Shift worker progression and stall

[Leakey]

Hi Mark,

firstly thanks for the awesome books, I've bought read both SS and PPST2 and they are by far the best resource out there. It's a shame more people don't realise and I spread the word where possible.

After deciding to get stronger and messing around with silly complicated programs, I've been doing SS for the last 6-9 months.

I'm in Sydney, Australia, I'm 6', weigh 94kg (207lbs), 33 years old. I was 73kgs, hardly ate anything, smoked 1 pack a day, and drank a lot of coke. I was like that from my early twenties.

I was very active growing up, played a lot of sport (a lot of basketball) and was always pretty fit, but weak.

To get to it, I've stalled on my current lifts. I'll post form vids ASAP, but assuming my form is 'reasonable', I'm unsure if I have possibly reached limit of linear progression.

Squat 3x5 @ 92kg (using 1kg incremements)
Bench 3x5 @ 66kg (using 0.5kg increments)
Press 3x5 @ 45.5kg (using 0.5kg increments)
Deadlifts 1x5 @ 115kg (using 2.5kg increments)
Cleans 5x3 @ 61kg (using 1kg increments)

I know that these are low, and I've been putting off asking because I didn't want to waste your time, but I reset twice and have been eating a lot (half GOMAD on top of a lot of food) and are still gaining weight but it's seemingly just fat now.

The reason I thought I may have to change up to a intermediate program is because of the lift stalls with fat gain. I'm a shift worker, working 12 hour day and 12 hour night shifts, which means getting proper rest between workouts is difficult although I stick to mon/wed/fri as best I can. This is the reason I decided it's worth asking for your advice. Do you think it's likely that I'm nowhere near my limit and should keep eating, getting fatter (i'm about 25% body fat) and hopefully lifting more, or do you think its possible I'm due to change to intermediate?

Thanks again, the instruction from your books has changed my life.

Leakey.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't think you're near your limit at that bodyweight and height and those numbers. A guy your size shouldn't get stuck till he's at a 150x5x3 squat, with the other lifts proportionate. I also would like to know how you know your bodyfat. In other words, I think you need to eat more and train heavier. The work can be trained around if you are committed, and lots of guys here will tell you how they did it.

[Ian Kovtunovich]

The work can be trained around if you are committed, and lots of guys here will tell you how they did it.

I've noticed a few people concerned about not making it in exactly every other day as outlined in the book. I was battling this for awhile, and realized that, life for me being what it is, I should just go with it and lift when I could. This is usually thrice in a given eight-day period, sometimes twice, sometimes only once a week. I have, however, been doing my damnedest to eat, and am still making good gains. So while I applaud everyone who is able or willing to fit their life around SS, I also thing that doing things the other way 'round is not the end of the world either.

[abenn]

Ian,

I recently had the same experience during my a busy period of defending my thesis/other school work. I find the trick is just to keep eating lots, sleep, and when you do get to go in make it worth it by busting your ass. I didn't really fall too far behind my 15#/week on the squat during the last month. I think maybe I was upping squats 10# a week during it?

[Leakey]

G'day Coach,

thanks a lot for taking the time to respond. I have upped my eating a lot, rechecked my form, and managed to up the weight on each lift over the last few workouts.

I am measuring body fat using a caliper around my stomach, and I seem to be about 22%, not 25%. I can handle putting a bit more on, just didn't realise that while I though I was eating a lot (3 large meals + protein shake + half-GOMAD), it wasn't enough.

I'll see how far I get now, cheers. Thanks to the others for responding also.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Measuring one's own bodyfat with calipers is a tricky thing due to the inability to get at the skinfold from the proper angle, and I doubt very seriously that you're being accurate when you do.

[celconicuzn]

Leaky,

Do you own Practical Programming?

I think due to your shift circumstances, you should swap to a:

Mon - Heavy
Wed - 80% deload
Fri - Heavy

Type programming to keep driving progress since you can't guarantee you will have organized sleep. Organize your heavy/volume days to suit your sleep schedule. You have much more progress you can milk (not intended). .