Advantage of Using Slow Increases vs. Fast Increases?

[gzt]

Those sound like reasonable increments. It'd be crazy to keep trying 10# increases on the squats. If you're not slowing down on the bench, you might try a few more 5# increases, but I wouldn't think it's an awesome idea. With weight training, slow and steady wins the race. Also, you're kind of light. I think 220 is a good weight to think about getting to for your height unless that severely conflicts with your fencing goals.

[peacerenity]

Yeah I'm still bulking. After going about 5 lbs a week for the first 2 weeks, it's slowed down to about 3 lbs a week. About every 10 lbs I seem to gain about 1% bodyfat (a pretty lean 70/30 split). I started off at 187 and 12%, and at 198 I was 13% (I'm at 200 now). That's pretty consistent with the last time I bulked too. I'm aiming for about 230 and 16% bodyfat by the time I go home in mid-May, and then cut down a bit.

[Les Hahn]

I have been gauging my increases on bar speed. If your lifts are moving fast, you are expending less energy to get them done. I start to falter when I have to grind all my sets. Unless I am eating a lot, I get too beat up constantly grinding reps and have to deload. If things are moving fast, I would keep adding 5lbs, and maybe more on the DL since you don't do it as often. You will probably slow down on the BP / OHP first, so that is where microloads help out. I bought some, but haven't needed them yet.