Little progress

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KimmalyS
KimmalyS Posts: 131 Member
edited February 2017 in Fitness and Exercise
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I am 5'5" roughly 130lbs. I have been hitting the weights at the gym about 3x a week, no cardio. I eat well during the week and i splurge somewhat on the weekends... nothing crazy but I'll have a good meal for dinner like a couple slices of pizza for example.

I haven't seen much progress and I am starting to get discouraged. I would love my glutes to really grow!!! I have very little to work with so i expected that it would take time. It's just a little discouraging to see people with similar build progress so much within the same time frame.

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  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Do you use a food scale, weigh and log everything?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    What program are you following (what exercises, how many sets, how much weight, how often)? How much are you eating?
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
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    Are you taking measurements at various body parts? Pictures can be deceiving, especially for those of us who aren't so great at being objective about our bodies.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    First, you didn't state your goals.. are you trying to lose, maintain, bulk?

    For most people, the glutes will be really difficult to grow it while in deficit (not impossible but definitely difficult). You can more or less shape what you have (and as you go down in BF% the glutes will "pop" more)
    Ideally you want to be eating at maintenance (or surplus) to help build and shape the glutes.

    Second, how long have you been doing what you are doing. What program are you running?

    One more thing. Try not to compare yourself to other people's progress.. different genetics, different goals. I have been working on mine for over two years (I am on my second bulk cycle).. patience and consistency is key!
  • KimmalyS
    KimmalyS Posts: 131 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    What program are you following (what exercises, how many sets, how much weight, how often)? How much are you eating?
    Legs days are 3x per week, arms and back occasionally. I incorporate mostly leg presses at 245lbs max 10 sets x5.
    Hip thrusts at about 50lbs same sets/reps. Hip abductor max 150lbs same sets/reps and kickbacks
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    jessef593 wrote: »
    KimmalyS wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    What program are you following (what exercises, how many sets, how much weight, how often)? How much are you eating?
    Legs days are 3x per week, arms and back occasionally. I incorporate mostly leg presses at 245lbs max 10 sets x5.
    Hip thrusts at about 50lbs same sets/reps. Hip abductor max 150lbs same sets/reps and kickbacks

    So what you're saying is you haven't been lifting progressively, haven't added any new movements, weight, sets, reps, and haven't been eating in a surplus? That right there is why you haven't been progressing. All of those have to happen in order for you to see consistent progress.

    1. Get on a structured lifting program(based on your goals, strong curves)
    2. Lift progressively, slowly increasing weights in order to provide progressive overload
    3. Eat in a mild surplus to provide energy for muscle growth
    4. Get at least 8 hours rest every night
    5. Make sure to weigh and log your food accurately
    6. If you want serious results, get serious and stop just winging things.

    Good advice here.

    Your program is lacking. Strong Curves is a good program for your goal. You'll see progress eating at or above maintenance.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    Oh and
    7. Be patient, it won't happen in a matter of months. 2 years of training and I've only added 2" to my arms. Which is honestly nothing. So settle in for the long haul
  • KimmalyS
    KimmalyS Posts: 131 Member
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    jessef593 wrote: »
    KimmalyS wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    What program are you following (what exercises, how many sets, how much weight, how often)? How much are you eating?
    Legs days are 3x per week, arms and back occasionally. I incorporate mostly leg presses at 245lbs max 10 sets x5.
    Hip thrusts at about 50lbs same sets/reps. Hip abductor max 150lbs same sets/reps and kickbacks

    So what you're saying is you haven't been lifting progressively, haven't added any new movements, weight, sets, reps, and haven't been eating in a surplus? That right there is why you haven't been progressing. All of those have to happen in order for you to see consistent progress.

    1. Get on a structured lifting program(based on your goals, strong curves)
    2. Lift progressively, slowly increasing weights in order to provide progressive overload
    3. Eat in a mild surplus to provide energy for muscle growth
    4. Get at least 8 hours rest every night
    5. Make sure to weigh and log your food accurately
    6. If you want serious results, get serious and stop just winging things.
    Thanks for the tips!
    My concern is that I have been lifting progressively- what I wrote prior is what i am currently able to do, it's not what I have always done. I feel that my body has come pretty far in what it's able to endure
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
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    Lots of solid advice already.
    I will add that muscle growth is extremely slow, especially for women and if you aren't eating and training optimally. If your goal is for your butt to be significantly larger via muscle growth, it's going to take a long time.
    I wouldn't exactly consider "eating well" as being the optimal eating for your goals. That could mean something different to everyone. Eating for the most muscle growth is going to be a surplus. If you are trying to recomp and eating close to maintenance, expect your progress to possibly be slower yet.

    A lot of the dramatic/faster transformations we see on the interwebs are usually people who already have built the muscle and just lose fat. Losing fat is much faster than building muscle.
    Every muscle growth transformation I've seen is usually 6-12 months, if not years between progress pics.
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
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    KimmalyS wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    What program are you following (what exercises, how many sets, how much weight, how often)? How much are you eating?
    Legs days are 3x per week, arms and back occasionally. I incorporate mostly leg presses at 245lbs max 10 sets x5.
    Hip thrusts at about 50lbs same sets/reps. Hip abductor max 150lbs same sets/reps and kickbacks
    Am I understanding correctly? 10 sets of 5 reps for every exercise?
    If that's the case, you aren't really working in the optimal hypertrophy rep range.
    Again, look into an established program such as Strong Curves.
    (I like to do 3-5 sets of 12-20 reps for glute work.)
  • KimmalyS
    KimmalyS Posts: 131 Member
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    TresaAswegan wrote: »
    KimmalyS wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    What program are you following (what exercises, how many sets, how much weight, how often)? How much are you eating?
    Legs days are 3x per week, arms and back occasionally. I incorporate mostly leg presses at 245lbs max 10 sets x5.
    Hip thrusts at about 50lbs same sets/reps. Hip abductor max 150lbs same sets/reps and kickbacks
    Am I understanding correctly? 10 sets of 5 reps for every exercise?
    If that's the case, you aren't really working in the optimal hypertrophy rep range.
    Again, look into an established program such as Strong Curves.
    (I like to do 3-5 sets of 12-20 reps for glute work.)

    Oh no I have it all backwards!! I mean 10reps 5 sets
  • KimmalyS
    KimmalyS Posts: 131 Member
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    TresaAswegan wrote: »
    Lots of solid advice already.
    I will add that muscle growth is extremely slow, especially for women and if you aren't eating and training optimally. If your goal is for your butt to be significantly larger via muscle growth, it's going to take a long time.
    I wouldn't exactly consider "eating well" as being the optimal eating for your goals. That could mean something different to everyone. Eating for the most muscle growth is going to be a surplus. If you are trying to recomp and eating close to maintenance, expect your progress to possibly be slower yet.

    A lot of the dramatic/faster transformations we see on the interwebs are usually people who already have built the muscle and just lose fat. Losing fat is much faster than building muscle.
    Every muscle growth transformation I've seen is usually 6-12 months, if not years between progress pics.

    Thanks for the great advice!!
  • evilokc
    evilokc Posts: 262 Member
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    Looking at your pics i think you have made good progress. If you are wanting maximum progress though you have to put in maximum effort. You will have to add cardio and probably calm your splurging. But again i think you have made progress
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    it depends how you define 'progress' i guess. and it's your body so that definition should be your call.

    but fwiw, i see a difference in your pictures. not just aesthetically either. you also look as though your posture has improved a lot. idk, maybe your underpants or bra were just lopsided in the first pic? :tongue: it's not for me to tell you why you 'should' be lifting, but even if these things aren't what you're most focused on they're still gains.

    as far as definition and 'pop', keep in mind too that a standing-still pose probably shows off your progress the least. other people probably see it a lot more, because as soon as you move definition and muscle growth tends to declare itself.

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