor or adopt a non linear progression plan.

I only improved at bench press by ignoring ohp for 6 weeks, it would become quite difficult to hit all targets on 3 different movements.

Perhaps he needs a more specific powerlifting programme.
 
Thanks for taking the time to reply, much appreciated.

Ross - I've never tested my 1rm - do you have a suggestion as to how to go about doing it? E.g. Would I start with my Stronglifts warm up and then just go up by say 10kg for one rep until I fail? My first goal was to hit 68kg (c. 10% body fat) so I'm going to continue down that route (hoping to achieve over the next month to six weeks) and then I may well start looking at going back to a slight calorie surplus.

Stevie - how long had you been training when you hit those 1rms please? I chose 400kg as I didn't really know what good looked like from a relative strength perspective - e.g. is lifting 1.5x your bodyweight impressive? However, I've recently discovered the Strength Level site (Strength Level - Weightlifting Calculator (Bench/Squat/Deadlift)) which allows you to put in your details and ranks you against people similar to yourself. So I guess I can have moving to the next level as a target? I was surprised by how low the 1rm predictions were on there though to be honest, that was part of why I started the thread.

Maygo - I've had deload weeks after both having the odd week off here and there (dropped weights by 10% kept sets and reps the same) and if you fail a weight + sets + reps three times on Stronglifts you reduce the weight by 10% and reduce the number of sets/reps and then work up again on the weight. I will then break through where I previously failed after that. Or, if I deload on the squat I'll find it easier on the deadlift etc.

Stevie - I feel like I'm still progressing on Stronglifts, there's only OHP and bench where I'm adding 1kg on at the moment, the rest are still 2.5kg. Is there a second programme you'd recommend going on to? Or is it worth investing in working with someone to personalise something for me?

Thanks again and thanks in advance for responses to the above.
 
I use that relative strength site too. The only lift where I am intermediate and not novice is deadlift!

There is this site that suggests how to warmup for 1RM.

WarmupReps.com

For deadlift 1RM of 130kg I would do something like:

Warmup with walk/light bike
Maybe some light body weight spilt squats

1x5 @70kg
1x3 @90kg
1x2 @110kg
1x1 @120kg
—— rest 3 to 5 mins —-
1x1 @130kg

I had been doing stronglifts off and on for a couple of years but started again with a mix of stronglifts and starting strength in September 2016. I hit most of my best lifts by about March 2017 and I have just been maintaining since as I was getting stronger but fatter.

My aim now is to have practical fitness, focusing on pull-ups, dips, running but I still do ohp and deadlifts.

Edit:

Some people move onto 531 but it didn’t really work for me.
 
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Stevie Freestein II said:
I use that relative strength site too. The only lift where I am intermediate and not novice is deadlift!

There is this site that suggests how to warmup for 1RM.

WarmupReps.com

For deadlift 1RM of 130kg I would do something like:

Warmup with walk/light bike
Maybe some light body weight spilt squats

1x5 @70kg
1x3 @90kg
1x2 @110kg
1x1 @120kg
—— rest 3 to 5 mins —-
1x1 @130kg

I had been doing stronglifts off and on for a couple of years but started again with a mix of stronglifts and starting strength in September 2016. I hit most of my best lifts by about March 2017 and I have just been maintaining since as I was getting stronger but fatter.

My aim now is to have practical fitness, focusing on pull-ups, dips, running but I still do ohp and deadlifts.

Edit:

Some people move onto 531 but it didn’t really work for me.
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Thanks Stevie, especially for the link. I'm going to use my next three weekend sessions to test my 1rm's on the three lifts - see how far off the 400kg I am. Squat tomorrow as I think that's the one I'm most likely to hit.
 
Simpsyla said:
Thanks Stevie, especially for the link. I'm going to use my next three weekend sessions to test my 1rm's on the three lifts - see how far off the 400kg I am. Squat tomorrow as I think that's the one I'm most likely to hit.
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No probs I am far from being an expert but I have tried all sorts over the past 4 or 5 years.

Hopefully @Titus and/or @Charmless Man may have advice for post beginner programmes. I sussed that I don’t have the physique or flexibility to do heavy squats without shite form and I’m in my mid 40s now so I don’t expect to pack on the muscle.

I have mixed cardio and yoga/Pilates with weight training as I didn’t see the point of being strong enough to lift a bus but not being capable of chasing one.
 
Stevie Freestein II said:
No probs I am far from being an expert but I have tried all sorts over the past 4 or 5 years.

Hopefully @Titus and/or @Charmless Man may have advice for post beginner programmes. I sussed that I don’t have the physique or flexibility to do heavy squats without shite form and I’m in my mid 40s now so I don’t expect to pack on the muscle.

I have mixed cardio and yoga/Pilates with weight training as I didn’t see the point of being strong enough to lift a bus but not being capable of chasing one.
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The dogs keep me ticking over cardio wise and I love being able to make almost constant progression on at least one lift on Stronglifts.

Tried the 140kg squat this morning and failed. It went down smoothly enough and budged it an inch, maybe two if I'm being generous to myself, but then couldn't get it any further. Still, if we hit all of our goals first time it wouldn't build character!

I still find failing on the squat a really weird sensation - giving in to this thing that wants to crush you and having to trust in the squat rack is really odd to me!
 
Simpsyla said:
The dogs keep me ticking over cardio wise and I love being able to make almost constant progression on at least one lift on Stronglifts.

Tried the 140kg squat this morning and failed. It went down smoothly enough and budged it an inch, maybe two if I'm being generous to myself, but then couldn't get it any further. Still, if we hit all of our goals first time it wouldn't build character!

I still find failing on the squat a really weird sensation - giving in to this thing that wants to crush you and having to trust in the squat rack is really odd to me!
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At least you tried!

If you are enjoying stronglifts and making progress then stick with it.

I got bored of doing 5x5 so I switched to starting strength 3x5.

For bench 1RM I used this 6 week plan.

The Six-Week Bench Press Solution!

BTW if you failed 140kg squat did you rest for 5 mins then try 135kg then 130kg etc.?
 
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Stevie Freestein II said:
At least you tried!

If you are enjoying stronglifts and making progress then stick with it.

I got bored of doing 5x5 so I switched to starting strength 3x5.

For bench 1RM I used this 6 week plan.

The Six-Week Bench Press Solution!

BTW if you failed 140kg squat did you rest for 5 mins then try 135kg then 130kg etc.?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the bench press recommendation - will look at something like that when I move on from Stronglifts.

No, I didn't try any after the 140kg fail - trying the deadlift tomorrow so will drop the weight until I got one if I don't get that. Thanks again for another tip!
 
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