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5 months gym but small gains. Why?

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Original post by Hughsie
...yes. Otherwise I would have said "Good advice".
Everyone knows, it it is a god given fact that full body workouts are ****. Compound movements are the best things for beginners because they build good mass in good time. No one should be in the gym longer than an hour unless your on the juice. Full body workouts therefore in an hour would do too little on each muscle group.


What about somewhere in the middle of full body and a split working each bodypart once a week?
Original post by Dark Horse
I can't back this with science or anything, but from personal experience...there's no way my lifts were going to increase 2.5kg EVERY workout if I was eating at maintenance/below maintenance.


No not after a while. I have not stalled yet and im eating around or below. In five weeks time I'll have been training seriously for 12 weeks, I expect to have to deload once or twice by then, probably on squats and OHP.

It'll be interesting to see how much more I need to eat to get from 200lbs to 250 or 300lbs, however long it takes. I don't expect to stay lean though:biggrin:
Original post by Simplicity
Zach is SS key argument on why it works.

Rippletoe said that Zach is what you should achieve on his program. Look at Zach? he got fatter and maybe his legs have gotten bigger.

SS is a troll.

SL is good through.


SS and SL are virtually identical. If you honestly belive that Stronglifts will get you good gains but Starting Strength will make you fat then you must have some kind of brain damage.
Reply 43
Original post by tooosh
3 sets each of 3 compound movements with 3 mins rest between sets makes for 27mins of rest. If you say each set takes a minute then we're on 36mins. For setting up equipment, waiting for benches etc, we'll call it 50mins. I don't know what you think full body means but I don't mean a million isolation exercises.



That makes no sense since full body workouts are harder than splits. Unless you're thinking of full body isolation or something.


You need to think of cordasol when contemplating full body workouts. This is the chemical released when your body is overworked which makes it start to burn muscle instead of fat when working out. This is why isolating two-three muscles groups is better than full body workouts due to the fact that your entire body isnt being worked and needing to be rested, therefore your cordasol is lower.
Reply 44
Original post by Hughsie
...yes. Otherwise I would have said "Good advice".
Everyone knows, it it is a god given fact that full body workouts are ****. Compound movements are the best things for beginners because they build good mass in good time. No one should be in the gym longer than an hour unless your on the juice. Full body workouts therefore in an hour would do too little on each muscle group.


wait... i reread it, so are you saying stuff like SS and SL5x5 are crap? They're full body workouts
Reply 45
Original post by sil3nt_cha0s
What about somewhere in the middle of full body and a split working each bodypart once a week?


Like this?

http://www.simplyshredded.com/mega-feature-layne-norton-training-series-full-powerhypertrophy-routine-updated-2011.html

Plan incorporates power days (big lifts) and hypertrophy days. I was looking at it as something to move onto after Starting Strength.


Original post by mikestraws
No not after a while. I have not stalled yet and im eating around or below. In five weeks time I'll have been training seriously for 12 weeks, I expect to have to deload once or twice by then, probably on squats and OHP.

It'll be interesting to see how much more I need to eat to get from 200lbs to 250 or 300lbs, however long it takes. I don't expect to stay lean though:biggrin:


OHP is an annoying one in general I think.

And do you mean you're lifts have been going up despite eating at maintenance? What about the scales?
Reply 46
Original post by sil3nt_cha0s
What about somewhere in the middle of full body and a split working each bodypart once a week?


No, trust me, for beginners, compound movements are key. I should know, Ive been there, done that. My split is chest and triceps, back and biceps, shoulders, legs and abs. I'll give you an example of compound movements in one of my days.

Back Day:
Warm up bent over rows, 20kg.(20 reps)
Wide grip pullups-3sets
Close grip pullups-3sets
Bent over rows-3sets
Seated rows-3sets
Lat Pulldown-dropset+3sets of the heaviest weight

Honestly, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/twinmuscleworkout and you will find all you need there I swear.
Reply 47
Original post by Simplicity
Zach is SS key argument on why it works.

Rippletoe said that Zach is what you should achieve on his program. Look at Zach? he got fatter and maybe his legs have gotten bigger.

SS is a troll.

SL is good through.


You realise, Mehdi says if you want, swap rows with power cleans? and also, after 2 deloads on 5x5, you move down to 3x5? That effectively makes it SS.
Reply 48
Original post by Hughsie
No, trust me, for beginners, compound movements are key. I should know, Ive been there, done that. My split is chest and triceps, back and biceps, shoulders, legs and abs. I'll give you an example of compound movements in one of my days.

Back Day:
Warm up bent over rows, 20kg.(20 reps)
Wide grip pullups-3sets
Close grip pullups-3sets
Bent over rows-3sets
Seated rows-3sets
Lat Pulldown-dropset+3sets of the heaviest weight

Honestly, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/twinmuscleworkout and you will find all you need there I swear.


lol @ hodge twins as your reference, apparantly you will be in "snap city" by power cleaning and deadlifting
Reply 49
Original post by Hughsie
You need to think of cordasol when contemplating full body workouts. This is the chemical released when your body is overworked which makes it start to burn muscle instead of fat when working out. This is why isolating two-three muscles groups is better than full body workouts due to the fact that your entire body isnt being worked and needing to be rested, therefore your cordasol is lower.


That's very theoretical and even though it's true, you haven't given any figures. People make excellent gains on full body compound workouts regardless of this, and it's impossible to account for this anyway as it's not quantitative. Unless you can find a study on this. I can't.


Original post by desijut
lol @ hodge twins as your reference, apparantly you will be in "snap city" by power cleaning and deadlifting

They had a video about how bb rowing "will" injure your lower back. Can't find it anymore though :frown: with the comments I wouldn't be surprised if they deleted it...
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 50
Original post by desijut
lol @ hodge twins as your reference, apparantly you will be in "snap city" by power cleaning and deadlifting


...snap city isnt a good place to be.
Reply 51
Original post by tooosh
They had a video about how bb rowing "will" injure your lower back. Can't find it anymore though :frown: with the comments I wouldn't be surprised if they deleted it...


...Basically the exercises they've never tried or sucked at

Original post by Hughsie
...snap city isnt a good place to be.


They've never cleaned or deadlifted before you realise...
Original post by MancBoy
I have been going to the gym 3 times a week with this routine -

Tues - Back + Biceps

Thurs - Chest + Triceps

Sat - Shoulders + Legs

With 3 exercises and 3 sets on each muscle. I have been lifting hard(ish) always getting doms the next morning. However I have only noticed little to no gains. I have to admit my diet has been a little off. The past 2 months I have only started having 3 protein shakes a day with 1-2 meals. Here's current eating schedule -

Morning - Oats + 2 eggs + orange juice
Pre-workout - Protein shake (1 scoop)
Post - Protein shake (1 scoop)
Dinner - Usually white rice and chicken/lamb curry (homemade)
Evening - Protein shake (1 scoop)
Evening snack - Cheese toast/crisps/sandwich/chocolate (bit naughty!)

Can anyone give me some pointers in how I can start seeing more gains?


You're training enough in terms of days, but how hard are you working because you got to work really hard. Also, if you've listed you're entire days food then thats not enough, I have 5 meals a day, 4 scoops of protein on non training days and 6 scoops on training days (2 with my porridge, 2 after training and two before I go to bed).

Last year, I gained over 6 KG in 6 weeks!
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 53
Original post by desijut
...Basically the exercises they've never tried or sucked at



They've never cleaned or deadlifted before you realise...


Lmao, you guys are hilarious, theyre methods obviously work, look at them, they are natural bodybuilders. Are yous both part of the "Ian McCarthy" fan club or something? Please say yes and make me laugh more.
Reply 54
Original post by Hughsie
Lmao, you guys are hilarious, theyre methods obviously work, look at them, they are natural bodybuilders. Are yous both part of the "Ian McCarthy" fan club or something? Please say yes and make me laugh more.


We're not saying they don't work. We're saying they're misinformed on some things and could have done some other things better.
Reply 55
This thread is tragic.
Reply 56
Original post by Hughsie
Lmao, you guys are hilarious, theyre methods obviously work, look at them, they are natural bodybuilders. Are yous both part of the "Ian McCarthy" fan club or something? Please say yes and make me laugh more.


**** Ian McCarthy, i do watch Hodge Twins, but more as a comedy, i do take some points on board but a lot of it is bull****
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 57
I think its unfair seaying they could do thing better when at the end of each video, they say "Its whatever works best for you", so in all honesty, this thread is pointless as there are too many differences of opinion due to what has worked for each person.
Original post by desijut
**** Ian McCarthy, i do watch Hodge Twins, but more as a comedy, i do take some points on board but a lot of it is bull****

^^ this

I only watch the hodgetwins for a laugh , if I want some serious knowledge I may watch a video by Scooby or someone similar.
Reply 59
To people who gave advice cheers! It made for a good read and very insightful. To those who were just straight up hating, you sound like elitist *****! Everyone has to start somewhere!

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