Building Mass/Powerlifting

laillama
laillama Posts: 17 Member
edited November 22 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hey everyone. So I've been weightlifting for about 4 years now, as well as throwing in track and field. Currently I compete in NCAA DIII level.
Anyways.. I've never been able to gain much muscle mass beyond a little in my legs/glutes regardless of how heavy/often I lift, and I really want to start gaining real muscle mass all over. I have started tracking my meals to make sure I'm eating enough, I'm just not entirely sure what specific changes I should make to my routines and diet?

Replies

  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    edited October 2017
    I don't compete, but given your experience with weightlifting, you're going to fall under the upper end of advanced lifter, and appreciable muscle gain is going to be at a glacial rate than novice or early intermediate trainees.

    This should hopefully be able to guide where you should be setting surplus calories:

    https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/muscle-gain-math.html/
  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
    edited October 2017
    It's almost impossible for women to gain much muscle mass naturally due to their hormone levels.

    Unless you want to put on a lot of fat or take drugs you have to live with it.

    I suggest not doing that.
  • jmackkk
    jmackkk Posts: 37 Member
    Eat and lift. If you find your self doing a lot of running/cardio do as little if that as possible. If you are competing you need to decide whats more important, cardio or muscle. The body has a hard time doing both. Its proven lots of running(distance running) can reduce muscle mass/building. Little cardio, lots of food, lifting heavy and the muscle will come.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    If you have had trouble gaining muscle its either from inadequate calories (not in a surplus), an ineffective lifting program or a combination of both.

    So id ask what does your diet and workout look like.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    In order to gain muscle, you want to be eating in a surplus. Also finding a good program (in particular incorporating more hypertrophy with focus on the lower body).
  • laillama
    laillama Posts: 17 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    In order to gain muscle, you want to be eating in a surplus. Also finding a good program (in particular incorporating more hypertrophy with focus on the lower body).
    Yeah I tend to not eat enough, around 1400 cal/day honestly is when I feel "full" but my BMR is about 2100. I've been working on increasing my caloric intake closer to 2100 slowly, while not trying to overwhelm and shock my metabolism. I'm having trouble finding or establishing a good routine though, I have one for my sport but it's more for agility than strength and I want to build on top of it.

  • laillama
    laillama Posts: 17 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    If you have had trouble gaining muscle its either from inadequate calories (not in a surplus), an ineffective lifting program or a combination of both.

    So id ask what does your diet and workout look like.

    Yeah, I started using MFP because I eat in deficit just out of habit, not even on purpose I just do not feel hungry after about 1400 cals. But I'm building that up rn to surpass my BMR. My workout rn is the program for my sport, so it's 3x lifting at about 60-80% max, and 2x BW/very low weight work. I'm trying to find a good building/powerlifting routine but i am having trouble finding and/or building one that is consistent for me.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    You seem to be pretty loaded with your current program. On the same vein, doing more isn't gonna do jack for muscle building if you aren't recovering properly either. You want to stimulate, not annihilate, muscle to build. Rather than add or change what you're already doing, I think you would benefit just eating more to a point of *just a bit above maintenance* to minimize the fat gain from the surplus. If you don't have much of an appetite for a surplus of whole food, then you might feel better with liquid calories like a glass of whole milk with/after your meals, or at the end of the day or something.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    edited October 2017
    laillama wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    If you have had trouble gaining muscle its either from inadequate calories (not in a surplus), an ineffective lifting program or a combination of both.

    So id ask what does your diet and workout look like.

    Yeah, I started using MFP because I eat in deficit just out of habit, not even on purpose I just do not feel hungry after about 1400 cals. But I'm building that up rn to surpass my BMR. My workout rn is the program for my sport, so it's 3x lifting at about 60-80% max, and 2x BW/very low weight work. I'm trying to find a good building/powerlifting routine but i am having trouble finding and/or building one that is consistent for me.

    So basically, you are doing a ton of work with very little calories which is the opposite of your goals.

    First start by setting your calories to maintenance at the very least and eat that. If you want to so an actual bulk, add another 250 to 350 calories. If you eat at maintenance you can recomp.

    Second, follow a structured program like the ones found in: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Considering how long you have been lifting, you can move to the intermediate.
  • laillama
    laillama Posts: 17 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    laillama wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    If you have had trouble gaining muscle its either from inadequate calories (not in a surplus), an ineffective lifting program or a combination of both.

    So id ask what does your diet and workout look like.

    Yeah, I started using MFP because I eat in deficit just out of habit, not even on purpose I just do not feel hungry after about 1400 cals. But I'm building that up rn to surpass my BMR. My workout rn is the program for my sport, so it's 3x lifting at about 60-80% max, and 2x BW/very low weight work. I'm trying to find a good building/powerlifting routine but i am having trouble finding and/or building one that is consistent for me.

    So basically, you are doing a ton of work with very little calories which is the opposite of your goals.

    First start by setting your calories to maintenance at the very least and eat that. If you want to so an actual bulk, add another 250 to 350 calories. If you eat at maintenance you can recomp.

    Second, follow a structured program like the ones found in: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Considering how long you have been lifting, you can move to the intermediate.

    Yeah i definitely ate in sufficient surplus today. Im starting an adjusted program today so i am sure that will be a good start.That is very helpful! Thank you a lot for the resource!
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