Does it get much better?

[Gunnnar]

I have been pushing weight consistently since the age of 15. I am 22 years old now and feel like I have made very average gains over the last 6-7 years. It has really slowed over the last two. During this time span I have likely put on about 35 pounds of muscle. To all the guys that have been truly natty, have you continued to make gains much past your 8-12 year mark or am I pretty much maxed out?? I personally like to sit at about 12 percent year round to hold a heavier weight. This has just been a personal preference of mine. I have cut as low as 9 percent and have bulked as high as 17 percent. I just feel like at this point I cannot improve much more than I have. I currently weigh about 190 as i have been cutting for the last 2 months from about 210. Im sitting at maybe 12 percent at the moment. To be honest I am not satisfied with how I look. I want to be bigger. Ultimate goals would be 215-225 weight at 10-12 percent but being 5'10 im not sure how realistic this is considering everyone and their brother claims natty. Will I continue to grow much more or am I pretty much maintaining from this point on? Also strength seems to be consistently going up still which is nice. Plz no bs from bro lifters.

[Crysthal]

While you're looking good I'm sure there is more to put on.

How are you programming?

[Gunnnar]

I average 5 -6 days a week. I change up my workout programs every three weeks or so. Changing my routine involves me taking a sheet of paper and writing down something new off the top of my head. I will say I do considerably less total sets than most people. My workout is usually about 10-12 sets then I am done. If I do more my strength is completely gone and feels useless to push anymore. At the moment I am on a 6 day split.

day 1: upper chest and triceps
day 2: back and biceps
day 3: shoulders and squat
day 4: lower chest and triceps
day 5: back and biceps
day 6: deadlift, calves, forearms, weighted core

I prefer to stick to 6-10 rep range
For example my day 1 looks like this-

Heavy Incline DB 3x6-8
Incline DB close grip 3x8
Incline cable crossovers 3x10
Skull crushers 3x10

While you're looking good I'm sure there is more to put on.

How are you programming?

[fittofattofit]

I average 5 -6 days a week. I change up my workout programs every three weeks or so. Changing my routine involves me taking a sheet of paper and writing down something new off the top of my head. I will say I do considerably less total sets than most people. My workout is usually about 10-12 sets then I am done. If I do more my strength is completely gone and feels useless to push anymore. At the moment I am on a 6 day split.

day 1: upper chest and triceps
day 2: back and biceps
day 3: shoulders and squat
day 4: lower chest and triceps
day 5: back and biceps
day 6: deadlift, calves, forearms, weighted core

I prefer to stick to 6-10 rep range
For example my day 1 looks like this-

Heavy Incline DB 3x6-8
Incline DB close grip 3x8
Incline cable crossovers 3x10
Skull crushers 3x10

You look great now but you still looked good in the earlier pics ... looks like you've managed a good job of steadily adding mass over the years with a good programme and planned bulks/cuts. 190lbs @ 5'10" and 12% is very solid so the gains will be slower from now on but I don't see any reason why they're going to stop. Only query is if the legs match the upper body cos no leg pics.
Nice to get the training sessions done in 12 sets ... I'm assuming you're lifting heavy. What are your working weights on the big lifts?

[grubman]

Just one mans (honest) opinion...

While I doubt you’ve “maxed out” your natural gains, looking at your skeletal structure, development, and mass (assuming your legs are proportionate)...I’m guessing your continued progress and gains are going to be painfully small, slow, and harder to achieve. I’ve not seen many truly natural lifters with the same bone structure as you with much more size.

Typically (from the research I’ve read), while doing everything “right” muscle growth has a sort of half life. You might gain 20 pounds the first year, 10 pounds the next, 5 pounds on year three, 2.5 pounds year four...and after that your fighting for crumbs.

That said, you look spectacular! I know an individual is rarely happy with his own build, but the majority of people (and natural lifters) would kill to have that size and shape. If the legs are the same you’ve combined good genetics with lots of hard work for a physique anyone would be proud of.

[Gunnnar]

You look great now but you still looked good in the earlier pics ... looks like you've managed a good job of steadily adding mass over the years with a good programme and planned bulks/cuts. 190lbs @ 5'10" and 12% is very solid so the gains will be slower from now on but I don't see any reason why they're going to stop. Only query is if the legs match the upper body cos no leg pics.
Nice to get the training sessions done in 12 sets ... I'm assuming you're lifting heavy. What are your working weights on the big lifts?

For squat I do a pyramid style.
Ex... 5x6-10 start with 135 for warm up sets then working sets range from 225 up to 365ish. Thats as heavy as I am comfortable lifting without a spotter. (I never go to fail)

For DB flat bench, working sets include starting with around 90s (after warmup sets) and working up to 115s for 5-8 reps. I will do maybe 3-4 sets depending how I am feeling.
For DB incline it will range from 70s-95s.

A year ago I hurt my back pretty bad from deadlift so I have been slowly getting back into it this last month.
Lately I have been doing a 5x5 pyramid style. I do the reps extra slow. (Just to be cautious)
Start with 225 (post warm-up) and will build to 315 for 5 and then finish with a 225 cool down set.
I am in to rush to bump the weight anytime soon for DL.

[Gunnnar]

Just one mans (honest) opinion...

While I doubt you’ve “maxed out” your natural gains, looking at your skeletal structure, development, and mass (assuming your legs are proportionate)...I’m guessing your continued progress and gains are going to be painfully small, slow, and harder to achieve. I’ve not seen many truly natural lifters with the same bone structure as you with much more size.

Typically (from the research I’ve read), while doing everything “right” muscle growth has a sort of half life. You might gain 20 pounds the first year, 10 pounds the next, 5 pounds on year three, 2.5 pounds year four...and after that your fighting for crumbs.

That said, you look spectacular! I know an individual is rarely happy with his own build, but the majority of people (and natural lifters) would kill to have that size and shape. If the legs are the same you’ve combined good genetics with lots of hard work for a physique anyone would be proud of.

Thank you I appreciate it. It is frustrating to see outrageous looking individuals that claim to be natural lifters. Its funny to look back in my mid teens and remember thinking one day I would look like a bodybuilder. I would like to speak with naturals that have been putting in 10 plus years of work to give me an idea of when a realistic "peaking" point is.

[Gunnnar]

I would like to mention I have nothing against people that take gear...
Its just not for me.

[grubman]

Thank you I appreciate it. It is frustrating to see outrageous looking individuals that claim to be natural lifters. Its funny to look back in my mid teens and remember thinking one day I would look like a bodybuilder

Yep, know exactly what you mean. When I first started (in the 80s) nobody talked honestly about that stuff. All the guys I admired in the mags were relitively young and had only been lifting , like 5 years. I assumed I’d look like that in 5 years...

...then 5 years came and went, and while I looked pretty healthy and muscular, I certainly wasn’t the Arnold I expected to be. Ha ha

Even now, this go round, I have to reality check myself. Whenever I work up a new program, or decide to eat a little more, my brain is saying, “meybe this is the magic formula that’s going to do it?!”...then I realize it’s pretty much just trying to keep what I have at this point

[rufretic]

I would find a good proven program and stick to it longer than 3 weeks, that's a very short period of time to see any results. I can't help you with how much more potential you have but if you've honestly been switching programs every 3 weeks then imo you'd have some to gain with a good long term program. Good luck.

[needgains1024]

You look good. For some reason I thought you looked better in 2013, then I noticed it's because you got that big tattoo on your chest.. I think the tattoo actually ruins aesthetics. That's my opinion anyway. Keep up the great work.

[maxbbb]

I think you look great (no homo), although tats were probably a mistake.

If your goal is to look more attractive, see if you can grow a beard.

[maxbbb]

Everyone plateaus. A slightly better training program, etc. will just shift the potential plateau level a little bit. The fact remains.

[Gunnnar]

You look good. For some reason I thought you looked better in 2013, then I noticed it's because you got that big tattoo on your chest.. I think the tattoo actually ruins aesthetics. That's my opinion anyway. Keep up the great work.

Fair enough... I love tattoos so I will continue to get more as time goes on. Also I weighed about 165 pounds in 2013. Right now im in the low 190s. I just prefer to fill out large shirts.