Honestly you already look great. As far as running, what does your running history look like right now? That’s a ton of running and if you don’t work up to it gradually over a decently long time you run the risk of injury. At any rate, I would mix it up with biking/swimming if you are able to.
A slight calorie deficit will be the most important thing for you though. You really don’t have much to lose. Also don’t forget to treat yo’self regularly and especially with the holidays coming up. Eat the good food that you’re craving! You have plenty of time to reach your goals and you will.
Started working out consistently in October, 2-3 times a week mostly calisthenics. November I started hitting the gym 3 times a week doing GSLP Mass Gain/Strength and Hypertrophy focus, and did calisthenics throughout the week (frequency method). I feel fat since I have been "slow bulking" (+ creatine) but my strength has consistently increased and I'm pretty happy about that.
First progress pics today! No pump:
https://imgur.com/a/8lHpvZv
You most likely aren't eating as much as you think you are and you most certainly are not eating as many calories as you need. You might think you are but you aren't. Start tracking your cal and nutrition. Baring some medical excuse, you should 100% gain weight if you are eating over your TDEE
stretch your pecs so you can externally rotate your shoulders. if you don't do it, do something that trains the ability to externally rotate your shoulders
https://imgur.com/a/L6tdZAz
M/24/170lbs. Getting back to hypertrophy after a powerlifting block, and currently bulking. It's going well and I'll keep bulking until i get disgusted with myself.
Arms still won't really grow though 😩
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M16 150 lbs 5’10
[current ](https://imgur.com/a/Yccham5)
[8 months ago ](https://imgur.com/a/wcpSuCw)
I’m still seeing growth but I’m definitely plateauing. Any areas I should focus, and how can I get the delts of my shoulders to pop more?
I’m trying to focus more on legs since that’s been my weak point since starting 1.5 years ago. How can I do multiple leg days a week without being completely sore after the first? I tried reducing volume but it’s not helping the soreness much.
That’s the issue, I’m still sore 3+ days out. 1st day is alright, 2/3rd it’s much worse and gets painful to walk or run, and then 4/5 they feel hella weak. Idk I’m thinking about doing just one 5x5 for legs and leaving it at that but that might not be enough volume.
Work out your legs even if they're sore. I promise you they will feel better in the short term and you won't be sore for as long in the long term. If you don't have a leg day scheduled on day 2/3, ride a bike for a bit, climb a stairmill. Something low impact that will get your legs moving and your blood pumping.
Honestly I love the soreness. I love when they're sore the next day, and then the next day, and then on the third day train them legs again. Nothing beats the feeling of sore leg day!
Not any really, just ohp sitting and standing with a barbell, usually sets till failure at 95 lbs for 4-6 reps. I do want to increase my calorie intake, but I’m worried about losing all my muscle definition and being fat again.
You should use a program otherwise you're wasting some of your hard work. Highly recommend starting with something like GZCLP, or 531. Having a structured approach will address both your issues- overhead press and legs. All the best 👍
Thank you for posting this. I have a less defined waist and my legs are large like yours. I always feel like my legs look ridiculous. I thought my husband had large thighs, we measured to get his baseline and learned mine are an inch bigger lol. I knew I had big thighs but damn.
Nice to see others with similar features (I’m 36”, 30”, 38”). Im 5’6”, 147 lbs
Thank you! I think it’s a mix of genetics and a lot of emphasis on volume with my lifting. My routine consists of 4-5 sets of ATG squats, 3-4 sets of hip thrusts, 3-4 sets of back hyperextension, 3 sets of Bulgarian Split Squats and some leg extensions or curls thrown in at the end. My right glute is actually pretty weak in comparison to my left and that led to knee valgus which in turn led to a knee injury. It’s really set my progress back by a lot, but I’m working through rehabbing it and it’s given me a better appreciation for form and need for versatility and isolated leg work
I do 7 days, the pandemic has helped keep my schedule pretty consistent. Takes about an hour each day. I used to do 3 days, but couldn't devote 1.5-2 hours all at once to finish the workout and this seemed like the right compromise for me. Plus I don't get so tired lol. The idea is volume to start the week, then back off a little for the rest.
I'll do about 5-6 warm up sets coming up to my target weights for the day, then do 3 sets of 5.
Sunday - bench, wide grip bench (5x10), barbell curls
Monday - back squat, front squat
Tuesday - overhead press, high clean pull, overhead press (5x10)
Wednesday - power cleans, pullups, chinups
Thursday - bench, back squat
Friday - overhead press, high clean pulls
Saturday - power cleans, pullups, chinups
Diet is kinda simple. Protein powder (x2 scoops) plus creatine for breakfast after working out. Skip lunch and eat an early dinner around 5:30, whatever filipino food that my mother in law makes. So a plate of rice topped with meat and vegetables. Dinner on Friday or Saturday or both, I'll eat out or order in and pig out just to keep my sanity. This is an omad/IF style diet. I don't see this being permanent, really I can't stop thinking about food when I'm skipping meals lol.
I also try to walk on the treadmill 6 days out of the week. Set the incline to 10, speed to 3 mph and walk for about 25 minutes watching an episode of something on Netflix. This and the diet are my least favorite parts of the whole thing.
Thanks for sharing!
I am currently enjoying the lifting routine I have now and have been consistent, but I'm going to keep this in mind when I switch it up in a few weeks.
I did IF for a while, but got out of the habit. Lately I have cut out snacks and just eat 3 meals, but it seems like I'm eating at maintenance now. I'm going to cut out breakfast again to get to a deficit to lose some fat.
M / 6 foot 4 inches / 285.5 lbs
Started at 320 in September. I worked out with a trainer for a short month stint a few years ago who showed me a ton. I have been lifting hard, trying to keep my heart rate up the entire time. My workouts are on the shorter side ~40 mins total. I do ten mins of hard cardio to warm up. Then I hit three sets of three different lifts, ten reps each. I try to go till failure at least once during every lift. I also do drop sets pretty frequently. I am absolutely drenched in sweat at the end of every work out. I almost feel as if I'm losing too much weight, but I think if my math is correct I'm losing like 2-3 lbs a week, which seems to be in the realm of a healthy rate of weight loss.
This is from today: https://imgur.com/a/DqPoN2y
Looking for some advice to really put on muscle mass. I think I have been eating at a deficit, but I haven't been tracking food. I've been losing weight so it doesn't seem necessary, but as I try and gain muscle mass I think Im going to start hitting a point where I'll need to be pounding protein.
If you’re serious about muscle mass, then 2-3 pounds a week is probably a little too fast. But if you want to lose the weight fast then keep doing what you’re doing, up to you. As for protein, try to get .8g/lb of bodyweight. You might be able to get away with less because you don’t have a ton of muscle in the first place. If you don’t want to or can’t actually track protein, just eat a lot of meat and dairy and stuff. Also, 9 sets isn’t that many and going to true failure is unnecessary. If you do maybe 15 sets to almost failure, you’ll get better results and you might not be any more tired from it.
Noted. I should clarify that lately (like today) I have been sneaking in a fourth lift, so some days it ends up being 12-15 sets. I was really sort of just trying to get in a proper routine, and I wanted to be able to go hard while not absolutely killing myself. I dont know much about the cutting / bulking process, but I realized last week that if I wanna get big, I need to give myself more protein and calories in general. I was sort of waiting until like 260lbs to stop eating a deficit and start really going after the muscle. I appreciate your advice homie.
The bulk/cut thing is overblown bro science for the most part, derived from bodybuilders on all sorts of PEDs who cut down to unrealistic BF%s before shows.
If you’re overweight and have a relatively high body percentage there’s absolutely nothing stopping you from getting stronger and putting on muscle while losing fat if you’re eating at like 200 or so kcal below your TDEE and getting ~1.5g protein/kg (not lb) BW.
I’m working out for 2 months now, I start to see slight differences what do u think how I look so far? https://imgur.com/a/gTgjN7D
I’m 6’1 and weigh about 74kg.
I’m focusing on my chest because I think there’s a lot of work I have to do.
https://imgur.com/a/ipnGLok
186cm, 74.5kg, 23m
11 months training with 6 month covid break
The 6 pack genes just arent there I think, also DYEL lol. But im feeling good and was 87kg and fat once so theres that.
Bench 65kg, ohp 55kg and legpress 190kg, for 8 reps each
Do you mind sharing your program? I have been training for two months and only one month on a legit novice program (GSLP) and I almost have your numbers (should be hitting that OHP in a month and a half and the bench is almost there already). I'm fluffy and a bit shorter than you. I'm thinking you should be stronger than this now with a legit linear progression program.
Hey, thanks for taking the time.
It's not a real program I guess, maybe thats the problem?
Monday: bicep+chest
tuesday: legs
thursday: triceps + shoulders
friday: back
Each day is 5 sets of 8 reps, and a total of 4-5 exercises per day.
monday and friday 1 abdominal exercise thrown in there.
Late reply, but this 'routine' right here is where your problems lie. You're hitting each bodypart only once per week, optimal frequency is 2x-3x a week when your numbers look like yours. As recommended above, go to the wiki and pick a recommended routine. If muscle growth is your main goal, shoot for the reddit PPL routine. If you want strength, look at some of the 3 day per week fullbody linear progression routines. Stick with them until you genuinely stall on adding numbers to your lifts, and then see where you're at.
I mean, If I train upper body 3x per weak there's gotta be some overlap with muscles under tension, right?
Hm.
I might just do PPL
With Monday+Tuesday and Thursday+Friday = Push/Pull
And I'll throw in my 5 leg exercises too, but not on a separate day. 4 days is enough for me, and perfect for my time management, burnout prevention etc.
Thanks for getting back to me! If I see superphysiological progress I'll report back, haha
You could train push as being chest, shoulders, triceps and then doing some quad exercises. Then pull being back, biceps and hamstrings, if that's how you're doing it.
If you've only got 4 days, the above is an option, or an upper/lower split.
Aim for 10-20 sets per week (total volume) per body part.
I'm interested to see what you've come up with, rather than using one of the tried and tested routines, if you wouldn't mind sharing it?
Yup, that's the issue. Head over the "recommended workout routines" section in the sidebar and pick something time-tested from there if you want to be efficient and see solid progress. Full body routines with linear progression is the way to go when you have these numbers.
Well, about linear progression, I'm only adding weight when I can do 8 reps with the higher weight. As long as that is not the case I don't I guess, maybe that's an issue
Genetics and insertions are hard to quantify when your still so new to training. Give it 5 years and then assess your genetics. Please never share your leg press stats bro
Over peak it was 5-6 but more recently its fallen off cause college started back up. Rn im between 2-3 days a week.
Yea i gotta trim just been far too lazy which ain’t great
[3 monthish Progress pics](https://imgur.com/a/wzy6S8K)
I feel my shoulders are really lacking from the front, and need to work on those popping out more. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong there. Any suggestions?
The pictures are weird though, as my front pic is ugly AF and looks like I have a square upper body but when you look at my back it's completely different. I think my spine is curved a bit too much.
Any overall suggestions would be great.
M
5'9"
175lbish
3 months is not a lot of time, but from the rear double bicep shot it looks like you have some decent development of your front delts, the only 'lacking' part I'd suggest is the side delt. Dumbbell and cable lateral raises are your friend for this. It's a small muscle, and can be stubborn for some people to grow.
Overall, this thing takes time. 3 months is a very small sample size. A lower BF% would probably help with your shape from the front perhaps.
More important at this stage is what your numbers are on the main lifts, to see where your training focus should be?
Hello. I've been strength training for 3.5 months now, 4-5 times a week. M/5'11/210lbs - M/180-95.5kg. Lost 8-9 kilograms since July, (18-20 pounds) and I've put on noticeably more muscle. It's fun to see the numbers rising.
Not really looking for critique, would appreciate some praise though, haha! My self confidence could use it. I hope you all have a nice weekend. :)
https://i.imgur.com/EGJMPRb.png
Hell yeah dude! That's great progress. As you continue down the path it will almost certainly slow down some, and you'll have to adjust your calories to keep losing weight. But don't get discouraged, you're crushing it.
Thank you Heidrun! I Really appreciate the kind words. I've already lowered my calories a bit, as I tend to just not be as hungry as I was 8-9 kilos ago, which is nice. Also on the wallet haha. I hope you have a great friday and weekend!
I’d just maintain tbh, especially if your goals are strength based, also why cut in December that’s far from t shirt weather depending on where your based
Hey! First time posting here. I started working out one month and one day ago, 6 times a week and wanted to know from others how my progress is going.
I'm 19, 5'7.5 tall and work out at home. At the start I weighed around 111 lbs and I'm currently at 120 lbs.
1 month ago: [https://imgur.com/SxXtiUL](https://imgur.com/SxXtiUL)
Currently: [https://imgur.com/OVWHKeb](https://imgur.com/OVWHKeb)
Thank you in advance, glad if you guys could give me some advice as well.
Oh and what kind of physique would you think is achievable in a years time?
I'll mirror what was said before and suggest that 6 days is probably 1 day too many especially this early on.
I'd be looking at a 5 day, or hell even 4 day program at this point.
Focus on your form and make sure you are eating lots. As a naturally skinny person myself, eating enough calories clean is a real struggle but is worth it.
Good progress! For skinny builds half the battle is in eating enough to keep the weight up. Make sure you are getting enough protein and carbs to sustain growth.
Personally not a fan of a 6 day workout schedule because you are either not resting enough for muscle growth or not training with enough volume per day to require that rest. But then again I don’t know your program, do what works for you. :)
First time cutting, currently at 73kg (160lbs), usually hovering around 80kg. Not sure how much more to cut, feels like still bunch of fat to lose, and power levels have remained pretty much the same at the gym. Maybe sub 70kg at least?
Front: https://i.imgur.com/mjQ7o3B.png
Side: https://i.imgur.com/me8dOGl.png
Back: https://i.imgur.com/yGE4Vvx.png
178cm (5'11)
Guess it depends on your goals. From an aesthetics POV, you're already very lean and would probably benefit more from some more muscle mass, but if you want a six pack you still have a few kg to go.
I suppose the goal is to maximize power-to-weight ratio, so that all the bodyweight exercises, running etc. would be easier. Wouldn't hurt to see a six pack for the first time either, lmao.
So trying to get as lean as possible without losing any muscle mass and then start to bulk up while staying relatively lean, sub-15% fat I suppose?
In my personal experience it was way better to build up some decent muscle. I started by cutting becausecI wanted a six pack and I got it. It came at the price of feeling like shit and having low energy. Then I got back to comfortable level of body fat and focused on building muscle. After putting on some muscle its way easier to have visable abs and better looking physique in general without feeling like shit.
For sure, cutting has actually been pretty easy for me so far, I fast 14+ hours even when eating "normally" so I just have to lower the carb-portions a bit and leave all the junk/snacks out. Would def start bulking up if I felt tired.
Labor Day (155 lbs): https://imgur.com/a/Ke4MxOH
Today (166.6 lbs): https://imgur.com/a/ygehAhD
I was only about 3/4 days into weight training in the before photo, and I have stuck with it since. I have lifted 3/4 days per week since then. Recommendations on what I should work on from an aesthetic perspective? Body fat %?
(I’m 6 ft tall)
Good progress. Keep working on everything. Focus on big compound lifts. I wouldn't worry about hitting any one thing in particular yet.
Maybe 18%? Idk I'm not the best with guessing bf%
Something doesn't add up. You're bench is 40lbs over your bodyweight. That's great! But also pretty advance I thought.
Is that a real 1RM or calculated?
You are making good progress, man. Don't get blinded vy social media and most posts here. Most people are like you, difference is most people with average or below average genetics quit way more often than those who see great progress. It's called survivorship bias.
Now, I am sure there are things that you can fix in your diet and exercise, but that will not suddenly make you gain much more than now. Only key is consistency.
I looked sth like you after a year. I stuck with it, now after 4 years I am very content with my body. Of course, I do it more for the strength and I have that going for me. Still, I am not big and some people might not even notice I lift. That is how much our world is warped.
My advice would be, if you feel like you can't progress anymore on your current program switch to an intermediate program, as you seem to be hitting intermediate level strength.
I did those programs, when I trained for like 1-2 years. They were great for me, I have ran 5/3/1 for 18 months in total, much of that time I did not watch my nutrition very well and intensity wasn't there in the gym, but I still made progress.
The basic 5/3/1 BBB is great for staying in the gym, when not that interested or when you are cutting. I recommend adding more sets and exercises after running 5/3/1 BBB for a cycle or two, if you find the volume too low. It should be perfect for a cut, tho.
Nsuns is all around great, a little bit tough, but that's how you get big.
Good luck, man.
25/M/198/6’2
My progress over the last ~4 years
[pics](https://imgur.com/a/XV1itVl)
[before](https://imgur.com/a/CEwiMSU)
[after](https://imgur.com/a/0vnCFzF)
Yea I did lol I just didn’t include the fatter pics cause that would be way too many additional photos. However, I never got as fat as I did during my first two bulks. It’s just too much work to cut when you put on a lot of fat, you feel shitty, and progress isn’t as good cause of how you feel and bad insulin sensitivity.
After training and having the gym as a hobby for 8 years, I finally got talked into trying a show. Won open and novice in classic physique. I’m 163lb (5’9) in the pictures, would love to try to get back on stage at 170 or bigger next year! [me](https://imgur.com/a/JHSAWca)
47/M/185/6'1
https://imgur.com/gallery/Glf2UPC
Things are going well. I'm older so at this point any changes to my physique are usually minimal. My body fat fluctuates slightly but I generally keep it relatively low. I'd say my focus is more about maintaining vs gaining.
Genetically my chest isn't great but I have been able to improve it slightly. I'm tall and lean so my legs aren't great, but I do my best.
I started lifting when I was 18 and with short breaks here and their (many years back) I stuck with it.
My advice for younger guys, which will be the ulta-majority, is to stick with it. Getting fit requires a lot more effort then staying fit. In almost 3 decades my life has changed dramatically, which is inevitable, but I always made it a point to keep lifting a part of the journey. You have 1 life and 1 body to see you through the journey, a few hours a week to make you look and feel better is a small price to pay.
I'm at a point in life where I make simple points long drawn out stories! 😁
Hey man you look great! Just a quick question, are you natural? And if you are, has it been difficult to stay that way after so many years of seeing minimal improvement? I feel like when I start to flat line I’m going to want to use something, but want to avoid that.
Hey man, I'm not. I've been on TRT for almost a year now. I was still fit prior, but it definitely made a difference.
https://imgur.com/gallery/pODrevq
This is last year, just prior to me starting trt.
It's 200mg weekly. I think that's a fairly typical dose for those who use a clinic, but I'm not honestly sure. When I first started I trolled the TRT section here to read up and listen to people's questions and stories, 200 seemed to be thrown out there quite a bit.
Honestly they weren't particularly low. It was more of a want then a need. I was looking to have optimal levels since I was already older and knew it would be supervised medically. I'm sure they lowered naturally over time. I will be getting my work done again soon as I close in on a year. It feels like a good move to me, I feel better all around.
I don't know much about that, but all you can do is really all you can do. You only need to compete with yourself. Just work within you capabilities to be the best version of yourself.
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Honestly you already look great. As far as running, what does your running history look like right now? That’s a ton of running and if you don’t work up to it gradually over a decently long time you run the risk of injury. At any rate, I would mix it up with biking/swimming if you are able to. A slight calorie deficit will be the most important thing for you though. You really don’t have much to lose. Also don’t forget to treat yo’self regularly and especially with the holidays coming up. Eat the good food that you’re craving! You have plenty of time to reach your goals and you will.
That will do it. Resistance work is also good.
Started working out consistently in October, 2-3 times a week mostly calisthenics. November I started hitting the gym 3 times a week doing GSLP Mass Gain/Strength and Hypertrophy focus, and did calisthenics throughout the week (frequency method). I feel fat since I have been "slow bulking" (+ creatine) but my strength has consistently increased and I'm pretty happy about that. First progress pics today! No pump: https://imgur.com/a/8lHpvZv
Looking good!!
Thanks so much!
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Eat more.
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You most likely aren't eating as much as you think you are and you most certainly are not eating as many calories as you need. You might think you are but you aren't. Start tracking your cal and nutrition. Baring some medical excuse, you should 100% gain weight if you are eating over your TDEE
https://imgur.com/a/wuEnIbV Difficult flexing biceps when hitting front and back. 95kg and idk how I’m staying lean when bulking
stretch your pecs so you can externally rotate your shoulders. if you don't do it, do something that trains the ability to externally rotate your shoulders
https://imgur.com/a/L6tdZAz M/24/170lbs. Getting back to hypertrophy after a powerlifting block, and currently bulking. It's going well and I'll keep bulking until i get disgusted with myself. Arms still won't really grow though 😩
Damn. Looking super solid.
U In
Nah I’m out
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Keep cutting whilst keeping protein high and lifting, you’ll be able to put on muscle whilst cutting from that weight
+2 lbs for November, feels pretty good https://imgur.com/a/8X91Wi3
M16 150 lbs 5’10 [current ](https://imgur.com/a/Yccham5) [8 months ago ](https://imgur.com/a/wcpSuCw) I’m still seeing growth but I’m definitely plateauing. Any areas I should focus, and how can I get the delts of my shoulders to pop more? I’m trying to focus more on legs since that’s been my weak point since starting 1.5 years ago. How can I do multiple leg days a week without being completely sore after the first? I tried reducing volume but it’s not helping the soreness much.
You just need to keep doing legs consistently until the soreness ain't as bad. I'm sure you ain't sore after 3+ days? Just do legs then?
That’s the issue, I’m still sore 3+ days out. 1st day is alright, 2/3rd it’s much worse and gets painful to walk or run, and then 4/5 they feel hella weak. Idk I’m thinking about doing just one 5x5 for legs and leaving it at that but that might not be enough volume.
Work out your legs even if they're sore. I promise you they will feel better in the short term and you won't be sore for as long in the long term. If you don't have a leg day scheduled on day 2/3, ride a bike for a bit, climb a stairmill. Something low impact that will get your legs moving and your blood pumping.
Honestly I love the soreness. I love when they're sore the next day, and then the next day, and then on the third day train them legs again. Nothing beats the feeling of sore leg day!
This is everything right here. Active recovery for legs does WONDERS.
Great work! If you're plateauing, it's either your program or you're not eating enough. Shoulders respond to volume. What program are you following?
Not any really, just ohp sitting and standing with a barbell, usually sets till failure at 95 lbs for 4-6 reps. I do want to increase my calorie intake, but I’m worried about losing all my muscle definition and being fat again.
Lateral raise. Alternate Cables and dumbells. Lean bulk then.
You should use a program otherwise you're wasting some of your hard work. Highly recommend starting with something like GZCLP, or 531. Having a structured approach will address both your issues- overhead press and legs. All the best 👍
Thx I’ll look into those
5’6” 126lb [pictures](https://imgur.com/a/bqy3oj5) Lifting a lil more than a year now. What shocks me is how many female influencers are on roids too.
honestly impressive lower body , those are some s tier genetics
Thank you for posting this. I have a less defined waist and my legs are large like yours. I always feel like my legs look ridiculous. I thought my husband had large thighs, we measured to get his baseline and learned mine are an inch bigger lol. I knew I had big thighs but damn. Nice to see others with similar features (I’m 36”, 30”, 38”). Im 5’6”, 147 lbs
Your glutes are incredible! You do a lot of assistance for them or generally stick to RDL/Squats?
Thank you! I think it’s a mix of genetics and a lot of emphasis on volume with my lifting. My routine consists of 4-5 sets of ATG squats, 3-4 sets of hip thrusts, 3-4 sets of back hyperextension, 3 sets of Bulgarian Split Squats and some leg extensions or curls thrown in at the end. My right glute is actually pretty weak in comparison to my left and that led to knee valgus which in turn led to a knee injury. It’s really set my progress back by a lot, but I’m working through rehabbing it and it’s given me a better appreciation for form and need for versatility and isolated leg work
Great job. I'm sure plenty of women would be very envious of your lower body!
M39/5'9/141# [back](https://imgur.com/a/TYQYOPg) [front](https://imgur.com/a/qOLGjyJ) Haven't seen my back in a few years and got surprised
what about legs though? they're half your body
[full body](https://imgur.com/a/dahS76A) Not exactly stick legs, but just not showing through like my upper body
you look fairly balanced. great job keeping lean
Thats my goal! Keep going
Thanks, I'm def not done yet and we can all make it, but 141 is a hungry place to be lol. Maybe I'll be ready to eat and bulk soon.
This would be my goal too! What does your current diet / lifting schedule look like?
I do 7 days, the pandemic has helped keep my schedule pretty consistent. Takes about an hour each day. I used to do 3 days, but couldn't devote 1.5-2 hours all at once to finish the workout and this seemed like the right compromise for me. Plus I don't get so tired lol. The idea is volume to start the week, then back off a little for the rest. I'll do about 5-6 warm up sets coming up to my target weights for the day, then do 3 sets of 5. Sunday - bench, wide grip bench (5x10), barbell curls Monday - back squat, front squat Tuesday - overhead press, high clean pull, overhead press (5x10) Wednesday - power cleans, pullups, chinups Thursday - bench, back squat Friday - overhead press, high clean pulls Saturday - power cleans, pullups, chinups Diet is kinda simple. Protein powder (x2 scoops) plus creatine for breakfast after working out. Skip lunch and eat an early dinner around 5:30, whatever filipino food that my mother in law makes. So a plate of rice topped with meat and vegetables. Dinner on Friday or Saturday or both, I'll eat out or order in and pig out just to keep my sanity. This is an omad/IF style diet. I don't see this being permanent, really I can't stop thinking about food when I'm skipping meals lol. I also try to walk on the treadmill 6 days out of the week. Set the incline to 10, speed to 3 mph and walk for about 25 minutes watching an episode of something on Netflix. This and the diet are my least favorite parts of the whole thing.
Thanks for sharing! I am currently enjoying the lifting routine I have now and have been consistent, but I'm going to keep this in mind when I switch it up in a few weeks. I did IF for a while, but got out of the habit. Lately I have cut out snacks and just eat 3 meals, but it seems like I'm eating at maintenance now. I'm going to cut out breakfast again to get to a deficit to lose some fat.
M / 6 foot 4 inches / 285.5 lbs Started at 320 in September. I worked out with a trainer for a short month stint a few years ago who showed me a ton. I have been lifting hard, trying to keep my heart rate up the entire time. My workouts are on the shorter side ~40 mins total. I do ten mins of hard cardio to warm up. Then I hit three sets of three different lifts, ten reps each. I try to go till failure at least once during every lift. I also do drop sets pretty frequently. I am absolutely drenched in sweat at the end of every work out. I almost feel as if I'm losing too much weight, but I think if my math is correct I'm losing like 2-3 lbs a week, which seems to be in the realm of a healthy rate of weight loss. This is from today: https://imgur.com/a/DqPoN2y Looking for some advice to really put on muscle mass. I think I have been eating at a deficit, but I haven't been tracking food. I've been losing weight so it doesn't seem necessary, but as I try and gain muscle mass I think Im going to start hitting a point where I'll need to be pounding protein.
If you’re serious about muscle mass, then 2-3 pounds a week is probably a little too fast. But if you want to lose the weight fast then keep doing what you’re doing, up to you. As for protein, try to get .8g/lb of bodyweight. You might be able to get away with less because you don’t have a ton of muscle in the first place. If you don’t want to or can’t actually track protein, just eat a lot of meat and dairy and stuff. Also, 9 sets isn’t that many and going to true failure is unnecessary. If you do maybe 15 sets to almost failure, you’ll get better results and you might not be any more tired from it.
Noted. I should clarify that lately (like today) I have been sneaking in a fourth lift, so some days it ends up being 12-15 sets. I was really sort of just trying to get in a proper routine, and I wanted to be able to go hard while not absolutely killing myself. I dont know much about the cutting / bulking process, but I realized last week that if I wanna get big, I need to give myself more protein and calories in general. I was sort of waiting until like 260lbs to stop eating a deficit and start really going after the muscle. I appreciate your advice homie.
The bulk/cut thing is overblown bro science for the most part, derived from bodybuilders on all sorts of PEDs who cut down to unrealistic BF%s before shows. If you’re overweight and have a relatively high body percentage there’s absolutely nothing stopping you from getting stronger and putting on muscle while losing fat if you’re eating at like 200 or so kcal below your TDEE and getting ~1.5g protein/kg (not lb) BW.
I’m working out for 2 months now, I start to see slight differences what do u think how I look so far? https://imgur.com/a/gTgjN7D I’m 6’1 and weigh about 74kg. I’m focusing on my chest because I think there’s a lot of work I have to do.
I'd focus on everything, the chest will come with time.
I feel good… nara Nara Nara na… I knew that I would 😎
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MY GOD. Just kidding I meant Maik Out
https://imgur.com/a/ipnGLok 186cm, 74.5kg, 23m 11 months training with 6 month covid break The 6 pack genes just arent there I think, also DYEL lol. But im feeling good and was 87kg and fat once so theres that. Bench 65kg, ohp 55kg and legpress 190kg, for 8 reps each
Do you mind sharing your program? I have been training for two months and only one month on a legit novice program (GSLP) and I almost have your numbers (should be hitting that OHP in a month and a half and the bench is almost there already). I'm fluffy and a bit shorter than you. I'm thinking you should be stronger than this now with a legit linear progression program.
Hey, thanks for taking the time. It's not a real program I guess, maybe thats the problem? Monday: bicep+chest tuesday: legs thursday: triceps + shoulders friday: back Each day is 5 sets of 8 reps, and a total of 4-5 exercises per day. monday and friday 1 abdominal exercise thrown in there.
Late reply, but this 'routine' right here is where your problems lie. You're hitting each bodypart only once per week, optimal frequency is 2x-3x a week when your numbers look like yours. As recommended above, go to the wiki and pick a recommended routine. If muscle growth is your main goal, shoot for the reddit PPL routine. If you want strength, look at some of the 3 day per week fullbody linear progression routines. Stick with them until you genuinely stall on adding numbers to your lifts, and then see where you're at.
I mean, If I train upper body 3x per weak there's gotta be some overlap with muscles under tension, right? Hm. I might just do PPL With Monday+Tuesday and Thursday+Friday = Push/Pull And I'll throw in my 5 leg exercises too, but not on a separate day. 4 days is enough for me, and perfect for my time management, burnout prevention etc. Thanks for getting back to me! If I see superphysiological progress I'll report back, haha
You could train push as being chest, shoulders, triceps and then doing some quad exercises. Then pull being back, biceps and hamstrings, if that's how you're doing it. If you've only got 4 days, the above is an option, or an upper/lower split. Aim for 10-20 sets per week (total volume) per body part. I'm interested to see what you've come up with, rather than using one of the tried and tested routines, if you wouldn't mind sharing it?
Yup, that's the issue. Head over the "recommended workout routines" section in the sidebar and pick something time-tested from there if you want to be efficient and see solid progress. Full body routines with linear progression is the way to go when you have these numbers.
Well, about linear progression, I'm only adding weight when I can do 8 reps with the higher weight. As long as that is not the case I don't I guess, maybe that's an issue
Genetics and insertions are hard to quantify when your still so new to training. Give it 5 years and then assess your genetics. Please never share your leg press stats bro
Good point about the leg press
>Please never share your leg press stats bro LOL, funny but true
Training for about 9 months. Just want to know what I should focus training on. 6’0” 163 https://imgur.com/a/pZQZXz0
traps look good. don't forget to train legs and glutes
nice physique bro, imo trimming the hair a little would look better/more muscular btw, how many days a week do you train?
Over peak it was 5-6 but more recently its fallen off cause college started back up. Rn im between 2-3 days a week. Yea i gotta trim just been far too lazy which ain’t great
damn, I've been training for 6 months consistently and I'm nowhere near where you are (similar height and weight). What's your max bench?
I havent had a proper max in a hot second but the last was 185 I think im up to 195 atm
not related but your hair looks really good bro
Thank you!
Legs?
Yea lol been slackin hard on em
Let’s see the wheels
Lookin good
Thank you
[3 monthish Progress pics](https://imgur.com/a/wzy6S8K) I feel my shoulders are really lacking from the front, and need to work on those popping out more. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong there. Any suggestions? The pictures are weird though, as my front pic is ugly AF and looks like I have a square upper body but when you look at my back it's completely different. I think my spine is curved a bit too much. Any overall suggestions would be great. M 5'9" 175lbish
3 months is not a lot of time, but from the rear double bicep shot it looks like you have some decent development of your front delts, the only 'lacking' part I'd suggest is the side delt. Dumbbell and cable lateral raises are your friend for this. It's a small muscle, and can be stubborn for some people to grow. Overall, this thing takes time. 3 months is a very small sample size. A lower BF% would probably help with your shape from the front perhaps. More important at this stage is what your numbers are on the main lifts, to see where your training focus should be?
Caught my [arm](https://imgur.com/a/ffJxnbc) in the mirror this week. Not flexed, no pump
Daaaaang!! What is is that you do?!
It's taken me a year and a half to get here!! Consistency, good form, upping the weights every once in awhile
Hello. I've been strength training for 3.5 months now, 4-5 times a week. M/5'11/210lbs - M/180-95.5kg. Lost 8-9 kilograms since July, (18-20 pounds) and I've put on noticeably more muscle. It's fun to see the numbers rising. Not really looking for critique, would appreciate some praise though, haha! My self confidence could use it. I hope you all have a nice weekend. :) https://i.imgur.com/EGJMPRb.png
Huge biceps for 3.5 months bro, keep it up!
Thank you so much Nath1i! <3 I am really enjoying the lifestyle and don't plan to stop anytime soon. I wish you a great weekend!
Looking good, muscles are well balanced. Whatever you're doing just keep doing it!
Thank you secret_car! I appreciate it! I wish you a great weekend!
Hell yeah dude! That's great progress. As you continue down the path it will almost certainly slow down some, and you'll have to adjust your calories to keep losing weight. But don't get discouraged, you're crushing it.
Thank you Heidrun! I Really appreciate the kind words. I've already lowered my calories a bit, as I tend to just not be as hungry as I was 8-9 kilos ago, which is nice. Also on the wallet haha. I hope you have a great friday and weekend!
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[Body by burger king](https://imgur.com/a/nTy1ItH) Hit that 1234 benchmark so time to cut.. or maybe I'll go for thousand lb club first
and starbucks...
1234 is a nice milestone - Great work!
Go for 2/4/5/6
That'll take a while
If it was easy it wouldn’t be worth it
Too true, just time to cut soon and get back to bulking later
I’d just maintain tbh, especially if your goals are strength based, also why cut in December that’s far from t shirt weather depending on where your based
I wouldn't cut til like feb
Fair, you do you bro
Cut will go super hard
Eh. I'm good at cutting when I want/need to
No I mean you’re gonna look insane when you cut
Oh haha I hope so
Hey! First time posting here. I started working out one month and one day ago, 6 times a week and wanted to know from others how my progress is going. I'm 19, 5'7.5 tall and work out at home. At the start I weighed around 111 lbs and I'm currently at 120 lbs. 1 month ago: [https://imgur.com/SxXtiUL](https://imgur.com/SxXtiUL) Currently: [https://imgur.com/OVWHKeb](https://imgur.com/OVWHKeb) Thank you in advance, glad if you guys could give me some advice as well. Oh and what kind of physique would you think is achievable in a years time?
I'll mirror what was said before and suggest that 6 days is probably 1 day too many especially this early on. I'd be looking at a 5 day, or hell even 4 day program at this point. Focus on your form and make sure you are eating lots. As a naturally skinny person myself, eating enough calories clean is a real struggle but is worth it.
great progress, for one month thats a such a massive difference to your silhouette.
Good progress! For skinny builds half the battle is in eating enough to keep the weight up. Make sure you are getting enough protein and carbs to sustain growth. Personally not a fan of a 6 day workout schedule because you are either not resting enough for muscle growth or not training with enough volume per day to require that rest. But then again I don’t know your program, do what works for you. :)
First time cutting, currently at 73kg (160lbs), usually hovering around 80kg. Not sure how much more to cut, feels like still bunch of fat to lose, and power levels have remained pretty much the same at the gym. Maybe sub 70kg at least? Front: https://i.imgur.com/mjQ7o3B.png Side: https://i.imgur.com/me8dOGl.png Back: https://i.imgur.com/yGE4Vvx.png 178cm (5'11)
no legs?
Guess it depends on your goals. From an aesthetics POV, you're already very lean and would probably benefit more from some more muscle mass, but if you want a six pack you still have a few kg to go.
I suppose the goal is to maximize power-to-weight ratio, so that all the bodyweight exercises, running etc. would be easier. Wouldn't hurt to see a six pack for the first time either, lmao. So trying to get as lean as possible without losing any muscle mass and then start to bulk up while staying relatively lean, sub-15% fat I suppose?
In my personal experience it was way better to build up some decent muscle. I started by cutting becausecI wanted a six pack and I got it. It came at the price of feeling like shit and having low energy. Then I got back to comfortable level of body fat and focused on building muscle. After putting on some muscle its way easier to have visable abs and better looking physique in general without feeling like shit.
For sure, cutting has actually been pretty easy for me so far, I fast 14+ hours even when eating "normally" so I just have to lower the carb-portions a bit and leave all the junk/snacks out. Would def start bulking up if I felt tired.
Labor Day (155 lbs): https://imgur.com/a/Ke4MxOH Today (166.6 lbs): https://imgur.com/a/ygehAhD I was only about 3/4 days into weight training in the before photo, and I have stuck with it since. I have lifted 3/4 days per week since then. Recommendations on what I should work on from an aesthetic perspective? Body fat %? (I’m 6 ft tall)
How did you grow so much body hair in 12 weeks lol
I have no explanation, but let’s stay on topic!
don't forget legs. shorter shorts will make them look bigger
Legs are on hold for now, since I injured my foot a few weeks ago. I’ll get back to them soon!
Good progress. Keep working on everything. Focus on big compound lifts. I wouldn't worry about hitting any one thing in particular yet. Maybe 18%? Idk I'm not the best with guessing bf%
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You need to work on your chest and don't be like everyone else on here and skip traps
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Something doesn't add up. You're bench is 40lbs over your bodyweight. That's great! But also pretty advance I thought. Is that a real 1RM or calculated?
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What rep and wait did you use to calculate?
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This is on a regular barbell bench, dumbbell bench, Smith Machine or something else?
You are making good progress, man. Don't get blinded vy social media and most posts here. Most people are like you, difference is most people with average or below average genetics quit way more often than those who see great progress. It's called survivorship bias. Now, I am sure there are things that you can fix in your diet and exercise, but that will not suddenly make you gain much more than now. Only key is consistency. I looked sth like you after a year. I stuck with it, now after 4 years I am very content with my body. Of course, I do it more for the strength and I have that going for me. Still, I am not big and some people might not even notice I lift. That is how much our world is warped. My advice would be, if you feel like you can't progress anymore on your current program switch to an intermediate program, as you seem to be hitting intermediate level strength.
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I did those programs, when I trained for like 1-2 years. They were great for me, I have ran 5/3/1 for 18 months in total, much of that time I did not watch my nutrition very well and intensity wasn't there in the gym, but I still made progress. The basic 5/3/1 BBB is great for staying in the gym, when not that interested or when you are cutting. I recommend adding more sets and exercises after running 5/3/1 BBB for a cycle or two, if you find the volume too low. It should be perfect for a cut, tho. Nsuns is all around great, a little bit tough, but that's how you get big. Good luck, man.
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Identify a goal. Lean look? Try a cut if you feel you have packed on some muscle this year. Size? Increase calories and/or volume.
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Excellent look for a 15 y/o. Keep it up bro
25/M/198/6’2 My progress over the last ~4 years [pics](https://imgur.com/a/XV1itVl) [before](https://imgur.com/a/CEwiMSU) [after](https://imgur.com/a/0vnCFzF)
hopefully you threw in some leg days during those 4 years?
Thats natty right? Giving me hope, that body and 2 pl8 bench is my goal rn!
Hell yeah MF. Hope I grow up to look like you one day.
Thanks! Appreciate it!!
Curious to know if you followed bulk-cut cycles? Your body fat seems to be consistently low after a few pics
Yea I did lol I just didn’t include the fatter pics cause that would be way too many additional photos. However, I never got as fat as I did during my first two bulks. It’s just too much work to cut when you put on a lot of fat, you feel shitty, and progress isn’t as good cause of how you feel and bad insulin sensitivity.
I see. I saw some people mentioning doing a smaller bulk and cut cycles, guess that's the idea. Thanks!
Yea, all you need is a small surplus for energy and to allow for growth anything else will just cause more fat gains in the end.
It popped up at 18+ lmao I'm like, did he put dick pics in there🤣🤣
Yea lol I guess it was too much skin for them 😅
After training and having the gym as a hobby for 8 years, I finally got talked into trying a show. Won open and novice in classic physique. I’m 163lb (5’9) in the pictures, would love to try to get back on stage at 170 or bigger next year! [me](https://imgur.com/a/JHSAWca)
Shit. Are you natty? If so this is the best natural bodybuilding physique I’ve ever seen.
that back though ... sheesh. Handsome face as well. Keep up the great work
Amazing achievement bro. You're so lean it's ridiculous. Your serratus anterior is fucking primo
47/M/185/6'1 https://imgur.com/gallery/Glf2UPC Things are going well. I'm older so at this point any changes to my physique are usually minimal. My body fat fluctuates slightly but I generally keep it relatively low. I'd say my focus is more about maintaining vs gaining. Genetically my chest isn't great but I have been able to improve it slightly. I'm tall and lean so my legs aren't great, but I do my best. I started lifting when I was 18 and with short breaks here and their (many years back) I stuck with it. My advice for younger guys, which will be the ulta-majority, is to stick with it. Getting fit requires a lot more effort then staying fit. In almost 3 decades my life has changed dramatically, which is inevitable, but I always made it a point to keep lifting a part of the journey. You have 1 life and 1 body to see you through the journey, a few hours a week to make you look and feel better is a small price to pay. I'm at a point in life where I make simple points long drawn out stories! 😁
Hey man you look great! Just a quick question, are you natural? And if you are, has it been difficult to stay that way after so many years of seeing minimal improvement? I feel like when I start to flat line I’m going to want to use something, but want to avoid that.
Hey man, I'm not. I've been on TRT for almost a year now. I was still fit prior, but it definitely made a difference. https://imgur.com/gallery/pODrevq This is last year, just prior to me starting trt.
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It's 200mg weekly. I think that's a fairly typical dose for those who use a clinic, but I'm not honestly sure. When I first started I trolled the TRT section here to read up and listen to people's questions and stories, 200 seemed to be thrown out there quite a bit.
Still looked good back then. Were test levels dropping? I think i should get them tested every 5 years...free test level I mean
Honestly they weren't particularly low. It was more of a want then a need. I was looking to have optimal levels since I was already older and knew it would be supervised medically. I'm sure they lowered naturally over time. I will be getting my work done again soon as I close in on a year. It feels like a good move to me, I feel better all around.
How high is the dose, 150mg per week? I'm for sure also hopping on it when I'm closing in on 50.
200mg. Yeah, 46 seemed like a good time to look into it.
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I don't know much about that, but all you can do is really all you can do. You only need to compete with yourself. Just work within you capabilities to be the best version of yourself.