squat refuses to go up

[potatoface]

I am 185lbs. I squat 245 for 3 sets of 5 reps. I have been trying for months to get it over 245 and I just can't.

If I increase the weight I miss lots of reps on the last 2 sets, sometimes the first set, and my form deteriorates very quickly.

Currently my form with 245 is pretty good, I sit back instead of down. I use hip drive and don't "good morning" the weight up. I make sure my torso is tight and that I am spreading my knees. The weight is on my heels and I am using chuck taylors.

Food: I used to weigh 175 about 2 months ago. I ate enough to gain weight but my squat still wouldn't go up. Does that mean food isn't the issue?

Sleep: I get about 8-10 hours every night. I love my sleep and try not to miss it.

Recovery: For the most part lifting is all I do. I lift weights Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Sometimes I will do some cardio work, but nothing that is high in intensity. I have taken a week off of lifting a few times in hopes to get passed this plateau but it didn't work.

What should I do? I feel like I am too weak to move on to something more advanced but, beyond what I mentioned above, I don't know what else there is to fix.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You're actually telling everybody here that you have been doing 245 x 5 x 3 for months, but cannot do 250 x 5 x 3?

[uncledmarky]

Could it be that Mr. Potatoface has psychological issues with the number 250? Might not a heavy double or triple with 255 convince him that he won't get stapled to the floor? I say this because I've dealt with similar hurdles with round numbers on the deadlift.

[elVarouza]

I noticed one thing you didn't mention under "recovery" is how much food you're eating. Take what you think is "eating enough" and if it doesn't involve a GOMAD, add it to your current diet.

[BJB82]

Might not a heavy double or triple with 255 convince him that he won't get stapled to the floor?

That nearly made me laugh my morning glass of milk out my nose. I will use this in the future when I have someone afraid of being "stapled to the floor".

[knkavo]

Yes you shouldn't admit these things. I haven't admitted to anyone that my squat has been stuck for months...

Woops

[killyouintheface]

Could it be that Mr. Potatoface has psychological issues with the number 250? Might not a heavy double or triple with 255 convince him that he won't get stapled to the floor? I say this because I've dealt with similar hurdles with round numbers on the deadlift.

It wouldn't surprise me. I did the same thing with my bench press and overhead press. I just forced myself to take a little longer during the set between reps to make sure I got a good breath. I'd psych myself out, and try to hurry through the set, which effected my breathing, which effected the force I was able to bring to bear, and the whole thing just spiraled down from there. It sucked.

Anyway, it might help the OP to slow down and make sure he's breathing correctly.

[Casey Dupre]

Seriously, taterface... just get er done man.

[Phil Stablein]

Something didn't seem quite right about this guy, so I checked his old posts.

"Thanks for the "just do squats" comments, I tried to bare through the pain once and it still hurts 8 months later."

From his thread about a year ago, in which Rip even apologized for letting the thread go to 2 pages. I surmise that this person is either 1. a troll 2. someone who cannot be helped over the internet.

[Ian Kovtunovich]

Have you gotten some fractional plates yet? My squat stalled at 240 a while back. I took a couple months off of training and basically started over, but this time I had fractionals on hand. Once my squats got to the oh-shit-I'm-gonna-stall-again zone, I dropped to 2.5 lb increments. This time, I'm up to (as of last night) 277.5, and feel like I have a couple more increases in me before I hit the wall again.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yes you shouldn't admit these things. I haven't admitted to anyone that my squat has been stuck for months...

Yeah, you did.

[knkavo]

Yeah, you did.

Damn ;-)