I have been lifting for over a year now and have seen little to no gains. A year ago I was 16, 5'5", and 138lb. My maxes were 240lb squat, 240lb deadlift, 80lb overhead press, 40lb curl, 120lb bench, 20lb tricep extension, and 6 pull-ups. I currently am 17, 5'7", and 145lb. My current maxes are 320lb squat, 300lb deadlift, 130lb overhead, 170lb bench, 90lb curl, 70lb tricep, and 50 pull-ups. My waist size has gone from 32' to 28'. I have also improved on my swim time. This may seem like some good work, but I don't look any different. I still look as puny as I did a year ago. I eat plenty. My diet mainly consists of pasta, rice, and beans. I lift weights 4 days a week (M T Th F) and swim 3 days a week (W Th F). None of my workouts are over an hour and I always take a hemp protein shake and eat some carbs afterwards. I consider myself pretty strong but I don't understand why I am not stronger. Anybody else know anybody or had this problem themselves and they overcame it?
"I eat plenty" is extremely subjective, I know people who can't eat more than 1500 calories a day and think they eat shitload because they're full while I can eat easily over 3000 calories because of my huge appetite.
Count how much calories you eat in a day and tell us, that should help us to know if you are indeed eating enough or not. If you're not eating enough, eat more and lift heavy, you will get bigger and stronger. If you've been lifting for a full year on a 4 days weightlifting schedule and 3 days swimming schedule a week, I would suggest a deload week or something similar, if you're not giving your body ample rest, you'll have shitall for gains.
It could be a number of different reasons but it's best we go at it step by step so first step will be nutrition. Strength mostly has to do with the CNS while mass is something else entirely, you're getting stronger but not putting on much mass? Likely that you're just not eating enough.
[QUOTE=Mikenopa;39991427]My diet mainly consists of pasta, rice, and beans.[/QUOTE]
Are you a vegetarian ?
I think you're not eating sufficient calories for your high metabolism. Feeling satiated =/= caloric need of your body.
Eat smaller meals but more frequent, even if you have no appetite.
Also swimming is kinda like cardio, you might be overtraining that and you cannot gain mass with cardio. It's proven.
Mass workouts should go no longer than 1h15m
[QUOTE=AntonioR;39991792]Are you a vegetarian ?[/QUOTE]
I'm vegan.
[QUOTE=Heigou;39991614]
Count how much calories you eat in a day and tell us, that should help us to know if you are indeed eating enough or not I
[/QUOTE]
I used a calorie calculator online and it said I take in ~1700-1800 calories a day. Not sure how accurate that is.
[QUOTE]
if you've been lifting for a full year on a 4 days weightlifting schedule and 3 days swimming schedule a week, I would suggest a deload week or something similar, if you're not giving your body ample rest, you'll have shitall for gains.
[/QUOTE]
I break down my workouts into A and B days. A is upper body and B is lower body.
I will take my food intake into thought.
[QUOTE=Mikenopa;39992580]I'm vegan.
I used a calorie calculator online and it said I take in ~1700-1800 calories a day. Not sure how accurate that is.
I break down my workouts into A and B days. A is upper body and B is lower body.
I will take my food intake into thought.[/QUOTE]
A deload week is still recommended maybe twice or a bit more per years, overtraining will lead to loss of muscles and mass which is never good.
Now, on to the main perpetrator, 1700-1800 calories in a day is not nearly enough to cause mass gain, you even risk losing weight on that much calories, it's what I'm eating daily and I've been losing a steady pound a week for the last few months now because I'm on a cut. So if I'm losing weight on that much, you definitely can't expect to gain mass.
Basically, eat more, much much more, lift heavy.
You could easily cram in another 600 calories in by eating 100g bags of peanuts everyday.
It would also give you about 20gs of protein.
[QUOTE=Mikenopa;39992580]I'm vegan.[/QUOTE]
I think I found your problem
[QUOTE=Barbarian887;39993060]I think I found your problem[/QUOTE]
If you properly supplement with a lot of soy and protein shakes, it could work.
[editline]21st March 2013[/editline]
but being vegetarian is dumb. really dumb whatever
You lift 4 times a week and swim 3 times, which means you need at least 3000-3500 kcal a day. 1500-2000 kcal is for someone who watchs TV all day. I'm surprised you didn't even lose weight.
How do you guys time out your meals? My main issue is once I'm full I'm full. I'm also very forgetful when it comes to eating.
lulz 1500 cals is for someone who literally doesn't move the entire day that's the amount of calories most people need to just live. if you want to actually make gains, you're going to need to be eating twice that easily. [i]especially[/i] if you're swimming, that right there burns the most calories
[editline]21st March 2013[/editline]
PS don't trust online caloric counters they're fucking retarded, i was told i needed 2200 to cut when i already know my maintenance calories (after pinpointing it over the last 2 years) is at 3800. they're a joke, just listen to your body. if you're not making gains, eat more
Jesus, how do you survive on 1500cal? That's only 6000J or something when the recommended intake is 8700J, and that's for the normal person doing nothing strenuous
[editline]22nd March 2013[/editline]
What do you like in terms of food?
I suffer from the opposite of your problem; lots of mass gain but strength isnt amazing. I think your problem comes from simply not eating enough
I've put on 5 Kg of pure muscle in 2 months.
Eat good meat, protein shakes and you will see them gains.
5 kg of muscles in 2 months, is this like your first two months working out lel, get a load of this nerd.
Did Jaeger hook you up with some of the trenbolone.
i followed the dario z diet plan and put on 4kg in a week!!!
My roomie goes to burger king every night at 11 and works out so hard and he's like dude I'm not seeing results wat do
[QUOTE=CottonTM;40003777]My roomie goes to burger king every night at 11 and works out so hard and he's like dude I'm not seeing results wat do[/QUOTE]
Follow the Dario Z diet plan and put on 4 kg of pure muscles a week.
where can i find the dario z stuff?
[QUOTE=blah2;40003959]where can i find the dario z stuff?[/QUOTE]
[url]www.dariozisthekinfofliftingfukyouifyouthinkdifferent.com[/url]
[QUOTE=Mikenopa;39994127]How do you guys time out your meals? My main issue is once I'm full I'm full. I'm also very forgetful when it comes to eating.[/QUOTE]
I had a similar issue, but you just have to spread them out, and lifting/working out will make it easier after awhile. you'll have to force yourself to eat.
Big breakfast, take a bag of peanuts in your backpack (two servings), a protein bar, and some pretzels, eat that before lunch or right after, doesn't all have to be at once, eat your peanuts after lunch. pretzels early in the morning and protein bar before going home. Eat a big lunch, buy V-8, a good 200 calories, and other shit, go home, eat a snack at home, like a PB and J, eat dinner, and have a protein shake before bed.
Thats about a 2800-3000 calorie intake, depending on if you eat it all and everything.
I need to take in 2700 a day to go up a lb in a week.
[QUOTE=ScoutKing;40004313]I had a similar issue, but you just have to spread them out, and lifting/working out will make it easier after awhile. you'll have to force yourself to eat.
Big breakfast, take a bag of peanuts in your backpack (two servings), a protein bar, and some pretzels, eat that before lunch or right after, doesn't all have to be at once, eat your peanuts after lunch. pretzels early in the morning and protein bar before going home. Eat a big lunch, buy V-8, a good 200 calories, and other shit, go home, eat a snack at home, like a PB and J, eat dinner, and have a protein shake before bed.
Thats about a 2800-3000 calorie intake, depending on if you eat it all and everything.
I need to take in 2700 a day to go up a lb in a week.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the advice!
Edit:
Also, where can I find dario z? Google took me to some yoga artist.
You have to ask Dario Z the man himself, don't believe his natty lies though, he's having a steady intake of Jaeger's shit.
eat more you boner
[editline]23rd March 2013[/editline]
and your still growing so be patient
[QUOTE=Ryz0;40004215][url]www.dariozisthekinfofliftingfukyouifyouthinkdifferent.com[/url][/QUOTE]
wtf is ur problem
Are you sleeping at least 8 hours a night?
[QUOTE=108;40011225]Are you sleeping at least 8 hours a night?[/QUOTE]
Why would this effect anything?
[QUOTE=Mikenopa;40011794]Why would this effect anything?[/QUOTE]
Metabolism, hormones.
[QUOTE=Mikenopa;40011794]Why would this effect anything?[/QUOTE]
Bro do you even rest?
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