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Thread: ideal Bodyfat % and when to reduce calories

  1. #1
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    Default ideal Bodyfat % and when to reduce calories

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    Hi Robert,

    When you and Rip were on the podcast (I think it was the "barbells for aesthetics" one) I seem to recall you all mentioning that 25% bodyfat or so was the ideal composition for strength and what we should shoot for.

    I started SS in early April 2021 (after fucking around with dumbbells' for a month or so) and since then I have gone from 195lbs to 250lbs (as of this morning's weigh in).

    My best guess is I am at ~30% bodyfat, but I don't have calipers and a Dexxa scan isn't something I am going to pursue at this point. Picture attached for reference (I could be wrong on the BF%).

    Shared album - Robert Miller - Google Photos

    Most of my lifts are still going up (though much slower) but I am wondering if I am at the point where I should try to maintain my BF% and general weight or if I still have room to hit 260/270 without a reasonable trade-off in healthy BF%.

    Up to this point I have just been focusing on 200+g Protein, drinking milk, and eating 4 meals a day with rice/potatoes/sweet potatoes for carbs though I have no idea what the numbers were on that besides protein. I am not a hard gainer by any stretch.

    Male 30yo 6'1"/6'2" 250lbs

    Any advice is appreciated.

  2. #2
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    25% is the upper limit, with 15% being the lower limit. You don't look insanely fat but i'm sure you can still progress at 230 lb. How much are you lifting?

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    25% is the upper limit, with 15% being the lower limit. You don't look insanely fat but i'm sure you can still progress at 230 lb. How much are you lifting?
    I'm 250lbs not 230lbs.

    My numbers are below (tested max and working weight).

    Bench 305 1RM 270 3x5
    Press 230 1RM 202.5 3x5
    Squat 325 1RM 280 3x5
    Deadlift 460 1RM 420 1x5

  4. #4
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    Yes I know and I as suggesting that you can probably still get stronger at 230 lb with less body fat. Your lifts are in a good place and I don't see the risk of a big drop with a 20 lb loss at your height. More than that may be an issue. Eventually you will reach your current bodyweight with much less fat. Are you sure you are closer to 30% though? Some decent numbers, especially up top, for a guy who is 30% fat at that height and weight. I'm also not opposed to you just sucking it up and driving up that deadlift and squat. That alone may recompose your body if you still have room on the bar.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    Yes I know and I as suggesting that you can probably still get stronger at 230 lb with less body fat. Your lifts are in a good place and I don't see the risk of a big drop with a 20 lb loss at your height. More than that may be an issue. Eventually you will reach your current bodyweight with much less fat. Are you sure you are closer to 30% though? Some decent numbers, especially up top, for a guy who is 30% fat at that height and weight. I'm also not opposed to you just sucking it up and driving up that deadlift and squat. That alone may recompose your body if you still have room on the bar.
    That's encouraging to hear, as I felt my best around 235 on my way up to 250 (bodyfat was way lower then as well). I may not be 30% bodyfat, to be honest that was just my guess based on the illustrations you can find all over of a guy at 10,15,20,25,30% BF and I picked the one that looked closest. I have about 1" of fat on my belly when standing, maybe 1.5" when seated.

    Once I get my deadlift to 5 plates I will slowly move back down in BF.

    Thanks for the help man.

  6. #6
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    starting strength coach development program
    That sounds about right too. I was throwing a ballpark figure and I think we are in the same range. Get the work done then scale it down. Good call

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