2 years later, 1 year of training, almost no results?

[Niels]

Here are two pictures of me, two years apart and a bit more than 1 year of weightlifting.
(not the same angle since I don't take a lot of shirtless pics)

I haven't noticed a huge amount of weight difference (even though I gained 2 kg's of fat in the year after the first pic and haven't lost any kilos since then so maybe recomposition?)

Is this normal after 1 year of training (obviously with ups and downs since I have two exam periods of about month thanks to school)? If I look at myself now I feel like I have almost gained no muscle.

Any tips?

1)


2)


I know this isn't the right place to post, but there is no right forum and I don't like Bodybuilding.com as a forum.

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

Here are two pictures of me, two years apart and a bit more than 1 year of weightlifting.
(not the same angle since I don't take a lot of shirtless pics)

I haven't noticed a huge amount of weight difference (even though I gained 2 kg's of fat in the year after the first pic and haven't lost any kilos since then so maybe recomposition?)

Is this normal after 1 year of training (obviously with ups and downs since I have two exam periods of about month thanks to school)? If I look at myself now I feel like I have almost gained no muscle.

Any tips?

1)

View attachment 639925
2)
View attachment 639927

I know this isn't the right place to post, but there is no right forum and I don't like Bodybuilding.com as a forum.

Your traps got bigger and you look slightly heavier overall. What's troubling is that your flatass pecs remained the same. Are you benching at all? Do a shitload more benching and rowing if you wanna fill out a tshirt.

 

[Niels]

Your traps got bigger and you look slightly heavier overall. What's troubling is that your flatass pecs remained the same. Are you benching at all? Do a shitload more benching and rowing if you wanna fill out a tshirt.

I am benching, recently started increasing my dumbell bench weight. But I skipped a lot of the barbell bench because it really put a lot of stress on my shoulders.

I will try to pick it up again and use less weight and improve form

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

I am benching, recently started increasing my dumbell bench weight. But I skipped a lot of the barbell bench because it really put a lot of stress on my shoulders.

I will try to pick it up again and use less weight and improve form

What kinda volume are you doing? More volume + more food (this is important).

 

[Niels]

What kinda volume are you doing? More volume + more food (this is important).

-dumbell bench press: 14,5 kg in each hand
-incline dumbell bench press: 14,5 kg in each hand
-barbell bench press: 47,5kg (often less sets since my shoulders often hurt because of it)

I weigh 66-68kg at 178cm BTW... So I've got some work to do

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

-dumbell bench press: 14,5 kg in each hand
-incline dumbell bench press: 14,5 kg in each hand
-barbell bench press: 47,5kg (often less sets since my shoulders often hurt because of it)

I weigh 66-68kg at 178cm BTW... So I've got some work to do

I meant volume as in how many sets and reps. 5 sets of 10 reps is a good mass builder to start off with. Do an equal amount of rows for each bench set you do.

 

[Niels]

I meant volume as in how many sets and reps. 5 sets of 10 reps is a good mass builder to start off with. Do an equal amount of rows for each bench set you do.

Fuck, yeah sorry I copied that from another post and then forgot to add the amount of sets and reps.
For the dumbell presses I do 3 sets of 12 reps, for the barbell bench press 2 sets mostly due to shoulder pain of 8 reps

So more sets and how many different exercises then?

And rows for back muscles you mean then?

 

[AlanGregson]

whats's your diet like, you look like a typical ectomorph body type, you should be eating a lot and avoiding cardio intensive exercises. Im the same height as you and weigh 77-80kg, although im a rare mesomorph, very muscular build. How often do you lift a week and are you inducing enough stress for muscle growth.

 

[Niels]

whats's your diet like, you look like a typical ectomorph body type, you should be eating a lot and avoiding cardio intensive exercises. Im the same height as you and weigh 77-80kg, although im a rare mesomorph, very muscular build. How often do you lift a week and are you inducing enough stress for muscle growth.

4 times a week, don't pay a lot of attention to diet, but I take 60g of protein powder per day

 

[AlanGregson]

4 times a week, don't pay a lot of attention to diet, but I take 60g of protein powder per day

you should pay a lot of attention to diet. Diet is more important than exercise. If you don't eat enough you're not gonna grow regardless of how much you exercise

 

[JauntyAngle]

A lot of factors determine muscle growth... but one of them is that your muscles will be as big as they need to be to move the weight you are lifting. I'd guess that your muscles are not that developed because you are lifting pretty light weights, and you are rarely increasing the weights much.

So aside from food and sleep and so on, you almost certainly need to do more sets and reps, and push for heavier weights. Getting on a proper program is a good thing, but also don't sell yourself short. You can probably do much much more work than you are currently doing, and you can probably push yourself harder.

And if barbell bench hurts your shoulders, do other exercises. But don't cut the volume. Do more. More. Heavier. More.

 

[dannysmith]

Looks like you need to start lifting and eating.

 

[Niels]

Looks like you need to start lifting and eating.

Thanks for the input

 

[Davem10]

Eat a lot more

Also

Move to using machines, if you want to bodybuild, machines are excellent

You want to really feel the target muscle working

For example

I had a very strong bench for my size, but my chest mass wasn't great. I couldn't feel loads of chest involvement, it was a mix of chest shoulder and tricep

I then began primarily using the chest fly machine, I could feel the burn solely in my chest...... My chest grew much faster as a result

You overall strength will certainly take a hit doing this but your muscles will grow

 

[Niels]

Eat a lot more

Also

Move to using machines, if you want to bodybuild, machines are excellent

You want to really feel the target muscle working

For example

I had a very strong bench for my size, but my chest mass wasn't great. I couldn't feel loads of chest involvement, it was a mix of chest shoulder and tricep

I then began primarily using the chest fly machine, I could feel the burn solely in my chest...... My chest grew much faster as a result

You overall strength will certainly take a hit doing this but your muscles will grow

I train at home with freeweights only, I really can't afford machines.

I've got a bench, EZ-bar, barbell and dumbells

 

[RS86]

Food

And continue training hard. I was a similar build but persevered and got the results I wanted in time. This is me earier this year vs me at 17 (15 years progress). Food is the most important factor IMO, without optimal calories you're just spinning your wheels

 

[wufabufa]

Progressive overload is really the main principle you need to execute. You should be aiming for either more weight, more reps, less rest between sets, or even an extra set. You may not set PR's every time you train but keeping track of your progress is a key component gain strength and size. Those light dumbbells you're using certainly aren't offering your enough resistance to stimulate muscle growth. 30lb dumbbells are only going to take you so far.

If you can't get to a gym even then try switching to calisthenics. There are lots of crazy hard variations and progressions to work towards. Hell, make a sand bag and do weighted crunches, push ups, pull ups, lunges, bulgarian split squats ect ect. Never Gymless, Convict Conditioning, Complete Calisthenics, and You Are Your Own Gym are all good books/references to give you ideas on how to challenge yourself with a minimal amount of equipment along with literally millions of YouTube videos on the subject. But if you're serious about getting bigger a gym is going to be a more efficient use of your time. And if you're going to a well equipped gym then hopping on a proven beginner lifting program is going to benefit you greatly along with eating a caloric surplus.

You can't keep half-assing things and expecting results.

 

[241]

Just looking at your lifts and you're inclining the same as flat bench. This tells me u aren't pushing your flat bench hard enough because flat should be a higher weight than incline.
Try and hit close to 3000cal a day, use the app my fitness pal to help track everything and start pushing all your exercises to as close til failure as possible.
Lastly don't think protein is the only macro u need. Carbs and fat play a big role as well so you gotta start eating big or u ain't goin no where. Good advice from @RS86

 

[maximus__]

Here are two pictures of me, two years apart and a bit more than 1 year of weightlifting.
(not the same angle since I don't take a lot of shirtless pics)

I haven't noticed a huge amount of weight difference (even though I gained 2 kg's of fat in the year after the first pic and haven't lost any kilos since then so maybe recomposition?)

Is this normal after 1 year of training (obviously with ups and downs since I have two exam periods of about month thanks to school)? If I look at myself now I feel like I have almost gained no muscle.

Any tips?

1)

View attachment 639925
2)
View attachment 639927

I know this isn't the right place to post, but there is no right forum and I don't like Bodybuilding.com as a forum.

Read the faq. Adjust your diet and program. Good luck

 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

It's genetics. You'd have to go back in time and get different parents. At least you're not fat.