Member
Should I start GOMAD-ing again?
Hi Mark,
I weigh around 95kg and am 5'11". My last lifts were:
Squat 108 kg 3x5
Deadlift 190 kg 1x5
Bench 98 kg 3x5
Press 60 kg 3x5
Clean 80 kg 3x5
My gains have been negligible lately, as you may have gathered. Would going back on the GOMAD be an option for someone of my heigh/weight/strength?
TMPHBITEU
This will be your call, but at 5' 11" and 209 you're not skinny. I think your squat is lagging quite a bit, and figuring out what is wrong with it may shake out your stickiness on the rest of your training. But gaining weight is always an easy way to get stronger.
Member
It's been over a week, so if you don't mind a question...the 'increase in weight=more strength' seems to be a big consideration with you. But I've always wondered: Are you talking about muscular bodyweight, or just any old bodyweight (like fat)? That is, would adding 5 lbs of blubber help out strength? I ask, because I can always gladly add thousands of calories of beer each week, but I wonder whether (given I get in my protein requirements) all those beer calories serve any purpose at all (other than increasing the size of my belly). I don't mind getting fat if it will help out my strength (after all, women prefer "charm" anyway).Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe
TMPHBITEU
I'm really sure I've said this before, so: the dietary conditions necessary for gaining muscle will also cause you to store some fat. Fat is obviously not a good thing for lifting more weight -- muscle is. But if you're going to grow more muscle, some fat will inevitably be stored as well. So "getting big" is a little of both. Just get big, and when it's time to Take That Bodybuilding Stage, we'll have figured out how to get you back down to your preferred 2% bodyfat.
Member
Thanks. I was asking because I've gotten a lot stronger, but not much bigger muscle-wise (I've had acquaintances comment on my increased bodyfat, but not at all on my shoulders, legs, or chest). That's cool with me, but I was wondering if my nightly intake of 600-1200 calories in beer was somehow stopping gains in muscular weight, even though it doesn't mess much with my strength.
TMPHBITEU
How have you concluded that your strength is continuing to increase without a gain in muscle mass? Are you postulating an increase in neuromuscular efficiency related to the beer intake? Because if you are, we all will start drinking THAT beer.
Member
Haha. That'd be nice, right? I guess I was guilty of forgetting that, despite how far I've come along, the numbers on the bar don't lie. I may have added 50-150 lbs on my lifts, but until I'm closer to a 300 bench/400 squat/500 deadlift, I'm still going to look more Dr. Jekyll than Mr. Hyde.
Member
Hi Mark,
I took a video today. Can you see anything that would be causing my squat to lag? The squat feel a lot better since I took your last advice and really pushed my knees out and adopted a slightly more horizontal back at the bottom to improve hip-drive.
http://www.youtube.com/v/yVF4xUFY-TE&hl=en&fs=1
TMPHBITEU
Just that you're shifting back onto your heels as you come out of the hole instead of driving straight up. That might be enough. Shoes would help.
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