What am I doing wrong?

[Bagpuss13]

I am in need of some direction as I'm feeling very bluuuur right now.... I am 40 years old and started weight training about 3 years ago but Id say I've been hitting it consistently and properly for a year ... I am 5`2 and weigh 140lbs and although Ive lost 3.5 stone and I've leaned down Id say i'm at about 20% body fat at the minute I cannot seem to gain any significant muscle mass?
I have no interest in being skinny, my idol is Erin Stern...and I am aware that because of my age and being female Im already at a disadvantage... I cant afford supplements so my muscle mass is coming from my diet alone and I cant seem to get a clear answer as to my macros as literally every calculator gives me conflicting information. I am gaining muscle but so so slowly and as fast as I seem to go forwards with my weight increases I equally find some days I just cant shift it and have to come back down again... I'm consuming equal quantities of carbs and proteins ( about 125g) and about 20g of fats ( which Ive played with on occasion-upping the protein even further and lowering the carbs a bit)
I've tried everything I can think of.... changed my routine but not too frequently, shocking the muscles with 21s or dropsets...sticking to the main compound moves and I'm just so frustrated....whilst this is my lifestyle, this is my sanity and my passion so gaining muscle was almost secondary I'm getting to the point now where Id like to look in the mirror and visibly see some muscle yknow?

Anyone any ideas???
Thanks in advance

[PattyU]

I am in need of some direction as I'm feeling very bluuuur right now.... I am 40 years old and started weight training about 3 years ago but Id say I've been hitting it consistently and properly for a year ... I am 5`2 and weigh 140lbs and although Ive lost 3.5 stone and I've leaned down Id say i'm at about 20% body fat at the minute I cannot seem to gain any significant muscle mass?
I have no interest in being skinny, my idol is Erin Stern...and I am aware that because of my age and being female Im already at a disadvantage... I cant afford supplements so my muscle mass is coming from my diet alone and I cant seem to get a clear answer as to my macros as literally every calculator gives me conflicting information. I am gaining muscle but so so slowly and as fast as I seem to go forwards with my weight increases I equally find some days I just cant shift it and have to come back down again... I'm consuming equal quantities of carbs and proteins ( about 125g) and about 20g of fats ( which Ive played with on occasion-upping the protein even further and lowering the carbs a bit)
I've tried everything I can think of.... changed my routine but not too frequently, shocking the muscles with 21s or dropsets...sticking to the main compound moves and I'm just so frustrated....whilst this is my lifestyle, this is my sanity and my passion so gaining muscle was almost secondary I'm getting to the point now where Id like to look in the mirror and visibly see some muscle yknow?

Anyone any ideas???
Thanks in advance

My guess is that you already have a good foundation of muscle mass, but that you are probably a bit higher than 20% BF. Erin stern is 5’9” and based on all the stats I can find weighs a bit less than you. She does have beautiful muscles, and is not skinny. But her BMI is quite a bit lower than yours. If you really are 20% BF, 140 lb. and 5’2”, your muscle mass would be obvious. You could cut some to see if you can reveal muscles.

[etet1919]

Hi Bagpuss! You wanted ideas and I have an additional one: You say you've been "sticking the main compounds for approximately a year"... So, how much weight do you lift for these compound exercises? That can answer your question, as well.

[Bagpuss13]

My guess is that you already have a good foundation of muscle mass, but that you are probably a bit higher than 20% BF. Erin stern is 5’9” and based on all the stats I can find weighs a bit less than you. She does have beautiful muscles, and is not skinny. But her BMI is quite a bit lower than yours. If you really are 20% BF, 140 lb. and 5’2”, your muscle mass would be obvious. You could cut some to see if you can reveal muscles.

Thank you so much for your response....yeah I had wondered that exact same thing.... I must be sitting higher on the body fat. I will have another look at my nutrition and cut and then start again.....Thanks again

[Bagpuss13]

Hi Bagpuss! You wanted ideas and I have an additional one: You say you've been "sticking the main compounds for approximately a year"... So, how much weight do you lift for these compound exercises? That can answer your question, as well.

I'm no where near where I had expected to be tbh and Im beginning to wonder if its basically Im not pushing hard enough on those last reps to get the growth... I have a really lazy left side and anything I try and do with a barbell my left side just buggers off so I have taken to using one arm or dumbells to force it to work... I don't have access to a gym so Im stuck to a degree as I have only got a bench, the barbell & dumbells and my weights...then a pull up bar and some resistance bands...
Whilst in fairness this shouldn't stop me and doesn't stop me I just work with what I have...thinking about it...I do stop short of failure sometimes because I dont have the security of for example the smith machine for say squats...thats not going to help me is it? hmmmmm... thanks so much for giving me some focus x

[leeniepie]

youre not eating enough. whilst building muscle at maintainance or even in a deficit is possible for newbies, its far from optimal and progress will be very slow (prob even slower for women) if you really are eating 125p/125c/20f then that's less than 1200kcals a day. those are cutting calories, hence no/little progress. to build muscle you need to really be in a calorie surplus (try 10% over maintainance - i'd also up your protein) and using progressive overload - you need to be hitting more reps or increasing weight each workout.

[snailsrus]

youre not eating enough. whilst building muscle at maintainance or even in a deficit is possible for newbies, its far from optimal and progress will be very slow (prob even slower for women) if you really are eating 125p/125c/20f then that's less than 1200kcals a day. those are cutting calories, hence no/little progress. to build muscle you need to really be in a calorie surplus (try 10% over maintainance - i'd also up your protein) and using progressive overload - you need to be hitting more reps or increasing weight each workout.

protein is fine, the fats wayyyyy too low it’s no where near minimum needs of ~60g

How accurate are you actually tracking your calories op

[etet1919]

I'm no where near where I had expected to be tbh and Im beginning to wonder if its basically Im not pushing hard enough on those last reps to get the growth... I have a really lazy left side and anything I try and do with a barbell my left side just buggers off so I have taken to using one arm or dumbells to force it to work... I don't have access to a gym so Im stuck to a degree as I have only got a bench, the barbell & dumbells and my weights...then a pull up bar and some resistance bands...
Whilst in fairness this shouldn't stop me and doesn't stop me I just work with what I have...thinking about it...I do stop short of failure sometimes because I dont have the security of for example the smith machine for say squats...thats not going to help me is it? hmmmmm... thanks so much for giving me some focus x

I didn't see your post until today! I would have responded much earlier!

You don't have to go to failure to make muscular gains, but I do believe it would be beneficial to join a gym once they open back up. You'll have a WIDE variety of options to choose from; everything, such as cables, more dumbells, barbells, the squat rack, the hack squat machine (for squats), sled leg press, enough room to practice walking lunges, large mirrors in order to watch your form, etc, etc...

As a woman, the weight you're (safely) lifting has more to do with how muscular you look. It's less about going to failure and MORE about how fast you naturally progress in strength within the low-moderate rep ranges, IMHO. That's been my experience with myself and in working with other women over the years... Generally speaking, the stronger a woman is, the more muscle she can potentially build and refine (mass, sculpting, separation, definition). And a year or so may not be enough time if you haven't been training consistently in a fully equipped gym. How long before they open up?

[sy2502]

I'll mostly reiterate what others have already said. In general women gain muscle very slowly, and the older we get the harder it is, unfortunately. My suggestions are
- Increase protein intake. If you are 140lbs you should be eating at least 140g of protein a day. Also you need to be in a small calorie surplus to build muscle.
- Instead of "shocking the muscle" and all that jazz, stick with tried and true exercises and keep in the 8-12 rep range. Keep a lifting log and make sure you are increasing your load over time. That means increasing the weight you use for those lifts at regular intervals. If you can lift heavier it usually means you gained muscle. Hopping between programs is detrimental in this respect, it makes it very hard to track your progress. Stick to the basics for a few months and make sure you make progress with those lifts.
- Make sure you recuperate from your workouts. Sleep, nutrition and strategic use of rest days are the way you do it.
- Be patient and set realistic expectations. If you expect to look like an IFBB pro, that is not a realistic expectation. If you take photos of yourself now and then in a few months, I'm sure you'll see a difference.

[Bagpuss13]

Thanks so much everyone for all your comments.... I have taken on board everything you have all said and its working! so I'm so pleased... Cant thank you enough xx I have been keeping a much tighter control on my food intake and ive upped everything but predominantly my protein...and feel a lot better for it.
Ive also gone back to my die hard routine for a while which is the tried and true 8-12 progressive overload and re read Arnies book ( which is just awesome btw!)
So thank you thank you thank you.....stay safe everyone xx

[Mettaphorica]

Thanks so much everyone for all your comments.... I have taken on board everything you have all said and its working! so I'm so pleased... Cant thank you enough xx I have been keeping a much tighter control on my food intake and ive upped everything but predominantly my protein...and feel a lot better for it.
Ive also gone back to my die hard routine for a while which is the tried and true 8-12 progressive overload and re read Arnies book ( which is just awesome btw!)
So thank you thank you thank you.....stay safe everyone xx

I'd also like to mention your hormones. If you are heading into perimenopause and your oestrogen and testosterone have dropped/ are dropping, this will certainly limit muscle growth (I'm menopausal now and find it very hard to gain muscle compared to my 20s or later). My testosterone was extremely low. Might want to consider getting them tested, then again in 6 months.