[iPodAddict]

Not to throw your hopes out the window, but its mostly genetics. Some people just won't grow.

Unfortunately, I'm one of those people. Abs and downwards, I've got crazy muscle (I mean my Quads, Hamstrings, Calfs, etc). I've been playing soccer since the age of 2 lol.

...mind you I can keep growing these at will. It's just my upper body that will not grow anywhere near the same pace. Chest, shoulders, arms, and forearms. My back is decent.

I've been working out for 5 years now. I started off at 140lbs @ 6ft. Disgustingly skinny. I was able to hit 200lbs around november of 2009. I've since cut down to 185lbs (present weight) and I feel healthy as heck.

So OP, you'll never know until you've gotten enough experience at the gym to 'listen' to your body. With the vast amount of information online, this is probably the single-most important part that I've learned that has helped me substantially. Good luck and pray you've got genetics on your side lol.

[Garduna]

Oh genetics, no love in that. born with it and can't do shit about lol. Another important aspect is the metabolic type that you are. That'll help you gauge the kind of exercise regiment you'll need.

[TiAg335i]

I understand genetics is a part but I'd still say its about 50/50 genetics/exercise and diet. By the way, genetics are DEFINITELY not on my side.

As of late, I've been following this mass program seen here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hitworkout.htm

Yes, 1 rep sets are weird, but I decided to give it a try. It sort of makes sense.

Even though it's only my second week on it, I think there may be potential in it. I've broken past my 145 lb ceiling this past 2 weeks and at my heaviest I am sitting at 148-150lbs.

I'll continue this program and update you guys as I go.

[Bobby_Light]

Originally Posted by TiAg335i

I understand genetics is a part but I'd still say its about 50/50 genetics/exercise and diet. By the way, genetics are DEFINITELY not on my side.

As of late, I've been following this mass program seen here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hitworkout.htm

Yes, 1 set is weird, but I decided to give it a try. It sort of makes sense.

Even though it's only my second week on it, I think there may be potential in it. I've broken past my 145 lb ceiling this past 2 weeks and at my heaviest I am sitting at 148-150lbs.

I'll continue this program and update you guys as I go.

That program is a train wreck. The more you think you're hard gainer, the more you will be.

[TiAg335i]

Originally Posted by Bobby_Light

That program is a train wreck. The more you think you're hard gainer, the more you will be.

What does this mean exactly?

[jimmyeatsworld]

Genetics are definitely a 100% factor. Not everyone can build muscle easily, different muscle attachments, bone structure, ectomorph vs endomorphs, lagging body parts like disproportionate muscle groups, etc.

Everyone has some weakness. It just requires more effort and trying different things. Arnold's weakness according to him was his calfs. So he just worked harder to get them proportioned.

[Bobby_Light]

Originally Posted by TiAg335i

What does this mean exactly?

You become your own worst road block if you think you're a hard gainer. As Poliquin says, "It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy." That idea of not being able to gain muscle becomes ingrained into your psyche and you grasp onto it as a way to explain why you're not getting results. Mentally you need to think you're not a hard gainer. It's about the attitude that you go into the game with. Have the mindset of an easy gainer.

The same goes for people with a specific disease with a label attached to it. They get attached to the label of their disease and the focus is on the sickness and not the healing so they never get better and remain sick. Change your attitude. Change your likelihood for results.

This is a gem of an article by Poliquin. Marinate on this information.

http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Artic...le.aspx?ID=284

[TiAg335i]

Originally Posted by Bobby_Light

You become your own worst road block if you think you're a hard gainer. As Poliquin says, "It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy." That idea of not being able to gain muscle becomes ingrained into your psyche and you grasp onto it as a way to explain why you're not getting results. Mentally you need to think you're not a hard gainer. It's about the attitude that you go into the game with. Have the mindset of an easy gainer.

The same goes for people with a specific disease with a label attached to it. They get attached to the label of their disease and the focus is on the sickness and not the healing so they never get better and remain sick. Change your attitude. Change your likelihood for results.

This is a gem of an article by Poliquin. Marinate on this information.

http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Artic...le.aspx?ID=284

I don't know if this applies to me...I mean I've been working hard, but I am still seeing results.

I weighed in around 128 lbs this time last year, and just today I am at 150.2 lbs. That's about a 20-22 lb gain in pure muscle in about 9-10 months (I didn't workout for a couple months during the past year)

Obviously, I would like to have seen a 40lb gain, but I guess I have to take what I can get.

[Thisisdudewhoru]

I've been working out consistenly for about 5 months now. I'm 5'10 145lbs. And haven't gained an ounce of weight yet but my lifts have constantly going up and my muscle mass has about doubled, not really sure why I haven't gained weight. I started off weak as hell only benching around 135lbs max. I'm now maxing 220 and doing pyramid sets with 180lbs x6, 190lbs x4 then 200lbs x2reps. I've tried to go up 5 or more lbs per week and it's seemed to work well so far. All curls(40lbs), overheads(42lbs), lie down fly's(42lbs), pulls(75lbs), standing flys(25lbs), shrugs(50lbs) are done with dumbbells(all exercises 3 sets of 6). Also do 2 sets of 20 dips with 80lbs on my lap. Hell, I'd like to get to 165 or 170 and I'd be happy. I look like I weigh a lot more than I do but I have a pretty small waist. I only have 265lbs in free weights at the house so that's all i've been squating with.

Drinking a 62g protein shake a day. 2 servings of creatine a day. Jack3d as preworkout. Have a pretty high protein and carb diet as I don't eat any veggies except corn and potatoes.

My mentality is just keep working hard and you'll eventually get there. Never settle.

[Zephyr15]

Originally Posted by Thisisdudewhoru

I've been working out consistenly for about 5 months now. I'm 5'10 145lbs. And haven't gained an ounce of weight yet but my lifts have constantly going up and my muscle mass has about doubled, not really sure why I haven't gained weight. I started off weak as hell only benching around 135lbs max. I'm now maxing 220 and doing pyramid sets with 180lbs x6, 190lbs x4 then 200lbs x2reps. I've tried to go up 5 or more lbs per week and it's seemed to work well so far. All curls(40lbs), overheads(42lbs), lie down fly's(42lbs), pulls(75lbs), standing flys(25lbs), shrugs(50lbs) are done with dumbbells(all exercises 3 sets of 6). Also do 2 sets of 20 dips with 80lbs on my lap. Hell, I'd like to get to 165 or 170 and I'd be happy. I look like I weigh a lot more than I do but I have a pretty small waist. I only have 265lbs in free weights at the house so that's all i've been squating with.

Drinking a 62g protein shake a day. 2 servings of creatine a day. Jack3d as preworkout. Have a pretty high protein and carb diet as I don't eat any veggies except corn and potatoes.

My mentality is just keep working hard and you'll eventually get there. Never settle.

Give it some time. Not all gains are measured on the scale and a lot of changes take place early on that you may not see. Think of it as laying the foundation for a house. You don't see it once the house is built, but good luck building the house without it. Besides, it sounds like you've made some great gains that other new-ish lifters would kill for.

You sound like my fiancee about the "veggies." Corn and potatoes aren't veggies. You're cheating yourself by skipping out on them and may not be doing yourself any favors if you are filling up on empty carbs instead.

Great mentality, btw.

[audiprotein]

Originally Posted by TiAg335i

I don't know if this applies to me...I mean I've been working hard, but I am still seeing results.

I weighed in around 128 lbs this time last year, and just today I am at 150.2 lbs. That's about a 20-22 lb gain in pure muscle in about 9-10 months (I didn't workout for a couple months during the past year)

Obviously, I would like to have seen a 40lb gain, but I guess I have to take what I can get.

Dude, unless you are a 17-21 yrs old guy, depending on your genetics, you should be able to gain about 7-10lbs of muscles a year. 40lbs is just crazy ))

[TiAg335i]

Originally Posted by audiprotein

Dude, unless you are a 17-21 yrs old guy, depending on your genetics, you should be able to gain about 7-10lbs of muscles a year. 40lbs is just crazy ))

I'm 22 with a (previously) skinny, ectomorph build....is 20lbs a year good progress?

[TiAg335i]

Originally Posted by Thisisdudewhoru

I've been working out consistenly for about 5 months now. I'm 5'10 145lbs. And haven't gained an ounce of weight yet but my lifts have constantly going up and my muscle mass has about doubled, not really sure why I haven't gained weight. I started off weak as hell only benching around 135lbs max. I'm now maxing 220 and doing pyramid sets with 180lbs x6, 190lbs x4 then 200lbs x2reps. I've tried to go up 5 or more lbs per week and it's seemed to work well so far. All curls(40lbs), overheads(42lbs), lie down fly's(42lbs), pulls(75lbs), standing flys(25lbs), shrugs(50lbs) are done with dumbbells(all exercises 3 sets of 6). Also do 2 sets of 20 dips with 80lbs on my lap. Hell, I'd like to get to 165 or 170 and I'd be happy. I look like I weigh a lot more than I do but I have a pretty small waist. I only have 265lbs in free weights at the house so that's all i've been squating with.

Drinking a 62g protein shake a day. 2 servings of creatine a day. Jack3d as preworkout. Have a pretty high protein and carb diet as I don't eat any veggies except corn and potatoes.

My mentality is just keep working hard and you'll eventually get there. Never settle.

Are you getting enough sleep? How many calories do you intake a day? You will gain weight if you up your caloric intake to like over 2500 a day - guaranteed. Even if you are full, force yourself to eat more. It sucks, but neccessary. Also, try taking some mass builder, like TrueMass...it's working wonders for me.

I am like you, in the lifting department. I started off struggling with the BAR, now I rep 185.

[Thisisdudewhoru]

Yea I forgot to mention I'm also taking Animal Pak vitamins to fill in whatever I'm missing with greens and whatnot. Intake around 2700-3200 calories a day depending on where and what I eat. I don't sleep very much though except for weekends if I get to then. Usually get up around 7 for class. Go til 1. Then go to work til 9. Workout when I get home on workout days. Get studying in. And I'm in bed around 1:30-2:00....I'm a pretty ridiculous eater honestly and I eat more than my friends who are twice my weight. It's mostly genetics. Dad is just now 49 and only weighs 170 and he still eats like no other. He's always had a hell of a time gaining weight as well and only seemed to put on those 20lbs he has on me when he turned 35ish. But I'm 20 and asian and eat ton's of white rice, beef, chicken and fish. Lots of eggs and mc donalds lmfao.

[ARMAN]

full supination concentration curls and lateral lifts DO THESE an you are golden. 8-10 reps make sure you use a weight that makes you feel the burn on the eight rep.

[gthirtyfizle]

Originally Posted by iPodAddict

Not to throw your hopes out the window, but its mostly genetics. Some people just won't grow.

Unfortunately, I'm one of those people. Abs and downwards, I've got crazy muscle (I mean my Quads, Hamstrings, Calfs, etc). I've been playing soccer since the age of 2 lol.

...mind you I can keep growing these at will. It's just my upper body that will not grow anywhere near the same pace. Chest, shoulders, arms, and forearms. My back is decent.

I've been working out for 5 years now. I started off at 140lbs @ 6ft. Disgustingly skinny. I was able to hit 200lbs around november of 2009. I've since cut down to 185lbs (present weight) and I feel healthy as heck.

So OP, you'll never know until you've gotten enough experience at the gym to 'listen' to your body. With the vast amount of information online, this is probably the single-most important part that I've learned that has helped me substantially. Good luck and pray you've got genetics on your side lol.

100% correct. I can b working out my legs and ill c my arms getting bigger lmao....

[armorrig]

Do 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps, of 3 different exercises for both biceps and triceps. You need to squeeze the muscle at the top of the movement. If you don't feel the pump after a set, you're doing it wrong.