Don't feel like I'm gaining any size and not dropping any fat. Am I expecting too much?

pokemonmaster93 · May 2015

I'm 22, 5'11" and 85.5kg currently. Been lifting consistently for about 2 years and don't feel like I'm gaining anything any more. I'm not demoralised at all, I enjoy it, I just don't feel like I'm making progress. In the past year I've done 5x5, 5/3/1 and am currently in the middle of a GVT program all with the objective of gaining size but it doesn't seem to be happening. My macros are solid (based on the opinions of 2 trainers) but I don't feel any bigger and from the fit of clothes and photos (below) I don't think I've actually gained at all in that time other than fat. My weight has gone up a few kg but that's it.

My workouts are taxing, I push to failure reguarly and my 1RM's aren't bad. Why is it that despite doing what should be enough by the measure of what I read I'm not achieving anything? Am I being too expectant, do I need to change my goals and cut for a bit to see some improvement and shock my body into change again?

Macros: Carbs: 50% Protein: 30% Fat: 20% Calories: 3200-3800

1RM's: Bench: 125kg Squat: 170kg DL: 182.5kg

March 2014: http://imgur.com/ZE70B4N May 2015: http://imgur.com/xxQ92j9

Any advice would be much appreciated. I can share the current German Volume training split I'm doing if it's of any benefit?

JoRocka · May 2015

gaining- by gaining do you mean size or lifts going up?

galgenstrick · May 2015

If you're pushing to failure regularly you may be over training.

Is your strength increasing?

galgenstrick · May 2015

I was just looking at your program GVT. I think that's part of the problem + the failure in your sets.

I would recommend buying the book Bigger Leaner Stronger or going back to 5/3/1.

sjohnson__1 · May 2015

GVT will work for strength gains. But you have to make sure you're self-regulating deloads for CNS recovery. As for your macros, the ratio's are ok, but instead I would use grams. How many grams of each are you getting? You may want to play with carbs and fats, and make sure you're getting AT LEAST 1 gram of protein per POUND of bodyweight (that's very general however, I would focus more on 1.25-1.5g protein per LB of LBM at minimum).

Also, a 600 calorie range is a bit strange. What's your maintenance cals at? Do you know? Are you bulking? Are you going for a recomp? Sounds to me like you want to avoid too much fat gain and still want to increase in size. If that's the case, I wish you luck... You've gotta accept some fat gains with muscle building, it's just how it works. Blame science.

pokemonmaster93 · May 2015

Sorry, I'll clear some of this up.
I'm trying to gain size.
My strength did improve doing the 5/3/1 and 5x5.
I realise fat gains are a necessary part of bulking, but I only seem to be gaining fat, no muscle or real size in general. Of those 4-5kg I've gained in a year the only change I see is more fat, no significant increase in any other aspect.

The calorie range is because I was at 3800 consistently until I was off my macros and the gym (short break with very little cash) for 2 days and put on 1.5kg in a week straight after, with my BF% (Fitbit scales) rocketing. I dropped to 3500 and weight got more gradual with BF% increasing more steadily. 3200 is purely trying to tie my macros back down and because I've been too busy to eat regularly the last couple of weeks.

I don't know for certain what my maintenance calories are. I went through a stage of eating a fixed amount starting at 2500 calories for a couple of weeks at a time. If I lost weight consistenly calories went up 2-300, if I didn't change they went up 100-150 and as soon as the weight increases stayed consistent I kept them as they were.

Grams per day is roughly 360g carbs, 210g protein, 80g fat (based on the last 3 weeks averaged)

With regards to the deloads for GVT I'm working with a trainer on this so he monitors it and plans deloads where required etc. We measure weight daily and measurements every other week, but these aren't changing beyond daily weight fluctuations. The failure happens every few weeks, I'll fail a couple of reps short of my target for the last set or two.

Really appreciate the input, I'll finish out the GVT and then try going back to 5/3/1 if the concensus is that it'll help. Is there any logic in the idea of trying to cut for a period and go back to bulking (in terms of nutrition and lifting) to 'surprise' my body and potentially yield better results long term? It's something I've seen mentioned a few times but never been 100% on.

JoRocka · May 2015

You aren't eating enough if you aren't gaining. eat more.

sjohnson__1 · May 2015

If you're nowhere near where you want to be (bf% wise), the cut is longer and more difficult. So first things first. Figure out what your goal is.. Obviously we all want to put on size. To do so, and stay moderately lean (my goal) I recommend being lean to begin. Based on your pictures you're not too big to do a bulk, but I would recommend you know your goals, pay attention to your bf% increases, and take it slow. Your current rate is REALLY slow, however. I would recommend around 1lb/week (500 cals above maintenance, or a 20% surplus of maintenance cals).

FitForL1fe · May 2015

there are a bunch of Boring But Big templates and info in Beyond 5/3/1 that are def worth checking out...if you don't have or don't want to buy the book then T-Nation has an article with the 3-Month Challenge template (Google it)...it's a 5x10 template

pokemonmaster93 · May 2015

Points taken, thanks for the advice everyone. I'm gonna finish out my current GVT plan and see how I feel and either cut for a while (more difficult to overeat in the summer) or go back to a 5/3/1 variant and ramp the calories right up.

tgaro84 · May 2015

Your overtraining

keithcw_the_first · May 2015

Yeah I think you might be overtraining?

I read something the other day, maybe on exrx.net, about how you want to do the minimum amount of training to get results.

When I was losing weight I made the mistake of thinking "If a 750 calorie deficit is good then 1,000 is better and if I can ignore leftover calories at the end of the day then that's best yet!"

The corollary here then would be if you can get results from 3x5 3x a week, then certainly 10x10 5 days a week would be even better! And why not make it an even six days a week!

At some point you're overtraining and you're going to impair your ability to recover.

jmule24 · May 2015

pokemonmaster93 wrote: »

Sorry, I'll clear some of this up.
I'm trying to gain size.
My strength did improve doing the 5/3/1 and 5x5.
I realise fat gains are a necessary part of bulking, but I only seem to be gaining fat, no muscle or real size in general. Of those 4-5kg I've gained in a year the only change I see is more fat, no significant increase in any other aspect.

Based on your goal a linear progression hypertrophy program in my opinion would suit you better than 5/3/1. From your pictures it is hard to notice a difference partly due to the difference in lighting. To me, you’ve "filled out" well. Posted below is a good resource to use for your "muscular potential." Also, cool tattoos!!!

http://www.weightrainer.net/bodypred.html

jmule24 · May 2015

http://www.weightrainer.net/rate_of_gain.html

pokemonmaster93 · May 2015

That's interesting stuff, so I'd still have a good 30lbs just to get to the max muscular weight (realistically I'll never get there but it's a ballpark). I'd done some linear progression as part of the 5x5 stuff, and I have to be honest and say it was what I enjoyed the most. I'll have a look at going back to that, maybe ask my trainer about it over 5/3/1.

Overtraining comments are interesting, I have found my legs seriously suffering regularly. the GVT program I've had designed has 2 different weeks which alternate, for example 1 week I do 10x10 squats and then the other I do 10x10 leg press. Both times I've done a squat week (10x10@100k and then 10x10@105) I've foudn myself incredibly sore for the next few days, actually having to drop parts of the second lower body session 3 days later because I'm unable to do them. Not feeling the same with any of the upper body stuff so had written it off as needing to train my legs up but maybe overtraining is what's happening.

keithcw_the_first · May 2015

It could be need to train your legs up, but you won't get there by overtraining them. Definitely see what kind of results you get from scaling back a bit.

I think you can only eat and sleep your way to so much recovery. At some point, you either need to decrease the volume or increase the recovery time.

jmule24 · May 2015

while 5x5 is a good hybrid of strength and hypertrophy, if your main goal is to increase your size; a linear hypertrophy program would suit you best. Just my opinion.

LolBroScience · May 2015

pokemonmaster93 wrote: »

That's interesting stuff, so I'd still have a good 30lbs just to get to the max muscular weight (realistically I'll never get there but it's a ballpark). I'd done some linear progression as part of the 5x5 stuff, and I have to be honest and say it was what I enjoyed the most. I'll have a look at going back to that, maybe ask my trainer about it over 5/3/1.

Overtraining comments are interesting, I have found my legs seriously suffering regularly. the GVT program I've had designed has 2 different weeks which alternate, for example 1 week I do 10x10 squats and then the other I do 10x10 leg press. Both times I've done a squat week (10x10@100k and then 10x10@105) I've foudn myself incredibly sore for the next few days, actually having to drop parts of the second lower body session 3 days later because I'm unable to do them. Not feeling the same with any of the upper body stuff so had written it off as needing to train my legs up but maybe overtraining is what's happening.

GVT is an unnecessary amount of volume for a single session.

Don't feel like I'm gaining any size and not dropping any fat. Am I expecting too much?

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