Gains are so difficult!

GideonAlexanderRae2015 wrote: »

hi,
Just need a bit of advice really , I'm trying to gain size and finding it very difficult , eating around 4200cals a day and spending about an hour in the gym heavy lifting and walk about 9km throughout the day and do a physical job (mechanic) I'm 6ft and 13st 10 lbs ATM.
Am I doing too much exercise to gain?
Also does anybody know if lifting heavier and less reps .....or less heavy and more reps is the best way to gain? That is the question .
Thanks

Just to re-iterate what others have said. You will have to eat more. So as long as your protein goals are met, the calories can easily be obtained through calorically dense foods if you are having a problem with volume. So an extra couple of glasses of whole fat milk (drinking calories is very easy), or tablespoons of peanut butter, etc... will add several hundred calories fairly easily. (Don't be scared of the pizza either )

Don't know your training history or experience to comment too much on the question about exercising too much, but my first reaction is to say no from the info given.

In regards to your last question, again...depends on training history and experience (how long you been lifting). But programs are typically based on percentages of 1 rep max so that loads falling around the 65%-80% range will allow a typical lifter to achieve 8-15 reps and loads of 85%-95% will allow lifters to typically achieve 3-6 reps (my math might be off a bit, but the reps ranges are products). Working in the 65%-80% range allows you to do more volume over time, thus has greater influence on size. Working in the 85%-95% range offers greater intensity, thus less volume over time can be achieved due to recovery, but has more influence on strength.

So the follow up questions would be.... What is your training experience? And gains, strength focused or gains, hypertrophy focused?... or if you have other goals in mind.

nakedraygun wrote: »

Brolympus wrote: »

GideonAlexanderRae2015 wrote: »

And yes I have a set workout plan ,one body part a day 8-12 reps,3 sets and about 6 different exercises . Maybe I need to change it up a bit?

Possibly. When you say one body part per day, what do you mean?

Gonna chime in here, but I think I know where @Brolympus is going with this... And I am sensing a disturbance in the Force. I find your lack of progressive resistance... disturbing.

dat hypurtropeee

I would look into maybe All Pros as a routine to research as it has a beginner and an intermediate you could evolve to. The beginner routine focuses on compounds (bench press, rows, squats, etc...), there are some "curls for the girls" thrown in there, and adds volume (reps) each week, so 4 sets of 8 reps in first week, second week would be 4 sets of 9, etc... Till 4 sets of 12. If you can complete all reps for 4 sets of 12, then add 10% on the bar and start back at 4 sets of 8, rinse and repeat. Program has protocols to add weight and reps (progressive resistance) as outlined, deal with failures, and deloads. So weight is increased slower than a strength based program, but volume of work is greater, thus having more of a hypertrophic effect (assuming calories are where they should be).

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=160947761&page=1

Nobody wants to say it but I will...well, Rich Piana will...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXvnS0xXx9M

Genetics shouldn't ever let someone get down on themselves but people really do need to know the truth. Love him or hate him, Rich will speak the truth.

Brolympus wrote: »

senecarr wrote: »

TrailBlazinMN wrote: »

Nobody wants to say it but I will...well, Rich Piana will...

<video snip>

Genetics shouldn't ever let someone get down on themselves but people really do need to know the truth. Love him or hate him, Rich will speak the truth.

Not really relevant to whether someone can make initial gains or not.

Agreed. Good video, but this doesn't apply in any way to a newbie lifter. You genetic limits shouldn't really be a concern until year 3 or later of your lifting career.

I would propose that it's longer than this. I would postulate that it would be in the 10-15 year range before genetic potential should be a concern. I'm too lazy to search for evidence of this, but just seems more logical based on athletes' training careers and the time it usually takes them to get to the pinnacle of their sport. Don't get me wrong, there will always be out-lyres that will be genetic freaks that allow them to compete against the rest of the population earlier, but I'm thinking the general populace takes about a decade+ to get to that level. Just my thoughts on it.

GideonAlexanderRae2015 wrote: »

hi,
Just need a bit of advice really , I'm trying to gain size and finding it very difficult , eating around 4200cals a day and spending about an hour in the gym heavy lifting and walk about 9km throughout the day and do a physical job (mechanic) I'm 6ft and 13st 10 lbs ATM.
Am I doing too much exercise to gain?
Also does anybody know if lifting heavier and less reps .....or less heavy and more reps is the best way to gain? That is the question .
Thanks

Hi mate, I have not read the other posts yet, so I will go back and read them. I'm about the same stats as you. 6ft, 14 stone, 14% body fat. I train 4-5 days a week lifting for an hour. Mainly compounds, but superset in isolation movements at the end to burn out (mainly bicep superset with tricep). I'm making really good progress but I only eat between 3000-3400 cals a day (180 g protein). However, it seems like you are quite active and I'm sedatory as a muthaf%cker!