How much muscle did you add naturally before you plateaued?

[ValiantThor08]

I am 28 years old, and started working out when I was 18. I went from around 115lbs, to around 172lbs now, at 5' 10". I was watching some videos on youtube, and a few guys were saying one can naturally gain 20 to 40lbs of muscle naturally, and then you are stuck. If that is true for all people, then it sounds like I am stuck (according to the "consensus"). When I look at myself in the mirror, I dont look like I am at a natural genetic potential, so to hear I could be at a genetic cap is discouraging lol. Have any of you gained beyond 40lbs of muscle being natural, or before starting AAS? I dabbled with AAS when I was younger, and wont mess with it until I need TRT when I am older. I personally do not want to be at a genetic limit.

 

[Mzakif]

I guess this is as fact and we must deal with it.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

There are so many variables here. 20-40 pounds from what? One person could start never having lifted, played sports, or eaten well in their life, while another person may have started lifting but been a competitive athlete, maybe a wrestler or something, and eaten well. The second person clearly “started” from a more advanced place, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll have that much more potential, just that their starting position was actually further along.

Is your training perfect? Is your diet perfect? Have they been for a long time? Have you used pretty much all of the proven natural supplements? If any of these are no, then you aren’t at your absolute potential.

 

[ValiantThor08]

There are so many variables here. 20-40 pounds from what? One person could start never having lifted, played sports, or eaten well in their life, while another person may have started lifting but been a competitive athlete, maybe a wrestler or something, and eaten well. The second person clearly “started” from a more advanced place, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll have that much more potential, just that their starting position was actually further along.

Is your training perfect? Is your diet perfect? Have they been for a long time? Have you used pretty much all of the proven natural supplements? If any of these are no, then you aren’t at your absolute potential.

I started out working out at 18, but prior, I was athletic, my cardiovascular strength was great, I could sprint, run long distance, and was a competative swimmer. I was 115, very low BF percentage. I was super skinny, people called me holocaust Jew. Was training from 18 to 20 in military college, I trained consistent, hard, but my diet was not consistent. From 21 to 27 I had ups and downs with my lifting, my frequency and intensity. Since July my training and diet have been where they are at for growth, a constant surplus, and my frequency and intensity at the gym has been stabally high. Since that time I have gained about 20lbs.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

I started out working out at 18, but prior, I was athletic, my cardiovascular strength was great, I could sprint, run long distance, and was a competative swimmer. I was 115, very low BF percentage. I was super skinny, people called me holocaust Jew. Was training from 18 to 20 in military college, I trained consistent, hard, but my diet was not consistent. From 21 to 27 I had ups and downs with my lifting, my frequency and intensity. Since July my training and diet have been where they are at for growth, a constant surplus, and my frequency and intensity at the gym has been stabally high. Since that time I have gained about 20lbs.

So you’ve had a few months of dialing in all your variables at once. I hardly think you’re at your maximum natural potential if I’m being honest. Maybe progress will be very slow, but there’s still room for growth IMO.

 

[ValiantThor08]

So you’ve had a few months of dialing in all your variables at once. I hardly think you’re at your maximum natural potential if I’m being honest. Maybe progress will be very slow, but there’s still room for growth IMO.

That is my hope. I was rather scrawny for a Male that had hit puberty. Goal is a natural BB physique.

 

[john.patterson]

After the first few years of consistent training, your progress will slow down significantly. Diet and programming with a focus on progressive overload will allow you to continue to make progress, but if you've been training hard for 10 years you won't see significant different from here on out.

I've been lifting consistently, 5-6 days per week, for the last 8 years. I'm lucky to gain 1-2 pounds per year after a bulk through the winter and cut back down. As a natural it is near impossible to make big physique changes if you've been training hard for 5+ years.

If natural bodybuilding is your goal, how far off are you from some of the competitors or weight/height classes that you aspire to be in?

 

[ValiantThor08]

After the first few years of consistent training, your progress will slow down significantly. Diet and programming with a focus on progressive overload will allow you to continue to make progress, but if you've been training hard for 10 years you won't see significant different from here on out.

I've been lifting consistently, 5-6 days per week, for the last 8 years. I'm lucky to gain 1-2 pounds per year after a bulk through the winter and cut back down. As a natural it is near impossible to make big physique changes if you've been training hard for 5+ years.

If natural bodybuilding is your goal, how far off are you from some of the competitors or weight/height classes that you aspire to be in?

I havent done any research in that area because I know I am not ready physically. Once I get to a certain body weight, body measurement, I will look into it. I was so spotty with my lifting and dieting for so many of those 10 years, I am hoping that now that I have things dialed in, i make the physique gains over the course of the year that i had not previously made.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

After the first few years of consistent training, your progress will slow down significantly. Diet and programming with a focus on progressive overload will allow you to continue to make progress, but if you've been training hard for 10 years you won't see significant different from here on out.

I've been lifting consistently, 5-6 days per week, for the last 8 years. I'm lucky to gain 1-2 pounds per year after a bulk through the winter and cut back down. As a natural it is near impossible to make big physique changes if you've been training hard for 5+ years.

If natural bodybuilding is your goal, how far off are you from some of the competitors or weight/height classes that you aspire to be in?

Some “natural” bodybuilders are anything but lol.

 

[ValiantThor08]

Some “natural” bodybuilders are anything but lol.

Very true.

 

[Chados]

I believe while there must be a limit I don't think anyone with certainty has been at his full potential. Nobody can do it 100% perfect, we can get very close though.

I think very few people in this world will get to below 10% bodyfat and very few will actually have muscle if they do. Even with steroids it's more likely people won't get there. Not because they can't but because very few people do it right or they don't care about that. If you look better then all your fiends you're probably a minority.

And I can't answer that question.. I've been as heavy (without) steroids as am now but I could never get this lean, especially this fast without steroids.

I think if your weight is 150 your whole life, reasonable assumption would be that that guy doesn't go higher than 170 and extremely low bodyfat which in my opinion is quite impressive.

 

[jameschoi]

After the first few years of consistent training, your progress will slow down significantly. Diet and programming with a focus on progressive overload will allow you to continue to make progress, but if you've been training hard for 10 years you won't see significant different from here on out.

I've been lifting consistently, 5-6 days per week, for the last 8 years. I'm lucky to gain 1-2 pounds per year after a bulk through the winter and cut back down. As a natural it is near impossible to make big physique changes if you've been training hard for 5+ years.

If natural bodybuilding is your goal, how far off are you from some of the competitors or weight/height classes that you aspire to be in?

What are your staple supps for the last 8 years.

 

[Ulfhednar]

Good question, hard one too. Ive heard that for every 4 lbs gained on average only one lb is muscle. No clue about cutting. Even with that info you cant really tell, its all dependent on your training, dieting, genetics, consistency, etc...

 

[john.patterson]

What are your staple supps for the last 8 years.

I keep it simple - fish oil, creatine, and d3 in the winter months. And whey and casein of course.
I use IntraMax to get my creatine and electrolytes every day, and I rotate preworkouts and pump products

 

[01tj]

I think I put on about 20 my first year (18yo) then 15 the year after and about 5 the 2 after that. I'm 5'10ish and I started around 150 pounds and made it over 200 but I felt like crap. It seems like 170 is the sweet spot and I fluctuate between 170-180.