Gym Routine

[A'Villan]

On 20/09/2019 at 06:39, KenjiOgiwara said:

Got a bone infection, so next weel is my 4th week with out gym. I feel so rotten

Afraid all my work will get lost now. Worked so god damn hard all year long as well.

Ah, injuries suck.

Do you have to have surgery for the infection? What's the diagnosis? (if you don't mind me asking)

You've done it before, and you can do it again!

Can you train around this injury at all?

Take care my fellow Villan! The toughest part of injury for me was the mental discipline.

[KenjiOgiwara]

On 24/09/2019 at 01:31, A'Villan said:

Ah, injuries suck.

Do you have to have surgery for the infection? What's the diagnosis? (if you don't mind me asking)

You've done it before, and you can do it again!

Can you train around this injury at all?

Take care my fellow Villan! The toughest part of injury for me was the mental discipline.

Sorry a bit late to this. Nah it was just a bacterial infection that went to the bone. So was ordered 8 grams of antibiotics a day for 2 weeks now and feel pretty good now. Even gone back to the gym. Guess I will get back to where I was within 4-6 weeks if I maintain discipline. 

I started doing jogging... sorry running on the days I am not working out. So now it's gym 3-4 times a week and running about 3 times a week. I am a bit unsure about the running bit though. I really really like running now, probably cause I am in the best running shape I've been in years and years, but I am not sure if I should be running as much as 3 times a week if I wanna build body size in the gym. 

Guess it sounds weird, but I would like to have a crossfit'esque body where I can deadlift 150 kg (300 pounds?) and still run half marathon under 2 hours. Difficult to find the right balance of strength and cardio. And to be perfectly honest I think the most difficult bit is eating enough. Right now I am down to a bodyweight of 67 kg and people are starting to comment I look too thin. I still do decent on my lifts, and got a goal of 2,5 x body weight, but I think I could gain 10 kgs of muscle and it wouldn't be unhealthy. Just a bit vary about gaining back the fat I had a few years ago. 

[A'Villan]

@KenjiOgiwara That's pretty impressive.

I wouldn't be too concerned with condescending advice (re too-thin commentary).

If you have a goal and an ideal then work toward that, as long as it's serving it's purpose for you to do so.

You never know you might be one of the first people to achieve such a balance.

It's like Arnold Schwarzenegger said, break the rules and don't be afraid to fail, no true maverick or original did it any other way.

[KenjiOgiwara]

So cycling back to high rep workouts now from 3-4 months on 5 rep. Doing the old fashioned 12 rep now and had my first workout yesterday. Absolute murder. 

Just amazing how the body grows accustomed to a given rep range. 

Squats, lunges, benchpress and lateral pulldown/chins/hangups especially. I was shattered beyond belief. Literally struggled sleeping cause my body hurt so much. 

[KentVillan]

On 03/10/2019 at 23:19, KenjiOgiwara said:

Sorry a bit late to this. Nah it was just a bacterial infection that went to the bone. So was ordered 8 grams of antibiotics a day for 2 weeks now and feel pretty good now. Even gone back to the gym. Guess I will get back to where I was within 4-6 weeks if I maintain discipline. 

I started doing jogging... sorry running on the days I am not working out. So now it's gym 3-4 times a week and running about 3 times a week. I am a bit unsure about the running bit though. I really really like running now, probably cause I am in the best running shape I've been in years and years, but I am not sure if I should be running as much as 3 times a week if I wanna build body size in the gym. 

Guess it sounds weird, but I would like to have a crossfit'esque body where I can deadlift 150 kg (300 pounds?) and still run half marathon under 2 hours. Difficult to find the right balance of strength and cardio. And to be perfectly honest I think the most difficult bit is eating enough. Right now I am down to a bodyweight of 67 kg and people are starting to comment I look too thin. I still do decent on my lifts, and got a goal of 2,5 x body weight, but I think I could gain 10 kgs of muscle and it wouldn't be unhealthy. Just a bit vary about gaining back the fat I had a few years ago. 

I've seen a fair few "hench" physique types do a sub-2hr half marathon. I was 1h44 at 70kg (early twenties), then 1h53 at 78kg (late twenties), and at my current weight of 83kg (mid thirties) I haven't done a proper race for years, but have done around 2hr pace for 10 miles without too much trouble. And this is with a lot of junk going into my system (see addiction thread). I reckon with a healthy lifestyle this is very doable.

What you probably need to do is reduce your long, steady pace runs, as these just destroy muscle and don't give you that much all-round benefit besides miles in your legs (and of course the mental relaxation you get from them).

Few things you could try:

• Swap one of your running days for a more interval-paced sport like football, basketball, etc. These keep your running fitness up while having less of an impact on your muscle.
• Make your running sessions more intense and shorter - either single paced fast runs of ~5k or intervals. Again, better for preserving muscle.
• Swap one of your running days for a circuit training class in the gym (or find your own circuit) using light enough weights to sustain effort over 30-45 mins. This will help to keep your endurance fitness up, while retaining more muscle. Might be tricky to work into a gym routine, but you can always reduce the weight to a manageable level if you've burnt out a muscle group.
• Get more sleep - the kind of weekly routine you're doing demands more sleep.
• And finally (the killer for a gym addict), have you thought about reducing your days slightly, and making each session a bit more intense? If your mind struggles with the days off, replace with long walks (which don't seem to shred through your muscle in the same way as a long run, but do confer similar mental benefits).

Everyone is built differently, so see what works for you, but just a few ideas. Also I am not a qualified expert on this, and if you're really struggling to reach your goals, fork out on a decent personal trainer or speak to someone who knows their shit (in person, with real legitimate creds that you can see on a piece of paper).

[KenjiOgiwara]

Been pushing myself on the major lifts lately, and I feel absolutely shattered. The day after working out I feel physically sick. 

Doing 10 sets squats now: 20 kg 15 rep, 60 kg 12 rep, 60 kg 12 rep, 60 kg 12 rep, 65 kg 5 rep, 70 kg 5 rep, 75 kg 5 rep. 80, 85 and 90 kg as much as I can. Then I do deadlifts/benchpress about 6-7 sets and some pull ups or chins, and military press and after this I am just absolutely destroyed.

I don't know what squats does to the central nerves or body in general, but sweet jesus it takes it out of you. 12 reps is some of the worst stuff I can do. 

 

[kurtsimonw]

On 03/07/2019 at 22:31, kurtsimonw said:

 

I'm still really struggling with the gym. I go 3 times a week, I eat well, I just can't seem to shake fat or gain muscle. I'm getting a bit stronger, but I just do not look any different. There's certain areas, like my chest, that I really struggle to hit at all. Any ideas?

5 months now, with barely noticeable progress. 

I track my calories and macros. My gym days and rest days I have about 3 meal plans each, so I know I'm not cheating or anything because at this point I know what I need to eat each day. 

I don't do deadlifts or squats because of my back, but surely these aren't 100% necessities to build muscle and get stronger? 

I still can't do a pushup, I try a few times a week and I don't know if it's having longer arms or what, but my elbows just give in. The same goes for almost all chest exercises. I never feel anything in my chest. It's like my shoulders always take the weight and if I try and increase the weight, my elbows just can't deal with that weight. 

I've asked the PTs a few times just to let me know if my form is off, but apparently it's not. 

I've taken progress pictures and I didn't look at them for 3 months. I didn't notice anything day by day, but I figured that when I look at the pictures properly after 3 months I'd notice a big change. I would say there is very minminal gain on my biceps. Then fatty gains on my chest. 

It's intensely disheartening. I feel like I've put so much in to this over the past 5 months or so. It was a nice mental escape for me to feel that this is the one thing I have control over to improve myself, and it hasn't worked. 

[KentVillan]

29 minutes ago, kurtsimonw said:

5 months now, with barely noticeable progress. 

I track my calories and macros. My gym days and rest days I have about 3 meal plans each, so I know I'm not cheating or anything because at this point I know what I need to eat each day. 

I don't do deadlifts or squats because of my back, but surely these aren't 100% necessities to build muscle and get stronger? 

I still can't do a pushup, I try a few times a week and I don't know if it's having longer arms or what, but my elbows just give in. The same goes for almost all chest exercises. I never feel anything in my chest. It's like my shoulders always take the weight and if I try and increase the weight, my elbows just can't deal with that weight. 

I've asked the PTs a few times just to let me know if my form is off, but apparently it's not. 

I've taken progress pictures and I didn't look at them for 3 months. I didn't notice anything day by day, but I figured that when I look at the pictures properly after 3 months I'd notice a big change. I would say there is very minminal gain on my biceps. Then fatty gains on my chest. 

It's intensely disheartening. I feel like I've put so much in to this over the past 5 months or so. It was a nice mental escape for me to feel that this is the one thing I have control over to improve myself, and it hasn't worked. 

I would ask a PT to give you some deadlift and squat variants that are safe for your back, because you are missing two really key exercises here. They aren't 100% necessities, but I don't think you can get into really good shape without doing some form of squat, since it recruits the largest muscles in your body, which will have the biggest effect on your metabolism (also same reason why @KenjiOgiwara is feeling so burnt out after squatting to exhaustion).

For example, a good bodyweight squat variant is to step off one leg from a seated position, and then slowly lower yourself back into the seated position. The balance required will also test your body in useful ways. Eventually you can progress the seated squat to pistol squats. I don't believe these exercises are dangerous for someone with back problems, but please confirm with a PT.

Also, I suspect you've done more good work in the past 5 months than you realise, but it's still at the stage where the cosmetic changes aren't really visible yet. I definitely wouldn't write it off just yet.

One thing I would say is if you're carrying a lot of excess weight, there's no harm in doing a bit of cardio (especially high intensity interval training) to help shed some body weight. A lot of serious gym bunnies don't like cardio because it can burn muscle and fatigue you, but there is definitely a "newbie gains" stage with cardio, where you can find yourself shredding through a lot of fat very quickly. Also, good cardiovascular fitness will improve your sleep quality and make your body better at repairing itself post workout.

This definitely isn't a time to be writing off your chances - you've laid down the foundations now to get into really good shape.

[KenjiOgiwara]

I've read deadlifts and squats tax your central nervous system to a ridiculous degree. We know it affects and activates a stupid amount of muscles per lift, but the CNS bit is interesting. It would explain why I feel absolutely sick after doing squats and deadlifts with a large amount of sets. And I mean sick. I feel like throwing up. My body aches. I just wanna lay in a fetal position and do nothing. I don't even wanna eat. It's like the body just wants to shut down and try and stay alive until you wake up. Mental. 

Then again I know very little about the CNS, and I am no physiotherapist. So what do I know. 

Edited December 4, 2019 by KenjiOgiwara

[Dr_Pangloss]

I don't bother with deadlifts anymore. I don't see it as a necessary exercise for me at this stage and it's overly taxing. I say this as someone who has at my peak deadlifted 260kgs, but you get to a point where you tailor your routine around your life, do more of what you enjoy and have time for and deadlifts sadly don't feature in that, as great as an exercise it is.

In fact I'm at a massive impasse with lifting. I've been back doing it for almost 5 years seriously, having not done it for a good 6 years having been very devoted to it in my teens. My best lifts this year are a 167.5kg bench and a 180kg squat but those numbers have slipped substantially over the past 3 months due to inactivity, some of it due to work related stress, but most if down to having better things to do.

In a last ditch attempt to get back on track I'm trying a 3 day a week total body regime, in contrast to the 5 days a week, much more specialised training I used to do, the main reason is that I want to be in the gym a lot less and waste less time there. The program is basically two workouts:

A

Flat barbell bench

Pull ups

DB Shoulder Press

Glute-Hamstring raises

Cable face pulls

Some curl variation

B

Barbell squat

Incline DB press

Chest supported DB Rows

Leg extensions or Bulgarian split squats

DB Lateral raises

Some tricep exercise of my choosing

Cable chest fly variation (e.g. high to low or low to high)

 

Week 1 is A, B and A and Week 2 is B, A and B and thus carries on like that. I'm in week three so far. Actually taking a bit of getting used to as I've never ever lifted like this before but am enjoying being in the gym less. My squat is improving rapidly whilst my bench is struggling for some reason. I won't imagine overall I'll be getting back to what I was lifting earlier in the year anytime soon but that's fine.

 

Edited December 4, 2019 by Dr_Pangloss

[villaglint]

2 hours ago, kurtsimonw said:

5 months now, with barely noticeable progress. 

I track my calories and macros. My gym days and rest days I have about 3 meal plans each, so I know I'm not cheating or anything because at this point I know what I need to eat each day. 

I don't do deadlifts or squats because of my back, but surely these aren't 100% necessities to build muscle and get stronger? 

I still can't do a pushup, I try a few times a week and I don't know if it's having longer arms or what, but my elbows just give in. The same goes for almost all chest exercises. I never feel anything in my chest. It's like my shoulders always take the weight and if I try and increase the weight, my elbows just can't deal with that weight. 

I've asked the PTs a few times just to let me know if my form is off, but apparently it's not. 

I've taken progress pictures and I didn't look at them for 3 months. I didn't notice anything day by day, but I figured that when I look at the pictures properly after 3 months I'd notice a big change. I would say there is very minminal gain on my biceps. Then fatty gains on my chest. 

It's intensely disheartening. I feel like I've put so much in to this over the past 5 months or so. It was a nice mental escape for me to feel that this is the one thing I have control over to improve myself, and it hasn't worked. 

No idea what is wrong with your back so bear that in mind when reading the following. I didn't do deadlifts/squats for years because I suffered with a bad back. One day I decided to give it a go and slowly learnt the proper form etc. Gradually built the weight up and up to the point of hitting a 200kg deadlift earlier this year. Do you know what it completely fixed my back. I was in and out of physio/doctors/chiros for years trying to sort my back out. Not one of them said go to the gym learn to deadlift and get your back strong. I wish they had. Obviously this isn't the case for everyone but I'd bet that 80% of people who have back issues actually have weakness issues rather than anything structurally wrong. Daily Cat/Cow and weekly deadlifts have been a god send for me. From always worrying about that debilitating twinge that would put me on my back for a couple of days to no issues at all for 8 odd years now. 

BTW they are definitely not 100% necessary to get stronger but great all round exercises nonetheless. 

With regards to the elbow weakness that sounds quite specific and it sounds like you have an issue there which needs addressing specifically if its stopping you from doing a push up etc. There are lots of exercises you can do to strengthen the tendons in your elbows which sounds like it would be a good start. 

Finally what kind of programme are you working to? This is key because if you don't have the right level of gradual overload and intensity you will never get stronger in any significant way. You are really just toning unless you are working to a programme which is giving you the right stimulus to promote muscle growth. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

2 hours ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

I don't bother with deadlifts anymore...  but you get to a point where you tailor your routine around your life, do more of what you enjoy

Ironically while I feel absolutely shattered by deadlifts, I tend to do more and more compound lifts and less of the isolation exercises. It just feels nice walking into the gym, hitting a rack and feeling the whole body taking a beating, without having to resort to 40 isolation exercises. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

1 hour ago, villaglint said:

No idea what is wrong with your back so bear that in mind when reading the following. I didn't do deadlifts/squats for years because I suffered with a bad back. One day I decided to give it a go and slowly learnt the proper form etc. Gradually built the weight up and up to the point of hitting a 200kg deadlift earlier this year. Do you know what it completely fixed my back. I was in and out of physio/doctors/chiros for years trying to sort my back out. Not one of them said go to the gym learn to deadlift and get your back strong. I wish they had. Obviously this isn't the case for everyone but I'd bet that 80% of people who have back issues actually have weakness issues rather than anything structurally wrong. Daily Cat/Cow and weekly deadlifts have been a god send for me. From always worrying about that debilitating twinge that would put me on my back for a couple of days to no issues at all for 8 odd years now. 

Yep. I would also add that people should avoid using belts and stuff. I do all my lifts raw (except chalk), but I think form is the most important bit. Bad back? Lift light. 

I had an awful left knee as I did my meniscus at 17. After starting with squats and lifting in my mid 20s my knee feels so much better.

I ruined my shoulder and neck a few years ago. Struggled massively with tension headaches. I started rowing quite a lot and the rowing just fixed that as well. 

I am no physio nerd, but it's weird how your body can work itself right. 

[kurtsimonw]

5 hours ago, villaglint said:

No idea what is wrong with your back so bear that in mind when reading the following. I didn't do deadlifts/squats for years because I suffered with a bad back. One day I decided to give it a go and slowly learnt the proper form etc. Gradually built the weight up and up to the point of hitting a 200kg deadlift earlier this year. Do you know what it completely fixed my back. I was in and out of physio/doctors/chiros for years trying to sort my back out. Not one of them said go to the gym learn to deadlift and get your back strong. I wish they had. Obviously this isn't the case for everyone but I'd bet that 80% of people who have back issues actually have weakness issues rather than anything structurally wrong. Daily Cat/Cow and weekly deadlifts have been a god send for me. From always worrying about that debilitating twinge that would put me on my back for a couple of days to no issues at all for 8 odd years now. 

BTW they are definitely not 100% necessary to get stronger but great all round exercises nonetheless. 

With regards to the elbow weakness that sounds quite specific and it sounds like you have an issue there which needs addressing specifically if its stopping you from doing a push up etc. There are lots of exercises you can do to strengthen the tendons in your elbows which sounds like it would be a good start. 

Finally what kind of programme are you working to? This is key because if you don't have the right level of gradual overload and intensity you will never get stronger in any significant way. You are really just toning unless you are working to a programme which is giving you the right stimulus to promote muscle growth. 

I have anterior pelvic tilt, plus my lower back isn't all that strong, so it is almost always in pain as a result of APT. stuff like squats and deadlifts would be damaging. 

I don't really know what a programme is, but I've had advice on what to do on what days, which is generally push/pull/legs. I lift a weight where I'm burning out in the 8-12 range. If I manage the 12, I'll up the weight. Unfortunately I haven't been able to up the weight that much. I've tried doing more reps at a weight I can manage easier, but that just doesn't increase strength or make my current weight any easier. So if I'm stuck hitting my targets, I get a bit trapped. I've tried lifting heavier for less reps, but again it doesn't help at my current weight. People often tell me to increase everytime I go, but I can't lift what I can't lift. 

I don't k know if it's a genetic ruing or what. My shoulders seem to take the bulk of everything. Anything that involves pushing, if I put the weight up, my elbows are ****. I'm really lost with it at this point and my desire to keep going is getting close to breaking point. 5 months is a lot to put in to something, I've seen people go through someone drastic transformations in less than that. I've essentially stood still. Infuriating. 

Edited December 4, 2019 by kurtsimonw

[supermon]

2 hours ago, kurtsimonw said:

I have anterior pelvic tilt, plus my lower back isn't all that strong, so it is almost always in pain as a result of APT. stuff like squats and deadlifts would be damaging. 

I don't really know what a programme is, but I've had advice on what to do on what days, which is generally push/pull/legs. I lift a weight where I'm burning out in the 8-12 range. If I manage the 12, I'll up the weight. Unfortunately I haven't been able to up the weight that much. I've tried doing more reps at a weight I can manage easier, but that just doesn't increase strength or make my current weight any easier. So if I'm stuck hitting my targets, I get a bit trapped. I've tried lifting heavier for less reps, but again it doesn't help at my current weight. People often tell me to increase everytime I go, but I can't lift what I can't lift. 

I don't k know if it's a genetic ruing or what. My shoulders seem to take the bulk of everything. Anything that involves pushing, if I put the weight up, my elbows are ****. I'm really lost with it at this point and my desire to keep going is getting close to breaking point. 5 months is a lot to put in to something, I've seen people go through someone drastic transformations in less than that. I've essentially stood still. Infuriating. 

Keep at man, don't give up.  Doing nothing won't get you any gains.  If someone were to tell me that their shoulders are taking the brunt of everything, im sure 9/10 people would say that it is your form.  i know you've asked PT's but sometimes keep asking others for a 2nd opinion.  Also try and shock your body with heavier weights, you will need to get someone to spot you.  If you go alone, just ask any random person for a spot. As someone who trains predominantly by myself, i found I got the most gains or noticeable size when I had someone pushing me to go heavier and get out of my comfort zone.  First and foremost though, perfect your form.  I've been training well over 8 years now and still find that I am learning and perfecting my form.

another tip would be to slow each rep down, squeeze the muscle, slowly release for the negative and really get that mind muscle connection.

Just don't give up man, up the calories, increase the number of days at the gym.  Change your routine if what you're currently doing is not working. 

[villaglint]

18 hours ago, kurtsimonw said:

I have anterior pelvic tilt, plus my lower back isn't all that strong, so it is almost always in pain as a result of APT. stuff like squats and deadlifts would be damaging. 

I don't really know what a programme is, but I've had advice on what to do on what days, which is generally push/pull/legs. I lift a weight where I'm burning out in the 8-12 range. If I manage the 12, I'll up the weight. Unfortunately I haven't been able to up the weight that much. I've tried doing more reps at a weight I can manage easier, but that just doesn't increase strength or make my current weight any easier. So if I'm stuck hitting my targets, I get a bit trapped. I've tried lifting heavier for less reps, but again it doesn't help at my current weight. People often tell me to increase everytime I go, but I can't lift what I can't lift. 

I don't k know if it's a genetic ruing or what. My shoulders seem to take the bulk of everything. Anything that involves pushing, if I put the weight up, my elbows are ****. I'm really lost with it at this point and my desire to keep going is getting close to breaking point. 5 months is a lot to put in to something, I've seen people go through someone drastic transformations in less than that. I've essentially stood still. Infuriating. 

If your diet is right (ie more calories than you need/are burning, enough protein) and you are doing a progressive overload programme then you will get stronger full stop. 

If you aren't getting stronger then you are doing one of those things wrong. Find out which or both and change it. So much of going to the gym is trial and error. 

My rule is always lift more in total volume than I did the last time I went in there. 

So say I'm doing 5 set of 5 reps and I can't do the last two reps of the last set. Then I have to do a 6th set to make up the reps I missed. As long as I beat the "me" from last week I'm happy. It's a constant battle against yourself. It is baby steps, you will only be adding a few kgs at a time but add that up over a period of time and the change can be remarkable. Also change it up every 8 weeks or so. Different reps and set ranges. 1 8 week set could be 5 sets 3 reps, next time 3 sets 8 reps. Work out your 1 rep max for each lift and then you can figure out your weight for each rep range from that. Stonglifts is a decent programme to kick you off they have an App and everything! https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#gref

Also anterior pelvic tilt does not mean you cannot do squats and deadlifts. I get it feels that way but trust me it doesnt. I have that and I felt exactly the same when I started. Pretty much everyone who sits at a desk all day has APT. Find a good mobility warm up. Things like Cat/Cow to get  the hips moving. Then pay a decent PT to teach you decent form for deadlift and squats. It is highly likely a decent PT will not exist in your gym they seem to be rarer than you'd imagine. Luckily there are about 11,000 videos on Youtube to help you learn decent form. Compound lifts like squats/deadlifts will have a transformative effect on every other exercise you do. 

For years I did exactly what you've been doing working out on all the machines, doing some dumbells. Getting knackered but never really working to a programme. I did it for maybe 5/6 years I got toned I got fit but never strong. To be honest I wasnt that bothered I just enjoyed the routine of going to the gym. 

As soon as I started taking care of the diet (ie callory surplus and enough protein) and doing progressive overload I started gradually building and building the weights and its amazing how far you can take it and you will definitely notice it in the mirror and other people will notice it too. 

The work you have done so far isn't wasted. Think of a block of ice that starts melting as you increase the temperature. It isn't the 1 degree change that finally starts melting the ice its every degree of change since you started. Everything you have done so far is money in the bank and will help as you start to address what is stopping you achieve the goals you currently have. 

One other idea to through out there is crossfit. I am not a cross fitter and a lot of people on this page will have bad things to say about it. However I raise it because I think it could help solve several of your issues. 1 - It is an excellent way to meet people and find a supportive network of friends. 2 - If you have a decent crossfit gym you will get good coaching in proper form for the various compound lifts that will help you get stronger. They will also get you working to the kind of set/rep ranges that will have high enough intensity to promote muscles growth. 

Finally I would really find some elbow strengthening exercises online and focus on building the strength there. Sounds like you have a specific weakness there which needs addressing as its stopping you doing the various exercises properly. The tendons in the elbow can easily become overloaded if you are putting too much load through them on consecutive days. That is worth addressing first because it wont get better with more exercise it will get worse. If they are hurting every time you exercise (when properly warmed up) then you have an issue with the tendons and you need to stop wait till it stops hurting (ie 1-2 days) and then focus on strengthening your elbow tendons specifically. Then make sure they are super warm before doing any exercise. 

 

[wilko154]

On 04/12/2019 at 14:50, kurtsimonw said:

I have anterior pelvic tilt, plus my lower back isn't all that strong, so it is almost always in pain as a result of APT. stuff like squats and deadlifts would be damaging. 

I don't really know what a programme is, but I've had advice on what to do on what days, which is generally push/pull/legs. I lift a weight where I'm burning out in the 8-12 range. If I manage the 12, I'll up the weight. Unfortunately I haven't been able to up the weight that much. I've tried doing more reps at a weight I can manage easier, but that just doesn't increase strength or make my current weight any easier. So if I'm stuck hitting my targets, I get a bit trapped. I've tried lifting heavier for less reps, but again it doesn't help at my current weight. People often tell me to increase everytime I go, but I can't lift what I can't lift. 

I don't k know if it's a genetic ruing or what. My shoulders seem to take the bulk of everything. Anything that involves pushing, if I put the weight up, my elbows are ****. I'm really lost with it at this point and my desire to keep going is getting close to breaking point. 5 months is a lot to put in to something, I've seen people go through someone drastic transformations in less than that. I've essentially stood still. Infuriating. 

Haven't read the comments below so may be repeating some stuff.

I train every week, some months I change my workout plans train for a few months and make absolutely no progress in or visible changes to my body. I know how you feel it's incredibly down heartening.

However, the key is to change up your routines. Shock your body into different exercises, different weights and different rep amounts.

I use an app called FitNotes. You can enter your workouts and it tracks the weight you lift, the reps and the amount of sets. You tick them off as you go each session, and increase the weights ready for the next session. It's worth taking a look at. If I am lifting 30kg dumbells on my chest press for 4 sets but on my 4th set I try a 32kg dumbell; next week I will do the same or maybe try the 32kg dumbell on set 3 & 4.

I usually find a plan online and enter it into the app. Currently I do Chest and Biceps, Back, Legs, Shoulders and Triceps most of these are 8 reps or 10 reps. Do this workout for say 2 months, make sure you hit all 4 sessions each week.

After 2 months I find a new plan online, a few different exercises but 6 sets/6 reps. I'll set up the workout on my app and for the next 2 months I'll lift heavier, again 4 sessions a week. The first week or two is hard, it then gets easier as the body adjusts.

 

Also sounds like you may have tennis elbow (I've had this before and took ages to heal). Drop out the exercises it hurts most on for a bit and they should heal.

As for press ups, do them on your knees at home every two nights. 100 press ups, not consecutive. Will take some time but eventually you'll be able to do a few without your knees and then you can build from there.

 

Don't get too preoccupied by lifting the heaviest weights. It's more about getting the reps in with good form rather than lifting heavier weights.

 

 

[Dr_Pangloss]

On 04/12/2019 at 06:31, kurtsimonw said:

5 months now, with barely noticeable progress. 

I track my calories and macros. My gym days and rest days I have about 3 meal plans each, so I know I'm not cheating or anything because at this point I know what I need to eat each day. 

I don't do deadlifts or squats because of my back, but surely these aren't 100% necessities to build muscle and get stronger? 

I still can't do a pushup, I try a few times a week and I don't know if it's having longer arms or what, but my elbows just give in. The same goes for almost all chest exercises. I never feel anything in my chest. It's like my shoulders always take the weight and if I try and increase the weight, my elbows just can't deal with that weight. 

I've asked the PTs a few times just to let me know if my form is off, but apparently it's not. 

I've taken progress pictures and I didn't look at them for 3 months. I didn't notice anything day by day, but I figured that when I look at the pictures properly after 3 months I'd notice a big change. I would say there is very minminal gain on my biceps. Then fatty gains on my chest. 

It's intensely disheartening. I feel like I've put so much in to this over the past 5 months or so. It was a nice mental escape for me to feel that this is the one thing I have control over to improve myself, and it hasn't worked. 

Broadly, four things will interfere with progress, (1) diet, (2) training quality, (3) lifestyle and (4) physical health:

(1) For diet it's entirely possible you're not eating enough relative to your metabolic rate. You may have a super high metabolism ('basal metabolic rate) and thus will need a lot more calories to gain weight. This is something you will have to figure out.

(2) Your training might be poor. Either not doing enough volume, not bringing enough drive and intensity to the table, not doing enough of the key exercises or conversely doing too much. Tracking your training, ensuring you're factoring in progressive overload is key. You may also be lifting with poor form. If your shoulders are taking over on your bench then you are potentially not doing bench correctly. You may also want to look at a decline bench as will take the shoulders out of the frame a bit more. 

(3) Lifestyle is crucial. If you aren't getting enough sleep, suffering with high stress and anxiety, all this can have a big negative effect on your gains. Controlling these things can be crucial. 

(4) It seems like you have a lot of issues with your body, weak joints, bad back. Try to parse out if training is causing these issues (i.e. going too heavy with bad form) or whether you ought to consult with a physical therapist to try to get to the bottom of it. In fairly rare cases issues with your endocrine system can prevent you from gaining muscle. Absolutely worth getting this checked out. You could have abnormally low testosterone or abnormally high levels of cortisol.

 

 

Edited December 8, 2019 by Dr_Pangloss

[KenjiOgiwara]

Well my workouts have officially broken me. I went to a professional weight lifter and coach and he made me a new programme. 

Basically he went into detail about everything and I learned a lot. Especially two things stick out. 

1) I have never used belt or had focus on breathing during my lifts as a core stabilisation thingy. He thought I would probably increase my lifts by 20 kg minimum if I just started doing this alone. 

2) I have done way too much sets and reps each exercise. Basically he put up a graph where exhaustion is measured against recovery. Because I work out like I do I burn myself out instead of increasing and building. Was an eye opener, and it explains a lot why I need a week break now and then (well quite often). 

Having my first workout with the new programme today. Looking forward to it. 

[Dr_Pangloss]

2 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Well my workouts have officially broken me. I went to a professional weight lifter and coach and he made me a new programme. 

Basically he went into detail about everything and I learned a lot. Especially two things stick out. 

1) I have never used belt or had focus on breathing during my lifts as a core stabilisation thingy. He thought I would probably increase my lifts by 20 kg minimum if I just started doing this alone. 

2) I have done way too much sets and reps each exercise. Basically he put up a graph where exhaustion is measured against recovery. Because I work out like I do I burn myself out instead of increasing and building. Was an eye opener, and it explains a lot why I need a week break now and then (well quite often). 

Having my first workout with the new programme today. Looking forward to it. 

Yeah well a belt is technically assisting your lifts, it's supposed increase intra abdominal pressure which helps with stabilising your spine during the lifts, so you would absolutely expect to see good increases in certain lifts such as squats and deadlifts. 

It's less clear that it's beneficial for the bench press, although some very big benchers swear by it. I just think it looks stupid when bench pressing.

Finally you don't want to be one of those jerk offs who wears a belt throughout their entire session, not only will you look stupid but you're going to weaken your core. Personally I'd recommend it on your bigger/ heavier lifts. I typically only wear it on my actual working sets when squatting.

Edited December 9, 2019 by Dr_Pangloss