Lifting: strength or hypertrophy first?

321gumby · 2018-10-07T13:47:43+00:00

I'm 5'7" your not short lol. Anyway my say is work on strength. I have never lifted before. I have been lifting for 7 months now. My numbers are 320 squat 3x5 , 220 bench 1x1, 425 deadlift 1x1. I started with 5x5 program but have been modifieding it to give me some hypertrophy.

Shoregrey · 2018-10-07T12:45:42+00:00

Hah! I thought your first words said "I'm short" then I saw 5'9" and thought "I've been living a lie!" because I'm the same height LOL

alucard1uk · 2018-10-07T12:10:52+00:00

I'd say, that's a long time to be working out not knowing how much you are eating. I'd try keep it at a hour and under and up the intensity. Mix in hypertrophy and hyperplasia. There's no need to stick to one or the other.

I'd say your squat and dl aren't bad but your BP is lacking and where is the over head press? Good compound movement.

Quaternionz · 2018-10-07T18:40:32+00:00

Keep going for strength.

The idea behind 5x5 is that you add weight every workout until you can’t anymore. For example, it’s common for newbies to keep adding weight to their shoulder press up to 90lb. Then they hit a wall at 90lb where they can’t get through all 5 reps for all 5 sets anymore. Going up to 92lb is a no go. At that point it’s the end of their newbie phase for shoulder presses, and they have to switch to some other program like linear periodization, or be forever stuck at 90lb.

Now, here’s the thing for you specifically. You are still in your newbie phase, especially on your squats and deadlifts At your weights adding 5lb to your squat and deadlift every workout should be as easy as breathing (If it’s not then you might have diet/sleep issues, or other such problems).

Keep packing on the heavy weight until you can’t anymore. Mix it up only once you can’t anymore. Don’t do complicated advanced workouts while you’re still at newbie weights. It doesn’t even take that long to get past your newbie phase. +5lb every workout builds up pretty quick if you’re consistent.

Look at the Strength Goals section here, especially the chart:

https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#Strength_Goals

You should be able to get to the Intermediate 1 weights by just blindly adding weight every workout. Occasionally you’ll hit a mini plateau that a quick deload will blow you right past.

Note: The strength chart there is in terms of 1 rep maxes. Subtract 45lb from the listed weights to get your 5x5 weights. So your 5x5 weights for Intermediate 1 should be a 255lb squat, 355lb deadlift, 95lb OHP, 175lb bench press, and 155lb row.

Get to Intermediate 1. Make sure your form is good. Shit is heavy, don’t hurt yourself. Get a legit trainer to check you once in a while. Make sure your trainer also lifts like a beast.

Be sure to pack in the calories. Meats, carbs, protein shakes. Try tracking your calories with MyFitnessPal. Just for giggles see how many calories you can eat in a day if you try. My record is 5,000 for a few days running. Couldn’t really keep it up.

Quaternionz · 2018-10-07T20:06:36+00:00

The first time I tracked my calories I thought I ate a shit ton that day, and it only ended up being 1,800. I was stunned.

Really packing in the calories usually requires injecting snacks and extra protein shakes into your diet.

Carry around a pound of cashews or raisins and just pound them throughout the day. It’s a good trick if you have long commutes or walks during your day. You can keep munching away while on the train or walking. A pound of cashews has 2,500 calories.

Protein shakes help too. Make them yourself since it’s orders of magnitude cheaper:

2 cups milk 1 cup oats 1 banana 1 table spoon peanut butter 1 serving of mass gainer protein powder

Not not that it matters, but that’s 5 ingredients, just like your 5x5. Do not drink 5 of those per day though, you’ll die. It’s a heavy shake, get thick smoothie straws at the store. Or make it thinner by adding milk as required.

Be sure to get the mass gainer protein powder, it has added carbs and a higher calorie count.

Adjust the milk amount to your preference for thickness. Doesn’t have to be 2 cups.

Another important thing is learning how to eat past being full. A key trick to use is to tell yourself that no matter how full you are you can always put another bite of food on to your fork and into your mouth. Don’t think about swallowing yet, that’ll work itself out later.

barn3r · 2018-10-07T14:34:56+00:00

I’m 5’10”, 240 lbs, approximately 12% bf (bulking).First off, I’m glad you started lifting. I started when I was 15 now I’m 25. I had low stats when I started too. You’re on the right track by building a foundation with compound exercises. Keep doing that for a couple years then I’d switch to a bodybuilding routine (hypertrophy). Don’t think you get jacked off chicken and rice, because you don’t; lean yes. Eat food that you know you will eat that has a good amount of protein and calories. For me that’s Chinese, Italian, pizza, German, steak and potatoes, etc. Yes, you’ll put on bodyfat, but you’ll maximize muscle gain then clean it up and add cardio when you feel necessary.

Credentials: Ex pro amateur bodybuilder

Title	Lifting: strength or hypertrophy first?
Author	lifeisweirdasfuck
Upvotes	6
Comments	18
Date	October 7, 2018 11:24 AM UTC (7 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/9m4d7x/lifting_strength_or_hypertrophy_first/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/lifting-strength-or-hypertrophy-first.1332 https://theredarchive.com/post/1332

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