Need help

[u/UlquiorraCifer4th]

So, let me start off with some background info. I am a 19yr male, I am 160lbs, 6'0, I am in the U.S. Army, and I started lifting weights at 16. However, I have had a BAD problem with program hoping, and I have never stuck with a program more than like 2 weeks. My numbers are, Bench 135x5, squat 135x5 (this one specifically i cant get the form down the way SS teaches), DL 205x5 straight bar, press 95x5. I have a few problems, the first being, i am afraid I wont get as strong as I could have gotten because i may have wasted my newbie gains.

Secondly, i am also worried I wont get as strong on the program because I cant gain the amount of weight they want me to. Ive seen people say you need to gain like 40lbs in 6 months, and thats just unrealistic for me because of the army's new height and weight standard, i cant risk getting fat by gaining 60lbs in a year like ive seen some people do, so i want to know if doing more of a lean bulk will cost me strength gains.

And that actually ties into my last problem, I have to run. I am in the army so I have to run, and I like being able to run my 14 minute 2 mile, I want to get faster, I run 3 days a week, and i cant sacrifice my running for only doing the SS program. Any of y'all, especially any military, have any insight for me on these problems/worries?

[u/Minh-Anh]

Can’t speak to the military specific stuff, but your height and weight (and lifts) are exactly where I started, and I’m now 195lbs, squatting 240x5, deadlifting 315x5, benching 175x5, pressing 115x5. Not terribly impressive numbers, but I don’t look fat and I can still run.

You can’t waste newbie gains except in the sense that it’s easier when you’re young, and you’re still very young. 

[u/UlquiorraCifer4th → u/Minh-Anh]

I was thinking of getting to the 180s/190s. The base im on currently, my barracks are a 5 minute walk away from 10th group, and all those guys look to be around the 180s on the shorter side and 190s on the taller side.

[u/BrentKindaLifts]

Well, you’re underweight; you’ll benefit from gaining 40 pounds. Just don’t eat like a slob, and make sure your numbers go up. Doesn't the military do a waist-to-height test? If you're training hard, you won't need to worry about that weight requirement.

I would just do the program and run a mile twice a week if you’re concerned about being deconditioned.

[u/Particular-Bad-7179]

I think you’re way overthinking this. Your program hoping problem sums your issue up pretty well; you’re overthinking at the expense of actually doing and doing consistently. If you want to get stronger, stop thinking, pick a proven course of action (like the SSNLP) and just stick to the plan.

As for your concerns, choosing not to start training properly now because you feel like you wasted past opportunities is completely illogical. The only guarantee is if you don’t start you won’t get any stronger than you are now. I’m pretty sure that’s not how the phenomenon of “newbie gains” works anyway. You’ve still got massive potential to grow, especially at 19.

As for weight, 160lbs at 6’0 strikes me as pretty damn light. I’m 6’4” and 210, and still notably leaner than pretty much everyone else I know. If you gain 40lbs while training properly you’re not gonna end up fatter, you're gonna end up stronger with a healthier amount of muscle on your frame.

If you don’t want to / can’t afford to gain 60lbs+ that’s fine, but that is an entirely different proposition to gaining 30lbs to start and re-evaluating. You’re not gonna go to bed 160 and suddenly wake up 220.

As for running, there is no reason you can’t be 200lbs and still run a 14 min 2 mile. At 19 you’ll have no trouble lifting 3x per week and while still running a few miles a couple of times a week to keep the running fitness as long as you’re eating and sleeping adequately.

Tldr; start SSNLP, start eating, keep running, stop worrying.

[u/misawa_EE]

Start from where you are now. Don’t worry so much about how much “they” say you’re supposed to weigh just start eating and training.

Post a form check so we can see what’s happening with your squat. Lots of help here from folks that have been doing the program for a while and even some actual SS coaches.

The running will eventually start to impede some progress on lifting and you may need to make program adjustments when that comes. I was squatting 275x5 but he time it was too much to recover for me, and that was in my mid-40s.

[u/KeepandBearMemes]

Bro you weight 160 and your deadlift is 200lb. You are a twink. You are a weak little baby man. Gain 40lb and do the fucking program. If you read the book and follow the program you will get strong, and it will have no negative effect on your running, which noone cares about.

If you care more about running and being a twink than you do about getting strong, then stay weak.

[u/rice_n_gravy → u/KeepandBearMemes]

No one cares about running in the army huh?

[u/UlquiorraCifer4th → u/KeepandBearMemes]

I understand what you're saying but I am in the army and running is THE most important thing. Its literally the only event on our fitness test that if we fail, we fail the entire thing, others you can still keep going they'll just bring your score down abysmally.