Thread #77101101
File: Fuck my shit up.jpg (44.7 KB)
44.7 KB JPG
Should I just quit weight lifting? I've been going to the gym almost daily for a year now and progress has been painfully slow. I'm still the weakest guy in the gym, just as I was when I started. I checked the mirror and I'm still skinny. Better than full skelly mode, but not the progress I was expecting after ~300 days at the gym.
People that exercise every once in a while are bigger and stronger than me. Heck, even people who have never set foot in a gym could probably out lift me on a lot of exercises. What am I spending all this time and effort for? I don't think I'm cut out for this. And I'm not about to start taking PEDs.
84 RepliesView Thread
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: mfwmorethan3xweek.jpg (202.7 KB)
202.7 KB JPG
>>77101101
daily? for a year you say?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>77101101
The only way for me to gain a little muscle is eating red meat 2-3 times a week. And I always suck in the end, still below average.
I'm 38 and I started training at 15 (albeit with many interruptions), it's a long story of not growing and I think I can explain it but I ain't gonna write the history of my life and the science of my situation.
Lesson is: yes, you probably are below the average when it comes to gym gainz.
Personally I think the gym is worth because of the health benefits. When you suck, if you don't train life become physically painful because your body wastes muscles and can barely keep itself up.
But I can see that the damage to the mind can be even greater than what the body suffers if you stop, so it may be better to stop. It's not like you cannot restart later.
>>
>>
>>
>>77101867
>I'm 38 and I started training at 15 (albeit with many interruptions), it's a long story of not growing and I think I can explain it
Yeah nigger you started too early and closed your growth plates with heavy weights. That's why heavy lifting was not recommended to people before their late teens at the earliest in the 80s and 90s.
>>
>>
>>77101890
I meant not growing muscles, I did grow
>>77101878
No, chicken doesn't work for me. I can eat tons of proteins with no red meat but performance will fall fast. I can eat less protein but including red meat and performances will improve.
>>
File: Progress.jpg (231.3 KB)
231.3 KB JPG
>>77101856
>Let's see the before and after pics
Let me see if I can put something together
>you should be stronger than all new lifters
The thing is their baseline strength is higher than what my baseline starting strength was. And their baseline starting strength probably still is higher kek.
>>
>>
>>
>>77101867
I spent years before, going to the gym 3 times a week. That wasn't enough. My body needs daily stimulus. That's just what my personal physiology demands.
What worked better for me was starting going to the gym daily, or at least 5-6 times a week when every muscle group is too sore to work. I quit gluten and low GI carbs because they spike my blood glucose levels and make me dysfunctionally tired. But otherwise I cook and prepare all my meals and eat clean. I was using whey, casein, and creatine and I think that helped. I stopped taking them because I developed hypersensitive bladder, going to the bathroom to piss like every 30 minutes. It went away once I stopped those supplements, but so did my gains.
>>
>>77102010
>eat more
My default appetite is very low. Other people have voracious appetites and can clean a plate in under 5 minutes. For me it would take double or triple the time for the same meal. Exercise naturally increases my appetite, but not by much.
I need to cheat the fuck out of it by using tricks like drizzling more olive oil on everything and tossing chia seeds into everything I can.
>lift with more intensity
What does this involve? I choose the highest weight I can perform cleanly with full range of motion for the duration of the set. I recently learned about partials, drop sets, and eccentric training.
>>
>>77102035
>low appetite
Drink whole milk and eat 8 eggs per day then, also butter your rice, eat more fatty meats, there's always a way and if this is >>77102004 you then you are clearly underfed and probably undertrained.
As far as lifting goes find a real program, in your case PPLxPPLx might be the best, and go to failure at the last set (don't do more than 2 sets each exercise)
>>
>>
>>77102058
I meant progress was slower when I was only exercising a few times a week. Now I'm getting somewhere, but it feels too slow. Maybe my expectations are too high? They say the average person can gain 1-2 pounds of muscle per month.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>77102096
So I am eating enough calories after all. My workouts leave me nice and sore. And I don't train a muscle group until the soreness sufficiently goes away. I sleep well and keep stress low. So I really don't know what I'm missing here unless >>77101132 is unironically correct and weightlifting doesn't work for people like me.
>>
>>77102108
I've gained 30 pounds in a year. I don't think calories are the issue. I looked it up and 1-2 pounds of muscle growth per month is about what a person can naturally expect. You need steroids to reach unnatural levels of muscle growth and I don't want to sacrifice my health for that.
>>
>>77102004
What are your lifts at; I'm at 160lbs and my lifts are higher than noobs. Can you at least bench 1 plate for reps? That already puts you ahead of most new starters
Anyway, in terms of progress, yep you started in skelly mode. Putting on 30lbs in a year is actually really good. If you want to continue (you should) you need to improve your diet, you've probably stalled because your not eating enough. The other possibility is you're not training with enough intensity, you should be aiming for failure every lift
>>
>>
>>
>>77102704
>What are your lifts at
I've made progress. I started at 33lbs on cable row and now can do 88lbs. Bench I started with just the bar (45lbs) and now I can almost put 2-10 pounders per side (85lbs). I've been desperately trying to improve my bench pressing by hitting it a lot.
>you need to improve your diet, you've probably stalled because your not eating enough
I noticed I hit a wall a few months ago after I stopped creatine and protein powder because of bladder issues. I add olive oil and chia seeds to cheat in easy calories.
>you should be aiming for failure every lift
Alright I'll be more conscious of this. It's just I don't want my form to suffer.
>>
>>
>>
>>77102794
Good news! You don't have to worry about it, you will die. Maybe at 40, maybe at 69, who knows. Don't worry about it. If you die it's not your problem anymore.
Anyway here's what you do about the exercise. Fap more. Find a gym buddy. Start fapping and go up to him and tell him you'd like to work out together. When he chases you, there's your cardio for the day. Or you could let him catch you if you're a faggot.
>>
>>77102776
>machines and bench press
Have you tried doing better lifts? Dumbbells and compounds and bodyweight are your friends. Machines are gay and useless. Barbell bench is also pretty gay and I say that as someone who has hit 3pl8. Get a trainer.
>>
I didn't read the whole thread but if you are still quite young, you can just be a late bloomer. I'm not trying to promise you will become an advanced or elite lifter all the sudden when you age, just that some (men) just mature slower including their strength or muscle potential.
Other people mature earlier and are built different so like they get 90% of their lifetime bench press gains (good gains in that) by just going to the gym for a year without any diet or program.
>>
>>77102865
>Dumbbells
Bicep curls I went from 15 pounds to almost 30 pounds. Dumbbell shoulder press I went from 15 pounds to 25 pounds. Dumbbell tricep extensions I can't progress on and hurt my wrist.
>compounds
Far too weak to do them. I only do barbell bench press. OHP doesn't net me any gains. Plus I have a sensitive back and stick to exercises that are not form-sensitive.
>bodyweight
I can't do dips or chin ups.
>Machines are gay and useless
Why? I've seen progress on them.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>77102004
>>77102890
Go to the gym 3x a week.
Do compounds even if all you can do is the bar or small dumbells
Take a multivitamin/ D3+K2/get more sunlight.
Eat fatty meat.
Eat PUFAs/fish oil to increase your appetite
>>
>>77102004
You have a body that’s been long term malnourished or has some chemical dysregulation going on. Unironically just keep eating healthy, lifting weights, and doing cardio and it will fix itself . Will take like 4 years of consistency before you will start growing as fast as others but your frame has great potential.
>t 60 year gym go’er
>>
>>
>>
>>77101101
>Should I quit lifting
Yes, I did and I have actual gains.
>Are you able to do calisthenics without issue?
Yes? You're good
>Are you able to ruck far with heavy weight?
Yes? You're golden
That's basically it. All gym culture is a grift perpetuated by the cult of midwit bro science (ie marketing)
>>
>>77102035
>My default appetite is very low.
Start doing the raw egg milk shake daily- 3-6 raw eggs, milk, and maple syrup - put mix together in blender and drink. its actually delicious and easy to get down even if you are not too hungry.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>77103199
Agreed. It becomes such a chore. When I can't handle the eating anymore it means it's time to stop bulking, maintain, and then cut.
Looking forward to my cut this. Since I bulked up nicely I get to enjoy cutting at 2300 calories vs 2000 calories.
>>
>>
>>77104020
>solid progress
Fucking retarded
>>77102004
Post routine and Numbers. Your progress is cero.
>>
>>
>>
>>77102004
nigga you gained at least 20 pounds of pure muscle in less than a year, what the fuck are you complaining about?
it's not your bodys fault youve neglected it for your entire life, you fucking retard
dont listen do the other retards suggesting you to eat more, you are eating plenty if you gained 30 pounds in a year, you can't get the results a 15 y.o. on tren is doing on tiktok, get real
>>
>>77104124
>>77104020
Retard tier
>>
File: s-l1200.jpg (282.1 KB)
282.1 KB JPG
>>77101659
killing it in the gym is my hobby
>>
>>77101101
Same. I'm two years in and it does not get better. Still skinnyfat.
Try to really get your diet in check though. Bulk up consistently, track every calorie and weigh yourself on as many days as possible. Make sure it contionuously gets up. But even with that, some people are non-responsive, including myself.
>>
>>
>>77104020
>>77104052
>>77104124
You know what, you're right. I was being retarded, and got discouraged and demoralized for no reason. I should be grateful and shouldn't complain. It's just social media skews everyone's perception.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>77101878
>eating red meat or chicken does't really make a difference
Red meat just has way better micros, this is like saying fish and chicken are the same for brain health just because you're eating the same amount of fat.
>>77102004
You look very good for how weak you are. Just keep it up, you're progressing well.
>>
>>77102004
>>77104284
Drop your discord.
>>
File: EAT MORE.gif (1.8 MB)
1.8 MB GIF
>>77101101
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjw5MrqKDNU
>>
>>77102004
>People that exercise every once in a while are bigger and stronger than me.
That's not true unless they already have a solid foundation to begin with and just stopped working out as much.
You've clearly made progress and don't look like a holocaust survivor anymore, so why would you quit now? Don't let social media discourage you. But if you posted your routine and your diet we might be able to tell you if there is any room for improvement.
>>
>>
File: c23.png (81.8 KB)
81.8 KB PNG
>>77101101
>Should I just quit
No
Next question
>>
>>77101101
>actually nail the muscles
>try a ridiculously hard bulk just to see what your current peak gains are(I get bigger quicker now and no slowing down test is higher and technique)
You have 0 clue what you're doing, learn to lift as heavy as possible and get a wicked pump. Bulking goes best with high frequency so you don't gain fat resting. You haven't looked into trying harder or smarter enough.
If your technique is conducive to gains it's a night and day difference. Then dial back diet after you know your potential and at least get gains on something easy like biceps or legs, chest and delts are incredibly nuanced.
>>
>>77101101
>I've been going to the gym almost daily for a year now and progress has been painfully slow.
If you only give your muscles 24 hr of rest, they will only grow to a size which can be supported by 24 hr of rest. The number of rest days sets a cap on how much muscle your body can support. This relationship is true until you hit the point of atrophy, which is a lot further out than most people realize.
Muscles are not just a one-time investment for the body during creation. They're more like an ongoing cost.
To use an analogy: If you start a new country and allocate $IB per year to pay your soldiers, your army will grow to a size which can be supported by $1B per year and will then stop growing.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>77107838
>You had a very decent improvement, give it 2 more years and you’ll look great
Thanks anon. I think my limiting factor is my low appetite. I've plateaued at 150 pounds for months now despite trying to eat as much as I possibly can. I wish there were supplements that boosted appetite.
>>
>>
>>
>>77101101
Overtraining.
Muscles take time to recover from exercise and then on top of that they have to grow and get bigger.
You will never grow in strength unless you give muscles time to grow.
Here's a routine:
PPL 3 times a week with a day or 2 in between
2 sets per exercise to failure with 1 warmup
2 exercises per muscle group
6 to 8 reps to failure (fail on 8th prefferentially)
You will grow
>>
>>