That’s because SS is a STRENGTH program for beginners, not a BODYBUILDING program.
The idea is that all newbies will grow some amounts of muscle and build a (compared to the starting point) good bit of strength from the rather quick weight progression in SS.
Obviously it’s not for you. It has its flaws, but for a beginner’s program it is quite good because it places emphasis on doing the big four and not superfluous crap that doesn’t build strength.
I can’t believe you think squats will grow your arms. Did you take Mr. Rippetoe’s comments about how SS will make your body grow everywhere seriously? How will squats affect your arms when they’re not doing anything?
FYI, I’ve noticed the same thing as you did. I started with SS, but besides my dead-lift nothing improved. SS did nothing to grow my arms. All I did was gain weight when I tried to bulk the way Rippetoe said. So I changed things. I lifted everyday. I did all four main lifts 3x a week and push-ups and chins 3x a week as well. In response, I built the above-mentioned lifts. In return, I got De Quervain’s tenosynovitis on my left wrist and have been unable to exercise for the past three months besides walk/jog.
Know what made my arms grow? Dips and close-armed push-ups for my triceps. Chins and DB curls for my biceps.
I focused almost entirely on full-body movements besides the curls and db rows because body image wasn’t a particular concern. I just wanted to be stronger than I was previously. This is also why I won’t bother posting a picture. It’ll be absolutely not be what you expect. Esp. since the last three months spent doing nothing.
Anyways, body speaking-wise. I think I’m the same as you. I put muscle/fat on much easier on my thighs and hips far more than I do on my upper body. I think what’s happening with you is that your lack of chin/pull-ups and a slight surplus in calories is making you slowly pack on some weight on your lower body. The lack of chins/pull-ups is preventing you from building a proper, wide back that is essential to building a large upper body. Do those for a couple of months, and you’ll start looking bigger on your thighs.
While I do put muscle on much easier on my lower body, the fat-loss that came along with my heavy lifting while building my back made me look more properly masculine.
My only advice to you is do your chins at the expense of everything else. Your chins are absolutely essential to building both proper strength and physique.
If you can’t do chins, then go fucking do negatives. Get yourself up on top of the bar in the chin-up position, then take five seconds to slowly bring yourself down to the ground. Do it five times. Then rest a minute or so and do it again. So on and so forth.
After a week or so of doing that, start doing tiny bits of chins. Two reps, then rest a minute and a half, then do another two reps. Keep that up till you hit some arbitrary high number. I initially used thirty, then went up to forty. Every week add another rep. After several months, you’ll be finish the forty reps in just three-four sets.
Apologies for the essay, but I do think that you’re stuck in a very narrow mindset atm and refusing to push yourself beyond your comfort zones because you don’t think it’ll be worth it. I’m just trying to say that I made the same mistakes you’ve made. My bodyshape sounds the same as yours. The only difference is that I got inventive and did whatever it took while you started looking at genetics and bone-structure to determine whether there’s something wrong.
There could be something wrong with your body structure. I still have considerably smaller shoulders than my brother, even though he can’t do a single pull-up and hasn’t lifted in years. He just has a bigger build than me. But until you’re dead-lifting 2x your bw for a couple reps (374 assuming you’re still 187lb) and doing at least 10 chins without trouble, you haven’t even built your strength to the point where you’ll start seeing the appropriate physical changes.
Instead of trying a BB routine, maybe go on a full strength routine and focus on just the big four and good calisthenics? Just do the OHP/Bench/Squat/Dead-lift as your main lift while you do push-ups/dips/chins/good mornings or similar/some form of row/a bit of bicep curl just to add size if you’re like me and nothing else adds size to your biceps.
Just try that for four-five months. But focus mostly on your chins if you’re going to continue with a BB routine. Cause your chins suck.
A bit of an addendum-
Your info board states that you’re 6ft 2 and 187lb.
I am a good five inches shorter and close to thirty pounds lighter than you. You shouldn’t be comparing the current amount of weight you’re lifting to mine. We’re both very different in terms of body design due to the extreme difference in height.
finally healed though and an looking forward to starting again.
