Gaining weight

[TolerantLactose]

Here’s my back squat

https://imgur.com/a/P8NfyYT

You're 4-5 inches high. Maintain a neutral spine. You're extending your back.

[Calikid32190]

You're 4-5 inches high. Maintain a neutral spine. You're extending your back.

Thank you! So go lower? What would make it easier to hit? Do I need to lean forward a little?

[Dranseth]

Thank you! So go lower? What would make it easier to hit? Do I need to lean forward a little?

Yes, go lower. Your ass should break parallel. Also seems as though you are not locking out your hips at the top. I recommend watching some squat videos just like you did for deadlifts.

[snailsrus]

Thank you! So go lower? What would make it easier to hit? Do I need to lean forward a little?

no do not lean forward more, you aren’t doing good mornings. Lower the weight and go deeper in your squats, low bar might help

[Calikid32190]

no do not lean forward more, you aren’t doing good mornings. Lower the weight and go deeper in your squats, low bar might help

I watched both low and high bar squats yesterday and with low bar squats what keeps the bar resting against your back? With high bar when you pull your lats back it makes the spot for the bar to lay but on low bar it looks like it’s in front of where the bar would lay on high bar squats. What keeps the bar in position on low bar?

Something I’m noticing with no weight at all just trying to practice the form of my squat I end up losing my balance most of the time and end up going backwards. I try to go straight down while being as straight as possible without really leaning forward.

[xsquid99]

I watched both low and high bar squats yesterday and with low bar squats what keeps the bar resting against your back? With high bar when you pull your lats back it makes the spot for the bar to lay but on low bar it looks like it’s in front of where the bar would lay on high bar squats. What keeps the bar in position on low bar?

Something I’m noticing with no weight at all just trying to practice the form of my squat I end up losing my balance most of the time and end up going backwards. I try to go straight down while being as straight as possible without really leaning forward.

Watch Alan Thralls video on bar position for low bar squatting, basically the bar sits on the little ledge that your rear delts create when you pull your shoulders back.

https://youtu.be/xrnq4OAN5bE

He's got a few other videos on squat form as well, I suggest you check them out. He's one of my favorites when it comes to proper form for compound lifts.

Body size & shape and geometry plays a huge role in what your squat form is going to look like. A tall guy like me with long femurs has a different form/motion (more folded over) than a short guy might who is able to stay more upright.

[Mrpb]

Yes I do the anabolic diet

What? Are you serious?

Eat your carbs everyday.

[Calikid32190]

Watch Alan Thralls video on bar position for low bar squatting, basically the bar sits on the little ledge that your rear delts create when you pull your shoulders back.

https://youtu.be/xrnq4OAN5bE

He's got a few other videos on squat form as well, I suggest you check them out. He's one of my favorites when it comes to proper form for compound lifts.

Body size & shape and geometry plays a huge role in what your squat form is going to look like. A tall guy like me with long femurs has a different form/motion (more folded over) than a short guy might who is able to stay more upright.

I will give this a look thank you! So many times I’ve heard people say you want the weight in your heels. Then I’ve seen videos say you want it in your mid foot. I think I’m not sure exactly how to make the weight in my mid foot which is why when I come up I end up stepping back because all my weight is in my heels.

[Junsuiakai]

I will give this a look thank you! So many times I’ve heard people say you want the weight in your heels. Then I’ve seen videos say you want it in your mid foot. I think I’m not sure exactly how to make the weight in my mid foot which is why when I come up I end up stepping back because all my weight is in my heels.

It starts in your heel at the start of push, then transitions to midfoot after you push up an inch, it is a learned skill..

If you do pistol squats you will really nail this feeling down.

[faithbrah]

What? Are you serious?

Eat your carbs everyday.

kinda wanted to say this too, because i'm not sure if OP knows it's just preference-based, not something that gives you better progress

the thing is, OP's lifts aren't that high and i bet a part of it has something to do with the diet

OP, you can keep lifting like this but i'd switch to a normal IIFYM diet if there's no progress

[Mrpb]

kinda wanted to say this too, because i'm not sure if OP knows it's just preference-based, not something that gives you better progress

I wouldn't even recommend it if it's someones preference, unless they're really advanced and 100% know it's working for them. Not OP.

[Calikid32190]

kinda wanted to say this too, because i'm not sure if OP knows it's just preference-based, not something that gives you better progress

the thing is, OP's lifts aren't that high and i bet a part of it has something to do with the diet

OP, you can keep lifting like this but i'd switch to a normal IIFYM diet if there's no progress

I’m probably more knowledgeable with my nutrition then even the training and yes I agree it’s just a preference. Eating more carbs isn’t going to make workouts better. If this were true people who really can’t eat carbs wouldn’t ever progress but there’s tons of research to show carbs are the least important. I do eat carbs as well just on my weekends so my Monday workout should be better than any of my other works out where I’m not eating carbs but to me it doesn’t feel to much different and I eat 400g of carbs on Saturday and Sunday.

[Calikid32190]

Does this look better for DL?

https://imgur.com/a/ofcMTRW

[AdamWW]

Does this look better for DL?

https://imgur.com/a/ofcMTRW

You seem to be bending your knees TOO soon on the way down...

IMO, that's a surefire way to accidentally slam the bar into your knees when weight gets heavier.

Try lowering the bar to at least knee level by pushing your hips back and bending your back (with good posture) before bending your knees so much. Almost like when you do a romanian DL.

Right now it looks like you're just letting it roll down.

[Calikid32190]

You seem to be bending your knees TOO soon on the way down...

IMO, that's a surefire way to accidentally slam the bar into your knees when weight gets heavier.

Try lowering the bar to at least knee level by pushing your hips back and bending your back (with good posture) before bending your knees so much. Almost like when you do a romanian DL.

Right now it looks like you're just letting it roll down.

I will give this a try when I go back in next time thank you! Is that the only thing you see wrong?

[AdamWW]

I will give this a try when I go back in next time thank you! Is that the only thing you see wrong?

I’m no form expert but that’s all I noticed from that angle.

[faithbrah]

Eating more carbs isn’t going to make workouts better. If this were true people who really can’t eat carbs wouldn’t ever progress

one person can make great progress on low carb, while another person struggles to progress at all because they don't have enough energy

if you've tried a "normal" diet in the past and you had the same progression problem, then that's fair

look, i'm not telling you which diet suits you the best, but it's one more thing off the "troubleshooting list"

[Junsuiakai]

one person can make great progress on low carb, while another person struggles to progress at all because they don't have enough energy

if you've tried a "normal" diet in the past and you had the same progression problem, then that's fair

look, i'm not telling you which diet suits you the best, but it's one more thing off the "troubleshooting list"

I can't eat before I workout or I get tired and lazy as hell.. Great post per usual, Faith.

Also OP I tried many ways to approach training, eating more, during and after... I know 1000% I can work out 3x as hard without any food in my stomach.

Just to contrast my point! My cousin has to eat a huge meal before his training or he feels like crap.

[Mrpb]

I’m probably more knowledgeable with my nutrition then even the training...

I just checked your post history. You're a beginner when it comes to nutrition. The research on cyclical low carb diets has shown they're ineffective.

If you want to bulk on lower carbs that's fine. Just no point in eating 400 gram carbs in the weekend. It's a good recipe for gaining extra fat.

[Calikid32190]

I just checked your post history. You're a beginner when it comes to nutrition. The research on cyclical low carb diets has shown they're ineffective.

If you want to bulk on lower carbs that's fine. Just no point in eating 400 gram carbs in the weekend. It's a good recipe for gaining extra fat.

If the calories are still the same as the Monday- Friday as the weekends how would I gain more fat eating carbs on those 2 days? I adjust the protein and the fat on the weekend as well to lower numbers to still stay at the 3000-3200 mark. I just increase the carbs while bringing other 2 down. I’m open to putting carbs back in my diet but for now I only need 5 pounds before I hit 155 then I’ll do a cut to 145 and then bulk and can try carbs.

[Calikid32190]

Some things I tried to improve form on back squat is the suicide grip and doing a low back squat instead of high. It feels better on my wrist and it felt I could go down better. Suicide grip when you can use it seems to provide me more strength or maybe it’s just in my head but it feels better when my thumb isn’t wrapped around the bar

[AdamWW]

If the calories are still the same as the Monday- Friday as the weekends how would I gain more fat eating carbs on those 2 days? I adjust the protein and the fat on the weekend as well to lower numbers to still stay at the 3000-3200 mark. I just increase the carbs while bringing other 2 down. I’m open to putting carbs back in my diet but for now I only need 5 pounds before I hit 155 then I’ll do a cut to 145 and then bulk and can try carbs.

Cut to 145 at 5-9.... ugh... enjoy your wheel-spinning goals.

[Junsuiakai]

Cut to 145 at 5-9.... ugh... enjoy your wheel-spinning goals.

If you look like me even. I would advise against a cut to 145 lol. Lowest I'll ever go is 155. I got to 158 and I was dying. So OP you need to have a realistic number..

Sure we have different experiences but there has to be an objective number a person who is 5' 9 or 10. Should go and I suggest no lower than 155 for your own health. Hell even 165 sounds more realistic..

155 is a absolute bare minimum

[Calikid32190]

If you look like me even. I would advise against a cut to 145 lol. Lowest I'll ever go is 155. I got to 158 and I was dying. So OP you need to have a realistic number..

Sure we have different experiences but there has to be an objective number a person who is 5' 9 or 10. Should go and I suggest no lower than 155 for your own health. Hell even 165 sounds more realistic..

155 is a absolute bare minimum

I posted pics on how I looked at 136 and how I look now at 148. I’m not going to stay at 145. Once I get to 145 I’m going to bulk to 165 then cut down to 155 and more than likely hang out there until I go for 170.

[AdamWW]

I posted pics on how I looked at 136 and how I look now at 148. I’m not going to stay at 145. Once I get to 145 I’m going to bulk to 165 then cut down to 155 and more than likely hang out there until I go for 170.

Why not just stop the silly yo-yo'ing and just stay at a reasonable bodyfat for a longer period?

[Calikid32190]

Why not just stop the silly yo-yo'ing and just stay at a reasonable bodyfat for a longer period?

I like having small goals rather than long term. Goals that I can achieve faster. Long term goal would be to get to 170. Short term is 155 but really defined 155. Only way that can happen though is by cutting. From 136 to 155 is a 20 pound increase on its own and has been really hard to get the 20 pounds. So small goals on the way to a bigger one.

[AdamWW]

I like having small goals rather than long term. Goals that I can achieve faster. Long term goal would be to get to 170. Short term is 155 but really defined 155. Only way that can happen though is by cutting. From 136 to 155 is a 20 pound increase on its own and has been really hard to get the 20 pounds. So small goals on the way to a bigger one.

I guess if you want to extend the time to the final result... go ahead... if you ENJOY dieting... OK...

Just know that you're prolonging the time to get to your end point.

[Mrpb]

If the calories are still the same as the Monday- Friday as the weekends how would I gain more fat eating carbs on those 2 days? I adjust the protein and the fat on the weekend as well to lower numbers to still stay at the 3000-3200 mark. I just increase the carbs while bringing other 2 down. I’m open to putting carbs back in my diet but for now I only need 5 pounds before I hit 155 then I’ll do a cut to 145 and then bulk and can try carbs.

Switching back and forth between very low carb and high carb is far from optimal. The reason is that your body needs time to adjust to either. Fully adjusting to a diet with carbs around ~30 gram takes more than 4-5 days. By the time you're starting to get adjusted you overload your body with 400 grams of carbs.

How is your carb tolerance? How do you react to high carb meals?

If good, you're better off eating carbs every day. If not good, you're better off on a lower carb diet every day.

There's one study on a 5 day low carb diet with high carbs in the weekend. It had worse results than a normal low carb diet.

[Brozef]

Bulking to 155 just to turn around and cut to 145 is a huge waste of time.

Shoot for a slower bulk of 2 lbs per month instead of 4 lbs per month. Set your goal weight higher.

You seem to still be asking for advice but throwing all that's given to you out the window. Listen to people itt. It will help you from spinning your wheels. Seriously.

Skip the carb cycling and keep your diet as simple as possible. There is no magic bullet in dieting.

Look a my avi. I'm 5'10" at 185 at around 15% in that pic. Diet and training are what got me this way and keeping both simple and consistent made the biggest difference in my physique.

[Calikid32190]

Switching back and forth between very low carb and high carb is far from optimal. The reason is that your body needs time to adjust to either. Fully adjusting to a diet with carbs around ~30 gram takes more than 4-5 days. By the time you're starting to get adjusted you overload your body with 400 grams of carbs.

How is your carb tolerance? How do you react to high carb meals?

If good, you're better off eating carbs every day. If not good, you're better off on a lower carb diet every day.

There's one study on a 5 day low carb diet with high carbs in the weekend. It had worse results than a normal low carb diet.

I almost always look bloated from carbs. Sometimes it makes me feel sleepy as well. What would be considered low carb? Probably not what keto people do. I don’t mind eating brown rice and wheat pasta as I find they taste better and of course the better options. I just don’t crave carbs to much. The main one when I did eat them was French fries which aren’t great and my pasta and rice which would be fine. I think my biggest thing is I hate the way it makes my body look eating carbs all the time.