Thread: Gaining strength but not size

So I just did my Fitday log for yesterday and I did pretty good.

Granola with rasberries and 2% milk
Chicken Quesidilla
Fruit smoothie with a scoop a whey
4 Tablespoons of peanutbutter
Protein shake with a shot of EVOO
Steak with mashed potatoes and broccoli

Before bed
Glass of 2% chocolate milk
Protein shake with a shot of EVOO

Apparently this is a 5446 calorie day according to fitday. I did all the measurements of my food as close as I could.
215gr of fat
681 carbs
223 protein
Thats seems like alot of fat and just alot in general.
2500ish cal from 2 protein/evoo shakes

Originally Posted by T_man

That comes to just about 400. Your protein shake is a mass gainer right? What time do you take them? I would take them only first thing in the morning or after a workout due to the amount of sugars. I piled on alot of fat with a weight gainer because i'd take it at any time of the day despit its 100g carbs per serving.

I take it whenever Im close to the giant bucket or when I have room in my stomach. JK After a workout and before bed usually. Sometimes first thing in the morning though. Yes it is a mass gainer. My body fat is so low that im not worried at this point about gaining any. Ive never been fat only skinny lol

Okay cool - you got fitdayed up and you posted your lifts.

Your legs are lagging. I outsquat you and I'm a middle-aged chick with injuries. You need more leg work than one day a week. You need to be working legs every second workout, or more. Use the workout T-man posted, it'll help you a lot. Work those squats and especially deads. You'll see why inside of six months - your whole body will grow from these and the calories.

Your fats are fine. I eat a lot of fat too. Good healthy and easy calories.

Good news! I did 225 6 times today instead of 2. My friends think its funny that I weigh 150lbs and I can double plate Also DB pressed more and went up 5lbs on my flys. My question now is should I completely switch over to that other workout posted, or can I continue my current workout and add a ton more legs? Squats deadlifts ect. Is it neccesary to switch to the push pull squat workout to get best growth gains? I ask because I like my current routine but If its hindering my growth then I will change.

You asked, we told you what we felt was the best advice for your goals.

Originally Posted by mattskaien

Good news! I did 225 6 times today instead of 2. My friends think its funny that I weigh 150lbs and I can double plate Also DB pressed more and went up 5lbs on my flys. My question now is should I completely switch over to that other workout posted, or can I continue my current workout and add a ton more legs? Squats deadlifts ect. Is it neccesary to switch to the push pull squat workout to get best growth gains? I ask because I like my current routine but If its hindering my growth then I will change.

Use the other routine. You have too much volume on the upper body, not enough on the lower body. An entire day devoted to arms is a day wasted.

I dont have anything to add, as I am not an expert by any means on training, but I will say this: It is nice seeing a 21 year old that is listening. There are some extremely knowledgeable people on this site, that gladly give out advice for free, that many people would pay for, and in my time spent here I have seen 1 reoccurring theme.

Those that listen and learn succeed in their goals, those that ignore the advice here and do their own things inevitably dissapear, or come back in 6 months after making no progress and asking for help.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Built

You asked, we told you what we felt was the best advice for your goals.

Fair enough, thanks, new workout plan it is.

Is it feasible for me to gain 10lbs and be up to 160 for my birthday April 1st? Im trying to average 5000cal a day. Anything else I need to know?

Originally Posted by mattskaien

I first posted this in the newbie forum but didn't get any response. So ill try here as i'm speculating but not all together sure that its both how i'm training and my diet.


Hey guys so im new to the forum my name is Matt and yes im from Canada. Id say im pretty new to the gym scene aswell. Only been going for about a year now. Im 21 years old and currently go to school fulltime. School is also where I go to train.

Ive been trolling around this site for about a week now and have posted a couple times and after reading a little bit I went over to fitday and started looking up the nutritional info for all the food I eat. My results were on average in a day I consume

3,857 Calories (Almost 2000 from Gainer+Protein I take twice daily)
100grams of Fat
545grams of Carbs
211grams of Protein

My training is

Day 1: Shoulders and Back
Shoulder Press
Wide Grip Pull up
Upright Rows (Bar to chin)
Machine Lat Pulldowns
Seated Laterals Raises
Seated Rows
Bent over (seated) Lateral Raises
Olympic bar Rows
Shrugs

Day 2: Chest

Incline/Decline/Flat Bench
Flat Dumbbell Fys
Flat Dumbbell Press
Cable Flys (Lower Chest)
Cable Flys (Upper Chest)
Machine Press
Machine Flys

Day 3: Arms

Incline/Decline/Flate Close grip benchpress
Hammer Curl
Skull Crushers
Preacher Curl Dumbbells
Machine Tricept pushdowns
Olympic Bar Bicep curl
Dips
EZ Bar Curls
Seated behind head tricep extention

Day 4: Legs+ Abs

Squats
Leg Press
Leg Extentions
Calf Raises
Decline Situps
Ab/core Machine
Bike 30 min

Day 5: Rest

Day 6: Do it again

Oh and also after every set I pick up something 2/3 the weight and do the same movement untill failure. (Drop sets)

So im 5'9 150lbs and cant put on size. Im pretty strong for my size but training seems to be going to strength rather then mass. So what is it? More food? (Cal) Different way of training??

The amount of cals you're consuming is sufficient, but it's the form that you are taking them all in that is not great. Cut way back on your gainer and replace it with whole foods i.e. chicken, steak, veg, fruit, oatmeal etc.

secondly, I believe you are seriously overtraining yourself. Choose three exercises for larger body parts i.e. chest, back, legs, and two for smaller body parts i.e. bi's tri's, delts. Do no more than 3-4 sets at between 6-10 reps. Choose compound exercises like bench for chest, and deadlift and rows for back.

Also, workout a schedule so you are only working each body part once a week, and you are doing no more than 4 actual workouts a week.

Hope this helps

Originally Posted by mattskaien

Is it feasible for me to gain 10lbs and be up to 160 for my birthday April 1st? Im trying to average 5000cal a day. Anything else I need to know?

Depending on your current body composition it is possible. If you have been training for a while it would be very difficult, but if you are relatively new to heavy resistance training it is very possible.

Originally Posted by mattskaien

Is it feasible for me to gain 10lbs and be up to 160 for my birthday April 1st? Im trying to average 5000cal a day. Anything else I need to know?

At 2.5lbs a week, if you do, it's not going to be all muscle.

Originally Posted by Archangel.

I believe you are seriously overtraining yourself.

I changed my routine, im now doing the push pull squat workout modified at little bit.

Originally Posted by T_man

At 2.5lbs a week, if you do, it's not going to be all muscle.

Hmm, if I can actually gain a little fat it wouldnt be bad really.

Originally Posted by mattskaien

I first posted this in the newbie forum but didn't get any response. So ill try here as i'm speculating but not all together sure that its both how i'm training and my diet.


Hey guys so im new to the forum my name is Matt and yes im from Canada. Id say im pretty new to the gym scene aswell. Only been going for about a year now. Im 21 years old and currently go to school fulltime. School is also where I go to train.

Ive been trolling around this site for about a week now and have posted a couple times and after reading a little bit I went over to fitday and started looking up the nutritional info for all the food I eat. My results were on average in a day I consume

3,857 Calories (Almost 2000 from Gainer+Protein I take twice daily)
100grams of Fat
545grams of Carbs
211grams of Protein

there is ur problem, majority of your calories are from gainers.

you need WHOLE FOOD. whole food is more anabolic and anti-catabolic.

you gotta carry food with you, beef jerky in your backback, some natural peanut butter.

make sure you are getting tons of veggies too, you need that fiber it helps with digestion. don't make beginner mistakes it happens.

Ok clearly no one looks at any post but the first, I am eating more whole foods and no longer on the initial workout.

We know. JayC doesn't know but the rest of us do.

How you feeling - you're gaining now aren't you?

Slowly I think.