6 Months = Little Gains :'(

[proTEENguzzlah]

My height might be 6'3"-6'5". I started lifting last September and dirty bulked from 168 to 200 lbs with a personal trainer in 3 months and then started working out alone. I try to work out 5-7 days a week and usually spend 1-1.5 hours at the gym. My split is legs + back + shoulders & biceps, and I add chest & triceps after every two workouts. Here some of my working sets:
Squat (5x5) 180 lbs
Deadlift (5x5) 205-225 lbs
Leg Press (4x8) 405
Dumbbell Bench (3x8) 50-55 lbs
Military Press (3x8) 70 lbs
Lat Pulldown (3x10) 135-165 lbs
Dumbbell Curl (3x12) 30-40 lbs

I recently started paying more attention to diet by adding rotisserie chicken, eggs, and oatmeal, although not consistently. I've been take 4 scoops of whey protein a day. I would also like to add that there has been little change in my routine in the past 6 months and I read that that decreases the effectiveness.
The pictures are very inconsistent because of different lighting and distance and the camera was placed low, its like a down view. I tried to resize the 'after' picture to fit the scale of the 'before' one. What I am very concerned about is the lack of 'official' chest pecs and I have gyno in my left nipple which is annoying.

[beef555]

are you doing this routine everyday for 5 times a week in a row..??

[Narikoo]

I hate to say it man but it doesn't look like you gained any muscle at all..

Post your routine in detail and your macros/calories.

[v1rt]

looks like you are not lifting heavy enough. I think 5-7 days a week is too much! I do it 3 times a week and I have seen more progress. You did gain fats but not any muscles. Are you sure it's 6 months?

[KingBeezi]

looks like you are not lifting heavy enough. I think 5-7 days a week is too much! I do it 3 times a week and I have seen more progress. You did gain fats but not any muscles. Are you sure it's 6 months?

I AGREE. 6 months with any workout+ heavy weights should yield some kind of results. i think you arent lifting heavy enough. also what has your diet looked like OP?

[Schlangemann]

I'm the Protein Guzzler.jpg




Have you had your test checked OP? Have you been hitting your macros? Mostly dietry fat?

[Birdbrainguy]

Do you "go hard" in the gym (i.e. push yourself)? What has been your progress on the actual lifts? I'm 150lb with high-ish BF% and I lift nearly as heavy as you on most of the lifts you listed.

[p4k]

Woah, 4 scoops of protein a day? Seems overkill

[frogt3ch]

lol did you even lift

[thehyphen]

I'm no expert, but I think you might not be working hard enough in the gym. I'm only 5'6 135lbs and I'm putting up numbers close to yours. If we started working out the same length of time then someone your size should be lifting way more than that IMO.

[proTEENguzzlah]

are you doing this routine everyday for 5 times a week in a row..??

No, this is what I meant:
- A day for legs
- A day for back
- A day for shoulders & biceps
And then I add a day of chest & triceps after every two workout days, and also minimal ab work every other day

I hate to say it man but it doesn't look like you gained any muscle at all..

Post your routine in detail and your macros/calories.

- Legs: squat, deadlift, leg press, standing calf, leg extension, leg curl, one legged squats off a chair
- Back: cable row, EZ bar wide row, slow neutral lat pulldown, wide lat pulldown, another cable row, superset slow neutral lat pulldown + barbell row + wide lat pulldown
- Shoulders & biceps: military press, lateral raise or upright row, side lateral raise, Arnolds, dumbbell curl, EZ bar curl, 21s, isolation curls without rest
- Chest & triceps: incline dumbbell press, dumbbell press, dumbbell fly, cable fly, cable chest press, tricep dip, tricep kickback (can only do certain tricep exercises otherwise I feel testicular strain - weird I know)
---
I don't have a real diet. I just try to incorporate chicken, eggs, and oatmeal and soon baked potatoes and salmon. It is hard for me because I do not know how to cook and my school schedule makes it hard to time meals. I do a lot of peanut butter snacking and stay away from fast food, sodas, and sweets.

looks like you are not lifting heavy enough. I think 5-7 days a week is too much! I do it 3 times a week and I have seen more progress. You did gain fats but not any muscles. Are you sure it's 6 months?

When I was with the personal trainer, he told me that at my recovery rate 7 days is okay. I went up 2% BF when I dirty bulked to 32 lbs. Yes, it's 6 months. I started September 1, 2011.

I'm the Protein Guzzler.jpg
Have you had your test checked OP? Have you been hitting your macros? Mostly dietry fat?

What do you mean by test? I had a checkup a couple of months ago and everything okay except one thing which was very slightly lacking. I can't remember.

Do you "go hard" in the gym (i.e. push yourself)? What has been your progress on the actual lifts? I'm 150lb with high-ish BF% and I lift nearly as heavy as you on most of the lifts you listed.

I do consider myself a very hard worker in the gym and when I was working with the personal trainer he praised my intensity. I am always sweating and trying to push myself. My gym partners usually can't keep up with my workouts, especially leg days and back days. They started lifting after I did, so they might not be a good reference. I actually blacked out once on a leg day, but stayed conscious and started seeing again thanks to some sugary drinks I was given. Here is some rough progress:
Squat 5x5 (under 135 to 185)
Deadlift 3x10 (135 to 205) used to reset position per rep and reached 225
Leg Press 4x8 (200 range to 405)
Bench Press 5x5 (under 135 to 135) recently excluded because of no increase and bad form
Dumbbell Press 3x8 (20s range to 55)
Back Cable Row 5x5 (under 100 to 165) recently dropped from 180 for form
Lat Pull Down 3x10 (under 100 to 135) recently dropped from 150 for form
Military Press 3x8 (55 to 70)
Dumbbell Curl 3x12 (20s to 30) recently dropped from 40 for form
EZ Bar Curl 3x12 (55 to 60)

Woah, 4 scoops of protein a day? Seems overkill

How is it overkill?

[proTEENguzzlah]

Oh, and here is a picture after my third and last month with the trainer. He said that my weight gain was very good (possibly no one in the gym made that weight jump) and that the measurements' increase was very good as well. He always checked my food even though I was dirty bulking. What surprises me is that even with the trainer I still looked bad!

[Birdbrainguy]

Fuark, maybe it's the picture angle, I don't see how you could put on 35lb and look no different. I think the trainer might be bull****ting you a little because 35lb in 3 months is QUITE a fast weight gain (~3lb/week), I believe most people are lucky if their bodies can produce about .5lb of muscle/week (someone correct me if I'm wrong on that). So even with beginner gains you probably gained optimistically like 10lb of muscle and 25lb of fat.

Your progress on lifts seems a bit slow in some areas for a beginner, but not too bad overall. Not really sure what to tell you brah, hopefully someone more experienced can shed some more light on it. Sounds like your diet's probably off too.

[sunchienlee]

You should fire your trainer IMO

[KruseMissile]

35lb in 3 months is QUITE a fast weight gain (~3lb/week), I believe most people are lucky if their bodies can produce about .5lb of muscle/week (someone correct me if I'm wrong on that). So even with beginner gains you probably gained optimistically like 10lb of muscle and 25lb of fat.

even .5lbs of muscle a month is good. That turns into 6lbs a year.

OP something doesnt add up. You gained 35lbs, but look the same. You got plenty of rest, ate well(high carb/high protein), and lifted with intensity? I noticed you said you dirty bulked 32lbs in 3 months. That's way too much IMO, most of that is fat. Clean bulk instead. Come up with macros that fit you and stick to it. Learn to cook, 90% of body building is eating so get used to it. Also each workout you should try to change something, whether you add weight or do an extra rep, that little bit is what I believe helps build the muscle.

[proTEENguzzlah]

Fuark, maybe it's the picture angle, I don't see how you could put on 35lb and look no different. I think the trainer might be bull****ting you a little because 35lb in 3 months is QUITE a fast weight gain (~3lb/week), I believe most people are lucky if their bodies can produce about .5lb of muscle/week (someone correct me if I'm wrong on that). So even with beginner gains you probably gained optimistically like 10lb of muscle and 25lb of fat.

I get that a lot. I'm guessing it's the height so there is more weight distribution. The angle of the pic is I mentioned makes it so that it's a down view, so shoulders do not show very well and a more 'horizontal' pic might show more weight, but friends in real life don't notice my weight gain.

You should fire your trainer IMO

I did not necessarily fire him, but stopped training with him because we had a 3 month agreement.

[proTEENguzzlah]

even .5lbs of muscle a month is good. That turns into 6lbs a year.

OP something doesnt add up. You gained 35lbs, but look the same. You got plenty of rest, ate well(high carb/high protein), and lifted with intensity? I noticed you said you dirty bulked 32lbs in 3 months. That's way too much IMO, most of that is fat. Clean bulk instead. Come up with macros that fit you and stick to it. Learn to cook, 90% of body building is eating so get used to it. Also each workout you should try to change something, whether you add weight or do an extra rep, that little bit is what I believe helps build the muscle.

Rest was okay. In terms of food, I take 4 scoops of whey protein a day and try to get protein from a natural source such as fish or rotisserie chicken, but nothing consistent. For carbs, I eat a lot of sandwiches so I don't know if that helps. I always try to be intense in my workouts.

[Briandk]

I can't really tell from the angle. People also aren't realizing if op really is 6 foot 5 or so. His frame will be alot harder to fill out.

[anglac6]

I don't have a real diet. I just try to incorporate chicken, eggs, and oatmeal and soon baked potatoes and salmon. It is hard for me because I do not know how to cook and my school schedule makes it hard to time meals. I do a lot of peanut butter snacking and stay away from fast food, sodas, and sweets.

There's your problem right there. Might want to spend some time reading the stickies in the nutrition forum.

[mexr69]

Doesnt look like you've gained muscle tbh
Just eat more foods dont relie on protein powers whole foods is much better! eat more lift heavy and you'll have gains!

My height might be 6'3"-6'5". I started lifting last September and dirty bulked from 168 to 200 lbs with a personal trainer in 3 months and then started working out alone. I try to work out 5-7 days a week and usually spend 1-1.5 hours at the gym. My split is legs + back + shoulders & biceps, and I add chest & triceps after every two workouts. Here some of my working sets:
Squat (5x5) 180 lbs
Deadlift (5x5) 205-225 lbs
Leg Press (4x8) 405
Dumbbell Bench (3x8) 50-55 lbs
Military Press (3x8) 70 lbs
Lat Pulldown (3x10) 135-165 lbs
Dumbbell Curl (3x12) 30-40 lbs

I recently started paying more attention to diet by adding rotisserie chicken, eggs, and oatmeal, although not consistently. I've been take 4 scoops of whey protein a day. I would also like to add that there has been little change in my routine in the past 6 months and I read that that decreases the effectiveness.
The pictures are very inconsistent because of different lighting and distance and the camera was placed low, its like a down view. I tried to resize the 'after' picture to fit the scale of the 'before' one. What I am very concerned about is the lack of 'official' chest pecs and I have gyno in my left nipple which is annoying.

[OverTrapped]

I do consider myself a very hard worker in the gym and when I was working with the personal trainer he praised my intensity. I am always sweating and trying to push myself. My gym partners usually can't keep up with my workouts, especially leg days and back days. They started lifting after I did, so they might not be a good reference. I actually blacked out once on a leg day, but stayed conscious and started seeing again thanks to some sugary drinks I was given. Here is some rough progress:
Squat 5x5 (under 135 to 185)
Deadlift 3x10 (135 to 205) used to reset position per rep and reached 225
Leg Press 4x8 (200 range to 405)
Bench Press 5x5 (under 135 to 135) recently excluded because of no increase and bad form
Dumbbell Press 3x8 (20s range to 55)
Back Cable Row 5x5 (under 100 to 165) recently dropped from 180 for form
Lat Pull Down 3x10 (under 100 to 135) recently dropped from 150 for form
Military Press 3x8 (55 to 70)
Dumbbell Curl 3x12 (20s to 30) recently dropped from 40 for form
EZ Bar Curl 3x12 (55 to 60)

How is it overkill?

Yep, I can see you problem. My training partner is just like you; making close to no aesthetic progress.
One of the things he likes to say is: ughhh, the bench doesn't feel comfortable I will call it a day... or: Ok I feel my biceps, let's call it a day.. Or when I tell him he isn't making any progress because of his diet he says: Diet doesn't make that much of a difference, I already feel bloated everyday. (He eats about 5 calories a day) which seem to come from chocolate cakes and ****.

Also, I think you will benefit way more from a workout that is focused around compound lifts and progression so that you can track your progress and see what you need to change or keep doing to get strong.. Doing too much is not always the best.

[Beatletown]

Interesting thread this. I have a lot of sympathy for the OP as he is obviously dedicated and committed.
I think you need to unlearn everything you have previously been told.
Forget training 5 or 6 days a week and do 3 solid days for a few months focussing on heavy compound lifts.
Get a myfitnesspal acoount today. Do it now. Dial in your calories and stick to them.
Saying you cannot cook is rubbish. My 8 year old can boil rice and pasta and how hard is it to throw 4 or 5 chicken breasts in the oven for 20 mins.
Stop spending money on protein shakes and buy proper food. Rice pasta chicken fish turkey beef potatoes veg etc.
You obviously have the will to do it and I am sure you will be back on here in 6 moths looking great. Good luck.

[AlexeiLB]

I get that a lot. I'm guessing it's the height so there is more weight distribution. The angle of the pic is I mentioned makes it so that it's a down view, so shoulders do not show very well and a more 'horizontal' pic might show more weight, but friends in real life don't notice my weight gain.

I did not necessarily fire him, but stopped training with him because we had a 3 month agreement.

3 month agreement? why would you need that? If he was a good trainer then people wont leave so he wont need any bull **** 3 month agreements. Seams to me hes just stealing money I hate trainers/teachers/instructors/coaches like that. No passion just in for a quick buck so if you choose not to work with him anymore he still gets your money, he would be happy to keep it and find another person to scam. FUK him


On another note, dont give up man. Dont look at it as some rocket science, just eat, lift, and get plenty of rest its really not that hard. Do compound lifts eat alot I mean alot, take some weight gainer shakes those helped me quite a bit.

[Adonisbrah]

training intensity, if you can say the exact reps, yourdoingitwrong
for example i'll use my bench, when i go to the gym i aim to get 10 reps out in those 1st and 2nd sets, if i beat that i wont stop, if i get more than 12 well its time to add 2.5kg. short workouts high intensity.
try a split of
chest
back
rest
shoulders
legs
then repeat over, thats what i do and ive been lifting 4months and my db shoulder press=your military press
you really should be shifting 75-85lb dbs for your chest aswell
the only things that can be wrong are your resting and training intensity, even with a poor diet you'll build muscle to start with

[Dbxn]

every set till failure, adding weight each time, id stick to 3-4 sets tho but use a weight that challenges you

[dogdogs]

My height might be 6'3"-6'5". I started lifting last September and dirty bulked from 168 to 200 lbs with a personal trainer in 3 months and then started working out alone. I try to work out 5-7 days a week and usually spend 1-1.5 hours at the gym. My split is legs + back + shoulders & biceps, and I add chest & triceps after every two workouts. Here some of my working sets:
Squat (5x5) 180 lbs
Deadlift (5x5) 205-225 lbs
Leg Press (4x8) 405
Dumbbell Bench (3x8) 50-55 lbs
Military Press (3x8) 70 lbs
Lat Pulldown (3x10) 135-165 lbs
Dumbbell Curl (3x12) 30-40 lbs

I recently started paying more attention to diet by adding rotisserie chicken, eggs, and oatmeal, although not consistently. I've been take 4 scoops of whey protein a day. I would also like to add that there has been little change in my routine in the past 6 months and I read that that decreases the effectiveness.
The pictures are very inconsistent because of different lighting and distance and the camera was placed low, its like a down view. I tried to resize the 'after' picture to fit the scale of the 'before' one. What I am very concerned about is the lack of 'official' chest pecs and I have gyno in my left nipple which is annoying.

your problem is your diet. Get atleast 1g/lb of protein and know how much calories you are eating. Don't go overboard on eating too much over maintenance. Putting on muscle is about diet. It is clear that you do not have your diet in check. Start tracking your cals and protein and lift 4 days a week hard. Thats all you need and time.

[zahidri]

You should fire your trainer IMO

lol

[b34tBoX]

Routine fail. I never agreed that working opposite muscles the next day translates as rest for the previous muscle worked.
Need to build a routine which focuses on compounds and that you're in the gym 3-4 times a week.

[proTEENguzzlah]

3 month agreement? why would you need that? If he was a good trainer then people wont leave so he wont need any bull **** 3 month agreements. Seams to me hes just stealing money I hate trainers/teachers/instructors/coaches like that. No passion just in for a quick buck so if you choose not to work with him anymore he still gets your money, he would be happy to keep it and find another person to scam. FUK him


On another note, dont give up man. Dont look at it as some rocket science, just eat, lift, and get plenty of rest its really not that hard. Do compound lifts eat alot I mean alot, take some weight gainer shakes those helped me quite a bit.

Well, the gym had a 3 month package offer and I got it. It is too expensive to go on with it and the trainer started letting me work out alone more than I train with him, so I felt like he didn't have anymore to offer. He started spending our sessions talking more than training and trying to test my one rep maxes.

Routine fail. I never agreed that working opposite muscles the next day translates as rest for the previous muscle worked.
Need to build a routine which focuses on compounds and that you're in the gym 3-4 times a week.

Now which compounds that I am not doing do you recommend?

[proTEENguzzlah]

Also, does anyone know of a good skinny to muscular bodybuilding transformation for a tall guy?