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So here's the deal. I've been doing routines using bench press, deads, and squats as the cornerstone exercises. I've made progress, but much more so with squats and deads. I normally will do a 5X5 routine using heaviest weights possible. I'm 5'9" and at or around 160lbs. Here is my progress so far:
Isn't that a bit strange? Granted, I work out alone, so I'm very cautious about muscle failure especially on the bench press. The rest of my chest routine consists of either incline or normal dumbbell press, incline dumbbell flys, and some cable work, normally either cable flys or some variation thereof. I generally will devote one day a week to chest, and will devote my entire workout to it with some tricep work thrown in (same with back and legs). But I always start with bench press. I've steadily increased but it's been at a snail's pace. I'd say it's taken about two months to even get from 135 to 145.
Fortunately my muscle size isn't as disproportionate as my numbers and I don't have a massive back and quads with no chest, which I imagine would look weird. But I feel like I should at least be able to press my own body weight at this point considering the weight I am able to squat and lift. Anyway, please feel free to critique my chest routine and offer any suggestions for other exercises I can do that will help my strength on the bench.
Oh, and regarding diet, I am on a strict ketogenic diet 6 out of 7 days a week with an 8 hour carb-up on Saturdays. I consume at least 1gram of protein per pound of body weight. Most carbs come from greens such as spinach, kale, and almonds. Overall my diet is about 40-45% fat, 40-45% protein and 10-20% carbs. I've been on it for about 7 months or so after extensive research. It's worked extremely well for me in achieving my fitness goals thus far especially with regard to gaining muscle without gaining fat and I've actually managed to even put on muscle while decreasing body fat % while on it.
Oh, and regarding diet, I am on a strict ketogenic diet 6 out of 7 days a week with an 8 hour carb-up on Saturdays. I consume at least 1gram of protein per pound of body weight. Most carbs come from greens such as spinach, kale, and almonds. Overall my diet is about 40-45% fat, 40-45% protein and 10-20% carbs. I've been on it for about 7 months or so after extensive research. It's worked extremely well for me in achieving my fitness goals thus far especially with regard to gaining muscle without gaining fat and I've actually managed to even put on muscle while decreasing body fat % while on it.
This is your problem.
Swap your carb and fat amount/percentages and get all your carbs as complex carbs. If your concerned about gaining fat start off tapering down ykur carbs throughout the day. I would actually suggest more like 50% protein, 35% carbs, 15% protein.
It's working for you now to build muscle and lose fat cause you're new. Get a few years under your built and doing both simultaneously is nearly impossible.
I would say this is 90% your problem. You are 5 9' and 160. Your shouldn't be fat unkess you've like just got into lefting and never really did any type of exercise or sport before. When I was around 5 10 and 170 in my late teens I was putting up about 275 bench, 300 squat, 400 deads.
I admire the fact you posted your diet. Most neglected thing in my opinion.
So here's the deal. I've been doing routines using bench press, deads, and squats as the cornerstone exercises. I've made progress, but much more so with squats and deads. I normally will do a 5X5 routine using heaviest weights possible. I'm 5'9" and at or around 160lbs. Here is my progress so far:
Isn't that a bit strange? Granted, I work out alone, so I'm very cautious about muscle failure especially on the bench press. The rest of my chest routine consists of either incline or normal dumbbell press, incline dumbbell flys, and some cable work, normally either cable flys or some variation thereof. I generally will devote one day a week to chest, and will devote my entire workout to it with some tricep work thrown in (same with back and legs). But I always start with bench press. I've steadily increased but it's been at a snail's pace. I'd say it's taken about two months to even get from 135 to 145.
Fortunately my muscle size isn't as disproportionate as my numbers and I don't have a massive back and quads with no chest, which I imagine would look weird. But I feel like I should at least be able to press my own body weight at this point considering the weight I am able to squat and lift. Anyway, please feel free to critique my chest routine and offer any suggestions for other exercises I can do that will help my strength on the bench.
How long have you been lifting? I'd actually say you're deadlift is lagging behind; your bench is pretty much around where you want it to be, your squat is strong, but your deadlift is a little behind. Given your other two lifts, it should be closer to 250-260.
Looking at exrx.com and strstd.com, @165lbs, bench for novice is 145-150, squat is 200-205 and deadlift is 255-260. Bench is necessarily going to be much lower than the other two since it's an upper body only lift vs full body. Pressing your own bodyweight is much closer to "intermediate" stage at your bodyweight.
Which brings me to diet. I disagree a little with houstan-dan about percentages. Keep the protein high but I might suggest getting more carbs into your diet besides your refeed days. Maybe try 2 or possibly even 3 refeed days or skip keto completely and eat more "normal" following houston-dan's approach. However, you said keto feels great and has been working so I would add in an extra carb day to keep your glycogen stores a little higher throughout the week. Try to find out what your bodyfat percentage is and make sure you're eating a ton of food.
How much food is a ton of food?
I'm glad you asked! Fill in your numbers here and track your caloric intake
I normally will do a 5X5 routine using heaviest weights possible.
This makes no sense; you are either doing a 5x5 routine or not. The whole "normally" and "using heaviest weight possible" does not make sense in regards to the 5x5.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluefox
The rest of my chest routine consists of either incline or normal dumbbell press, incline dumbbell flys, and some cable work, normally either cable flys or some variation thereof. I generally will devote one day a week to chest, and will devote my entire workout to it with some tricep work thrown in (same with back and legs).
Here is one problem, in no way are you doing a 5x5 and still doing this stuff; you are not doing the 5x5 if you are doing this stuff. The first rule of the 5x5 is "do not f*&k with it"; you are doing exactly that.
Point is, you thought you knew enough to tweak the program, and now you see the consequences of it; basically, too much volume.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluefox
Fortunately my muscle size isn't as disproportionate as my numbers and I don't have a massive back and quads with no chest, which I imagine would look weird. But I feel like I should at least be able to press my own body weight at this point considering the weight I am able to squat and lift. Anyway, please feel free to critique my chest routine and offer any suggestions for other exercises I can do that will help my strength on the bench.
Maybe I missed it, but how long have you been lifting?
How long have you been lifting? I'd actually say you're deadlift is lagging behind; your bench is pretty much around where you want it to be, your squat is strong, but your deadlift is a little behind. Given your other two lifts, it should be closer to 250-260.
Looking at exrx.com and strstd.com, @165lbs, bench for novice is 145-150, squat is 200-205 and deadlift is 255-260. Bench is necessarily going to be much lower than the other two since it's an upper body only lift vs full body. Pressing your own bodyweight is much closer to "intermediate" stage at your bodyweight.
Those two websites you recommended have some really great info!
This makes no sense; you are either doing a 5x5 routine or not. The whole "normally" and "using heaviest weight possible" does not make sense in regards to the 5x5.
Here is one problem, in no way are you doing a 5x5 and still doing this stuff; you are not doing the 5x5 if you are doing this stuff. The first rule of the 5x5 is "do not f*&k with it"; you are doing exactly that.
Point is, you thought you knew enough to tweak the program, and now you see the consequences of it; basically, too much volume.
Maybe I missed it, but how long have you been lifting?
Okay... so are you saying that I am doing too many chest exercises? Should I just stick to the bench press? Recommendations for 5x5 routines?
I've been lifting on and off for the past couple years but have only been actually doing it seriously (or so I thought?) since March or so.
How long have you been lifting? I'd actually say you're deadlift is lagging behind; your bench is pretty much around where you want it to be, your squat is strong, but your deadlift is a little behind. Given your other two lifts, it should be closer to 250-260.
Looking at exrx.com and strstd.com, @165lbs, bench for novice is 145-150, squat is 200-205 and deadlift is 255-260. Bench is necessarily going to be much lower than the other two since it's an upper body only lift vs full body. Pressing your own bodyweight is much closer to "intermediate" stage at your bodyweight.
Which brings me to diet. I disagree a little with houstan-dan about percentages. Keep the protein high but I might suggest getting more carbs into your diet besides your refeed days. Maybe try 2 or possibly even 3 refeed days or skip keto completely and eat more "normal" following houston-dan's approach. However, you said keto feels great and has been working so I would add in an extra carb day to keep your glycogen stores a little higher throughout the week. Try to find out what your bodyfat percentage is and make sure you're eating a ton of food.
How much food is a ton of food?
I'm glad you asked! Fill in your numbers here and track your caloric intake
THanks for the info. My body fat percentage is right around 15-16%, down from 22% in Feb (when I weighed almost 180).
With those numbers for the exercises, is that for a 1 rep max? The numbers I posted are what I am able to do for 5 sets of 5 reps. I haven't assessed what my 1RM is for any of those.
Thanks for these links - excellent point of reference.
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