LK's Bulk,Hard gainer needs advice/critique

[Legacykid]

Background- Im 5'6 142lbs
I never could break 147, but Im on a mission to put size on. I plan to spend the next 4 months on a bulk 1 month cut then prolly another 3 month bulk again.
I cut out cardio past 2 weeks in hope i'd gain, but its just making me less hungry, so i may cardio it up 2-3 times a week.
Been on creapure for almost 3 weeks, have not noticed any weight gain, minimal strength but its gradual so i can not complain. Not looking to take any more supps for atleast another month or 2, just wanna put some natural lbs on at first, but am open to any advice/ critiques or questions.
Im here to learn

Supps-Protein, Multi, Omega-3, Creapure, BCAA
Workout- 4-5 days a week depending, I believe for the most part my workout is good.
Diet- (breakfast)protein shake, 3eggs
(Lunch) Pasta or (chicken/fish/meat)
Pre/wo-protein shake(sometimes) 5 grams Cre-Mono
Mid workout- BCAA
Post/wo-protein shake 5 grams Cre-Mono
Dinner)Chicken thighs, broccoli
Meal- (chicken/fish/meat)
snack throughout the day- oatmeal,peanut butter,fruits, cereal
Before bed-protein shake

LK

 

[Dyou]

How old are you? Ill give you the same advice i have given all hard gainers. Try a home made weight gainer. To start off find out what your BMR is then make sure your eating 500 cals over maintenance that is one of the most important parts of growing. I say take a scoop of your protein 5g creating and a serving of your BCAAs 10 min before your workout then take a home made weight gainer post work out. Something simple like 2 scoops of your protein 5g creatine a banana maybe some all natural pb. Dont get discouraged if you start putting on alittle fat, all that means is your maxing out what your body can use and thats a good thing. you can always shed the fat in a cut later. hope i helped.

 

[Legacykid]

Im 22 i should be getting about 2660 cals, if im not mistaken. Not too too concerned about fat right now, just trying anything to get weight an strength up.
Thanks Dyou i will try this today

 

[Rodja]

Increase your kcal intake to 3000. Where are the carbs in your diet?

 

[Legacykid]

Ive been eating pasta, what else do you suggest? I believe the cal intake is what im lacking in as stated above, been struggling with eating enough. trying a little cardio today to see how that goes

 

[Rodja]

Potatoes and rices are my suggestions.

 

[Legacykid]

Update..
omega 3/ multis
830am-protein shake 3eggs..
11-gym creapure
intra BCAA
1230ish- protein/creapure
1245- pasta/salad
3- chicken or fish or meat/ broc or patatos
530ish- pasta/patatos
(in class)730 powerbar
930-10pm meat chicken or fish
12ish snack oatmeal/fruits/peanutbutter
b4 bed protein shake

still cant gain weight at all? not even water weight. anyone know whats up?

 

[Rodja]

You're not combining carbs and protein at the same meal

For example:
6 oz chicken
10 oz red potatoes
1C veggies

 

[Dyou]

you listed your meal plan but not the total cals a day. are you eating 3 whole eggs? if not then start. how much omega 3's are you taking? you need to start getting some fast absorbing carbs with your post workout shake waxymaize has worked great for me. get some coconut oil and start adding it to your shakes or take them with your meals exept for post workout shake, it will boost your test and give you the fats your body needs. list your workout plan.

 

[Terrk]

I've been having the same issue, hit up fitday.com and use it to track your eating habbits.

I thought I needed to eat like 2500, but come to find out I was eating 1000 below maintenance.

I'm now intaking 4100cals a day! (I'm 5'9/171lbs)

 

[Legacykid]

by the math i was told i need like 2700 cals..19x 144..

so every meal i should be combining proteins an carbs?, i do at least once or twice a day

And yes 3 eggs every morning

 

[Rodja]

by the math i was told i need like 2700 cals..19x 144..

so every meal i should be combining proteins an carbs?, i do at least once or twice a day

And yes 3 eggs every morning

Protein at every meal is essential. You can have 1-2 meals per day without carbs, but I highly suggest them in your situation.

 

[Legacykid]

I get out of class at like 10 so i missed 3 hours in which i could have ate. should i eat twice before bed. I have been trying to cram even maybe 30 mins before bed cuz i never feel like im eating enough.

 

[Rodja]

I get out of class at like 10 so i missed 3 hours in which i could have ate. should i eat twice before bed. I have been trying to cram even maybe 30 mins before bed cuz i never feel like im eating enough.

Brings some mixed nuts with you to class. They're not really high in protein, but they have tons of healthy fats and calories.

 

[Legacykid]

Ok, i also have a cliffbar, should i maybe take a protein shake after i eat. cuz i prolly could eat more that way. just always assumed to take it before. but if shakes digest faster anyway it wouldnt matter right?

 

[Dyou]

by the math i was told i need like 2700 cals..19x 144..

so every meal i should be combining proteins an carbs?, i do at least once or twice a day

And yes 3 eggs every morning

i read a while back that carbs help deliver protein and since then i always make sure to get carbs with any protein i take.

I get out of class at like 10 so i missed 3 hours in which i could have ate. should i eat twice before bed. I have been trying to cram even maybe 30 mins before bed cuz i never feel like im eating enough.

its SUGGESTED to eat every 2 hours, dont get too worried if you had to go an extra hour due to class

Brings some mixed nuts with you to class. They're really high in protein, but they have tons of healthy fats and calories.

x2 nuts an apple and granola bar is what i bring to work with me

Ok, i also have a cliffbar, should i maybe take a protein shake after i eat. cuz i prolly could eat more that way. just always assumed to take it before. but if shakes digest faster anyway it wouldnt matter right?

sounds like you already do but try to get most of your protein from food not shakes, if your looking to add more calories to a meal like i said before coconut oil works wonders. search on am for coconut fish or olive oil. lots of good calories and lots of people swear by it.

 

[Legacykid]

thanks for all in info guys, im thinking about stopping the creatine, no point in wasting it if im not even gaining off of it. Im gunna trying to hone the diet in even more and ill check back here
Thanks guys !

 

[Dyou]

who said your not gaining? i dont believe we have even discussed your creatine use. if you have been using it for a while and you all of a sudden stop you will lose some strength and weight in a week or two. how are you dosing?

 

[Legacykid]

who said your not gaining? i dont believe we have even discussed your creatine use. if you have been using it for a while and you all of a sudden stop you will lose some strength and weight in a week or two. how are you dosing?

I said im not gaining, i gained minimal str. no size not even water weight that i can see. its been 4 1/2 weeks.. dosing 5g pre 5g post. I see no point in wasting the stuff, i think i need to hone down even more on my diet, i eat good, just need more of it.
what do you think?

 

[Dyou]

i agree that you need to eat more if your not gaining weight. but i dont see why that would lead you to believe that keeping your muscle creatine stores full isnt helping you out. your just at a plateu and you need to change things up to pass it up. list your workout, maybe theres something were missing

 

[Legacykid]

typically like this
Monday chest/tris( sometimes throw abs or calves in)
note- chest is very weak, not proportioned to body. click profile to see pic
smith incline 4 sets
dumbbell flat bench 3 sets
cable flys 3 sets
decline every other week 3 sets
pec deck or another machine 3 sets
-tris- tris have always been huge and strong for me.
dips
skull crusher 3 sets
push downs with triangle 3 sets
cable pulls one arm or with a dumbbell 3 sets

Tuesday Back an Bi
Note- back is modest strong considering( normal growth pattern)
pull ups
Lat pull downs 4 sets
T bar row close grip 3 sets 1 superset on last one.
wide grip seated row 3 sets
close grip pulldowns 3 sets
lower back extensions with a 45lb
-Bis-
Note bis are weak often give out( even if done on a solo day)
dumbbell curls on preacher bench 3 sets
hammer curl 3 sets
wide grip barbell 3 sets/ or close grip
cable curl 3 sets
-Forearms-
2 diff exercises 4 sets each

day off

Thursday legs
Note- (legs have normal growth decent size as well)
walk to warm them up light jog
squats 5 sets 4 heavy
leg extensions 3 sets drop weight for a 4th
Lunges 3 sets
hamstring curl 3 sets
another hamstring cant recall name..1 leg at a time tho. 3 sets
light cardio

Friday shoulders/ traps
shoulders- (normal size, leaning toward strong side. but do have shoulder issues, cannot do dumbbells for chest or shoulders with heavy weight)
dumbbell raise 3 sets
smith shoulder press 4 sets
upright row 4 sets
machine lateral raise 3 sets
bent over lateral raise 3 sets
-traps- Normal growth
dumbbell front shrug 3 sets
machine raises 4 sets
barbell behind 3 sets

abs ill always switch it up trying to build lowers right now so thats my focus
calves i do (note calves are very small but very strong)
seated and standing.
sprints or speed rope.
box drill for speed

 

[Dyou]

honestly that sounds like alot to me. if you have been doing the same routine for a while its time to change it to shock your muscles into growing. first off you start each group with a compound movement, these should always come first so you can put maximum effort into it. like on chest day you start with bench press, try barbell. bi's start with barbell curl. shoulders upright row or press. then if you want you can go into isolation moves like preacher curls or fly's. you listed how many sets you do but not how many reps. for me all it takes is 3 exercises per muscle group 4 sets of 10-12 reps, use a weight that you can do atleast 10 but no more than 12 reps with. give yourself a 60sec rest inbetween sets and a 2-3 min rest between exercises. the fact that you do so much makes me think that maybe your not using weights that make you use almost maximum effort

 

[Legacykid]

a warm up set will be like 12-18
first set 10-12
second will be 7-9
third and fourth will be 6-8
i make sure my form is always good on last set if my form drops below i'd say 70% i lower weight
after workouts i do get sore, im an always switching it up..this is just what im doing for maybe the past month
I was thinking doing chest twice a week because i have so much trouble ive done it before.

 

[Legacykid]

yesterday was my day off..i ate my a monster, morning to night weight was 143morning 148 night.
now today 143 morning 146 now..worked out not even hungry today idk whats going on, trying to force food down, feel crappy

 

[Legacykid]

Update..been eating more and more but still not gaining.

Starting to gain fat around belly, but not putting weight on. I wouldnt care if i lost the abs but gained all around muscle so I can just cut, but i feel like all the weight i gained is in my belly?

Chest went up 10 lbs on bench
My squat went down in weight by 20 lbs..but leg extensions went up by 15
Hams are substantially stronger
up right rows Im up to 110lbs so +10lbs
calves im trying something new..1 exercise heavy another 2 light weight. or 1 and speed rope sess.

 

[Rodja]

Remember that gaining 1lb/month of LBM is making solid progress.

 

[Legacykid]

Im trying to stay positive,im watching your cyno log..looks good dude keep it up

 

[Rodja]

Im trying to stay positive,im watching your cyno log..looks good dude keep it up

I know the feeling. When I started lifting, I was 145. Patience, and lots of it, is key to getting where you want to go. In your instance, you can eat a little dirtier (e.g. fattier cuts of beef/steak, cheeseburgers). Systemically increase your calories and monitor your progress. Your strength numbers are increasing, so you're already making progress.

 

[Legacykid]

ya here and their ill have a snack if im out to dinner, but ive always been a healthy eater an have a strong will so eating good is easy, its eating alot that's my main problem.
Ill keep updating ..thanks Rodja