Weekly Dumb/Newb Question Thread

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[u/Competitive-Try-4165]

I'm a 116 lb 14 yo boy. my bench is somewhere between 95-100, idk my max squat but i did 95 for 8, idk my max deadlift but at least a plate. how strong should i aim to be before considering powerlifting? i've been lifting for 6 weeks.

[u/jackbourban]

Beginner question! Been in and out of the gym since I was a teen, but never took it seriously, now back in the gym and focusing on SBD after 3 years on the couch 😂

I’m looking at adding a third bench press session per week to get my max from 145kgs up to 150kgs (and above) faster. In February my 3 rep max was around 80kgs, but I’ve felt the progress slow down quite a bit. For reference, I weigh 100kgs.

Atm I do DUP, with my high volume sesh on Tuesday and my low volume heavy sesh on Saturday. I was thinking the third sesh could be dedicated to paused sets with slightly lighter weights, maybe on thursday. Have many of you found success with higher frequency benching? Should I just stick with what’s been working? Would you suggest something else before I consider upping the frequency?

[u/jakeisalwaysright → u/jackbourban]

Bench often responds well to higher frequency, yes.

Sounds like you're doing your own programming though. My general feeling is if you have to ask questions such as this you're probably still best off following an existing proven program rather than creating your own.

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[u/iJaeger]

Inzers getting banned. Might have to move to SBDs unless a contender releases an alternative. I normally wear M in Inzer ErgoPros. What size SBD powerlifting should I get?

[u/LittleMuskOx → u/iJaeger]

I went by the sizing guide, and they are a nice snug fit.
Really happy with them

[u/keborb]

Here's a stupid question. Why don't we see guys in the lighter weight classes (66-83kg) reaching the same levels of adiposity as in the heavier weight classes (105-120kg)? The lighter weight classes are always shredded. Does the additional mass not improve their leverages to the same extent as a taller lifter?

[u/jakeisalwaysright → u/keborb]

Purely a hypothesis on my part, but since lower weight classes are closer together, a few pounds of chub is more likely to bump you out of your competitive weight class at, say, 148 than at 242. So the pro/con ratio is more skewed toward the negative.

Also since they're all short, gaining fat is less a matter of "carrying some extra mass" and more likely to be a matter of "becoming a sphere."

[u/Gfurious → u/keborb]

Because it's always better to have more muscle and less fat. The problem is that in the heavier weight classes it's almost impossible to fill them out while being shredded unless you're ridiculously tall. This is not a problem in the lighter weight classes, so lifters get lean as hell.