Thread: Training Help

To build muscle you need to be in a caloric surplus. Your training methods are almost irrelevant if your diet isn't in order. Check out the Diet/Nutrition section.

my stats are 230lbs 185lb lean mass. I eat 3500 calories a day. (My lean body mass x19caloires) I think that is probably okay.. but contrary feedback is welcome. I currently train 3 days a week. My upper back is what needs focus and i've been training it after it stops being sore.. which is like every 4 days. Exercises i have used are heavy rack pulls and dead lifts/ heavy bar and cable curls

How long have you been eating those calories? Have you been gaining weight?

What are your lifts - maybe start a gym log, post your current routine and parameters.

Read the link in my sig on getting started.

maybe ur overtraining it. If it's sore for 4 days chances are it will need the rest of the week to fully recover

Originally Posted by JAja04

I eat 3500 calories a day. I think that is probably okay.

Originally Posted by JAja04

I've been training for awhile and was having some trouble building muscle.

It's obviously not okay or you wouldn't have posted this thread!

Increase calories slightly and see what happens, that is priority number 1.

Do you have any other signs/symptoms of possible overtraining?

Originally Posted by JAja04

my stats are 230lbs 185lb lean mass. I eat 3500 calories a day. (My lean body mass x19caloires) I think that is probably okay.. but contrary feedback is welcome. I currently train 3 days a week. My upper back is what needs focus and i've been training it after it stops being sore.. which is like every 4 days. Exercises i have used are heavy rack pulls and dead lifts/ heavy bar and cable curls

Have you ever tried rows or pullups for the upper back?? Deads tend to work more traps than back tbh I wouldnt use them to build my back. And cable curls?? for back??

BB Rows are best for upper back and DB Rows for lats. Definitely do these two

i've been eating 3400 caloires for awhile... I'm getting stronger. My rack pulls (mid thigh level) have went from 400lbs back in feb to 480lbs currently. Last time i deadlifted i was 385lb 2 sets of 7 and 5.

My training typically looks something like this: More HIT

2 sets of Rack pulls or deadlifts. (alternate every training session)
2 sets of tbar rows 217 1/2lbs currently sets of 8
2 sets of heavy cable curls 185lbs sets of 10 then i up the wt
2 sets of pull ups 15lbs tied on


My width is good / My thickness is of major concern.

as far as overtraining goess.. almost certainly not the case IMO I only do 10 sets total each workout. i train like two-three days a week. Plus i run 250mgs of test.

Heavy cable curls aren't a traditonal back exercise i understand... Its more of an upperbody exercise.. trains traps, chest arms.. etc. I've been graudlaly getting stronger on all my lifts. I've plateaud on bench... but rack pulls and deads are continuing to go up.. My traps are my main concern. They lag the rest of my body. Lat width pretty good.

Traps? Try hang cleans.

Originally Posted by JAja04

i've been eating 3400 caloires for awhile... I'm getting stronger.

My width is good / My thickness is of major concern.

Again, you need to be gaining weight to build muscle. Like Gazhole said, increase your calories. Even if you gain muscle/fat in a 50/50 ratio, that's still pretty good. You can just diet the fat off later, and preserve the muscle by continuing to lift heavy.

P-Funk (Patrick Ward) just did a radio show talking about this very thing. Check out the show, it's only an hour long but it's very informative on this topic.

Iron Radio With Patrick Ward May 8 at 2 PM Eastern