hard to build muscle

Is it harder for someone small boned to build muscle. I've been lifting heavy as I can for about a month and a half, I haven't been able to up my weights. I have a small bone structure.

Bench 3 sets of 8 85lbs
Curl 15lbs
Triceps press 70
Leg press 90
Squat 60
leg extension 65

Replies

  • jfan175
    jfan175 Posts: 812 Member
    Are you eating at a huge deficit? You should be improving greatly over those numbers. Try reading Stronglifts 5x5 (free) and follow that program. You start out with the empty bar and add weight each workout. It will allow you to build up some momentum and realize some gains right from the start.....it's good for the confidence. A small boned structure won't be limiting until you're lifting some substantial weight. Actually, the guy that wrote Stronglifts has a small bone structure.

    I also noticed you don't have any back exercises in your routine. You might want to add some chins or rows in there. You can probably ditch the arm exercises and the leg extensions and direct your energy to adding weight to the compound lifts. Your arms will grow from those as you get stronger.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    I agree, it sounds like a nutrition issue to me, if you are undereating then you're not going to have the strength to push your body to do more.
  • 600racer
    600racer Posts: 149 Member
    What is your protein intake?
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    In general yes people with smaller bone structure gain less muscle. However you first need to examine your diet and lifting routine. Check this out for all the info you need. Do an already written and proven routine vs one you have made up.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/686963-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners
  • btkkterry
    btkkterry Posts: 183
    Thanks for the info, I will look into that, I'm not counting caloried but eating healthy. I do more weights but can't remember the amount of weight I use. This Is also the first lifting for me. My wife is a personal trainer and she finally pulled me in the gym
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    Thanks for the info, I will look into that, I'm not counting caloried but eating healthy. I do more weights but can't remember the amount of weight I use. This Is also the first lifting for me. My wife is a personal trainer and she finally pulled me in the gym

    OK then along with what I posted you need to track what you eat to make sure it is enough and write down your workouts. Half assed training will get you less than half assed results.
  • jfan175
    jfan175 Posts: 812 Member
    Your wife's a personal trainer? What's her take on your lack of progress?
  • wolfpack77
    wolfpack77 Posts: 655
    As a beginner to weight training, even if you havent built some muscle yet you should be seeing some gains from neurological adaptation alone. This is a process by which you become stronger through more efficient use of the nervous system and its connections to muscular tissues. Its one of the body's initial responses to starting resistance training.

    Its common in the first six to eight weeks for beginners lifts to increase dramatically due to this effect, and perhaps some small amount of muscle gain. This is known as "newbie gains" and is followed by acute mass gains in the following weeks and months.

    If you havent improved at all, something is wrong. Either you're not pushing yourself hard enough, their's a dietary deficiency or some other physiological issue. Newbies always make easy gains even if they're diet and routine isnt perfect.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Push harder. If you don't hate doing it, you aren't pushing hard enough.
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
    Is it harder for someone small boned to build muscle. I've been lifting heavy as I can for about a month and a half, I haven't been able to up my weights. I have a small bone structure.

    Bench 3 sets of 8 85lbs
    Curl 15lbs
    Triceps press 70
    Leg press 90
    Squat 60
    leg extension 65

    Not necessarily but it certainly limits how much muscle you can obtain. How fast you build muscle can depend on the type of exercises for hypertrophy, diet, genetics, hormones, and rest but it takes a LOT of time invested. If you get 1lb of muscle a month x12 is 12 lbs of solid muscle in a year. So it kind of puts things in perspective when you see a really big muscle guy you get a new found respect for how many years that person has invested diligently for his muscles.

    Eat-Train-Sleep-Repeat
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9mC0kzTVk_XgjUI_iLZEbPl1MwCp30WS_3syryyEvX4Hd6forWw