Classing lifting thread - Having trouble with weight-lifting. page 3

[RichMahogany]

Rich, I was taught to go parallel, but my hiatus from lifting made me forget that. For the first three months I worked up to 230 on squats but videoed myself and realized I wasn't doing it correctly. So from there I went down to 170lbs to work on form and have since worked back up to 210.

Again, this is just my opinion, and I'm not a certified anything, but I'd say you still have the potential to benefit from a novice linear progression.

[not on the rug]

I am guessing you mean carbs that are also a source of nutrients/AOs. Fruits, veggies, etc. I only say this because you say fat can be empty calories, but so can carbs depending on the source. But I am guessing you mean carbs in the primal sense: no grains, legumes, etc. I just want to clarify...

Rich, I was taught to go parallel, but my hiatus from lifting made me forget that. For the first three months I worked up to 230 on squats but videoed myself and realized I wasn't doing it correctly. So from there I went down to 170lbs to work on form and have since worked back up to 210.

for the most part, yes. fruits and veggies. potatoes and sweet potatoes. properly prepared legumes on occasion. and white rice. granted, the white rice is pretty "empty" but its also basically harmless and a great way to get the extra carbs that someone trying to grow muscle needs. the reason i said a macro shift might be in order is twofold: 1-you are stalling on your lifts. and 2-you aren't growing muscle. but you aren't complaining of getting fat either. with your bodyweight and the amount of calories you are eating, i'd think to shift the macros a little. if you think you need to eat more calories in general, then i'd eat more protein and carbs anyway. so again, a shift in macro percentages will take place.

like i said earlier too, if you plan on sticking to the SS program, microloading or a deload period might be needed. as RM said, get the book. or like i also said earlier, a hypertrophy-based lifting program might be what you need.

[sbhikes]

I agree that you should eat more carbs and protein. As a woman doing a geezer-modified version of Starting Strength, I eat quite a bit of protein and sweet/white potatoes. I make steady and slow progress on my lifts. I can see and feel visible muscle being built. All this without massive calories or massive weight gain. (Sadly, still kinda fat, but all the more of a miracle that I can see the muscle in my upper body.)

Anyway, in SS the suggestion is that if you repeat the same weights 3 workouts in a row without progress, you should drop back 10% and work up again. Also, seriously, take some form videos of yourself and post them to the SS forum and ask for help. Your problem could be entirely form and nothing to do with calories.

[Future_PB_Dr]

for the most part, yes. fruits and veggies. potatoes and sweet potatoes. properly prepared legumes on occasion. and white rice. granted, the white rice is pretty "empty" but its also basically harmless and a great way to get the extra carbs that someone trying to grow muscle needs. the reason i said a macro shift might be in order is twofold: 1-you are stalling on your lifts. and 2-you aren't growing muscle. but you aren't complaining of getting fat either. with your bodyweight and the amount of calories you are eating, i'd think to shift the macros a little. if you think you need to eat more calories in general, then i'd eat more protein and carbs anyway. so again, a shift in macro percentages will take place.

like i said earlier too, if you plan on sticking to the SS program, microloading or a deload period might be needed. as RM said, get the book. or like i also said earlier, a hypertrophy-based lifting program might be what you need.

Yeah, I'm definitely not gaining any fat. I am going to up my carbs and protein, then. I have a huge bag of organic quinoa I could put to use. I'll shift my macros and stick with SS for now and see if that helps.

[not on the rug]

Yeah, I'm definitely not gaining any fat. I am going to up my carbs and protein, then. I have a huge bag of organic quinoa I could put to use. I'll shift my macros and stick with SS for now and see if that helps.

keep us posted for sure

[KimchiNinja]

granted, the white rice is pretty "empty" but its also basically harmless and a great way to get the extra carbs that someone trying to grow muscle needs.

Q: Are white-carbs actually needed to grow muscle? Or do they assist muscle growth, and how so?

I'm doing StrongLifts 5x5 program. The body analyzer at my gym says I've added 2lb muscle and lost a small amount of fat, overall up about 1lb weight, in the last 30days. I eat a lot. But I never carb other than 100g of vegi carbs per day (which includes about 40g sugar from carrots and such). I'm not against adding a small sweet potato, just can't think of any reason why I should, and from experience I know even a sweet potato will accumulate fat around the waist. But does that sweet potato also have some relation to muscle growth?

That's my question, because I am starting to hit my max lifts now (stalled-out for the first time yesterday). Getting lots of sleep and fat/protein to be ready for the next lift to keep it moving up. And microweights if need be. Just not sure I understand if/how white-carbs could build muscle faster???

[not on the rug]

Q: Are white-carbs actually needed to grow muscle? Or do they assist muscle growth, and how so?

I'm doing StrongLifts 5x5 program. The body analyzer at my gym says I've added 2lb muscle and lost a small amount of fat, overall up about 1lb weight, in the last 30days. I eat a lot. But I never carb other than 100g of vegi carbs per day (which includes about 40g sugar from carrots and such). I'm not against adding a small sweet potato, just can't think of any reason why I should, and from experience I know even a sweet potato will accumulate fat around the waist. But does that sweet potato also have some relation to muscle growth?

That's my question, because I am starting to hit my max lifts now (stalled-out for the first time yesterday). Getting lots of sleep and fat/protein to be ready for the next lift to keep it moving up. And microweights if need be. Just not sure I understand if/how white-carbs could build muscle faster???

if you are trying to build muscle, then you need surplus calories. meet your protein requirement. check. eat some fat. check. and then what. plenty of carbs. eating a surplus of calories from fat is not going to build the muscle you need. it doesn't have to be white carbs. if you can cram a surplus of carbs from veggies down your throat without eating potatoes, sweet potatoes/white rice, then more power to you.

i sincerely doubt that eating a small sweet potato will accumulate fat around your waist. maybe you'll hold a little water, but not fat. you gain fat from excess calories. so if you're in a surplus (because you're trying to build muscle) then you will probably gain some fat as well. while it is possible to both build muscle and burn fat at the same time (particularly for a newb), the conditions required to do either are not optimally met wihle both are occurring. if you want to add a bunch of surplus muscle, plan on adding fat. if you want to burn fat, you need to do your best to try to preserve the muscle you have.

[Future_PB_Dr]

if you are trying to build muscle, then you need surplus calories. meet your protein requirement. check. eat some fat. check. and then what. plenty of carbs. eating a surplus of calories from fat is not going to build the muscle you need. it doesn't have to be white carbs. if you can cram a surplus of carbs from veggies down your throat without eating potatoes, sweet potatoes/white rice, then more power to you.

i sincerely doubt that eating a small sweet potato will accumulate fat around your waist. maybe you'll hold a little water, but not fat. you gain fat from excess calories. so if you're in a surplus (because you're trying to build muscle) then you will probably gain some fat as well. while it is possible to both build muscle and burn fat at the same time (particularly for a newb), the conditions required to do either are not optimally met wihle both are occurring. if you want to add a bunch of surplus muscle, plan on adding fat. if you want to burn fat, you need to do your best to try to preserve the muscle you have.

Rug, I am curious why you find that it's carbs that will help with muscle building instead of fat. What is the mechanism? Insulin to restore glycogen to your muscles post workout?

[RichMahogany]

Rug, I am curious why you find that it's carbs that will help with muscle building instead of fat. What is the mechanism? Insulin to restore glycogen to your muscles post workout?

I'm not "Rug," but yes, insulin is the reason carbohydrates are often recommended with protein post-workout.

[not on the rug]

my reasoning, and i could be wrong is sort of twofold. 1-excess fat consumed is stored directly as fat. and we don't need nearly as much dietary fat as some of the bulletproof coffee and fat-bomb guzzlers around here would have us believe. and 2, the carbs will restore the glycogen stores depleted by the strenuous exercise needed to adequately break down muscle tissue. plus, post workout insulin spikes create an ideal anabolic state (although you will hear people argue to what degree)

do you agree that you need to have a caloric surplus in order to build muscle? if yes (i hope yes) then explain to me how excess dietary fat would aid in muscle growth as opposed to carbohydrate consumption. what role does fat play in muscle growth?