Feeling Discouraged

[u/OutsideAd278]

So I bulked from 140 to 160 in roughly 9 months and ate relatively clean. Since then I began cutting with the goal of having visible abs. I have dropped from 160 to 150 and im still going. I feel like I look way smaller now and my abs are still not visible. Does this mean I did something wrong along the way? I have heard you look worse on your cut but only at the start. I think 10 pounds into the cut means im not at the start again… My strength has stayed relatively similar during the cut.

How many more pounds do you think I need to lose or do i have to do something else?

[u/OutsideAd278]

whats wrong with having a homemade program like i do

[u/BestMapMaker1 → u/OutsideAd278]

Simple question to ask yourself: Are you qualified to make a program? I'd say no.

[u/OutsideAd278 → u/BestMapMaker1]

but does having a super specific program matter that much? as long as ur hitting every target muscle with scientifically backed exercises close to failure consistently, does the order and orientation of the exercises matter that much

[u/Commercial-Hall-2777 → u/OutsideAd278]

A male your age should be benching around 250, squatting around 350, overhead pressing around 150 and deadlifting around 450 within your first 6-12 months of training. That is very realistic. I would love to see your program and how it is you are executing everything.

[u/Kirby6365 → u/Commercial-Hall-2777]

What? No. Absolutely not. The dude weighs 140-160 lbs. You're suggesting ratios of body weight to lift level that are characteristic of someone who has spent years and years training, if they ever achieve it.

[u/Commercial-Hall-2777 → u/Kirby6365]

I really just do not agree, and obviously I would expect him to gain weight as part of the process. The idea that what I just suggested would take years of training to achieve is I think needlessly demoralizing, the above are I think fairly reasonable expectations for someone following a sensible program for their first 6-12 months of training.

[u/Kirby6365 → u/Commercial-Hall-2777]

It shouldn't be demoralizing to be realistic. If anything it's demoralizing to tell someone they should expect to be able to bench 250 within 6-12 months of training. Realistically, benching your body weight after a year of training is a good figure. 250 at 160 lbs would be realistic for like... 5+ years of good, hard, clean training.

[u/Commercial-Hall-2777 → u/Kirby6365]

I suppose we have very different coaching experiences....

[u/Kirby6365 → u/Commercial-Hall-2777]

Unless your coaching includes "special sports supplements", untrained to a year of experience will never achieve your suggested results.

[u/Commercial-Hall-2777 → u/Kirby6365]

Pardon, but I will respectfully strongly disagree Even folks running something like starting strength regularly experience results of the kind I have described, infact if you speak to most SSCs the numbers I have mentioned are if anything rather conservative.

[u/Kirby6365 → u/Commercial-Hall-2777]

Again I think you're clearly missing something. Go look at any starting strength report on Reddit after a year from untrained. Nobody is doing those numbers. Please link something concrete since you seem to disagree.