Realistic Strength Goals Without Gaining Weight

[Özgün Subasi]

Hello,

Since I joined a weightlifting club I started to concentrate on the heavy lifts. I am squatting three times a week, deadlifting once a week, pressing/bench pressing at least once a week. I do 5-10 min metcons after workouts. I also go running/rowing once a week in addition to the strength workouts. I weight 170 lbs (77 kg), my BF is ~15% and my current 5RM PR's are:

Squat - 181 lbs (82,5 kg)
Deadlift - 203 lbs (92,5 kg)
Press - 101 lbs (46 kg - this is a strict press, without leaning back at all)
Bench Press - 161 lbs (73,5 kg)

My question is: what would be realistic goals for those lifts without gaining weight? I could gain a few pounds, but I'm not planning to gain more than 5 lbs in a year.

From my observations from the last two months, I thought those gains could be doable monthly:
Squat - 10 lbs
Deadlift - 10 lbs
Press - 4 lbs
Bench Press - 5 lbs

If this can be done (linearly), my one-year-goals would be (at 170-175 lbs):

Squat - 308 lbs (from 181)
Deadlift - 330 lbs (from 203)
Press - 154 lbs (from 101)
Bench Press - 220 lbs (from 161)

What do you think? Is this too much or too less? Any tips would be appreciated.

[Dimitri Dziabenko]

I am not sure why you picked those exact numbers, or why you wouldn't want to gain muscle mass, but with a focus on strength, these goals are perfectly attainable.

[Charlie A Nilsson]

How tall are you?
just curious why you want to stay at 77kg?

If you don't eat way to much food you don't gain weight... how much you weigh is decided in the kitchen, what kind of weight is a mix of training and food.

But yes it is very realistic goals

What kind of programming are you thinking of doing? starting strength?

[Jay Xu]

Those end goals are good and realistic, although it may be difficult to achieve them within your time frame (by the end of the year) because after a certain point you will no longer be able to maintain linear progression. Everybody maxes out their linear progression at a different point, so if you're lucky you will be able to keep it up for a long time. However once your linear progression stalls out, you should switch to an intermediate strength program.

Also, a useful site for lifting standards:
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLi...hStandards.htm

[Özgün Subasi]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm 1.77m (I guess which is around 5' 7").

The reason for not wanting to gain weight is fear. I've been overweight my entire life. I was 95kg (210 lbs) two years ago. After losing weight, once I tried to eat more to gain muscle mass. I gained 0,5 to 1 lbs in a week on a similar strength program. I went up to 81 kg. I ended up gaining almost only fat. It may be because of stres, lack of training intensity or food quality. I don't know. But I don't really want to risk it again.

After those bad memories with being overweight, whenever the scale goes up, I feel depressed. I want to get strong, I don't want to gain fat. I figured the only way to guarantee that is to stay at the same weight or to gain weight veery slowly (maybe 0,1-0,2 lbs weekly).

The program I am using is very similar to starting strength. Since I train for weight lifting, I do front squats frequently. I do the back squats in the hi-bar position. Presses are varied (behind-the-neck, snatch-grip, sitting etc) and more frequent than bench presses. Other than than, it is basically the same structure as SS.

[Jeff Martin]

I think you are shooting to low if you are specifically training for strength. My oldest boy Connor weighs 160. His back squat is 380 and his deadlift 450. His training partner weighs 175. His back squat is 410 and his deadlift 500. Of course they are not specifically strength athletes and those lifts were done after doing a 2:14 and 2:50 Fran respectively. So we think their absolute numbers would be somewhat higher.

[Tim Nakashima]

Originally Posted by Jeff Martin

I think you are shooting to low if you are specifically training for strength.

I agree.

[Morgan McGaha]

Dont fear gaining weight. I accomplished what you goals are at around 165-170ish. Im five six.

You remind me of my two best friends who want to get strong, but fear gaining weight. Its a good think to gain good weight.

If you want to lift big, you got to eat big and be big. Look at Louie Simmons. He is a big guy and lifts big weight.

Sure, for crossfit purposes, you dont want to be ultra beefy like powerlifters are. But, a little muscle mass never hurt no one.

[Özgün Subasi]

I guess there's not much I can do against the fear of gaining weight. Cause it is not very rational, but rather psychological. As soon as I gain weight, it sucks the life out of me. The gained weight tends to be fat instead of muscle mass.

Originally Posted by Morgan McGaha

If you want to lift big, you got to eat big and be big. Look at Louie Simmons. He is a big guy and lifts big weight.

Well, I don't want to be big. Louie Simmons is a strong guy, but he is definetely not a role model for me. For me, eating that much only makes sense if the goal is to get strong as fast as possible. This is not the case for me. I just want to see constant progress. Therefore, I guess I'll increase the calories only if I really start to stall on the lifts.

[Charlie A Nilsson]

How are youre diet??
zone, paleo or whatever you feel like for the moment.

Since i went for 90-95% Paleo with no restriction in food quantity my numbers have skyrocketed.
And no extra fat around the waist, its rather the opposite even if i eat 2* more than before.