Gain too much weight from Starting Strength

I've been running starting strength for nearly 3 months now and have gained close to 20 pounds. I'm a little concerned that I'm gaining too much weight.

Initially I had planned on just gaining and getting stronger and then cutting down on my fat before summer but recently I read an article on T-nation talking about the cons to the bulking/cutting routine. It basically advocated gaining weight slowly, going along with the maximum rate your body can create muscle, which is about 1-2 pounds per month.

I feel I should probably slow down on the weight gaining and focus on gaining 1-2 pounds a month and just trying to get stronger but don't want that to hinder my strength gains. Any advice?

[QUOTE=jreale;610150923]I've been running starting strength for nearly 3 months now and have gained close to 20 pounds. I'm a little concerned that I'm gaining too much weight.

Initially I had planned on just gaining and getting stronger and then cutting down on my fat before summer but recently I read an article on T-nation talking about the cons to the bulking/cutting routine. It basically advocated gaining weight slowly, going along with the maximum rate your body can create muscle, which is about 1-2 pounds per month.

I feel I should probably slow down on the weight gaining and focus on gaining 1-2 pounds a month and just trying to get stronger but don't want that to hinder my strength gains. Any advice?[/QUOTE]

It seems like you're doing the program correctly.
What are the increases in weight on your exercises?

[QUOTE=H1t_V3r4c;610153423]It seems like you're doing the program correctly.
What are the increases in weight on your exercises?[/QUOTE]

My 1 rep max on Bench has gone from 155 to 200 (just did 175 3 x 5), my squats have gone up from 135 to 210 for 3 x 5 (pretty weak I know but I'm going slow due to a torn meniscus), my deadlift is around 215 (1 x 5), barbell rows have gone from 120 to 175 3 x 5, press has gone from 95 to 125 3 x 5.

whats ur calorie intake?
First off since ur doing SS pretty fine and ur made nice weight improvements i doubt with even a 3,000 calorie than the 20lbs of weight u gained. ill bet u not even close to 5lbs of it is fat.

[QUOTE=jreale;610156203]My 1 rep max on Bench has gone from 155 to 200 (just did 175 3 x 5), my squats have gone up from 135 to 210 for 3 x 5 (pretty weak I know but I'm going slow due to a torn meniscus), my deadlift is around 215 (1 x 5), barbell rows have gone from 120 to 175 3 x 5, press has gone from 95 to 125 3 x 5.[/QUOTE]

I think you should continue starting strength for another month or two and milk all linear progression. You're right. If you limit your caloric excess, your strength gains will suffer.

and dude ur body can make as muscle as u allow it. Sleep more eat more, grow more. damn 1 month for 1-2 lbs of muscle for a beginner? wth

also if u read a stickie in the teen bb section
its healthy when gaining to go up 1 lb a week
healthy when losing to go down 1 lb a week. . .

[QUOTE=JJinSS;610157033]whats ur calorie intake?
First off since ur doing SS pretty fine and ur made nice weight improvements i doubt with even a 3,000 calorie than the 20lbs of weight u gained. ill bet u not even close to 5lbs of it is fat.[/QUOTE]

I don't specifically monitor calories. I have been drinking a serious mass shake before bed which is anywhere from 1250-1650 calories tacked on to whatever I eat throughout the day, which is usually a lot. I probably eat between 3000-4000 a day with the shake. I have noticed that my waist size has gone up from 30 to at least 32.

When I first did a bodyfat composition test, with one of those handheld impedence readers, it said I was 4.9% bf, that was right when I started SS. I weigh 171 today and the reader says I'm at 7.5%. But that thing has a margin of error of up to 5% and I did that today after working out, which throws it off.

You look fairly lean if your avi is recent. Just go for another couple months then if you need to, cut down to a lower BF%. The strength that is gained through SS will help tremendously when you decide to do a hypertrophy based workout and eat at a more "bodybuilding friendly" caloric intake.

[QUOTE=H1t_V3r4c;610160443]You look fairly lean if your avi is recent. Just go for another couple months then if you need to, cut down to a lower BF%. The strength that is gained through SS will help tremendously when you decide to do a hypertrophy based workout and eat at a more "bodybuilding friendly" caloric intake.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the advice.

hmm

ur squat went from 135 to 210 in only 3 months? thats like 36 lifting days for 3 months.
u only gained 70 lbs in 36 lifting days. . .something aint right yo.

u should done that in 1 month. if u add 10 every time

thast 135/145/155/165/175/185/195/215
and if u do stall lets say at 195 thats only like 3 more days for u try it out before u deload and reset. and that only would be another week. and with proper resting.

and the squat is your main calorie killer. If u aren't squating right/deep enough and u arent progressing in weight enough. ur bodys not growing so the calories go nowhere but fat. as for 4% to 7% that is only about 5 lbs of fat. and 15 lbs of muscle. That is not bad for a person bulking.

i would just try and eat cleaner if ur worried man. the mass gainer is fine. But mass gainers are just full of sugars, thats where the calories come from. Like premade carbogain with ON whey.

[QUOTE=JJinSS;610162323]hmm

ur squat went from 135 to 210 in only 3 months? thats like 36 lifting days for 3 months.
u only gained 70 lbs in 36 lifting days. . .something aint right yo.

u should done that in 1 month. if u add 10 every time

thast 135/145/155/165/175/185/195/215
and if u do stall lets say at 195 thats only like 3 more days for u try it out before u deload and reset. and that only would be another week. and with proper resting.

and the squat is your main calorie killer. If u aren't squating right/deep enough and u arent progressing in weight enough. ur bodys not growing so the calories go nowhere but fat. as for 4% to 7% that is only about 5 lbs of fat. and 15 lbs of muscle. That is not bad for a person bulking.

i would just try and eat cleaner if ur worried man. the mass gainer is fine. But mass gainers are just full of sugars, thats where the calories come from. Like premade carbogain with ON whey.[/QUOTE]

I've only been adding 5 when I can do 3 x 5 because I have a messed up knee and don't want to hurt myself. I was also going to film myself doing squats to make sure my form is good soon.

[QUOTE=jreale;610163463]I've only been adding 5 when I can do 3 x 5 because I have a messed up knee and don't want to hurt myself. I was also going to film myself doing squats to make sure my form is good soon.[/QUOTE]

ah i forgot about the knee.

hmm i think u are doing just fine than.

only problems would be ur nutrition. just eat cleaner. simple.

don't worry about that few lbs of fat.

i think personally if your a male. its easy to loose weight. really easy.

you may be putting on weight a little quick but not bad. the idea of gaining only 1 lb a month would keep fat gain down, but is a meticulous monitoring of calories. Most people wont have the dedication to accomplish it

Those gains are pretty solid, bad knee and all. Gladiator, I salute you!

I would keep doing SS until you plateau completely. Take a week off after all gains have stopped and reassess. If you have to cut down a bit on the calories then do so, but from the look of your avi you haven't gained all that much fat.

The other thing to consider is your age. Over time and with good nutrition (i.e. no junk) you'll put on more weight. Ideally, if you can keep a 75/25 ratio of muscle to fat (or higher on the muscle gain) then you're doing alright. By all means, film your squat and put the vid for assessment. Don't worry so much about the numbers; form is #1 to consider and you don't want another injury. You're doing okay for now, so stick with it.

[QUOTE=JJinSS;610162323]hmm

ur squat went from 135 to 210 in only 3 months? thats like 36 lifting days for 3 months.
u only gained 70 lbs in 36 lifting days. . .something aint right yo.

u should done that in 1 month. if u add 10 every time

thast 135/145/155/165/175/185/195/215
and if u do stall lets say at 195 thats only like 3 more days for u try it out before u deload and reset. and that only would be another week. and with proper resting.

and the squat is your main calorie killer. If u aren't squating right/deep enough and u arent progressing in weight enough. ur bodys not growing so the calories go nowhere but fat. as for 4% to 7% that is only about 5 lbs of fat. and 15 lbs of muscle. That is not bad for a person bulking.
[/QUOTE]

You only need to add 5 lbs to your squat every workout. There's nothing wrong with increasing squat 15lbs a week while on SS.

Your logic about not squatting deep enough means gaining fat is completely flawed too.

That TNation article does not apply to noob gains, which is what you're getting. As I recall the author is referring to people on a more intermediate level who bulk up to serious bf% in the hopes of gaining as much muscle as possible when in reality they won't be gaining necessarily any more muscle than someone who gains more slowly with a more intelligent diet.

[QUOTE=jreale;610150923]Gaining Too Much Weight From Starting strength[/QUOTE]


Does not compute.

You are 6'0 and now 170 (before 150?), keep gaining :)

What's this meniscus injury? When did it happen, how, etc, and how does it affect you today?