Help me GROW

[swolemc]

OK i have a few questions.. please see if you can help me out (if you know what your talking about)

1- Is it important to plan your workout ahead of time. bc i have not been putting a specific body part to a day in the week, kinda winging it..

2- i have been working out for 8 months but haven't really grown since after the 3rd or 4th.. should i work out more frequently? i currently work out 2 on 1 off but i dont want to overtrain..

3 im basically trying to find out what im doing wrong.. because i started working out with a friend. and he does exactly what i do but hes growing fast as shit. i do mostly compound exercises but i always feel like i could do more after im finished. would isolation help me feel it more??


thanks i would greatly appreciate any opinions and/or answers to these questions

ps. diet is in check.

 

[swolemc]

also i was thinking of training every day except weekends for like 2 weeks.. i need something to get me kick started.. would that work?

 

[3J]

OK i have a few questions.. please see if you can help me out (if you know what your talking about)

1- Is it important to plan your workout ahead of time. bc i have not been putting a specific body part to a day in the week, kinda winging it..
its very important.. pick a split and stick to it.. i personaly love one muscle group a day 5 days a week
2- i have been working out for 8 months but haven't really grown since after the 3rd or 4th.. should i work out more frequently? i currently work out 2 on 1 off but i dont want to overtrain..
get your diet checked... your diet is more suspect then anything right now based on what you've told me
3 im basically trying to find out what im doing wrong.. because i started working out with a friend. and he does exactly what i do but hes growing fast as shit. i do mostly compound exercises but i always feel like i could do more after im finished. would isolation help me feel it more??

maybe... but then again.. does your friend eat more then you?
thanks i would greatly appreciate any opinions and/or answers to these questions

ps. diet is in check.

i doubt your diet is in check.. if it were you'd be adding weight

 

[swolemc]

ok ok i was a bit unclear... i am adding weight its just FAT and mostly in the abdomen.. i look really good and pumped after my workout but thats about the only time.. also i dont get hardly as sore as i used too which is why i thought maybe there was something wrong with my workout routine or maybe i plataeud (however you spell it).. my friend actually eats less than me.. im thinking maybe my genes just suck. any suggestions?

 

[3J]

well. put up a typical week for me.. thats number 1..

also, you said youvee been workout for how long straight? when i say straight, i mean without taking a week of or something of that sort

 

[swolemc]

8 months straight.

typical week:
All workouts 3 sets of 6-8 reps unless otherwise noted

day 1- chest and abs ( bench incline dumbell press, flat flyes, chest dip)

day 2 biceps, and forearms (barbell curl, seated barbell curl, dumbell curls, seated alternating dumbell curls) (and forearm workouts)

day 3- off

day 4- legs ( squats, deadlifts, lunges calf raises seated raises sets of 20-25)

day 5- shoulders ( shrugs, military presses, barbell upright rows, and lateral raises, (10-12 reps).

day 6- off

day 7 back and triceps, (Back = pull downs, pullups, one arm rows and barbell rows...( Triceps= close grip bench, reverse grip bench, tricep curls, skull crushers, and tricep dips)

1 off day then back from the begining. cardio 4-5 days a week.

 

[tazman03]

Your diet will make or break you!!!
To build muscle, you got to feed yourself ample nutrients. This is what is called "Bulk" diet.

Jamy is who you need to talk to about the diet bit.
To grow like a horse, eat like a horse in essence, lol
You will put on body fat in a bulk diet, but cut it off later.

in order to build "lean muscle" you have to actually "diet" but still eat your required protein and "clean carbs"

Being you've only been training for 8 months, and you are just "winging" it in the gym I find it hard to believe your "diet is in check". Mot trying to bust your balls man, dont take it the wrong way.

the right over the counter supplements can help to.

 

[3J]

so u'v been at it for 8 months straight??

first thing u need to do is take a 7 day break... your body needs that rest every 13-16 weeks... you may have platued because you burned out your cns...

yet i'd still like to see your current diet.. i know we've worked on diff ones for you in the past.. and i recommended a higher carb diet for you.. dunno what happneed with that.. dont remember..

 

[3J]

actually.. looking back.. weren't u cutting??

how do you expect to grow when ur at a caloric deficit???

 

[swolemc]

Meal 1
2 cups egg whites
1 cup oatmeal

Meal 2
6 oz ground turkey breast cooked with olive oil
10 oz potatoe

Meal 3
Same as meal 2

PWO shake
2 scoops whey
creatine and grape juice

meal 4
potato and chicken breast 6 oz

meal 5
same as meal 2 + 3 maybe fish instead of turkey

meal 6
2 Tblsp peanut butter
1 scoop whey
1 school casien

300 carbs 300+ protien 50-60 g fat

Im not like most other people that want to swole up over night. I've been following diet and exercise to a T and i've given up alot of things for it. i just want to see some better results.

 

[swolemc]

actually.. looking back.. weren't u cutting??

how do you expect to grow when ur at a caloric deficit???

i havnt been cutting since the end of feb so almost a month. im gonna bulk till july-august.. i just dont wanna waste my time again because it seems like all i do is get big/fat then cut and lose everything over and over for these 8 months.

 

[3J]

strange that you wouldn't be growing.. no strength increase at all??

 

[tazman03]

It all takes time man.
You are trying to build muscle or cut down? if I read that right you dieted to cut up until the end of February correct? well its only march 15th. so you have been on above diet for only roughly 2 weeks............ give it time.

If you are worried about adding to much bodyfat, switch potato for a sweet potato, or more oats, or brown rice, and add veggies which I dont see at all in the diet yet.
Drink as close to a gallon of water a day. a gallon is just a goal not a requirement. But water will help you get the nutrients to your muscles. Plus when your body understands it has an adequate water supply, it wont be as reluctant to shed excess water weight.
GET YOUR REST!!!! if you are tired all day, it does you no good to go do a half assed workout.

dont get discouraged if you see someone else making better gains. Some of us are hard gainers, period. You have only been lifting for 8 months, this is nothing in terms of true time spent in the gym. Altho im sure you understand it, You will not get the body you see in a magazine instantly. it takes years of dedication.
Like in my sig. "Obsessed is what the fat and lazy call the determined". I used to get called obsessed with the gym and my body all the time by my girlfriend. I called it Passionate, lol. Now she goes with me every time I train and with the little results she has seen just from training and eating right, she is just like me. I actually think there is more Female fitness magazines in the bathroom now than my muscle head mags, lol.

Most people go to the gym for a few months to a year or so and say ah f*** it im tired of this work and not looking like that person or this picture ect...
It is a commitment. There is no half assing any aspect of it. When Saturday morning comes and you dont have shit to do until noon, dont sleep till 10 then say well I guess Ill go eat now.... Bullshit! get up at 6am or whatever time you normally get up during the week and eat. Then go back to bed if you want.
Just stick with it, you will get there for sure, its just a matter of how much you want it.

 

[RJ]

You're diet is in check? How?

You're other thread your claimed to be 24%BF, and me, Jamy, and Milk gave you kick ass advice that you never followed and now you wonder why your not doing anything but getting "big and fat'?

Dude, first thing you need to do is shut up and listen. You think you are all 'in check' but you are not. Far from it. Getting big is all about eating big (and mostly clean) and getting strong. I even sent you to that link about a routine i follow once a year and you didn't even look at it cause you 'know what you're doing'.

Switching threads doesn't negate the fact that you don't listen. I can almost guarantee you're overtraining too. At your stage, which is a beginner btw, you need to be lifting heavy, low volume... i say three days a week MAX. Of course you won't do that cause you feel like you can do more.

Since I'm in a decent mood, here it is again. Its not gonna seem like much, but if you do it right, you will grow.

http://www.steroidology.com/forum/547098-post126.html

 

[tazman03]

RJ your back is sick dude. someday ill get there lol ^^^^ bookmarked for reference.

 

[swolemc]

Thanks for the advice tazman.. yeh i usually wake up at 6 am eat eggs and oatmeal then sleep till the next meal time haha. i guess i just gotta be more patient with myself and think about body building on a larger time scale instead of day to day or week to week.

RJH I Feel like i have enough experience to know that im eating very clean and properly, however i think you have a point about the overtraining. I checked out the link and i'm going to follow a 3 day split similar to the one you posted. Are you SURE that the workout is not undertraining? i barley feel worked after my split now and this would bring it down by almost half. also i work out at my house now so i dont have anything for leg press's any variations of that i can do?

and 3j yeh i have gotten a little stronger but thats because i started taking creatine.. is it more important to put up heavy weight and sacrafice form a little or strict form lighter weight..

 

[RJ]

RJH I Feel like i have enough experience to know that im eating very clean and properly, however i think you have a point about the overtraining. I checked out the link and i'm going to follow a 3 day split similar to the one you posted. Are you SURE that the workout is not undertraining? i barley feel worked after my split now and this would bring it down by almost half. also i work out at my house now so i dont have anything for leg press's any variations of that i can do?

..

If you don't fee like you are worked out enough, you are not training with enough intensity, nor are you prolly training heavy enough (still with proper form mind you).

Believe me, this workout made the most noticeable difference in my physique out of any of them. It take a couple weeks to get your mind on board to 3 days a week training. But if you're killing it, you don't need anymore than that. Especially at your stage.

As for leg presses, you can do a diff squat variation, but I'd say unless you got a badass gym, which you don't if you don't have a leg sled, then you need to pony up the $35 a month and go to a real gym. You can't get big in a shitty home gym set up.

 

[swolemc]

You've used that exact workout and it worked for you? on or off gear? im gonna try it and unfreeze my gym membership.

what does it mean when he says pick 1 of the squats and leg presses..?
and what are hips 1x 20 reps

 

[RJ]

You've used that exact workout and it worked for you? on or off gear? im gonna try it and unfreeze my gym membership.

what does it mean when he says pick 1 of the squats and leg presses..?
and what are hips 1x 20 reps

yes sir. used it twice in the past 4 years. On and off gear. works badass.

he means pick either a front squat, or box squat, or a reg squat, AND leg presses.

hips i don't mess with, so you can drop that if necessary. PB is a PLer so alot of what you will be doing will involve your core.

 

[swolemc]

ok im gonna start tomarrow.. just a few more questions

what are posterior core movements? and also pull a parts? couldnt find those on the net.