I've been doing Stronglifts 5X5, but I'm starting to realize that I might not be maximizing my efforts...

I've been doing Stronglifts 5X5, but I'm starting to realize that I might not be maximizing my efforts. Is the program going to leave me looking like I don't even lift? My strength is going up, but will I still have no biceps and not look impressive by the time I'm done?

Its a beginner program, don't expect advanced results. You're not going to look that great for a couple years at least, until well after you've moved on to a different program.

So basically I'm working for nothing?

>working for nothing


LOOK AT THEM YO YOS

No, you are getting stronger like you said. Keep doing SL until you are stalling on your lifts, then do Texas Method until you hit 1/2/3/4, cut down to 10-12% bf, then clean bulk till you're at 15-18% and you should be looking pretty good.

What's the secret to thicc pancakes

Whip a lot of air into the batter. The more you whip it, the fluffier you get it. Stiff peaks, just like your gains, brah.

I just don't understand this.

If I do SL for a year and I'm able to lift 1/2/3/4pl8, but I won't look good until I move on to something else?

When I'm doing that something else, am I curling 200lbs or something? Why do I have to get to 1/2/3/4 before I start lifting lighter and get aesthetic two years later?

you get strong first before working on hypertrophy. Or you can work on aesthetics from the start, but what's the fun in going to the gym if you aren't lifting heavy shit?

if you're at 1/2/3/4pl8 for reps and you're not overweight, chances are you look bretty gud by normie standards

with that being said, you probably won't get to that just on SL alone (especially with bench and OHP) - and that's what that guy was talking about (this is a beginner program) there's a point (that's different for everybody) that you can't add 5 pounds every session, at that point you'd switch to something weekly like 531

I'm not going to the gym to have fun. I'm going to the gym to look better with my clothes off.

It's like saying "what's the point in taking a shower just to get clean? It's more fun to take a bubble bath with all your toys in the tub". Nah, I just want to be clean, so I take a shower. I'm not there to have fun in the tub alone.

You have to lift heavy to get big muscles. You have to get strong enough to lift heavy first, that's the point of SL. An intermediate program like Texas Method is similar to SL except you only go up in weight once a week instead of 3x a week. There will come a time where you can't go up 5lbs every week either and then you have to get more advanced.

what does 1234 mean???

1 plate OHP
2 plate bench ect... 3 squat 4 dl??

This

Exactly.

Another way people look at it is
>OHP 1x your bodyweight
>bench 1.5x your bodyweight
>squat 2x your bodyweight
>deadlift 2.5x your bodyweight

Yes, for reps

Just add pull-ups.
With a chin-up variant day.

Will get some growth for your biceps, and back width never makes anyone look smaller.

ohhh thank you! As a beginner (which is obvious if I'm asking) this seems so much more easier!!

Deadlifting 2.5x my BW will come a lot quicker than 4 pl8 lmao

yeah but maybe by the time you hit 2.5x bw your weight will be much closer to 4pl

No. You're working to get the gains you want it just takes a long time so don't expect to look huge after a year of lifting.

Put it this way, you could be doing 12 reps of 135lb bench or 12 reps of 225lb, whats gonna be the best for muscular hypertrophy.

A solid strength base is essential.

You won't look good because you don't have enough muscle mass. The longer you train the more complex it becomes but you're continuing to add muscle to your frame. A more advanced program would yield slower results for you RIGHT NOW, but by the time you reach those later stages you 'll need those more advanced programs to continue making gains.

Is my shit proportional? I feel like compared to my DL, my OHP should be a lot higher


>OHP 1x your bodyweight 60/130 46%
>bench 1.5x your bodyweight 130/195 66%
>squat 2x your bodyweight 160/270 59%
>deadlift 2.5x your bodyweight 185/325 56%

so my OHP is 60
DL is 185

the numbers on the right are my goals.
numbers on left are actual maxes

OHP is the slowest progression for most people

It's never going to be perfect, and it's not supposed to be perfect, just a general guideline. Your lifts will progress at their own pace. You don't want to take a trip to snap city by forcing it. Listen to your body is always rule number one. Never try to force your body to conform to a number.

Thanks!
I was just thinking that I can probably do a little more than 60 with ohp (8 reps). I kinda do want to see what my real max is, but yeah I don't want to push it too much and fuck up my shoulder.

How do i know if im stalling? i could increase weight but i feel like my form suffers

There are 1rm calculators, try symmetricstrength.com

This. Also strengthlevel.com

Thanks, I'll check those out. I mean I'm pretty tired at 8 reps x 60 pounds, but I don't know for sure that it is my max, whereas my other exercises are near my max for 8 reps.


Hold up. So the 1/2/3/4 or 1/1.5/2... is that for 1 rep or 8 reps or what??

I moved on after my first time failing a squat. I started with just the bar and was up to 240x5. I had already stalled on my OHP a few times. I think I did SL a little over 3 months. 3-6 months is probably as long as anyone should be on it before moving on to something like Texas Method or Madcow.

It depends who you ask but I say 5 reps because getting to a 3pl8 1rm squat is honestly not that hard

what do most people say? 5 reps makes sense to me, I like that haha.

Either 5 or 1