Noticed something strange

[Baz70]

Hey all, I am a 48 year old intermediate.
I was looking through some photos and noticed something. Back at the end of January I was at the end of my linear progression for the upper body lifts. I was 205 lbs. and I was struggling / failing at 3x5x190. Photos taken of me at this time show me stretching shirts in the chest and arms, with a slight gut.

Here I am 8 months of hard training later.... I did a heavy/light split for a few months and brought my bench from failing at 3x5x190 to heavy triples at 230 and a conservative 1RM of 250. I am currently in week 6 of Andy Baker's GGW using the 250 1RM as my baseline.

SO... I still weigh 205 on the nose and am far stronger than I was in January.However, I am also SMALLER in appearance, and still have a gut which may actually be bigger..... I don't fill the top of any of the same shirts out like I did 8 months ago.
So all things being equal... Diet is the same, training is still 3-4 times per week with more volume, strength has gone up exponentially.. upper body size, not so much. Where are my aesthetic gains for all this hard work. I am totally perplexed and frustrated.
Thank you for any insight on why my results are not on par with what I expect.

[Frankie]

Maybe it's your haircut?

[Fulcrum]

Hey all, I am a 48 year old intermediate.
I was looking through some photos and noticed something. Back at the end of January I was at the end of my linear progression for the upper body lifts. I was 205 lbs. and I was struggling / failing at 3x5x190. Photos taken of me at this time show me stretching shirts in the chest and arms, with a slight gut.

Here I am 8 months of hard training later.... I did a heavy/light split for a few months and brought my bench from failing at 3x5x190 to heavy triples at 230 and a conservative 1RM of 250. I am currently in week 6 of Andy Baker's GGW using the 250 1RM as my baseline.

SO... I still weigh 205 on the nose and am far stronger than I was in January.However, I am also SMALLER in appearance, and still have a gut which may actually be bigger..... I don't fill the top of any of the same shirts out like I did 8 months ago.
So all things being equal... Diet is the same, training is still 3-4 times per week with more volume, strength has gone up exponentially.. upper body size, not so much. Where are my aesthetic gains for all this hard work. I am totally perplexed and frustrated.
Thank you for any insight on why my results are not on par with what I expect.

Good to see your bench moving forward on GGW.

BUUUTTTT... from a e1rm of 214 (190x5RM) to 250 is only 36 pounds.
That's not "exponential". Exponentiation is the opposite of the performance curve of the cover of PP3:BBST.

Maybe your other lifts have gotten better "exponentially" is what you meant.
And you are carrying most of this new muscle on your lower body.
And thusly don't notice it in pictures and the mirror (backside, glutes, etc)

What are you other lifts?
Squat?
Deadlift?
OHP?

Do you do other upper body exercises, besides bench and OHP?

[Baz70]

Good to see your bench moving forward on GGW.

BUUUTTTT... from a e1rm of 214 (190x5RM) to 250 is only 36 pounds.
That's not "exponential". Exponentiation is the opposite of the performance curve of the cover of PP3:BBST.

Maybe your other lifts have gotten better "exponentially" is what you meant.
And you are carrying most of this new muscle on your lower body.
And thusly don't notice it in pictures and the mirror (backside, glutes, etc)

What are you other lifts?
Squat?
Deadlift?
OHP?

Do you do other upper body exercises, besides bench and OHP?

Thank you for the response.
I misused the word exponentially.. Topic for a different thread.
My other lifts:
squat on 1/28/18 was 3x5x250 (nearing end of linear progression) and progressed until 6/8/18 conservative 350 single.
I have since injured my groin and am nursing my squat back with light weight and a focus on form. Last workout was a pain free 4x5x185. I am not following any programming for my squat currently. The injury only allows me to go by feel. I have been adding weight and volume slowly and am squatting 3 times per week. I plan to finish out this round of GGW with all the other lifts, test my squat at that point and jump back into another round of GGW with my squat included.

My Deadlift as of 1/28/18 was 1x4x320 (end of linear progression) at which point I switched to a Heavy/ Light program and progressed to 6/18/18 @1x3x370. Shortly thereafter I injured my groin and my lower body went into super light & conservative mode.
Currently My deadlift and bench are following the GGW program. I am using a very conservative 370 1rm as my benchmark for deadlift so as to not interfere with my groin recovery. (Again I am unable to squat following the GGW protocol.)

My overhead press sucks. I suffered a traumatic injury in my 20's leaving me with no rear delt on my right side (literally tore it out of my body)..
So my Press is only meh. I worked up to heavy single at 140 before starting GGW.
I should note I am doing a Bench focused version of GGW.

other accessory lifts have included in the past: Chins, Dips, GHR, Pendlay Rows, LTE, curls, Lat pull downs, etc. These were more in play on the Heavy/Light program after my main lifts.
Right now I am keeping those out with exception to Pendlay row, GHR, and Lat Pulldown on light days. I also do the occasional set or two of curls.

As for carrying new muscle, be it in my lower or upper body.. it's possible but my weight hasn't changed. I still have a spare tire.I would think more muscle at the same bodyweight would equate to less fat.
the thing that really has me stumped is a decrease in upper body mass while my upper body strength has increased.

[Fulcrum]

Thank you for the response.
I misused the word exponentially.. Topic for a different thread.
My other lifts:
squat on 1/28/18 was 3x5x250 (nearing end of linear progression) and progressed until 6/8/18 conservative 350 single.
I have since injured my groin and am nursing my squat back with light weight and a focus on form. Last workout was a pain free 4x5x185. I am not following any programming for my squat currently. The injury only allows me to go by feel. I have been adding weight and volume slowly and am squatting 3 times per week. I plan to finish out this round of GGW with all the other lifts, test my squat at that point and jump back into another round of GGW with my squat included.

My Deadlift as of 1/28/18 was 1x4x320 (end of linear progression) at which point I switched to a Heavy/ Light program and progressed to 6/18/18 @1x3x370. Shortly thereafter I injured my groin and my lower body went into super light & conservative mode.
Currently My deadlift and bench are following the GGW program. I am using a very conservative 370 1rm as my benchmark for deadlift so as to not interfere with my groin recovery. (Again I am unable to squat following the GGW protocol.)

My overhead press sucks. I suffered a traumatic injury in my 20's leaving me with no rear delt on my right side (literally tore it out of my body)..
So my Press is only meh. I worked up to heavy single at 140 before starting GGW.
I should note I am doing a Bench focused version of GGW.

other accessory lifts have included in the past: Chins, Dips, GHR, Pendlay Rows, LTE, curls, Lat pull downs, etc. These were more in play on the Heavy/Light program after my main lifts.
Right now I am keeping those out with exception to Pendlay row, GHR, and Lat Pulldown on light days. I also do the occasional set or two of curls.

As for carrying new muscle, be it in my lower or upper body.. it's possible but my weight hasn't changed. I still have a spare tire.I would think more muscle at the same bodyweight would equate to less fat.
the thing that really has me stumped is a decrease in upper body mass while my upper body strength has increased.

sorry about your rear delt. That sucks.

There is another thread on here recently where a guy got a DEXA scan before and after starting the program.
2.5 month time frame.
Had some respectable gains on his lifts, only had a net gain of 0.6 kgs of muscle and 5.4 kgs fat gain.
He's 25....gaining weight....and lifts went up a modest amount.

HERE:
https://startingstrength.com/resourc...ml#post1705141

So I think the lift numbers you are describing in your training don't really equate to all that much muscle being gained, thus, your physique isn't notable different.
Probably mostly lower body. And, you see yourself every day, changes aren't probably really noticeable to you...like watching grass grow.
Being 47 doesn't help either as far as the belly/spare tire thing. I'm about your age as well....its tough.

[chrisza]

Those are pretty good improvements on your lifts in that timespan. Hard to believe you didn't add on significant muscle. Sometimes we're our own toughest critics. The grass growing analogy is good by Fulcrum. Anyone else notice your gains? Once I started lifting for real with barbells and got past the 315x5 S 225x5 bench and 405 DL, I got many comments on physique change, but I didn't think I looked that much different.

[Baz70]

sorry about your rear delt. That sucks.

There is another thread on here recently where a guy got a DEXA scan before and after starting the program.
2.5 month time frame.
Had some respectable gains on his lifts, only had a net gain of 0.6 kgs of muscle and 5.4 kgs fat gain.
He's 25....gaining weight....and lifts went up a modest amount.

HERE:
https://startingstrength.com/resourc...ml#post1705141

So I think the lift numbers you are describing in your training don't really equate to all that much muscle being gained, thus, your physique isn't notable different.
Probably mostly lower body. And, you see yourself every day, changes aren't probably really noticeable to you...like watching grass grow.
Being 47 doesn't help either as far as the belly/spare tire thing. I'm about your age as well....its tough.

Those are pretty good improvements on your lifts in that timespan. Hard to believe you didn't add on significant muscle. Sometimes we're our own toughest critics. The grass growing analogy is good by Fulcrum. Anyone else notice your gains? Once I started lifting for real with barbells and got past the 315x5 S 225x5 bench and 405 DL, I got many comments on physique change, but I didn't think I looked that much different.

Thank you both. I realize being 48 that I am not in a position to grow a lot or very fast. the funny thing about getting comments is that people did notice back during the LP 7-8 months ago. I definitely looked bigger then. Nobody has said anything in months and I can see why for myself. The grass growing analogy is spot on I am sure. I just think I'm dealing with artificial turf, lol.
It's all good, I will soldier on and continue to get stronger. I started my LP a year ago and my lifts have come a long way. My physique is lagging but I am stronger.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Had your testosterone level checked?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Also, what is your diet like? What does a typical day of eating look like for you?

[Baz70]

Had your testosterone level checked?

Thank you for taking the time to read and reply. I have never had it checked. Would it be possible to make strength gains regularly if it is low? I will do my due diligence on getting it checked. Thanks again, that is something I hadn't considered other than the common knowledge of knowing it goes down over the years.

Also, what is your diet like? What does a typical day of eating look like for you?

Hey Andy, Thanks for replying! I am enjoying your GGW program.
A typical day of eating would be
25g protein mixed in 8-12 oz of milk, bagel with cream cheese first thing
2-3 hours later sausage or bacon egg and cheese wrap (small.. think dunkin donuts)
lunch- sandwich or a sub from various places, always loaded with proteins.
pre-workout 8-12 ounces milk with a banana and 25g protein.
post workout/dinner- huge salad with a full chicken breast.. or chicken breast and a sweet potato..
nightly snack - cup of greek yogurt with approx 10-15g of casein protein

I also add in the occasional cheeseburger, fries, onion rings, entire large Pizza, ice cream.... Yada, yada. nothing out of control but I don't really monitor what I eat until I start to actually gain weight fast and feel jigglier than usual. From March to May of this year I was carrying around 8-10 more pounds @213-215 while doing a 4 day H/L split. at that point my lower body lifts were at their strongest. Today I am 205, the same 34" inseam as I was @215 and "feel" more jiggly now being 10 lbs. lighter. Is it safe to assume the 10 lbs. lost was in my legs due to my injury and setback on lower body?
Again, I'm more interested in why I have gotten stronger in my upper body lifts while my upper body appears smaller. I haven't really stopped making progress or had major setbacks on upper body minus a few sore joints here and there.
I know I eat like an asshole and being soft is a product of that.