Not Getting Stronger, Upset and Wasting My Time

[ShotgunKill]

My age: 23 (in a few days)
My height: 5 feet 5 inches
My weight: 138 lbs

My current workout routine:
Day A.)
Machine bench: 240 lbs, 5 reps 5 sets.
Dumbbell curls: 35 lbs, 6 reps, 4-5 sets.
Dumbbell pec flys: 25 lbs in each hand, 8-10 reps, 4 sets.
Dumbbell rows: 35 lbs, 10 reps, 4 sets.
Tricep pulldowns (with the bar that looks like an upside down "V"): 60 lbs, 8 reps, 4 sets.
Lat pulldowns: 90 lbs, 10 reps, 4 sets.
Tricep extension (2 hands on one 35 lb dumbbell behind my head, kneeling) 15 reps, 2 sets.

Day B.)
Crunches: 25 reps, 6 sets
Bicycle crunches: 25 reps, 6 sets

Day C.)
Leg press: 290 lbs, 15 reps, 6 sets
Dumbbell lunges: 20 lbs (each hand) reps and sets vary
Dumbbell squats: 50 lbs (each hand) 4 reps, 3 sets

Day B repeats.

My nutrition: Immediately after working out, I take Nitro Tech hardcore protein powder. Every day for lunch and dinner I cook up 99% fat free lean ground chicken; I eat tons of it. Sometimes I make chicken burritos, sometimes I make chicken burgers, etc. For breakfast it's usually cereal, or a cheese roll-up (melted cheese inside a wrap.) I never go more than a few hours without eating. I try to keep a constant supply of clean food coming in.

My problem: First of all, I don't even know if I'm strong for my age/height/weight. Am I weak? Average? Above? If someone could give me an idea, I'd like to know, and no need to spare my feelings; I'm looking for the brutal truth. I've been working out hard and constantly for at least the past 6-8 months, but for more than half of the duration, I haven't really increased in strength much. I'm still curling the same I was before I got really serious about lifting, etc.

I feel overwhelmed. Not to be a whiner or a complainer, but I feel like a failure, like I've done nothing but waste time. I want to be strong, and I have the drive and the dedication for it. I used to weigh 220 lbs, and I lost 100 of it by pushing myself hard, every day. I dropped to 118 and now after lifting I'm up to 138, hopefully from muscle gains. But it goes to show that even though I'm ignorant, and probably doing everything wrong, I have the drive to become strong I just don't know what to do, and whatever I am doing isn't working. So if anyone could tell me what to do, that would be great, and much appreciated.

[dcamnc]

Read, and see the light:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

[VW_Haus]

what is your 1RM for bench?

[ShotgunKill]

what is your 1RM for bench?

I haven't tried yet. I started out on free bench, but when I moved, the gym in my appartment only has a machine bench. I'm benching 240 lbs for 5 reps, 5 sets, so what that translates to on free bench I can only guess... Same with on the machine. I haven't tried a maximum yet, but if I guess, maybe 270 or 280 on the machine one time?

[M@XLOL]

I haven't tried yet. I started out on free bench, but when I moved, the gym in my appartment only has a machine bench. I'm benching 240 lbs for 5 reps, 5 sets, so what that translates to on free bench I can only guess... Same with on the machine. I haven't tried a maximum yet, but if I guess, maybe 270 or 280 on the machine one time?

Stats: 5'5", 130 lbs



lol wut

[ShotgunKill]

Stats: 5'5", 130 lbs



lol wut

Huh?

[GuyJin]

I think your programme is half-assed at best. While strength will vary from person to person, the way you're going about it is all wrong. If you want to get strong all over, then READ that link that dcamnc provided.

Get off the machine stuff for awhile. While machines aren't in and of themselves bad in any way, they aren't for you, not yet. To develop strength all over, stick to the barbell/dumbbell exercises for now. Eat well and often, and give yourself time to adapt and GROW with the Rippetoe routine. No, it ISN'T a bodybuilding routine; it wasn't meant to be. Neither are Starr's routines; they are both primarily for strength, but you'll NEED that strength now and in the future. Right now, at your stage, strength and size IMHO are very closely correlated; when you become more advanced, that correlation will shift, but for now, it's pretty much a 50/50 size and strength split.

Give the routine a try or google one of Bill Starr's routines and I think you'll be pleased with the results.

[ShotgunKill]

I think your programme is half-assed at best. While strength will vary from person to person, the way you're going about it is all wrong. If you want to get strong all over, then READ that link that dcamnc provided.

Get off the machine stuff for awhile. While machines aren't in and of themselves bad in any way, they aren't for you, not yet. To develop strength all over, stick to the barbell/dumbbell exercises for now. Eat well and often, and give yourself time to adapt and GROW with the Rippetoe routine. No, it ISN'T a bodybuilding routine; it wasn't meant to be. Neither are Starr's routines; they are both primarily for strength, but you'll NEED that strength now and in the future. Right now, at your stage, strength and size IMHO are very closely correlated; when you become more advanced, that correlation will shift, but for now, it's pretty much a 50/50 size and strength split.

Give the routine a try or google one of Bill Starr's routines and I think you'll be pleased with the results.

Yeah, I deffinately am going to give that rippetoe routine a try. I'm gonna look at Bill Starr too, thank you for the insight. I know machines aren't what I should be doing, but right now I'm stuck with it. I had free weights back at my dad's, but now I moved out, and the appartment where I live only has machines in the gym, besides the dumbbells. But if I want to get stronger I gotta work something out.

[Paul S25]

Read, and see the light:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

This ^^

[GuyJin]

What kind of machines? No squat rack or bench press? If you can do d'bell bench you might be better off that way instead of using a machine, but that's just me talking.

Whatever, I'd suggest using d'bell benches or low-inclines, leg-press or d'bell squats (if they're heavy enough) and d'bell deadlifts. If squats with the 'bells are too awkward, sub in the leg press for now.

Good luck with it!

[nkh]

How many calories are you getting down every day? Count them and make adjustments if you feel you need more to compensate.

Do Rippetoes.

/thread.

[Anotherfling]

Read, and see the light:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

Read that, it'll help.

First off, good job on loosing a ton of weight. Seriously!

Now, you need to switch modes from fat loss to muscle strength gain, and eating correctly to put some mass on. You can loose fat on any program with good diet and determination, but to put on muscle you need good diet, a good program, and plenty of rest, meaning sleep and resting your muscles before using them again. If you are dedicated enough to loose the weight like you say you did, you won't have a problem getting strong and getting big, but you have to do your reading, and experiment.

Don't look at what you are lifting and get discouraged, if you need to reset and lift lighter, use lighter weights to learn a lift, whatever, it's all a means to an end. Check out the thread they linked, read it, get on a good program, and keep the scale moving up with good clean food. Don't worry about gaining weight as long as it isn't excessively fast, as long as you are lifting on a solid program. That caloric excess is what helps your body build muscle and recover from heavy lifting, and you know how to loose weight when you decide to cut. Do your research, be patient, eat, rest, experiment, and change things up if you aren't seeing results after a month or 2, you'll be fine. Good luck dude.