Starting to grind, missing reps on intermediate.

[Steve Hill]

“I must get” sounds like an estimate, and those are always suspect. At 57, 1g/lb of BW is the absolute minimum for protein intake, and as an older lifter, you need more protein exposure to drive muscular growth. I’d suggest upping protein intake, and make sure you’re getting in the 175-200g/day range. There’s a good section on this in “The Barbell Prescription,” and Sully had written about this in at least one article that i can recall.

[Nockian]

“I must get” sounds like an estimate, and those are always suspect. At 57, 1g/lb of BW is the absolute minimum for protein intake, and as an older lifter, you need more protein exposure to drive muscular growth. I’d suggest upping protein intake, and make sure you’re getting in the 175-200g/day range. There’s a good section on this in “The Barbell Prescription,” and Sully had written about this in at least one article that i can recall.

Thanks Steve.

That's all fine, but what do I do for training ? Do I just keep grinding out until the protein kicks in ?

[Steve Hill]

Continue as you've been doing. It's going to be a grind, from now on, on every working set. Some days will be a little *less* of a grind, some days more. It's one of the things you learn to deal with and accept as a lifter - some days the bar feels like it's going to crush you. Mentality is important. If you go under the bar worried that "This is the time I'm going to miss reps," then you just nocebo'd yourself into potentially doing so. At some point, you'll stall, reset, and work your way back up. Do that 2-3 times and then move on to Intermediate. As it says in the book(s). I recommend you pick up a copy of "The Barbell prescription," and read it thoroughly, several times.

[Nockian]

Continue as you've been doing. It's going to be a grind, from now on, on every working set. Some days will be a little *less* of a grind, some days more. It's one of the things you learn to deal with and accept as a lifter - some days the bar feels like it's going to crush you. Mentality is important. If you go under the bar worried that "This is the time I'm going to miss reps," then you just nocebo'd yourself into potentially doing so. At some point, you'll stall, reset, and work your way back up. Do that 2-3 times and then move on to Intermediate. As it says in the book(s). I recommend you pick up a copy of "The Barbell prescription," and read it thoroughly, several times.

I have reset several times already and managed to improve slightly afte the resets, but the improvements are no longer happening- at least on the press. I'm still creeping forward on the bench, definitely on the squat since figuring out what I was doing wrong and the dead lift I'm at the limit on the last rep but still making some progress.

I already have the BP and SS. Checked today's protein intake and it was over 130g and that before I have dinner which consists of at least 6-8oz of meat such as chicken, steak, salmon. I really don't think I'm skipping much in protein if anything. I eat more or less the same on every day post training. I do eat a bit less protein on training days, but I have 2x40g of porridge so increasing carbs-I've done that using water, but I can swap that out to full fat milk which will increase protein. Weekends can vary as we tend to eat out out 8oz steak / chicken curry / Sunday lunch.

[Steve Hill]

I have reset several times already and managed to improve slightly afte the resets, but the improvements are no longer happening- at least on the press. I'm still creeping forward on the bench, definitely on the squat since figuring out what I was doing wrong and the dead lift I'm at the limit on the last rep but still making some progress.

I already have the BP and SS. Checked today's protein intake and it was over 130g and that before I have dinner which consists of at least 6-8oz of meat such as chicken, steak, salmon. I really don't think I'm skipping much in protein if anything. I eat more or less the same on every day post training. I do eat a bit less protein on training days, but I have 2x40g of porridge so increasing carbs-I've done that using water, but I can swap that out to full fat milk which will increase protein. Weekends can vary as we tend to eat out out 8oz steak / chicken curry / Sunday lunch.

There is no question here that hasn't already been addressed in previous replies. You state "No problem with the first three questions," but you are at a minumum of protein intake for your age for advancement, and we have no idea of the amount of rest you have taken. So, ONE MORE TIME:

1) Assess, honestly and accurately, the answers to the "three questions", and make SURE there is nothing here to address. We've already talked about protein. Have you considered that 8 minutes rest might not be enough? You obviously THINK it is, but have you tried longer (rhetorical question, I'm not looking for an answer)?
2) Address any form errors
3) Ride the lift into a stall, reset, repeat 1-2 times. Look into the "Extending NLP" article and see if anything an be gleaend there.
4) Once all that is done and exhausted, move the stalled lift to an intermediate program.

Was there anything else?

[Nockian]

There is no question here that hasn't already been addressed in previous replies. You state "No problem with the first three questions," but you are at a minumum of protein intake for your age for advancement, and we have no idea of the amount of rest you have taken. So, ONE MORE TIME:

1) Assess, honestly and accurately, the answers to the "three questions", and make SURE there is nothing here to address. We've already talked about protein. Have you considered that 8 minutes rest might not be enough? You obviously THINK it is, but have you tried longer (rhetorical question, I'm not looking for an answer)?
2) Address any form errors
3) Ride the lift into a stall, reset, repeat 1-2 times. Look into the "Extending NLP" article and see if anything an be gleaend there.
4) Once all that is done and exhausted, move the stalled lift to an intermediate program.

Was there anything else?

Only which intermediate should I choose. The BP has a wealth of them, which is confusing-I'm not competing and just want to get as strong as I can. I'm not working so time isn't a constraint. I don't have any physiological issues except being weak. No injuries or bad knees - everything works and I have plenty of time to prepare meals and rest.m

[Elephant]

Don't think my current diet could be any cleaner Steve. Lots of green veggies, salad, meats, fish, good fats, cheeses, milk, eggs, nuts, avocados -I don't touch junk food, or much, if any, processed food. No alcohol, sugar, biscuits, cakes, chocolates, bread. The only carbs are veggies like sweet potatoes, oats before and after training and occasionally rice.

I must get at least 150g of protein. I use a litre of full cream milk, plus 50g high quality whey protein 3 times per week. Eggs and bacon for breakfast, a big hunk of protein in the form of meat, or fish for dinner and quite a lot of high quality raw milk cheese and nuts.

You should be eating more than a g/lb of protein.

Are you getting enough carbs? Jordan has recommended at least 1g/lb of bodyweight and Santana recommends slanting even more towards carbs rather than fats. You might post in the nutrition forum.

Track intake in myfitnesspal. "I must get" is not an accurate method.

[Steve Hill]

Only which intermediate should I choose. The BP has a wealth of them, which is confusing-I'm not competing and just want to get as strong as I can. I'm not working so time isn't a constraint. I don't have any physiological issues except being weak. No injuries or bad knees - everything works and I have plenty of time to prepare meals and rest.m

In my opinion, you should choose the one that works. Guess how you find this out?

[Nockian]

In my opinion, you should choose the one that works. Guess how you find this out?

Try them all out by rotating them one after another and then mixing them up and adding in spurious cardio work ?

'I don't know' would have sufficed.

Thanks for the help. I'm more muddled now than I was before I asked.

[Nockian]

You should be eating more than a g/lb of protein.

Are you getting enough carbs? Jordan has recommended at least 1g/lb of bodyweight and Santana recommends slanting even more towards carbs rather than fats. You might post in the nutrition forum.

Track intake in myfitnesspal. "I must get" is not an accurate method.

Does anyone know the answers to those questions. Jordan was the one suggesting I added the oats before and after training which is what I do now. It's all a bit like the gallon of water thing-why don't we just eat when we are hungry and make sure it's quality, nutritious food. I'm never hungry, as of today, in four months, I've gained 10lb and some body fat-I'm hardly starving if my weight and body fat is increasing.

I won't be doing fitness pal, I spent far too long obsessing over that application to be healthy.

Thanks for trying to help, it's appreciated.