Stalling too early on Fierce 5?

[freakahontas]

Hey!

I've been trying to avoid making this post for weeks, but I just don't know what to do anymore.

I think I'm stalling way too early on Fierce 5, especially Squats+Front Squats, and I don't know why. I'll try to condense all the info that might be important.

Body Stats:
24 years, 181cm, 76,5kg. Bulking!

Diet:
Currently 3000 kcal, minimum 110g Protein, Fats 30%+ and Carbs 45%+ of total calories (I have to ballpark these because I eat at a canteen once per day and I like to eat out with friends too)
I should be getting enough micros, and I drink 2 liters of pure water per day, and another 1.5-2 liters in shakes/other stuff. No other supplements.
Since October 25th, I have gained exactly 10kg of bodyweight.
I get 7-8h of sleep every day, though not perfectly scheduled for various reasons.

Weights Progression:
I will just list the major lifts, since those matter most:

Exercise - Starting Weight October 25th - Current Working weight - (Alltime Max - often bad form)

Squat 40kg - 70kg (struggling) - (75kg)
Front Squat 30kg - 55kg (struggling) - (65kg)
RDL 40kg - 75kg - (90kg)
Bench 35kg - 62.5kg - (65kg)
OHP 30kg - 40kg - (42.5kg)
Pendlays 20kg - 57.5kg - (55kg)

I have deloaded and reset every lift once or twice, being able to climb some further, except for:

Squat and Front Squat: It seems to just get harder every time - I was supposed to go up to 75kg today, but I failed even 70kg and had to work with 65kg - which was doable a few weeks ago. My form breaks down with higher weights and I can barely go parallel. I've improved my form a couple of times when resetting, but I seem to just stall anyway.

RDL: No issues here - only my grip is too weak. Getting liffting straps now so I'm not failing because of my hands only. I only reset this exercise once, seems easy.

THE QUESTIONS

Are these reasonable weights to stall at? I see way higher numbers that people usually report after running a beginners routine, and I don't wanna give up and switch programs when I'm not very far and something is obviously wrong. But I just cannot withstand the 5kg/week progressions anymore, it feels like. One time I was close to puking after my peak workout with 90kg RDL, and I just deloaded and reset EVERY exercise to a medium weight, but I'm already stalling in the problematic exercises again after 2 weeks

Are my squats super bad when compared to the rest? It feels like they're my weakest lift by far, but I don't get why. I should be progressing faster, as I had previous training for upper body (calisthenics), but not legs.

What could be the reason I'm stalling, if it's not normal?



Hope you guys can give me some pointers I love going to the gym, but frustration really kills motivation. I wanna lift heavy!

[TryingBB]

I am exactly in the same fuking boat. I love fierce 5 but due to no progress recently - just resets - I’ve been getting demotivated.

In for answers...



(Op - sorry, but I’m grinning with happiness that I’m not the only one with this issue lol - j/k - we will make it!!)

I’m also bulking

These are 3x5
Stuck at
135lbs bench
95lb overhear press
185lbs deadlift (I was able get 185 x 5 once. Then couldn’t get it. So reset to 165lbs. Progressed to 185x5 last two workouts finally and will be bumping 5lbs instead of 10lbs like the program calls for - grind 190lbs next workout)

[freakahontas]

I am exactly in the same fuking boat. I love fierce 5 but due to no progress recently - just resets - I’ve been getting demotivated.

In for answers...


(Op - sorry, but I’m grinning with happiness that I’m not the only one with this issue lol - j/k - we will make it!!)

Haha! I was sure I'm not the only one, but in search and F5 thread I couldn't find a single person where I wasn't able to easily spot the error myself and be sure I'm not making the same mistake....

Anyway, of course we'll make it! For now, I'll just keep going and do the weights I can actually do, giving up is not an option!

[LifterWest]

OP, you have gained 10 kgs (22 lbs) in 4-5 months. That is on the higher side but it should not hurt your progress. You seem to have done everything that you can. I think you might have reached your newbie gain limits and may need to change programs. You do not want to lift till you puke.

BTW, how many deload weeks have you taken? One deload week worked wonders for me. Also post some form videos with working weights.

Here's my workout journal. I'm stalling on my lifts as well for the first time and I started October end too!

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=177971611

[TryingBB]

Haha! I was sure I'm not the only one, but in search and F5 thread I couldn't find a single person where I wasn't able to easily spot the error myself and be sure I'm not making the same mistake....

Anyway, of course we'll make it! For now, I'll just keep going and do the weights I can actually do, giving up is not an option!

Looking at my logs and other posts I made, here is what has helped me so far.

E.g. bench

I got to 135lbs twice and had to reset cuz I got 130lbs twice. Moved up to 135lbs. Got it! Next workout, couldn’t even get 3 reps. Next workout, same thing.

Reset down 15%.

Now I do
set 1 - 5 reps
Set 2 - 5 reps
Set 3 - grind out as many reps as possible. Usually 7 to 9 Reps depending

I started doing this last week and so far I feeL like I’m gonna push through my stalls.

In the past I’ve been able to push through 125lbs on bench, 85 lbs in overhead press.

Squats are horrible on my body - so I keep resetting that. Currently I’m squatting light weight for 8 reps. Cuz heavy squats fuk my body. My piss gets darker for days and it takes forever to recover. Dunno what it is. I think I do squats wrong and end up tearing up my lower body real bad resulting in lot of recovery and protien synthesis. I kade a thread and they said I was trolling lol

[LifterWest]

And 110g protein for a 168 lbs body is a bit low. For reference, I'm 168 lbs (!) and I consume about 180-200g of protein each day. I'd increase it to at least 1g/lbs of body weight.

[Grizvok]

20lbs in that amount of time is a little much to have gained. And you are still stalling on low working weights on that kind of surplus...

[freakahontas]

BTW, how many deload weeks have you taken? One deload week worked wonders for me. Also post some form videos with working weights.

Over the entire course, I have deloaded 3 or 4 times, but never a full week - It was always 4 days of Rest (Weekend and 1 skipped workout), like the original Fierce 5 Thread recommends. the third deload was the one where I dropped ALL the weights. That was about a month ago.

Thanks! I will do that. I should have some vids lying around, but I should probably just make new ones in the coming days.
Will check out your log!

Set 3 - grind out as many reps as possible. Usually 7 to 9 Reps depending

Interesting. I'm doing this only for exercises that seem way too easy, especially after the big deload. I figured I probably shouldn't overdo the last set either to not hurt my recovery even more..

And 110g protein for a 168 lbs body is a bit low. For reference, I'm 168 lbs (!) and I consume about 180-200g of protein each day. I'd increase it to at least 1g/lbs of body weight.

Hmm... I read up a lot about protein and watched some Jeff Nippard and figured most of the usual recommendations are WAAAAYYYY overestimated.
But if it's the most likely thing holding me back.... I'll try it. I'll have trouble adding protein, especially since I'm already full all day and protein makes you even more full, but I guess I'll have to manage.
Thanks for the advice.

EDIT: Most days, my protein will be AROUND 130 grams, but I cant calculate it precisely, because, you know, canteen. But I'm always choosing a high protein meal there, meat, beans or similar

[freakahontas]

20lbs in that amount of time is a little much to have gained. And you are still stalling on low working weights on that kind of surplus...

That's what I'm saying!

And just to explain the high weight gain: I don't care a bit about lean bulking. I don't wanna have a six pack. I want that big, bulky, lumberjack kinda look. Need some fat in there anyway

[Grizvok]

That's what I'm saying!

And just to explain the high weight gain: I don't care a bit about lean bulking. I don't wanna have a six pack. I want that big, bulky, lumberjack kinda look. Need some fat in there anyway

You aren’t gonna get it gaining weight that fast and failing to progressively overload.

You’ll just get fat.

[freakahontas]

You aren’t gonna get it gaining weight that fast and failing to progressively overload.

You’ll just get fat.

Well yeah, but those are separate problems, are they not?

Which is why I'm trying to fix my exercise progression. Weight gain is on point.

[Grizvok]

Well yeah, but those are separate problems, are they not?

Which is why I'm trying to fix my exercise progression. Weight gain is on point.

If you say so

[TryingBB]

You aren’t gonna get it gaining weight that fast and failing to progressively overload.

You’ll just get fat.

Same here. I had to reset working weights on squats, deadlift, OHP, rows. I kept eating my usual 2800 or so calories a day.

I was gaining under 0.5lbs a week. All of a sudden I jumped 1.5lbs in a week. And felt fat as fuk.

Some of it was due to high sodium, some was junk food I think. Improved my diet over the last few days, upped my working weights and starting to loose some of that bloat.

I also think I stalled on my bench cuz I changed my form a bit. Went back to the old form and hoping I’ll be able to push through when I get to 135

[frenchbob]

But I just cannot withstand the 5kg/week progressions anymore, it feels like.

Then increase the weight in smaller amounts. Progress might be slower but slower progress is better than stalling