Lifting for 2 years with little progress - I need advice on the right step to take

[Neuronic]

I'm going to cut to the chase - I know this gets asked time and time again (I'm sorry) and yes I have used the search button and yes I have tried to implement what I have found for the past few years, however I seem to be spinning my wheels. Here's to a stop to it once and for all.

First, let me show you how I look right now. These pictures were taken just 5 minutes ago, I took quite a few so that you're able to get an accurate observation and for ease of viewing have collaged them onto one image.

imageshack.us/photo/my-images/849/progressb.jpg - (Please can someone link/embed this for me?)

For the past few months I have been watching my carb intake, I eat no rubbish and stick to staple foods, I keep my protein high (20kg of fresh chicken breasts per month + protein shakes). I also go to the gym 5 nights a week and work a body part per session for around 45 minutes, this excludes any LISS cardio that I do afterwards for a further 20 minutes - I have made very little progress in terms of body recomposition or change!

What do I do? My body really lets me down, and actually holds me back in terms of confidence and when summer comes around, chilling out with my mates swimming etc.

I'm not expecting a whole load of responses to this thread, but could someone please just give me a bit of advice? I'm not entirely sure how the reputation system works on here as I am fairly new, but will rep helpful answers.

[SMC USA]

Ok... Where to start .. First .. You are nice and lean .. Exactly what I would expect from the slight description of your diet ..

If you want to add muscle you need to feed it .. Muscle is built as much, if not more, in the kitchen as the gym

Lets start with your stats .. Height, weight, BF% if you know it ..

Next .. Your goal ?? Ideal weight ??

[Neuronic]

Ok... Where to start .. First .. You are nice and lean .. Exactly what I would expect from the slight description of your diet ..

If you want to add muscle you need to feed it .. Muscle is built as much, if not more, in the kitchen as the gym

Lets start with your stats .. Height, weight, BF% if you know it ..

Next .. Your goal ?? Ideal weight ??

Right, firstly - thanks for replying to me mate.

I am 19 years old, 5ft 8" and weight around 180lb. My bodyfat percentage I am not sure to be honest, but I would say it's pretty high.

My goal is somewhat contradicting - to lose the fat around my midsection/lower back, and to build my chest and shoulders (mainly).

Ideal weight - I would say a good starting point is 12.5-13 stone? I'm 12 at present.

[stormecho]

Can I ask, what is your training like?

When I started, I thought it was in order, I really did. That was around 18 or 19 years old.

Only when I worked with a trainer who was a former bodybuilder did I come to understand what "pushing" really meant. Also, a rundown of your diet would help.

There's no way your bodyfat % is high, by the way.

[Neuronic]

Can I ask, what is your training like?

When I started, I thought it was in order, I really did. That was around 18 or 19 years old.

Only when I worked with a trainer who was a former bodybuilder did I come to understand what "pushing" really meant. Also, a rundown of your diet would help.

There's no way your bodyfat % is high, by the way.

Hi mate - thanks for the reply.

I am 19 years old, about 5ft 8" and I weight approximately 180lb at the moment (mainly fat - I am unsure on my bodyfat percentage).

My training, I like to mix it up every time I go to the gym. I tend to go around 4-5 times a week for around 45 minutes a time.

Monday - Chest/Tris
Tuesday - Legs
Thursday - Back/Bis
Friday - Shoulders

I don't have a set routine - I mix it up, but always focus on compound lifts before any isolation work. Rep range within 8-12 for most sets, with 5-8 for compound legs to build mass.

I don't eat the same thing every day at the moment, and I have tried many different types of diet over the past few years. At the moment I am focusing on eating staple foods, staying away from any rubbish (I don't drink - so this helps) and ensuring that I get a lot of protein in my diet (I purchase 20kg of fresh chicken breasts a month, each one around 227g from a local butcher) and also consume protein shakes. I try to keep my unsaturated fats up as I know these help to lose fat - and never eat simple carbs, only complex. Again, I try and eat all my carbs before 6-7pm in the evening, and have been on an ECA stack for the past month or so to try and lose some fat around the midsection/lower back.

Goal wise, it's very contradicting (as always with skinny fat people haha). In an ideal world, lose the gut/fat and build my chest and shoulders (mainly), oh and back. I know this is unrealistic and damn near impossible, so I'm going to have to stick to one!

Posting pictures - yeah, pretty embarrising, but that's what these forums are for hey.. I don't mind what people say about me/think about me and I'm willing to take all constructive criticism on board - hopefully I can help someone out someday using the information I receive myself

As I have mentioned, I am unhappy with my body (aren't we all.. we're never happy 100% lol) and it does actually effect me in terms of pushing for relationships/having fun with friends - I am a perfectionist (albeit very irritating, I am very much determine to push through this) and as such I want to sort my body out so that I am happy with it first, before expecting anyone else to be also. This may seem very shallow, but when you spin your wheels for circa 2 years, this is what happens lol.

What would you say my bf % is?

Any advice is good advice to me, and again thanks for taking the time to listen and help me out.

[Srt4Muscle]

you are skinny bro, like less than 12% for sure. IMO you should be asking for help gaining, its hard to get big and cut at the same time. you need to get bigger first though. def need to start you on some creatine for strength, put you on a 5x5 workout plan and you need a partner to push you and help you with extra reps.

your arms are as big as mine lol and your legs look big too man, shoulders arent too bad, kinda small chest but better than gyno lmao. dude you need to accept your body and work on it slow, you have self image issues to say the least. im not trying to be mean no homo you look good lol

[Neuronic]

you are skinny bro, like less than 12% for sure. IMO you should be asking for help gaining, its hard to get big and cut at the same time. you need to get bigger first though. def need to start you on some creatine for strength, put you on a 5x5 workout plan and you need a partner to push you and help you with extra reps.

your arms are as big as mine lol and your legs look big too man, shoulders arent too bad, kinda small chest but better than gyno lmao. dude you need to accept your body and work on it slow, you have self image issues to say the least. im not trying to be mean no homo you look good lol

Thanks for the help mate! Less than 12% - that's shocked me quite a bit, I was under the impression that I was a lot more than this as I can't see my abs at all and I know these start to become visible around what.. 9-10%? Will definitely look at getting some creatine down me, what do you recommend buddy? You think I should do a 5x5 to gain strength before moving onto hypertrophy? If you asked me what was more important to me, being able to lift a tonne of weight, or looking good - I would rather look good than be able to boast my lifting stats, but that's probably due to my image issues as you have said, because of the fact that I have been unhappy for so long.

Right, negative thoughts aside - it's time to change based on all the comments received in this thread. Creatine for strength, 5x5 for strength then move to hypertrophy later on, nice clean bulk. What about cardio? And bulk for how long? A partner is difficult, as I work out after work when most people have gone home.

Thanks for the kind words mate, I have always been conscious of my image so it really boosts me

[chedapalooza]

This is going to be quick as I don have much time right now but wanted to get a word in-

I am te same as u, skinny fat ecto-

I naturally have a large chest and legs though. I have been training since 14 (high school football) now I'm 23. After all these years I am JUST starting to find what works with my body- the key facts I can say quickly are-

We need lots of solid muscle to be visible through our fatty skin.

Dont expect to be ripped and big year round. Our bodies can't support that hormonally.

Try not to do traditional bulks and cuts- we gain too much fat in a bulk, and lose too much muscle mass in a cut- pointless!

Eat very high protein- mod fat, low carb.

Cardio 4-5 days/week

Lift 3, no more than 4 days using heavy weights, low reps for 2 sets, light weight 15-20 reps for 2 sets per exercise, 4 exercises per session, twice a week (for major muscles like chest back legs) shoulders and arms should be 2-3 sets for 2 exercises twice a week.

We need to focus on back and shoulder width! A wide upper body will make our waists look tiny, it's all About illusion.

Grow your abs- hundreds of crunches and leg raises will get us no
Where. In 6 mknths if heavy Ab training , they look better than years of crunches 4-5 days a week. Make them big and u will see them. Heavy rope crunches, weighted declines, hanging leg raises. Planks.

Supplements- gda's are vital, creatine may bloat ppl like us, I do not use it. Use a good whey protein. Use fat burners when u want to lean out. Use diuretics too. We hold lots of water. Look into erase for cutting. It will make your body nice and hard and lean and muscular by getting rid of estrogen and controlling cortisol levels. Any questions please ask. I know i ended ip saying a lot!

[Neuronic]

Thanks for that mate - could you explain your routine a little more for me please?

[AaronJP1]

Subbed for the ideas

[MuscleGauge1]

Hi mate - thanks for the reply.

I am 19 years old, about 5ft 8" and I weight approximately 180lb at the moment (mainly fat - I am unsure on my bodyfat percentage).

My training, I like to mix it up every time I go to the gym. I tend to go around 4-5 times a week for around 45 minutes a time.

Monday - Chest/Tris
Tuesday - Legs
Thursday - Back/Bis
Friday - Shoulders

I don't have a set routine - I mix it up, but always focus on compound lifts before any isolation work. Rep range within 8-12 for most sets, with 5-8 for compound legs to build mass.

I don't eat the same thing every day at the moment, and I have tried many different types of diet over the past few years. At the moment I am focusing on eating staple foods, staying away from any rubbish (I don't drink - so this helps) and ensuring that I get a lot of protein in my diet (I purchase 20kg of fresh chicken breasts a month, each one around 227g from a local butcher) and also consume protein shakes. I try to keep my unsaturated fats up as I know these help to lose fat - and never eat simple carbs, only complex. Again, I try and eat all my carbs before 6-7pm in the evening, and have been on an ECA stack for the past month or so to try and lose some fat around the midsection/lower back.

Goal wise, it's very contradicting (as always with skinny fat people haha). In an ideal world, lose the gut/fat and build my chest and shoulders (mainly), oh and back. I know this is unrealistic and damn near impossible, so I'm going to have to stick to one!

Posting pictures - yeah, pretty embarrising, but that's what these forums are for hey.. I don't mind what people say about me/think about me and I'm willing to take all constructive criticism on board - hopefully I can help someone out someday using the information I receive myself

As I have mentioned, I am unhappy with my body (aren't we all.. we're never happy 100% lol) and it does actually effect me in terms of pushing for relationships/having fun with friends - I am a perfectionist (albeit very irritating, I am very much determine to push through this) and as such I want to sort my body out so that I am happy with it first, before expecting anyone else to be also. This may seem very shallow, but when you spin your wheels for circa 2 years, this is what happens lol.

What would you say my bf % is?

Any advice is good advice to me, and again thanks for taking the time to listen and help me out.

I think you should try to seperate your workouts into a six day routine instead. Chest one Day Shoulders next Biceps one day etc etc. I think this could help you focus on each exercise individually and help build your strength. You want to gain and lose fat then just check out a good fat burning diet. Make sure your eating every 2 hours you know the drill. Stop looking for a PERFECT routine or a PERFECT diet and just find some GOOD ones and STICK! to them Consistency is the KEY not PERFECT! Good luck! Keep us posted

[chedapalooza]

I think you should try to seperate your workouts into a six day routine instead. Chest one Day Shoulders next Biceps one day etc etc. I think this could help you focus on each exercise individually and help build your strength. You want to gain and lose fat then just check out a good fat burning diet. Make sure your eating every 2 hours you know the drill. Stop looking for a PERFECT routine or a PERFECT diet and just find some GOOD ones and STICK! to them Consistency is the KEY not PERFECT! Good luck! Keep us posted

This doesn't work for hardgainers/skinny fat . Too much time between muscle stimulation. Skinny fats need to hit the whole body frequently and intensely. But too much is no good either!

Chest/shoulders/tris
Back/bis
Legs
Chest shoulders tris
Back bis
Rest weekend

This Is the ideal. Instead of 12-15 sets every 6 dys, split it up over two days.

[AaronJP1]

This doesn't work for hardgainers/skinny fat . Too much time between muscle stimulation. Skinny fats need to hit the whole body frequently and intensely. But too much is no good either!

Chest/shoulders/tris
Back/bis
Legs
Chest shoulders tris
Back bis
Rest weekend

This Is the ideal. Instead of 12-15 sets every 6 dys, split it up over two days.

I do the 12-15
I do
Shoulders/Legs
3-5 exercises and 3-4 sets of 8-15 & the same for Chest/Tris and Back/BIs

[chedapalooza]

I do the 12-15
I do
Shoulders/Legs
3-5 exercises and 3-4 sets of 8-15 & the same for Chest/Tris and Back/BIs

I'll do shoulders legs sometimes as well.

I'm about to start
Chest/back/shoulders
Cardio
Legs/arms
Cardio
Chest/back/shoulders

I only want to loft 3 days a week currently to try n bulk n put on some mass/weight. I do cardio on lifting days too tho, I'll have np gaining.

[AaronJP1]

I'll do shoulders legs sometimes as well.

I'm about to start
Chest/back/shoulders
Cardio
Legs/arms
Cardio
Chest/back/shoulders

I only want to loft 3 days a week currently to try n bulk n put on some mass/weight. I do cardio on lifting days too tho, I'll have np gaining.

I don't do much cardio need2burn some fat haha.
Yeah I only lift 3 days a week

[stormecho]

I'd like to see more particulars in your training. Any supersets? What would you say your intensity level is, throughout your session? Also, with regard to eating, how much of that chicken are you taking in in a day?

I'm with Chedapalooza on the 3-4 day, heavy routine. It wouldn't hurt to periodically through in a light, high intensity day of say core work and cleanup stuff. Also, compound and power movements will do a world of good (cleans, squats, snatches, etc.) but make sure you know what you're doing in terms of form before you try that.

Ask a trainer (if you think they know what the Hell they're doing) if you don't, or someone else that serves in that capacity at your gym.

Ectomorphs are the hardest gainers, but your gains are going to make you look really​ good...so keep at it.

[stormecho]

And, as an afterthought, it may be that you need some real coaching in the gym. At your age, that is nothing at all to be ashamed of, and WAY better than earning yourself a full rotator cuff tear like I did at 22 years old, permanently altering my work in the gym, forever. If you feel like you're not 100% sure, invest in a good trainer for just a few sessions. Pick up muscle books. Learn physiology. Learn how your body works...it's all really interesting and beats the Hell out of watching the crap that is on the telly nowadays.

[Neuronic]

And, as an afterthought, it may be that you need some real coaching in the gym. At your age, that is nothing at all to be ashamed of, and WAY better than earning yourself a full rotator cuff tear like I did at 22 years old, permanently altering my work in the gym, forever. If you feel like you're not 100% sure, invest in a good trainer for just a few sessions. Pick up muscle books. Learn physiology. Learn how your body works...it's all really interesting and beats the Hell out of watching the crap that is on the telly nowadays.

Thanks for the help stormecho, very helpful. I don't have a strict routine, I tend to plan my workouts on my way to the gym and superset/dropset as and when I feel I need to push my body further.

My intensity level is very intense, I genuinely feel bad about myself if I leave the gym having not put in 120% effort. I'm always the last person in the gym, probably overtraining but I need to see these results I am after - dedication, commitment and intensity are not an issue

Usually I take in around 3 chicken breasts a day, sometimes 4.

[stormecho]

I don't have a strict routine, I tend to plan my workouts on my way to the gym and superset/dropset as and when I feel I need to push my body further.

For me, the strict routine is what made the difference in making gains. I found that when I write stuff down, I have to "stick to the program". Take in more protein than 3x chicken breasts/day. Get in egg whites. Tuna. Salmon. Beef. Get the compound exercises in.

You're going to have to fight exponentially harder than mesomorphs and endomorphs to gain weight, but get the diet and training in and you will.

[Neuronic]

For me, the strict routine is what made the difference in making gains. I found that when I write stuff down, I have to "stick to the program". Take in more protein than 3x chicken breasts/day. Get in egg whites. Tuna. Salmon. Beef. Get the compound exercises in.

You're going to have to fight exponentially harder than mesomorphs and endomorphs to gain weight, but get the diet and training in and you will.

So is it gaining weight that I should be after then? As my bf percentage (in my opinion) is quite high, I have a lot of 'soft fat' and rolls on my stomach.. yet I 'look' lean-ish.