Increasing Muscle Size.

40sumthin · 04-21-2009, 06:30 PM

Hey all,
A quick question here, just to know I am normal. I have been hitting the weights hard since Aug 08 and the muscle gains seem to be slower with age. (Or so this is my question.) I gained about 1/2 inch on my biceps since that time. I realize I am not 20 anymore but I feel like the ultimate hard gainer. So, is this about the norm? I have gained in all measured muscle but it just seems slow.
Routine = 5days on weekends off
1 hour workouts with 7 to 15 sets per muscle group ...depending.
Supplements.... whey concentrates, multi V and powder egg whites.
188 pounds 4/12/09 (max bulking weight) feeling fat
Today 185 heading to 175 for my cutting start.
Thanks in advance.
Dan
Live well.

Old_Swole · 04-21-2009, 07:19 PM

this question comes up in this forum alot and I always wonder the same thing How hard is the person pushing themselves? I mean 15 sets sounds like alot but are they taking them to failure? Are they working the muscle till it burns and then some? Not to even mention diet, rest and not over training. Because they will not get past certain "plateaus" if they are not honest with themselves. Just somthing to think about.

40sumthin · 04-21-2009, 07:29 PM

Sometimes it takes 3 stes just to feel the flow of blood solid in the muscle. Tomorrow I'll do 5 sets of 10 rep 255 pound deadlift. Then 5 sets of 10 205 pound squats. My 1RM deadlift is 330. I feel I am pushing but thinking some safety. I have to make a living tomorrow.

Fifty+ · 04-21-2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40sumthin

Sometimes it takes 3 stes just to feel the flow of blood solid in the muscle. Tomorrow I'll do 5 sets of 10 rep 255 pound deadlift. Then 5 sets of 10 205 pound squats. My 1RM deadlift is 330. I feel I am pushing but thinking some safety. I have to make a living tomorrow.

Instead of the 5 sets of 10 @ 225, after 2-3 warm up sets try 275 x 8, 8.
Instead of the 5 sets of 10 @ 205, after warm ups try 225 x 8, 8. See what happens when you put the energy of 5 sets into 2 sets.
One rep max will not add muscle mass.

Old_Swole · 04-21-2009, 07:40 PM

both those lifts, amount of weight and number of sets sounds like you are pushing youself pretty good if you are working the other muscle groups with the same intencity and not getting results maybe you need to look at your diet a little closer. Post what you eat on a daily basis and let the diet gurus critique it. there are alot of very experienced people out here and most like to help. Good luck Dan!

40sumthin · 04-21-2009, 07:42 PM

I might just do that. Thanks.

jellodirt · 04-21-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40sumthin

I gained about 1/2 inch on my biceps since that time.

If you can add 1/2 inch to any part of your body every eight months I'd be pretty happy. Slow and steady wins the race...

40sumthin · 04-21-2009, 07:49 PM

Diet:
7 am -1/2 c oatmeal uncooked in 5 oz ff milk w/ scoop o whey. 1 egg
10 am - 1 piece o fruit 1 serving veg 1 egg
lunch - 2 cups spinach 6 oz chicken breast 1oz nuts.
2 pm - 1 piece fruit.
5 0r 6 - 5 oz ff milk with 1 scoop whey, 1sc eggwhite pwder 5 g creatine.
7 pm - (today was turkey meatloaf, mashed potato and corn) approx 600 cal.
drinking about 1 to 1 1/2 gal water daily.
My diet was about 2700 - 3100 cal daily.
Now going for about 2400

Old_Swole · 04-21-2009, 07:54 PM

I am not one of the diet gurus I mentioned above and should practice what I preach but I think you need to increase your protein and calorie intake. I will stop there and let the guys that know more about it tell you how to do it and by how much. again good luck.

IronCharles · 04-21-2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40sumthin

Diet:
7 am -1/2 c oatmeal uncooked in 5 oz ff milk w/ scoop o whey. 1 egg
10 am - 1 piece o fruit 1 serving veg 1 egg
lunch - 2 cups spinach 6 oz chicken breast 1oz nuts.
2 pm - 1 piece fruit.
5 0r 6 - 5 oz ff milk with 1 scoop whey, 1sc eggwhite pwder 5 g creatine.
7 pm - (today was turkey meatloaf, mashed potato and corn) approx 600 cal.
drinking about 1 to 1 1/2 gal water daily.
My diet was about 2700 - 3100 cal daily.
Now going for about 2400

Looks to me like you aren't getting enough protein. If you are working to failure and lifting fairly heavy, and doing compound lifts with the proper intensity and only gaining 1/2 inch in 8 months I would suspect either lack of protein or lack of sleep.

Many recommend 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, to make optimum gains in lean muscle mass. I've been trying to get at least 330 grams per day recently, and it's really helped me.

Good luck with your training!

**Arlecchino** · 04-22-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40sumthin

Hey all,
A quick question here, just to know I am normal.

You are not.

HTH.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fifty+

Instead of the 5 sets of 10 @ 225, after 2-3 warm up sets try 275 x 8, 8.
Instead of the 5 sets of 10 @ 205, after warm ups try 225 x 8, 8. See what happens when you put the energy of 5 sets into 2 sets.
One rep max will not add muscle mass.

Do this, or something similar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40sumthin

Diet:
7 am -1/2 c oatmeal uncooked in 5 oz ff milk w/ scoop o whey. 1 egg
10 am - 1 piece o fruit 1 serving veg 1 egg
lunch - 2 cups spinach 6 oz chicken breast 1oz nuts.
2 pm - 1 piece fruit.
5 0r 6 - 5 oz ff milk with 1 scoop whey, 1sc eggwhite pwder 5 g creatine.
7 pm - (today was turkey meatloaf, mashed potato and corn) approx 600 cal.
drinking about 1 to 1 1/2 gal water daily.
My diet was about 2700 - 3100 cal daily.
Now going for about 2400

Eat more dammit.

40sumthin · 04-22-2009, 12:39 PM

OK. I thank you all for the feed back.
I have finished up my bulking for the winter at 188 pounds and now I am trying to cut. So my diet is less.
As for my lifting .......like this
Benching
All to fail reps with 1 minute in b/w and full motion to my chest (no half reps)
205 lbs 10
205 ...7
205....6
205....4
205....4
Incline
175....10
175....8
175...7
175...7
175...6
flies
45 lb DB ...9
45...8
45...8
45...6
45...6
Again this is max effort with good form and about 4 or 5 seconds for 1 complete rep.

Fifty+ · 04-22-2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40sumthin

OK. I thank you all for the feed back.
I have finished up my bulking for the winter at 188 pounds and now I am trying to cut. So my diet is less.
As for my lifting .......like this
Benching
All to fail reps with 1 minute in b/w and full motion to my chest (no half reps)
205 lbs 10
205 ...7
205....6
205....4
205....4
Incline
175....10
175....8
175...7
175...7
175...6
flies
45 lb DB ...9
45...8
45...8
45...6
45...6
Again this is max effort with good form and about 4 or 5 seconds for 1 complete rep.

I was wondering what you accomplished with this thread?