Personally specific questions for new powerlifters.

[ironpain]

I've been lifting on and off for a couple of years using BP split routines in a "bodybuilding style" without regard to my body fat percentage. Recently, I decided to shed the body fat by beginning a strength-based routine (Starr/Madcow 5x5) with cardio days between lifting days. I won't go into details, but this is the important part:

After only a few weeks of lifting this way I realized that I really enjoy powerlifting as opposed to the bodybuilding split. I'm want to start powerlifting, but I want to start right, unlike I did in bodybuilding, so I've immersed myself in information by reading the stickies, articles on elitefts.com, and digging through some old posts on bb.com forums. While reading I've concluded a few things, but some questions about my specific situation could not really be answered by these resources, so I have a couple of questions:

1) Being between 15-18% body fat currently, should I continue to eat at a calorie deficit as I was to lose body fat? If not, should I eat at maintenance or surplus? (For the sake of continued linear progression.)

2) Am I correct in continuing to train with Madcow's version of 5x5 until linear progression stops after several resets?

My lifts for reference: Bench 195 x 3 / Squat 230 x 3 / Deadlift 260 x 3 (based on last workout) I can answer any other questions that will help clarify my goals, experience, etc.



I hope that people will continue to use this thread to ask questions that pertain specifically to them; i.e. their weight, PR's, goals, schedules.


Reps for help. Thanks in advance!

[.aeterna]

1. the simple answer is to eat enough to allow for strength progression. that said, is your primary goal to get strong or cut weight?

2. id continue with 5x5...based on your weight/current lifts, you can continue to benefit off it

[ironpain]

1. the simple answer is to eat enough to allow for strength progression. that said, is your primary goal to get strong or cut weight?

2. id continue with 5x5...based on your weight/current lifts, you can continue to benefit off it

thanks for your response. i guess my main goal has shifted to strength. i don't want to be chubby, but i don't want my strength gains to suffer. so i guess what i really want to know is, should i just eat at maintenance until i feel like i need more calories to sustain strength gains, or should i eat a surplus in anticipation of necessity?

[.aeterna]

id at at maintenance until you feel the training sessions getting difficult (or close to a reset) then immediately raise cals a bit

[ironpain]

id at at maintenance until you feel the training sessions getting difficult (or close to a reset) then immediately raise cals a bit

should i stop cardio in between lifting days?


thanks for the info, btw.

[koyongi]

should i stop cardio in between lifting days?


thanks for the info, btw.

If you want to make better strength gains, yes. That doesn't mean take your off days completely off, but it means no cardio in the traditional sense of the word. Take a walk, stretch, foam roll, do active recovery type movements, etc. on your off days.

[ironpain]

If you want to make better strength gains, yes. That doesn't mean take your off days completely off, but it means no cardio in the traditional sense of the word. Take a walk, stretch, foam roll, do active recovery type movements, etc. on your off days.

cool, thanks. better strength gains is my main goal.