How do you guys gain strength w/o Bodyweight?

[Tomohawk92]

I've been at the same weight for around 5 years now while lifting (prefer low reps) and my deadlift has increased only 5 pounds.
Is the key to PL a good program? I really think I'm at the limit of strength for how much I weigh, and I've always just to satiety.

Or just call me a weak bitch and I'm not trying hard enough

[FeelsBrah]

I've been at the same weight for around 5 years now while lifting (prefer low reps) and my deadlift has increased only 5 pounds.
Is the key to PL a good program? I really think I'm at the limit of strength for how much I weigh, and I've always just to satiety.

Or just call me a weak bitch and I'm not trying hard enough

What is your deadlift?

5 pounds in 5 years.... I'd go mad.

[IngeKJ]

Increasing volume and frequency makes you stronger. Its called building work capacity. If youve only added 5lbs to your deadlift over 5 years, somethings wrong. And youre too light, you need some mass for leverage and strength. Of course programming is key, what do you use?

[IIISpartacusIII]

You waited 5 years to decide that something went wrong? What powerlifting programs did you try over those 5 years? Also, if you really do weigh 150 lbs at 5'9" then I can't imagine that you'd NOT want to gain some muscle too.

If you haven't given a "strength training" program a fair chance then today would be an excellent day to start; don't wait another 5 years.

[raskolAU]

I've been at the same weight for around 5 years now while lifting (prefer low reps) and my deadlift has increased only 5 pounds.
Is the key to PL a good program? I really think I'm at the limit of strength for how much I weigh, and I've always just to satiety.

Or just call me a weak bitch and I'm not trying hard enough

I've been lifting on and off for 18 months, initially I lost about 5 kg of fat because I cleaned up my diet focusing on mostly real foods and an approximate maintenance calorie intake. Between that and newbie gains I increased in strength and muscles, enough to make me want to continue.

However I've still been quite flabby so over the last year have read quite a bit about high fat low carb type lifestyles, the pinnacle being the ketogenic diet, where your body adapts to burning fat as a fuel source and as such also spares muscle mass, there is a whole section about keto on this forum btw.

I'm in ketosis at the moment and have been on and off for the last 3 months, whilst I've only been tanking hard the last month, I've added 15 kg (35 lb?) to my deadlift, I've noticed that sometimes in more high rep sessions I to run out of steam, but in lower rep strength sessions I power through nicely, I've heard similar from other keto'ers too, I've also noticed that recovery is improved and I've heard the latter from the doctor of a football team btw

So anyway maybe consider low carb high fat eating plan as a means to eat plenty without metabolic issues and weight gain.

Secondly, if you don't already have one, you need a coach, at least sometimes (I'm quite poor so I'll only see one occasionally), yesterday I tested my 1rm deadlift and got some pointers in form with a very experienced powerlifting coach, it made the world of difference and I'm a lot more confident to train harder and get them gains than I was before.

Something you need to consider is that with heavy lifts, anything over xyz weight feels heavy and you feel it the next day aswell, but doesn't mean you can't do more, it could be that you have psyched yourself out as I did yesterday and missed a lift, coach pointed that out and said do it again, i did it and we increased the weight again after that. So try harder man :-)

[Einzelhaft]

Yeah, good technique and a decent program (along with busting your ass in the gym) will help.

[Tomohawk92]

What is your deadlift?

5 pounds in 5 years.... I'd go mad.

deadlift is at 320.. I'm ****ing tired of only being able to handle 3 plates

You waited 5 years to decide that something went wrong? What powerlifting programs did you try over those 5 years? Also, if you really do weigh 150 lbs at 5'9" then I can't imagine that you'd NOT want to gain some muscle too.

If you haven't given a "strength training" program a fair chance then today would be an excellent day to start; don't wait another 5 years.

In the earlier years I tried 5x5 SL, and recently I did greyskull LP but the volume was too much and I injured my back

Secondly, if you don't already have one, you need a coach

lifted with my best friend's dad a few times, 35+year powerlifter. he's got a 620 dead @ 62 years old
he said my tech is good but just take it easy on the low back and a few tricks to get the weight up

[raskolAU]

I'm about to start Candito's 6 week program, maybe give that a shot.

[Oleh]

OP find a coach or a person who actually competitively powerlifts to help guide you.

[Tomohawk92]

It looks like I never realized the importance of real programming, but when I've tried LP it never worked for long and I think it was because of not eating enough to recover. Does this mean I was lifting too frequently, or is eating more the only way to get stronger?

Also I think this video has helped understand the importance of programming

OP find a coach or a person who actually competitively powerlifts to help guide you.

Do you think it's not in most people's learning capacity to figure it out via youtube/internet? I don't have access to someone like that other than a fraternity brother who has a ~4.5 plate squat for a few reps. If you have a favorite source of info please share

[kohlerbear]

If you've put on 1 pound per year on your DEADLIFT I would reevaluate both your program and diet. Plenty of good information around here

[cirion0000]

I personally stalled for a long time until I realized that my recovery wasn't up to par. You can eat all you want but if you are undertrained for the workload you are attempting, no good.

Work smart, not necessarily harder. That's why I roll my eyes when I read some things in Beyond 5/3/1 the other day about "grow a pair and train harder". I get his sentiment, but if you're constantly beating yourself to a pulp, that's not how you get stronger, you get stronger during recovery periods.

You do have to work hard enough to justify a proper recovery, of course.

Also DL is one of those lifts that is among the most mental of all 3. I started getting my best gains in DL when I started really giving it everything I've got. No one got really strong by just passively pulling on the bar and quitting because it was "too hard to pull". Your body works for you, make it pull, even if it doesn't want to.

[kmc06005]

Why don't you want to gain bodyweight?

[tonenotbulk]

320 lb deadlift should be nowhere near the limit of strength for 150 lb body weight.

Do you have video to demonstrate your technique?

Are you always grinding out your deadlift work sets? What intensities do you typically use?

[davisj3537]

Everyone knows intelligent programming, consistency, form, diet and intensity have nothing to do with gains. So what is the secret everyone uses for dem gainz?

Unicorn dust. There I said it. I just blew the whistle on this sh*t and everyone is gonna be pissed. All the feds should have been testing for unicorn dust for years now.

OP, you know what to do.

[SotallyTtoked]

Why don't you want to gain bodyweight?

This, it's says dirty bulking season in your info but you ask how to get stronger without gaining weight?

[beowulf10]

You can increase your strength without gaining bodyweight, but for the most part you cannot increase your muscle mass without a caloric surplus above maintenance. At a certain point the limiting factor will be the amount of muscle you have. There is just no way around it, you have to eat.

[kaleida]

Why don't you want to gain bodyweight?

This, it's says dirty bulking season in your info but you ask how to get stronger without gaining weight?

I was wondering the same thing. 5'9" 150lb...to me that sounds like it's time to eat a pint of ice cream in between every meal and snack.

[JohnnyRingo350]

I've been at the same weight for around 5 years now while lifting (prefer low reps) and my deadlift has increased only 5 pounds.
Is the key to PL a good program? I really think I'm at the limit of strength for how much I weigh, and I've always just to satiety.

Or just call me a weak bitch and I'm not trying hard enough

[pntbll687]

I've been at the same weight for around 5 years now while lifting (prefer low reps) and my deadlift has increased only 5 pounds.
Is the key to PL a good program? I really think I'm at the limit of strength for how much I weigh, and I've always just to satiety.

Or just call me a weak bitch and I'm not trying hard enough

At some point your bw will be the limiting factor. Gaining even 5lbs can make a world of difference to some people

[BrotherWolf]

I've been at the same weight for around 5 years now while lifting (prefer low reps) and my deadlift has increased only 5 pounds.
Is the key to PL a good program? I really think I'm at the limit of strength for how much I weigh, and I've always just to satiety.

Or just call me a weak bitch and I'm not trying hard enough

5 lb in 5 years I wouldn't consider it progress..

programming and perfect training can only go so far if you are really 5'9" and weight like a 14 yo boy

[BrotherWolf]

This, it's says dirty bulking season in your info but you ask how to get stronger without gaining weight?

yeah this also... SMH

[BrotherWolf]

It looks like I never realized the importance of real programming, but when I've tried LP it never worked for long and I think it was because of not eating enough to recover. Does this mean I was lifting too frequently, or is eating more the only way to get stronger?

eating more is the single most important factor in gaining strength in fact you get stronger by getting bigger without even going to the gym but most importantly more food/more BW allows you to recover better
from training even though this is relative , you might have reached all your potential at your body weight of course you don't really know this for sure because you never really did any serious programming
but even without programming after 5 years your best bet is to gain 30-40lbs ... unless you want to be an underwear model in that case be content with your numbers

[jonnymac81]

programming, technique, nutrition

[Retardo-pex]

I've been at the same weight for around 5 years now while lifting (prefer low reps) and my deadlift has increased only 5 pounds.
Is the key to PL a good program? I really think I'm at the limit of strength for how much I weigh, and I've always just to satiety.

Or just call me a weak bitch and I'm not trying hard enough

Get on a solid program for starters. At your current height and weight you could get stronger for sure, but why make it the limiting factor? I think I was hitting 365 for 1 or two at that size and then when I was 170-180 I was hitting in the 450-500 range. You'd be surprised what a few lbs more muscle and getting overall stronger will do for you :P

[chaveezy]

So... You're dirty bulking. Been lifting 5 years. Your weight hasn't increased at all. Deadlift only gone up 5 pounds.

Wut

[tom10]

Starting Strength and food, then texas method or madcow. Those are the two most common programs and will do the job. Fat is easy to lose, don't sweat 10lbs of fat for a 100lb increase in your deadlift.

[HoneyBadger300]

Starting Strength and food, then texas method or madcow. Those are the two most common programs and will do the job. Fat is easy to lose, don't sweat 10lbs of fat for a 100lb increase in your deadlift.

+1000. Gain weight. Only worry about limiting your weight after your first couple meets. If your goal is to look good and be cut moreso than be strong, maybe you're in the wrong section. Gain weight.