Is this good, bad, average etc progress for 1 year of serious lifting?

[Cinerum]

To start off, 6'0 male, 19yo at start, 20yo now.

BW: 187lb - 195lb
Squat: 245lb parallel - 355 parallel, 330 ATG
Conventional Deadlift: 315lb-420lb
Sumo Deadlift: 365lb - 495lb

1. I do 99% ATG because I primarily do weightlifting but on occasion I'll test out where my parallel squat is.

2. I use straps for deadlifts at near-maximal weight (usually 90%+ 1RM) while I work on building my hook grip at the lower weights.

3. I don't use a belt for anything because I feel super uncomfortable when I do, and I feel like I make better progress when I don't, idk (Is that a thing? Am I being dumb about this? Educate me)

4. I've been eating healthy but only casually like I always have, which is why my weight gain has been pretty minimal I assume.

5. Do you guys think a 405 parallel squat would be too much of a stretch or too easy of a goal for the next year, considering I'm lifting as seriously if not more than I have been and I start an actual bulk? I'm not too sure how much my strength gains are gonna slow down from here on out.

[ILuvPepsi]

To start off, 6'0 male, 19yo at start, 20yo now.

BW: 187lb - 195lb
Squat: 245lb parallel - 355 parallel, 330 ATG
Conventional Deadlift: 315lb-420lb
Sumo Deadlift: 365lb - 495lb

1. I do 99% ATG because I primarily do weightlifting but on occasion I'll test out where my parallel squat is.

2. I use straps for deadlifts at near-maximal weight (usually 90%+ 1RM) while I work on building my hook grip at the lower weights.

3. I don't use a belt for anything because I feel super uncomfortable when I do, and I feel like I make better progress when I don't, idk (Is that a thing? Am I being dumb about this? Educate me)

4. I've been eating healthy but only casually like I always have, which is why my weight gain has been pretty minimal I assume.

5. Do you guys think a 405 parallel squat would be too much of a stretch or too easy of a goal for the next year, considering I'm lifting as seriously if not more than I have been and I start an actual bulk? I'm not too sure how much my strength gains are gonna slow down from here on out.

Man, I don't feel qualified to talk here! (Just look at my signature XD)

Whether or a belt is right for you depends on how you breath during your reps. A belt works best for you if you hold your breath on the way up, by holding it, your abs push against the belt and create more stability in your core. Belts are essentially another layer of abs. I only use it on my last warm-up set and work sets to be sure I'm still strong without a belt. It won't help if you exhale on the way up.

When you say you've been lifting seriously for a year, are you implying that you have been lifting/physically active in the past but you're now focused more on lifting heavy? I'd like to evaluate you 405 SQ goal but I don't think I could make a right estimate because I was sedentary before I started lifting, meaning I started with the bar LOL

[WorldDomnit]

Everyone is different. I'd say you made some good progress no doubt!

Took me 7 years to squat 450. Took my friend like 2 years, then he hit 600lbs less than a year after his 450.

Just keep working on yourself, and keep slowly raising those numbers. Don't hesitate posting a form check if you need to

[Rags85]

In regards to the belt use. What are your goals? If your answer is to lift the most weight possible, such as in powerlifting, then a belt will most likely be a very good thing.

A belt is designed for one purpose only. And that is to make you lift more weight. It is not designed to prevent injury. Its not just a simple put it on and go. It takes some learning to get it. So I'd suggest practice with it now. Don't wait until you feel you are strong enough to warrant a belt. You will never feel strong enough. Learn the belt now with lighter weights, that way, when you are much stronger and the weights are heavy enough to kill you, you will already have the skills for the equipment.

This really goes for any equipment you will use. Not just belts. Belts just happen to be the most common talked about piece of equipment.

Also, weight gain has nothing to do with the quality of the food you eat. It only has to do with the calories you eat. Recovery, muscle growth, etc... has to do with the quality of the food AND the calories you eat.

You can gain weight by eating a lot of bad food all day long. You can gain a little muscle by lifting weights and eating bad food all day long. You can gain a lot of muscle by lifting weights and eating good food all day long.

[strengthbetter]

To start off, 6'0 male, 19yo at start, 20yo now.

BW: 187lb - 195lb
Squat: 245lb parallel - 355 parallel, 330 ATG
Conventional Deadlift: 315lb-420lb
Sumo Deadlift: 365lb - 495lb

1. I do 99% ATG because I primarily do weightlifting but on occasion I'll test out where my parallel squat is.

2. I use straps for deadlifts at near-maximal weight (usually 90%+ 1RM) while I work on building my hook grip at the lower weights.

3. I don't use a belt for anything because I feel super uncomfortable when I do, and I feel like I make better progress when I don't, idk (Is that a thing? Am I being dumb about this? Educate me)

4. I've been eating healthy but only casually like I always have, which is why my weight gain has been pretty minimal I assume.

5. Do you guys think a 405 parallel squat would be too much of a stretch or too easy of a goal for the next year, considering I'm lifting as seriously if not more than I have been and I start an actual bulk? I'm not too sure how much my strength gains are gonna slow down from here on out.

That is great progress! From a powerlifting perspective your deadlift looks to be your most dominant lift by quite a long way so I would work on squats a bit more. At that weight you should be able to linearly progress using something like a 5x5 until you plataeu. After this point you will want to look for more advanced training methods or programs. Training beltless is a great idea. I only tend to use a belt a few weeks leading up to a meet, then in the meet.
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