Cant Push Past Plateu

[nzPourHomme]

Hi,

Im going to start by saying that Im not a 'full-on' body builder and Im a pretty small guy(157cm-74kg) just looking to bulk up a bit and get strong.

Im 27 and Ive been going to the gym on and off for the last ~6 years and everytime I reach this point where I just cant get anymore gains on my shoulders and my biceps, my chest seems to always be growing but I dont want to be the guy with a big a chest and nothing else.

As I said I have a pretty small frame and I think that maybe Ive reached the limits of my body.... does anyone have any suggestions on how to get more growth from my arms and shoulders?

Cheers.

[runveerun]

Hello there! What's your current gym routine and food intake like?

[nzPourHomme]

Hey,

Admittedly Im not eating much at the moment - just did my Basal Metabolic Rate stuff yesterday and worked out I was running about a 3000KJ deficit.

But normally when Im enthusiastic and seeing gains I eat a lot more its only now that I havn't gotten anywhere in a couple of months that my enthusiasms dropped off and I cant be bothered eating as much.

I super-set everything and do sets of 12, 10 ,8 reps. I normally get through the chest and bi's, and back and shoulders exercises twice a week and train my legs once a week.

Chest and Bi's

-Flys + Preacher Curls

-Dumbell press + Dumbell curls

-Bench + Barbell curls

Legs and Tri's

-Swiss ball hamstring extensions (Ive got tight hammies) + Bench dips

-Squat + Skull Crushers

-Lunges + cable press down

Back and Shoulders

-Lateral Pull Downs + Lying Lateral Raises

-Bent Over Row + Pull-ups

-One arm dumbell row + shoulder presses

Cheers

[runveerun]

You can't grow if you don't eat enough! Sounds like you're not eating nearly enough if you're 3000kj under! That's alot.

Do you change your routine? Changing it every 4 weeks is a good idea as your body gets used to it really fast. Add more compound stuff do DEADS!

Maybe look at some of the guys journals, Steaks is good he eats ALOT and is growing daily!

[cantygirl]

Might be worth checking out the Personal Trainers at your gym, even 30mins every other week to give you some ideas on how to train more efficiently, also they teach you how to train hard. Could be that you save a little energy knowing that you are going to train the same muscles again that week. If you are training hard, theres no way you should be able to train the same muscles again that week. Sometimes a week flys by and bugger me its time to do biceps again and they are still sore from last weeks effort. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Travel Express]

Change around your routine. Try doing each exercise only once a week example

Monday Chest/tris

Tuesday Legs

Wednesday REST

Thursday Shoulders

Friday Back/Biceps

Also definitely up what you eat, should be around 4000-5000 Calories a day which is approx 16000 - 20000kj's a day or an easy way to bulk Cream Buns plus weight training, always try and up the weights when ever you can, change your exercises to something completely different you haven't done before, Adaptation slows the growth down as the body adapts you need to change the movement, and as Vee said Compound Exercises, Deads, bench, squats, Good mornings, military press etc.... I think most of them are compound.

And have a look at journals, they give great ideas for food and exercises. rest is key for growth as the muscles only get stimulated too grow at the gym, but will only grown when resting. Rest as much as you can.

[ThePman]

lawds

[Beef]

you're supersetting between different muscle groups.. the whole point of supersetting is to target one muscle and fatigue the shit out of it. if i were you i'd do supersets, but make them the same muscle.

mate im the opposite, my chest is smaller than the rest of my body .. i spose its partly genetic :pfft:

[nzPourHomme]

Really? I thought the point of super-sets was to be able to train completely different body parts in one workout - kind of like getting 2 workouts in one session.

Thanks for the advice guys - I'll try and switch it up in the new year (I heard about a routine where you do 5 sets of 5 - might give that a go), and I'll try and eat more, dont know about the cream buns though might try and up the kilojoules but still stay healthy.

Cheers

[Outkast]

My lazy breakfast..

10 oz full fat milk

1 banana

1 cup of rolled oats

1 tablespoon of peanut butter

1 teaspoon of honey

2-3 scoops of protien powder

Wizz

Have one of those an hour before you train

[Eddy]

Invest in a personal trainer, they're worth the money if you find the right one. You need to know what you're doing rather than going on what you've heard!

[Grover]

:nod:

agree totally as its not just what exercises to do but also how to do them properly.

how many times do we see comments in here re bad form!

[agent86]

Really? I thought the point of super-sets was to be able to train completely different body parts in one workout - kind of like getting 2 workouts in one session.

You are right it is possible to superset between muscle groups. The purpose is usually to speed up the workout. As long as you canstill lift heavy weights this system is useful. I dont superset the same muscle as it doesn't work for me.

However I would suggest concentrating on one muscle group at a time. If I am doing arms and calves I do one bicep exercise, one tricep then a calf and repeat the process.

I would suggest training one bodypart a week going as heavy as possible and increasing the food intake until your weight starts to increase. For me eating enough food is the big challenge but is very important

[Grover]

For me eating enough food is the big challenge but is very important

Can relate to that.

Just added Mutant mass to my diet and now struggle to get my food!

Read Steaks journal now there is an eating machine!

[rose]

Invest in a personal trainer, they're worth the money if you find the right one. You need to know what you're doing rather than going on what you've heard!

That's the challenge though innit, finding one who isn't a waste of money. The majority of PT's also work on the basis of what they've heard, without any real understanding of human physiology. Even ones with lots of letters after their name often fall into the same traps once they complete their quals (if they hadn't already).

OP, save your money. Eat for growth. You won't grow if you're not eating enough to support it. I'm guessing you've figured this out because you've worked out your BMR etc. A 700 calorie deficit is counter to your goals.

[nzPourHomme]

For me eating enough food is the big challenge but is very important

Yip - I agree I think working out my diet and eating more will be just what I need.

I actually find eating more quite difficult - Im not much of a 'foodie' and I hate cooking I prefer to slam down a sandwich and get back to work.

Normally I eat enough not to be hungry and I thought that was heaps but I hadnt sat down and done the calculations until now , your right thats probably what stalled my growth.

Invest in a personal trainer, they're worth the money if you find the right one. You need to know what you're doing rather than going on what you've heard!

Nah - I don't think I would benefit from a PT, if I have any questions I do my own research and get one of the other regulars to watch my form - as a last resort I'll videotape an exercise (especially good for checking your squats). I also think that while there is 'recommended good form' everbodys body is different and what works for someone might not work for someone else. For most of my exercises I simply try to aim for a full stretch and contraction of the main muscle.

Also Ive been to about 4 different gyms in the last 6 years and when I start a gym I normally get a free fitness assessment/PT session and none of them have ever discussed Kilojoule intake or basal metabolic rates with me.

Read Steaks journal now there is an eating machine!

He eats steak for breakfast!!!

[rose]

He eats steak for breakfast!!!

That's not a bad thing. Try it! The cereal for breakfast thing is pretty, ummm western? I particularly recommend beef fillet wrapped in honey cured streaky bacon =P~ Doesn't take much to prepare Mr Not Much Of A Foodie. Beef. Wrap in bacon. Oven 150. Cook. Breakfast like a King 8)

[runveerun]

He eats steak for breakfast!!!

That's not a bad thing. Try it! The cereal for breakfast thing is pretty, ummm western? I particularly recommend beef fillet wrapped in honey cured streaky bacon =P~ Doesn't take much to prepare Mr Not Much Of A Foodie. Beef. Wrap in bacon. Oven 150. Cook. Breakfast like a King 8)

Yum that sounds fantastic! Bacon and eggs for brekkie are good too I make scrambled eggs as they are the easiest and grill the bacon in my toastie grill easy!

[Beef]

best way to push past a plateau is to give ur body a couple weeks off every 3-4 months, trust me it works

[rose]

best way to push past a plateau is to give ur body a couple weeks off every 3-4 months, trust me it works

nzPourHomme was undereating, a couple of weeks off training won't fix that. If he just takes time off, without addressing his food intake, as soon as he starts training again the calorie deficit comes back into play and his situation hasn't changed.

[Monarchking]

wide pull ups and deadlifts have help me build strength and mucle. u should try smashing them