Help, My arms only grew 1/2" in the last year.

[mennitti]

I'm 37, been lifting since I was 15, never took more than 6 months off, but you can't tell by looking at me. About a year and a half ago I was introduced to this site and learned all kinds of info on Hard-Gainer routines and how to lift using compound exercises instead of isometric ones.

Anyhow, I have been hitting my arms hard for the past year. Lift once a week, 3 exercises for bi and 3 for tri. I do supersets, and pyramid to failure on the final sets of each exercise. I change my routine each month, I rotate in lighter weeks with higher reps, I do a burn out exercise to end each week.

Why do I never make gains? My arms are 15 1/2" toothpicks with little shape. My shoulders did not change at 49 1/4". My chest gained 1/2" up to 42 1/2" despite cutting out most chest exercises.

I take no supplements (used to take everything I could get my hands on, including 2 cycles of Cybergenics), cut out most unhealthy food, and always eat peanut butter following a workout.

Help! How do I lift correctly to make real gains and stop wasting my time?

[Jtbny]

Well you are eating peanut butter after every work out so who knows what's wrong....

[AryanAfg]

For hardgainers like us we just have to eat even more. Just like abs our gains are made in the kitchen. I'm sure its not ur lifts since u been at it for a while. Most of it is definitely calories! But as for lifts keep doing compounds pull ups underhand overhand bench squat military press deadlift barbell back row. hope it helps

[Corbi]

and always eat peanut butter following a workout.

Creamy or Chunky? It makes a difference.

[Jtbny]

Creamy or Chunky? It makes a difference.

True....chunky for size...creamy to get toned. Ops eating the wrong kind of peanut butter!!

[mennitti]

Increase even more protein?

Am I not training intense enough? I start my next sets before my heart rate returns to normal. I shoot for 8-12 reps and shoot for failure.

I'm trying to figure out what I continue to do wrong, you can't tell by looking at me that I lift.

[-=FLEX=-]

I'm 37, been lifting since I was 15, never took more than 6 months off, but you can't tell by looking at me.

mind = blown

Post your entire workout routine and detailed diet.

[mennitti]

When I was younger it was all Muscle and Fitness magazine stuff based on isometric exercises by bodybuilders.

Today's routine:
Squats 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12. Superset with
Deadlifts 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12. Pyramid up 10 pounds each set.

EZ Curl bar Arnold presses 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12.

Seated Preacher Curls 95 pounds, 3 sets of 10. Superset with
Tricep Press behind the head 35 pound plate.

Standing Curls using a doubled up blue band set of 50. Superset with
Close hands pushup set of 50.

Palm out Chin Ups. 3 sets. 8, 8, 7.




Breakfast: Bowl of cereal and a bagel,
Lunch: Turkey and Cappicola sandwich
Supper: Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, cole slaw.
Evening: Carrots and Ranch dressing.

[Powerkicker]

When I was younger it was all Muscle and Fitness magazine stuff based on isometric exercises by bodybuilders.

Today's routine:
Squats 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12. Superset with
Deadlifts 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12. Pyramid up 10 pounds each set.

EZ Curl bar Arnold presses 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12.

Seated Preacher Curls 95 pounds, 3 sets of 10. Superset with
Tricep Press behind the head 35 pound plate.

Standing Curls using a doubled up blue band set of 50. Superset with
Close hands pushup set of 50.

Palm out Chin Ups. 3 sets. 8, 8, 7.




Breakfast: Bowl of cereal and a bagel,
Lunch: Turkey and Cappicola sandwich
Supper: Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, cole slaw.
Evening: Carrots and Ranch dressing.

You are preacher curling and squatting the same weight? I suspect trolling.

[soonerman4life]

I'm 37, been lifting since I was 15, never took more than 6 months off, but you can't tell by looking at me. About a year and a half ago I was introduced to this site and learned all kinds of info on Hard-Gainer routines and how to lift using compound exercises instead of isometric ones.

Anyhow, I have been hitting my arms hard for the past year. Lift once a week, 3 exercises for bi and 3 for tri. I do supersets, and pyramid to failure on the final sets of each exercise. I change my routine each month, I rotate in lighter weeks with higher reps, I do a burn out exercise to end each week.

Why do I never make gains? My arms are 15 1/2" toothpicks with little shape. My shoulders did not change at 49 1/4". My chest gained 1/2" up to 42 1/2" despite cutting out most chest exercises.

I take no supplements (used to take everything I could get my hands on, including 2 cycles of Cybergenics), cut out most unhealthy food, and always eat peanut butter following a workout.

Help! How do I lift correctly to make real gains and stop wasting my time?

I can't help myself, I have to reply to this most asinine thread. I am by no means a nutrition or lifting guru but this is utterly ridiculous. You don't understand why you're not growing but you do eat peanut butter after your workouts. One word...EAT! Please OP, read this Sticky and get back to us.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981

[Corbi]

When I was younger it was all Muscle and Fitness magazine stuff based on isometric exercises by bodybuilders.

Today's routine:
Squats 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12. Superset with
Deadlifts 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12. Pyramid up 10 pounds each set.

EZ Curl bar Arnold presses 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12.

Seated Preacher Curls 95 pounds, 3 sets of 10. Superset with
Tricep Press behind the head 35 pound plate.

Standing Curls using a doubled up blue band set of 50. Superset with
Close hands pushup set of 50.

Palm out Chin Ups. 3 sets. 8, 8, 7.

Nice workout...LOL 22 yrs supposedly and this is what you do? Give it up and take up quilting.

[-=FLEX=-]

You are preacher curling and squatting the same weight? I suspect trolling.

x2


Something is seriously wrong here.

17 years of working out and your using beginner weight on the big lifts?

[pMbeast]

You're only eating like 1400 calories per day. No wonder you aren't growing. Go to myfitnesspal and start tracking what you eat. Check out my signature to see how much to eat but it's an estimate. You'll have to adjust it til you start gaining weight.

[mal1ce]

In for teh lulz

[ncj01]

That's a cutting diet, not a bulking diet.

Triple calories, report back in a couple months.

[drudixon]

How much did your overall weight change? .5" is actually pretty good.

[h4xk0]

Breakfast: Bowl of cereal and a bagel,
Lunch: Turkey and Cappicola sandwich
Supper: Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, cole slaw.
Evening: Carrots and Ranch dressing.

you're way underfeeding for muscle growth dude.
Increase your intake and be smart about your workouts. 0,5" is actually not a bad gain at all regarding your diet.
Try adding some dropsets, and FOCUS on the form. Don't just lift the weight from point A to B. Control it. 95lbs for 3 sets of 10 is solid weight but I have my doubts in the form. Try lowering to 75lbs or lower and count to 3 the your way up, hold and squeeze for a second and then count to three on the way down.

And what's with the peanut butter after workout? Where did you come up with that idea? Try Whey + Vitargo for a change.

[BankWalker]

Are you fat, OP? 15 1/2" arms on a 5'7" frame should not even closely resemble toothpicks.

[ironwill2008]

When I was younger it was all Muscle and Fitness magazine stuff based on isometric exercises by bodybuilders.

Today's routine:
Squats 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12. Superset with
Deadlifts 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12. Pyramid up 10 pounds each set.

EZ Curl bar Arnold presses 95 pounds, 3 sets of 12.

Seated Preacher Curls 95 pounds, 3 sets of 10. Superset with
Tricep Press behind the head 35 pound plate.

Standing Curls using a doubled up blue band set of 50. Superset with
Close hands pushup set of 50.

Palm out Chin Ups. 3 sets. 8, 8, 7.




Breakfast: Bowl of cereal and a bagel,
Lunch: Turkey and Cappicola sandwich
Supper: Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, cole slaw.
Evening: Carrots and Ranch dressing.

You wouldn't be trolling, would you brah?

[mennitti]

I'm totally serious. I don't look anything like you guys and I refuse to believe it's just genetic.

I weigh 170 now, when I graduated high school in '93 I weighed 112. Despite being scrawny I still have a gut, and was worried about increasing calories for fear of getting fatter. Since reading so many articles here, I have cut WAY back on lifting each week, but haven't learned the formula for success.

Obviously the article I read on peanut butter for post workout is not one of merit. Moving on.....

Why do I not gain size or shape year after year? My arms, chest, shoulders, and back are solid, but they have no muscular shape. Is it just nutrition?

[pMbeast]

Why do I not gain size or shape year after year? My arms, chest, shoulders, and back are solid, but they have no muscular shape. Is it just nutrition?

Your question has been answered multiple times already. You're undereating.

[mennitti]

Okay, thanks.
Now to eat correctly do you recommend any websites where I can start to understand the nutrition side without being confused?

[h4xk0]

Okay, thanks.
Now to eat correctly do you recommend any websites where I can start to understand the nutrition side without being confused?

It's all on BB.com mate.. -> http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbin...=MassGainDiets

[pMbeast]

Okay, thanks.
Now to eat correctly do you recommend any websites where I can start to understand the nutrition side without being confused?

Yeah check out my signature. It's an estimate and you will probably have to adjust it slightly. Try not to gain more than 1/2 - 1 pound per week which is a 250-500 surplus.

[mal1ce]

If you're for real....
1. check out the link soonerman4life posted above and get your diet in check
2. lift heavier
3. sleep

In regards to point 2, take your squat for example. Flex was being kind when he said you were using beginner weight, 95lbs for someone your size and supposed experience is straight up BS. According to some rather typical strength standards, ( http://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLiftin...Standards.html ), an intermediate lifter at your weight should be squatting 250~270lbs.

[Paulie_G]

Don't make any of this rocket science, especially right now. Google TDEE. Find out what you need to grow. Make sure you get a gram of protein per body weight. Track using myfitnesspal. Lift heavy, using a good COMPOUND program like starting strength or stronglifts. You will now grow, I promise.

[mennitti]

What I've been doing since discovering this site is: compound exercises, light weight (except for arms), and strict form. Until last year I had never done squats or deadlifts.

[Paulie_G]

What I've been doing since discovering this site is: compound exercises, light weight (except for arms), and strict form. Until last year I had never done squats or deadlifts.

Follow a program for awhile, as it's written. Don't waiver. You will see gains. I cycle 2 particular programs right now, Wendler 5/3/1, and the Texas Method. They are both worth a look.

[mennitti]

So muscle confusion and switching routines each month is not good?

[orangegoblin]

So muscle confusion and switching routines each month is not good?

Personally, I have found better progress with progressive load for growth as opposed to switching routines around frequently in an attempt to "confuse" muscles. You should pick a routine with built-in progressive loads and based on compound lifts.