Absolutely 0 Progress in Arms

Training
61

The short answer is that quite frankly arm growth is tied to overall weight gain for you at this point. Charles Poliquin is one of the smartest coaches to ever write–although he does have a habit of saying things I would categorize as pseudoscience.so I wouldn’t take his words as gospel–and has stated that he notices it takes an average of 15 lbs of body weight gained to see an inch gain on the arms. For a tall long limbed person such as you, that might be even more (and probably is). That is with direct arm work like curls in there.

If you are doing stronglifts 5x5, you should not be deloading IMHO unless you are failing to get the all the reps at your 95 lbs. If you are failing to get the weight you need to get back to a weight you are successful with. If you are not failing and you ARE getting the 5x5 in without missing reps then don’t sweat the plateau, it will break when you eat more. Bench strength is highly correlated with bodyweight.

At your weight you need to be focused on gaining at least 1 lb a week. Preferably a little more, even up to 1.5 lb a week. If you are not gainjng at least 1lb a week, you are no eating enough. Period. This means you log EVERYTHING that touches your mouth, determine how.many calories.you are getting every day, and then add to that. 5x5 is a good program and I have put people on it before…in fzct one of my good friends is about 6’3" and has gained 35 lbs in 4 months. It works…if you eat and track it.

My 2 cents is that you do stronglifts as written, but add abs/back/arms on say a saturday after all your stronglifts workouts are done. Emphasis on back here, because having a weak one will hold your growth, and hence your arms, back.

62

[quote]Massthetics wrote:

  • After first month arms stopped progressing
  • Started stronglifts about 3 weeks ago
  • Happy with stronglifts so far. however my arms still aren’t progressing.
  • Hence the creation of this thread, after 3 and a half months of experimenting with different types of training, eventually getting on a program, arms have remained stagnent. Don’t call me “impatient” lmfao.
    [/quote]

You started Stronglifts 3 weeks however your arms still are not progressing! What did you expect to happen in 3 weeks? You won’t notice any significant increase in size in such a short amount of time.

Three and a half months is also a short time.

You won’t have big arms at your height and weight. I weigh 195lbs at 5"10 and I am still skinny. You need to get stronger and gain weight before you worry about your arms not getting bigger.

63

[quote]Massthetics wrote:

[quote]Claudan wrote:
This is my favorite

"The way I understand it, the less sleep I get, less time my muscles have to recover and grow, therefore more of my surplus goes towards fat storage. Haven’t researched the topic but I don’t see how that wouldn’t happen? "

[/quote]
Explain how this is wrong, you can certainly see how someone would think that way.[/quote]

I’m not commenting on the validity of your stance(even though, yeah, there is tons to be discussed on that topic alone), but more so the way you present your opinions(opinions).

At one point, people were saying, “the earth is flat, I don’t see how it could be any other way”.

I’m 25 years old, I’m 6’2, I’m 200 lbs - Only now are my arms starting to resemble something I’m not embarrassed of.

Think of it this way, if you do all the things you are supposed to do(the things people have mentioned in this thread over, and over, and over again), it is scientifically impossible for your arms not to grow bigger.

64

[quote]Massthetics wrote:

  • Hence the creation of this thread, after 3 and a half months of experimenting with different types of training, eventually getting on a program, arms have remained stagnent. Don’t call me “impatient” lmfao.
  • Unexplained hate
  • OP is dissapointed in community
  • OP still learned a lot in thread and is confident in progressing in his bench
    [/quote]

These are really the only points in this post that seemed like they were worth addressing.

  1. People are calling you impatient because you are impatient. If you are not genetically gifted in the arms department, chances are it will take a long time to get big arms, especially as young as you are. You mentioned that you know a bunch of guys with big arms at your age. While this may be the case, they may have much better genetics than you, and odds are they are fatter than you too.

Regardless, it really could take years on a good program to notice real changes. It can often take 6 months of solid, hard training, in conjunction with a great diet, to make a serious difference in arm development. People are suggesting to be patient because we all have experience with what you’re dealing with, and we have learned that this is important.

  1. The ‘hate’ comes from you coming off as a know-it-all. I don’t know what you’re like in real life, but that’s how your posts come across.

  2. You’re disappointed in the community? That’s laughable. Nobody here gives a fuck what disappoints you. There are people in these forums that have been lifting for longer than you’ve been alive. The fact that people who have put 10+ years into training (like me) are even responding to your questions is a generous use of our time and effort. We’re giving you honest answers based on our own experience, and the knowledge we’ve accumulated over years of study.

  3. Glad you learned something. When I started reading this site (and others) I was either 19 or 20 years old. I didn’t post on the forums until I was 26 or 27, which means I spent at least 6 or 7 years READING before I started WRITING. There are no questions that you’re asking at this point that aren’t addressed by others. There are brilliant articles in the archives that are worth reading. Your time would be better spent reading these.

My suggestion: take at least 1 hour out of everyday, or take the time you’re currently spending posting on internet forums, and use that time to read training programs, and the advice of the pros. It will be a much better use of your time.

65

Alternative approach: embrace your genetics.

He would be mad jelly:

BTW flip, looking good.

66

[quote]Massthetics wrote:
Lol my problem isn’t impatience, ive gained 15 kilos so far and all my lifts have gone up enormously and I have put on a lot of size. I am going clothes shopping soon because shorts are becoming tight and t shirts are tight on my back, sometimes on my chest/shoulders. Everything is progressing besides arms which have NOT BUDGED in a solid 4 months. I think I have been patient enough.[/quote]

4 months ? Been working on an ab issue for 4 years now and iam still going at it , so yah , chill

67

[quote]siddhu_r wrote:

[quote]Massthetics wrote:
Lol my problem isn’t impatience, ive gained 15 kilos so far and all my lifts have gone up enormously and I have put on a lot of size. I am going clothes shopping soon because shorts are becoming tight and t shirts are tight on my back, sometimes on my chest/shoulders. Everything is progressing besides arms which have NOT BUDGED in a solid 4 months. I think I have been patient enough.[/quote]

4 months ? Been working on an ab issue for 4 years now and iam still going at it , so yah , chill [/quote]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

68

[quote]dt79 wrote:

[quote]siddhu_r wrote:

[quote]Massthetics wrote:
Lol my problem isn’t impatience, ive gained 15 kilos so far and all my lifts have gone up enormously and I have put on a lot of size. I am going clothes shopping soon because shorts are becoming tight and t shirts are tight on my back, sometimes on my chest/shoulders. Everything is progressing besides arms which have NOT BUDGED in a solid 4 months. I think I have been patient enough.[/quote]

4 months ? Been working on an ab issue for 4 years now and iam still going at it , so yah , chill [/quote]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
[/quote]

x2

69

[quote]dt79 wrote:

[quote]siddhu_r wrote:

[quote]Massthetics wrote:
Lol my problem isn’t impatience, ive gained 15 kilos so far and all my lifts have gone up enormously and I have put on a lot of size. I am going clothes shopping soon because shorts are becoming tight and t shirts are tight on my back, sometimes on my chest/shoulders. Everything is progressing besides arms which have NOT BUDGED in a solid 4 months. I think I have been patient enough.[/quote]

4 months ? Been working on an ab issue for 4 years now and iam still going at it , so yah , chill [/quote]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
[/quote]

Right? Was wondering if this guy was gonna show up.

Either that, or it’s the same troll on 2 accounts.

70

You could always try sticking with something. If you’re arms “haven’t progressed in the last 4 months” and you’ve tried “everything, every rep/set scheme, drop sets, frequency, and volume” then here’s a crazy idea: stop abandoning something when you don’t see progress after 2 weeks. Because in order to have tried all of that out, you would have had to only done each for like a week or two.

71

Aragorn - That sounds fair enough, even the long limbed part. But the thing is, ive been on stronglifts for 3 weeks, my quads have gone up an inch and my arms are exactly the same, 12.5" on the line. Surely there should be some sort of increase if all my other body parts are growing. I don’t see whats so special about arms?

I am deloading off 95lb because I can do 90lb successfully, 95lb only with a light spot. I am gaining about 1lb a week as it is I would say I am eating enough. But I see some room to be eating more so I will start stuffing myself more. Out of the 13 kilos gained, (i have taken pictures along the way) i haven’t noticed any extra fat yet which is nice. That tells me my surplus hasn’t been too high.

I track my workouts, exactly how i warm up, every rep of every set, etc. I don’t track food though. I will 100% be doing it when I eventually get on a cut but I am not sure if I will while I am bulking. I am still considering this.

Patch Adams - 3 weeks isn’t a short time if your a beginner like me. With noob gains 3 weeks is a while. Especially considering that in that span of time every single other muscle has group has progressed EXCEPT arms.

Flipcollar - I guess it might be genetics. I have two friends both have about a year of lifting experience they have the same or slightly less bodyfat than me. One is 5’9 16" arms other is 6’ 15" arms. Is it genetics…? :confused:

The hate was unexpected, when someone gives me information i don’t blindly say ‘yes’ and follow it like its the gospel. I like to ask questions why this happens, etc. I also provide my own information on the topic especially if its contradictory and ask about it. I’m not trying to be a know-it-all im asking for advice, I probably just do it in a different and more concrete way than others.

I appreciate the answers like mentioned before I have and am taking every single one into account.

I also read a lot. I have borrowed and finished a couple bodybuilding books from the library but I don’t really do that anymore. I watch a few videos on youtube but I mainly read articles because they seem more reliable.

Apoklyps - funny thread

Staystrong - The shorts I have stayed with a training method for my arms was 2 weeks.

72

You want big arms, do what CT Fletcher does. Ignore what everybody else says!!!

I don’t think you even need a beginners program, just go straight to biceps annihilation.

"And not a curl was done..." CT Fletcher on Biceps Curls - YouTube

Stop posting and go do it gotdamn it!!!

73

[quote]Aragorn wrote:
The short answer is that quite frankly arm growth is tied to overall weight gain for you at this point. Charles Poliquin is one of the smartest coaches to ever write–although he does have a habit of saying things I would categorize as pseudoscience.so I wouldn’t take his words as gospel–and has stated that he notices it takes an average of 15 lbs of body weight gained to see an inch gain on the arms. For a tall long limbed person such as you, that might be even more (and probably is). That is with direct arm work like curls in there.

If you are doing stronglifts 5x5, you should not be deloading IMHO unless you are failing to get the all the reps at your 95 lbs. If you are failing to get the weight you need to get back to a weight you are successful with. If you are not failing and you ARE getting the 5x5 in without missing reps then don’t sweat the plateau, it will break when you eat more. Bench strength is highly correlated with bodyweight.

At your weight you need to be focused on gaining at least 1 lb a week. Preferably a little more, even up to 1.5 lb a week. If you are not gainjng at least 1lb a week, you are no eating enough. Period. This means you log EVERYTHING that touches your mouth, determine how.many calories.you are getting every day, and then add to that. 5x5 is a good program and I have put people on it before…in fzct one of my good friends is about 6’3" and has gained 35 lbs in 4 months. It works…if you eat and track it.

My 2 cents is that you do stronglifts as written, but add abs/back/arms on say a saturday after all your stronglifts workouts are done. Emphasis on back here, because having a weak one will hold your growth, and hence your arms, back.[/quote]

Read and apply this. All of it. Every single word.

74

[quote]Massthetics wrote:
Patch Adams - 3 weeks isn’t a short time if your a beginner like me. With noob gains 3 weeks is a while. Especially considering that in that span of time every single other muscle has group has progressed EXCEPT arms.
[/quote]

There is only one proven method to gaining muscle size- Eating at a surplus and stimulating the target muscles effectively.

I say again- Every other muscles progressed BECAUSE YOU WERE A STICK. You were 6ft 2 and 125lbish. I know how exactly you looked because I had a high-school friend who was like 6ft and weight 130lb or something. Guy looked like a stick too, to the point that everyone called him “Stick”.

You are two inches taller than him and weigh roughly the same. Given that 2 inches of height can afford you as much as 5-10lb of added mass, you must have been “Super Stick”.

Now you are 155lbish, and so every part of your body where you are seeing weight-progression is growing. Great.

Except your bench has stalled. Which means it’s not progressing. Which explains why your arms aren’t growing.

There is nothing complicated about this. You only have to eat a lot, get to 200lb+, and continue to lift consistently and do things that make your body happy and produce a lot of growth hormones.

75

[quote]Massthetics wrote:
Aragorn - That sounds fair enough, even the long limbed part. But the thing is, ive been on stronglifts for 3 weeks, my quads have gone up an inch and my arms are exactly the same, 12.5" on the line. Surely there should be some sort of increase if all my other body parts are growing.[/quote]
You have no progress in your arms because:

Your bench is stalled, you’re not curling any heavier.

You are currently seeing progress in your legs because:

Your squat has gone up 40lb this month and your quads are blowing up.

SEE THE CORRELATION???

76

[quote]Massthetics wrote:

Patch Adams - 3 weeks isn’t a short time if your a beginner like me. With noob gains 3 weeks is a while. Especially considering that in that span of time every single other muscle has group has progressed EXCEPT arms.
[/quote]

Yes it is! Even for beginner like you. It wasn’t long ago I was in your situation and even now I think of myself as a beginner. You won’t notice much difference in arm size in 3 weeks.

Judging from your photo your arms look about right for your body. You lack mass everywhere.

You shouldn’t be worrying about this while you’re so weak (95lbs bench press!). Eat and get all your lifts up. It’s very simple.

77

[quote]Patch Adams wrote:
You lack mass everywhere.
[/quote]

Bingo, quit crying about arms.

78

alright guys thanks for the advice i think im pretty much done I know where to go from here.

One more thing, my deadlift is really struggling to go up. I have no problem actually moving the weight it feels easier and easier but my grip isn’t really improving. Someone suggested hook grip before but I can’t really get it right my sweaty fingers just slip off of each other.

I have no interest in using straps. I have added static holds to my deadlift day to help with this. I only did them today and saturday since i only just added them so time will tell if it helps. Tips would be appreciated.

I lied, another thing actually. Before I started stronglifts I have read dozens of articles and dozens of threads on this forum and others on calf training methods since mine werent progressing and I found something that works great and was adding about a third of an inch to my calves every week.

I started stronglifts very quickly and it doesn’t include calves and obviously they aren’t growing now. I see no reason not to do calves should I add them in to one of my work outs also? My calves are sitting at 15" at the moment if anyone is wondering. They were 13" before.

Lied again this is the last last final thing. When I get to my last rep or two on squats, occasionally when I am struggling my knees like to buckle in, same with deadlifts. My form feels solid the whole 5 months I have been lifting I have studied articles and youtube videos religuosly for squat and deadlift form.

Personal trainers and the larger people in my gym said they don’t see anything wrong with my form on either exercise. Just one guy gave me the incredibly useful tip for deadlifting to almost brush the bar against my shins. I can upload a video if requested but your going to have to wait for it. I assume the buckling in is some sort of musculer imbalance?

Should I continue squatting and deadlifting as-is and it will even itself out? Or should I do something else? This is a common problem from what I’ve read hopefully theres a simple and reliable solution.

Thanks for the people who are actually giving advice. Weighed in at 71kg today. So thats 14kg so far.

79

Are you using chalk for your deadlifts?

80

[quote]Massthetics wrote:
alright guys thanks for the advice i think im pretty much done I know where to go from here.

One more thing, my deadlift is really struggling to go up. I have no problem actually moving the weight it feels easier and easier but my grip isn’t really improving. Someone suggested hook grip before but I can’t really get it right my sweaty fingers just slip off of each other.

I have no interest in using straps. I have added static holds to my deadlift day to help with this. I only did them today and saturday since i only just added them so time will tell if it helps. Tips would be appreciated.

I lied, another thing actually. Before I started stronglifts I have read dozens of articles and dozens of threads on this forum and others on calf training methods since mine werent progressing and I found something that works great and was adding about a third of an inch to my calves every week.

I started stronglifts very quickly and it doesn’t include calves and obviously they aren’t growing now. I see no reason not to do calves should I add them in to one of my work outs also? My calves are sitting at 15" at the moment if anyone is wondering. They were 13" before.

Lied again this is the last last final thing. When I get to my last rep or two on squats, occasionally when I am struggling my knees like to buckle in, same with deadlifts. My form feels solid the whole 5 months I have been lifting I have studied articles and youtube videos religuosly for squat and deadlift form.

Personal trainers and the larger people in my gym said they don’t see anything wrong with my form on either exercise. Just one guy gave me the incredibly useful tip for deadlifting to almost brush the bar against my shins. I can upload a video if requested but your going to have to wait for it. I assume the buckling in is some sort of musculer imbalance?

Should I continue squatting and deadlifting as-is and it will even itself out? Or should I do something else? This is a common problem from what I’ve read hopefully theres a simple and reliable solution.

Thanks for the people who are actually giving advice. Weighed in at 71kg today. So thats 14kg so far.[/quote]

This is great. You are finally asking the right questions.

As a beginner, you should be obsessively trying to get stronger in the major lifts and learning and refining your technique while increasing bodyweght. This is why stronglifts, 531 and starting strength work so damn well. They are based on a logical method of progression in the main lifts.

Its best you post a video of your lifts here or even in the powerlifting section as they have excellent lifters that will give great advice. I recently read a great description of the deadlift by emski and increased mine by 10kg just by applying it (now i owe him a dollar…).

If you want to add calves and stuff, go ahead if you can measure the tangible benefits, which in your case was the increase in actual measurements so its probably working for you. Don’t just add in stuff for no reason. Add in a back and arms day like Aaragon suggested and get stronger at chin ups and any kind of row.

Just make sure you PROGRESS IN THE MAIN LIFTS and GAIN WEIGHT.

Good luck.