Not just reduce progress, but completely halt it?
Over the 4 years or so that I have been working out - the first 2 being not very productive, and the last 2 being decent - I have gained a fair bit of strength (condsidering my busy schedule), but not even an ounce of muscle. I wish I was exaggerating.
My right bicep measurement at 21 years old: 13.5 inches. At 25 (aka today) - 13.6. Slightly higher body fat.
Chest: Was 41 inches, is 41 inches.
Etc.
But lifts (all 1RM’s):
Bench has gone from 130 to 230.
Squat from 200 to 310.
Dead from 260 to 420.
I am the skinny guy who impresses people by repping 4 plates on the dead. Less experienced people have asked if i’m on roids. I proceed to tell them that a 2.5x BW deadlift doesn’t mean that someone is on roids.
I have never had a problem with getting down a lot of food and a lot of protein. I’m not afraid of eating. I have gained and lost a bunch of fat when I tried bulking up during hypertrophy blocks. I am still trying to give hypertrophy training a shot, trying more volume… then less volume… all sorts of different things. but the immemse amount of stress (and an anxiety disorder on top of it) and an erratic sleep schedule have remained the biggest challenges in my life. The result of hypertrophy training has always been the same - I do a good amount of volume with well chosen excercises, get a beastly pump, eat a 500-750 calorie surplus with over a gram of protein per pound… the pump then fades away and leaves my muscles the same size they have always been. After a few months, I have made decent gains. Gains in fat. Then back to the miserable process of dieting, because I look like a slob again.
Tl;dr: in your experience, is it possible that a severe enough amount of stress and lack of sleep could result in absolutely no muscle gained, whilst strength increases without much trouble?
How much weight have you gained in 4 years?
At 21, I weighed 160 lbs, at an estimated 12% body fat. Definitely quite ripped. I started doing hypertrophy type training and eating like crazy, on some days until I was sick.
At the end of the first year of training, I weighed 190 lbs, at about 23% BF. I could not accurately measure the size of my muscles buried under the fat, but I had not gotten stronger at that point. Not at all.
It then took me an entire year to slowly get rid of the fat - I ended up at around 162 lbs, again approx. 12% body fat. Muscle measurements were the exact same.
When I started year 3 of training, I decided to screw hypertrophy and started focusing on strength instead. Hopped on 5/3/1 and a slight caloric surplus. Lifts started increasing steadily.
I arrived at 185 lbs, and significantly stronger than I was before. I dieted that fat down again - and lo and behold, I managed to keep on to, and even increase, my strength levels across all lifts. I am now sitting at 158 lbs as of this morning, 11 or 12% body fat - decently strong, but just as skinny as I was when I first started.
So, yes - at the beginning, I gained 30 lbs of weight without basically any measurable progress.
In my experience, it does not happen, but anything is possible.
2 Likes
Well, thanks for the insight. At this point, i’m beginning to wonder if I might be a genetic non-responder to hypertrophy. I try to avoid using the G-word as much as I can, but after having tried several different programs in an attempt to gain muscle whilst eating like an animal - i’m not sure what else to blame other than either my genetics, stress, or sleep…
Why all these threads with books for titles? It would be much easier to start a log and ask questions there so you can keep all the information together.
2 Likes
Yeah, I can see that. I tend to be bad at organizing my stuff.
1 Like
Based on what I’ve seen from you, I feel your issue is tied to overthinking.
5 Likes
Do you have any medical conditions?
Overthinking, OCD, hypochondria since childhood and a panic disorder - you name it, i’ve got it. So I agree, overthinking has been and is a root of many of my problems.
1 Like
You’ve got step 1 down at least my dude. That’s progress.
3 Likes
A tiny VSD (ventricular septal defect - very common) in my heart that has never grown bigger and has not affected me in any way. My heart function and aerobic fitness level is well above average.
Nothing besides that. So nothing that could logically affect muscle growth.
1 Like
You gained 30 lbs, then stopped training for hypertrophy and started focusing on strength; all your lifts are up 50+%.
I’m not seeing lack of progress. What am I missing?
Like you say, maybe you’re just worrying too much and things are actually moving along pretty well.
3 Likes
Because I want some muscle on my frame too…
I honestly think to make this happen you are going to have to get rid of the OCD, ADD and focus. You want muscle so you are looking for a hypertrophy program. You are going to have to eat with a purpose. One won’t work without the other
4 Likes
I hear you, but what I’m saying is you did gain weight when you tried, and you got stronger when that was your goal. I don’t think you’re really not making progress, you just gotta set the goal at what you want and then execute that plan and you’re going to be fine.
@ChickenLittle just linked a plan, and you’re already familiar with 5/3/1. If I were you, I’d just commit to doing every day without thinking and reassess after.
3 Likes
Yeah, i just reread the stats and the answer to my question “did you get bigger” was that, on average, he’s lost 2lbs. I think we’ve solved the lack of hypertrophy issue.
1 Like
Nervous, adrenal dudes always struggle to eat, sleep and put on muscles.
Tons of heavy, low rep straining makes dudes adrenal and nervous so they can’t sleep and eat.
It’s a vicious cycle.
You should get your hands on some weed. And definitely abandon that ultra low volume, ultra high intensity routine you posted in your other thread.
4 Likes
Thanks… but I have done hypertrophy programs with purpose, and I have eaten a lot… I can’t possibly gorge any more food than I did 3 years ago, when I stuffed sometimes more than 5000 calories down my throat every day and felt sick after. So I guess I should just… focus more. Well, i’ll try my best.