Unfortunately he didn't say it within any context, just during the course of his summary. During the other topics he always specified that his recommendation should be taken with our own perspective and goal in mind. Is the goal to just get good results (ex: the average joe), or to get the absolute maximum results (ex: a bodybuilder)? He says that the basic rules that we all should follow, such as taking protein on the lower end of the range (.7g/lb) will give us about 80% of the results. Going higher in protein intake (1g/lb) will give us the remaining 20%. So basically doing the minimum will give you most of the results, while going the extra mile will give you more results but with diminishing returns. So my guess is maybe that applies to that statement as well. Perhaps being in a surplus is like going that extra mile and getting the absolute maximum results you can get, but if you aren't in a surplus, you'll still get most of the results (the 80%), just not the maximum (the remaining 20%).

Thanks again for the video. One of the most informative I've seen and from an actual expert in the field. Although each part is over an hour it's well worth it. This is the first video that actually convinced me that I may not need a ton of protein. I'll play it safe and still stay over the 1g/lb max he suggests, but based on his info it definitely doesn't seem like I need to be consuming 220g when I weigh 157bs.

So awesome to see all the help and debating going on in this @forums thread, I love it!!

So I'd have to agree with the majority and say your diet seems fine if you are still gaining weight. Strength comes down to the type of training you're doing rather than the amount of food you're eating.. obviously more food will help you with lifting more weight, though that tends to be because you have more mass.

I'd say it's more a case of needing a deload which is sounds like you are doing by going back to 265lbs on your squat. But to be honest, you can probably jump up more than 5lbs per week or however often you are increasing.

I guess you have a specific program you are following, but does it include anything like box squats so you can do some overloading? And that might actually make 300lbs, for example, feel light, if you can start squatting with 330lb or 350lbs for box squats?

Yes on the specific program. It’s just the starting strength program from Mark Rippetoe. It only focuses on full body compound barbell strength movements (Low bar squat, over head press, deadlift, bench press, power cleans, and weighted chin ups). Two basic workouts for the later phases that you alternate, so if you did A on Monday, you’ll do B on Wed and A again on Friday. The next Monday will be B and so on.

Workout A:

Squat 3x5

Overhead Press 3x5

Deadlift 1x5 / Power-clean 5x3 (alternate)

Workout B:

Squat 3x5

Bench Press 3x5

Weighted Chin-ups 3x8

5 warmup sets per exercise. First two with bare barx5, except deadlift 95lbs. Then 40%x5, 60%x3, and 80%x2 of working weight. So for example if I’m squatting 275 for working sets, warmup would be 45x5, 45x5, 105x5, 160x3, 220x2.

Whole routine takes about about 1-1/2 hours without warmup stretches or cool down. As soon as you lift the working weight for 3x5, you go up by 5-10lbs the next session. So in the beginning phases you can conceivably go up 20-30lbs on squat or deadlift in a week.

It definitely doesnt create a body builder figure, but it will get my strength up to something I can really build on and carries over well to athletics like Voelkerm said. If I go by what some starting strength coaches have said in podcast, it should be a solid program until I hit mid 300s on squat, and then you swap to an intermediate program like Texas Method or Bill Star Ascending. And to make sure I’m safe, I picked up some 7mm knee sleeves and wear my belt for working sets.

So far I’ve gained 7lbs while keeping BF around the same (approx 16-17%), and all my measurements for neck, arms, forearms, chest, hips, and thighs have gone up by 1/2” or more, and wife even commented how my upper traps are taller. Just keeping myself honest and using the meal planner on this site with this routine plus whatever I need to do with command PT and bicycling to work once a week.

Well that all sounds good man, it sounds like you know what you are doing and from your last paragraph, that you are making good progress. So in terms of building more strength, if you hit a plateau, I'd say the deload might help (which you have already done, or you are already doing, right?), but also adding in different exercises to help you break through, like the box squats etc.

Strength training programs are all well and good to increase weights by 5-10lbs every week, but if it were always that easy, people would have 1000lb squats fairly easy by just increasing the weight each week.. but it's not always linear like that, which is why you have to sometimes introduce a new stimulus to overload. Even if it is forced reps (which can be a bit harder to do on squats), anything to overload when you literally can't increase the weight while maintaining proper form.

So utilize the deload, and then go back through the program, but if you get stuck again, maybe try some variations to get that overload.

Finally hit 295 for 3 sets of 5 on squat!

The deload worked, especially going up in 5lbs increments per session vs 10lbs.

Thx for all the help! Seriously stoked to have hit that today

Congrats man! Sometimes a deload is the best thing you can do to break through a plateau. Next stop 300lbs for sets of 5!!