Strength for size?

[b52]

So I'm 200lbs. I hate comparing myself to others, I really do, but I seem to be stronger than guys of a similar build to me, or at least the people I've run into. When I consider lightening up the weight, my moderate range still seems to be heavy. Is this my muscle genetics or am I just working too hard. I've been off tren for a while so I know that's not helping any longer.


Example- I know this is probably nothing for some of you guys.

Moderate bench is 275lbs for 10

Shoulder press 110lb dumbbells for 10

Barbell row 225lb for 10

Squat 350lb for 10-12

Now, I'm not "huge" but do look good, but I know and see guys that look bigger than myself not able to lift the same weight. I always seem to get stronger and add a little size. So if that's my moderate range, and if I want to get bigger that usually means I'll get stronger but I really don't look forward to lifting all that weight, and If I lighten it up more it won't be challenging enough. Anyone else have this issue? Or maybe it's not even an issue and I'm just thinking too much.

[Dakota]

Genetics and body mechanics. Count it a blessing. I started with the worst bench on the planet. It was embarrassing. I could squat and deadlift a house but never had a chance at powerlifting due to my sucky bench. It took many many years to reach a PR bench of 345. Then someone would go behind me and rep it.

I would say change it up. Really heavy all the time takes it's toll. Look at Ronnie Coleman and a lot of the top "strong guys".

Lighten up and go for reps. I mean REALLY high reps. You can thrash yourself into gains that way too and then when you stall out there go back to heavy for a while. That is what I do, although my "heavy" isn't that heavy any more.

I did something crazy recently and it was laughable but I had a great work out. No matter where the pin was on a machine I would rep to exhaustion. 220 front press go. 40 lb curls do hundreds of reps. 70 lb leg extensions just keep going until you want to cry. I can't even tell you how many I did but it took a while. Picture Platz on the machine next to you. It was crazy but it changed it up a bit and I think it accomplishes the goal of thrashing you enough to make some gains.

[b52]

Did you get much hypertrophy from that? Maybe i'll give it a couple weeks of lighter weight. It just doesn't seem challenging enough and I'm out of my 10-12 range which means the weight is just light. I feel like a little bitch if I lift like that no offense, it's just my personal mentality. If I'm cranking 25-30 reps that just seems for more muscle endurance than muscle gain but maybe I'm wrong.

[chicken_hawk]

It seams to me your ahead of the curve my friend. Well balanced strength. Height and length of limbs have a lot to do with as do attachments. But, the range of motion to move 315 for a dude 6'2 is way different for a guy 5'7". But that doesn't negate the hard work and time that goes into moving heavy weight. Good work!

Hawk

[Dawgpound_Hank]

One thing that stands out far of all those is the 110lb x 10 db overhead presses. That's solid af. The others are decent, but you own that one.

I think you need to keep doing what you are doing - getting stronger in the 8-12 rep range. It's important that you didn't just post maxes, bcoz those build no muscle in comparison. I don't think you are going too heavy at all bcoz all those #'s are for 10 reps. If you were doing alot of sets of 3 reps or 5 reps, then yeah. But you're in the right rep groove man - keep improving your weights in that range and you will keep growing.

[b52]

One thing that stands out far of all those is the 110lb x 10 db overhead presses. That's solid af. The others are decent, but you own that one.

Lol thanks. Yeah my shoulders are ridiculously strong. Always been my strongest group. Back comes in second. 2 groups I really don't have to kill to make grow.

[Jester3378]

So the two effective ways to stimulate growth are through mechanical tension and metabolic stress. Mechanical tension can be achieved via overload through weight, tempo, and form; tut. So doing something as simple as slowing your eccentric to a 3 or 5 count, adding a pause, focusing on the shortened or lengthened part of the muscle are all techniques you can use to increase muscular tension without upping weights.

Creating metabolic stress is going to require moving outside of your preferred rep range a bit. These are sets with short rest, intensity sets, drop sets, forced reps, etc. Basically pushing beyond failure and not something I would recommend with heavy compound movements. But after you have done your heavy work incorporate a movement/movements with these techniques as finishers. And you probably will feel like a bitch because there are a few movements I do with 15lb dumbbells that wreck me and every 140lb dude in the gym is wondering why the fuck I am screaming while failing with the tiny pink dumbbell. Shit works though.

[Glycomann]

Enjoy to while you have it.These are fun times now. As you get older you will need to learn how to maintain with lighter weights, stricter form and emphasis on the negative as the joints register the damage. But for now just go. It's fun being the strong guy in the gym that jumps in on the big guy's sets and out does.

[Big B]

Want size??? Pumps reps, not heavy weights. Started doing 15-40 reps about 4 months ago. Seen a huge difference already. Wanna pump as much blood (nutrients) into the muscle as possible, even if it takes less rest bt sets. Love it....

[Big B]

Leave the heavyweights for the powerlifters..

[Dawgpound_Hank]

That's why I gave you the advice I did knowing you're still only 32. Getting old sucks big wet donkey balls. Gotta use 40's when ya could be toying with the 120's only bcoz shoulder damage over 40 years of lifting. Or knowing you could be over there banging out sets with 4-5 plates on squats, but the lumbar says no. Not being able to do any chest or delt work at all bcoz your shoulder hurts so bad ya cant even lift your hand to do pulldowns, so just do various type rows. Yeah I know get the violin out haha - just venting. Enjoy your youth and lift them heavy ass weights while ya can brother. Just be sure to do your RC exercises, which nobody even knew about back in the 80's. Another tip that will help you bigtime is always stretch your hams and keep them limber. Doing that one thing alone will help prevent lumbar issues. Wish I woulda found that tip out much younger.

When I was 32, I had been lifting for 18 years, was natty, weighed 235 and could do:

bench press - 315 x 13, 365 x 7-8, 405 x 2-3
squat - 405 x 12, 455 x 7-8, 500 x 3
barbell rows - 315 x 8

I was always into bb, not powerlifting, so I didn't train mainly just for power. Never that strong for my size (guess not so bad for being natty), but damn how I wish I could do that now haha.

[b52]

Good advice guys. I think I'll start by switching it up every other week for now. Light weight one week, then moderate to heavy the following. I like being strong but I hate grabbing heavy ass dumbbells and making that transition from sitting to press position. I guess I'm gonna get out of my comfort zone and see where it takes me.

[Dawgpound_Hank]

Funny as shit that B & I gave you completey opposite "advices".

Only reason I mentioned about going heavy is everything you are doing IS for at least 10 reps. So can we really call that heavy? To most, no. So kinda misleading when I say heavy since the reps are not so low.

While I don't go to the extreme with reps (as in 40) as B does, I do hit higher reps on legs, usually in the 15-20 range. I also end off with some type of "pumper" as a last exercise on each upper bdpt, be it 21's for arms, drop sets for lats, etc. You know you can get the best of both worlds all in one workout, via doing your first Mac Daddy exercises in the 8-10 range, then going lighter with less rest on following exercises, ie, incline bench x 8-10, flat db flyes x 15, dips x 15-20, etc. That's the way I've always rolled.

[Dustined83]

So I'm 200lbs. I hate comparing myself to others, I really do, but I seem to be stronger than guys of a similar build to me, or at least the people I've run into. When I consider lightening up the weight, my moderate range still seems to be heavy. Is this my muscle genetics or am I just working too hard. I've been off tren for a while so I know that's not helping any longer.


Example- I know this is probably nothing for some of you guys.

Moderate bench is 275lbs for 10

Shoulder press 110lb dumbbells for 10

Barbell row 225lb for 10

Squat 350lb for 10-12

Now, I'm not "huge" but do look good, but I know and see guys that look bigger than myself not able to lift the same weight. I always seem to get stronger and add a little size. So if that's my moderate range, and if I want to get bigger that usually means I'll get stronger but I really don't look forward to lifting all that weight, and If I lighten it up more it won't be challenging enough. Anyone else have this issue? Or maybe it's not even an issue and I'm just thinking too much.

Chalk it up to good genetics. I'm the same way. Im super grateful