Do you ever feel like for having an inside "edge", you make rather slow gains? - JP Fitness Forums

lifter85 · 03-23-2008, 03:31 PM

Just curious, I mean I have to think people who come here all the time by now sort of feel like they have a bit of an upper edge on those around them in the gym. We always talk about all the stupid things we see people doing or people who "lift way too long/frequently and must be overtraining...". But has all this knowledge really propelled us to a much higher level of fitness/muscle size/strength level?

I don't know about you guys, but the people in the gym I go to make me look like an absolute stick body n00b. I'm 5'9" 188-190 lbs and probably 12% bodyfat, and yet short of the high schoolers and little kids, I have got to be hands down the smallest person in there. I also feel like my progress has been abnormally slow since hitting the 170 lbs marker, along with my strength. Despite my perfect nutrition, quality supplementation, and lifting programs (all 3 of these qualities are "said" to be above the average b/c we apparently know more), I still find myself benching nearly the same as I did 1.5 years ago, squatting almost the same, etc etc.

On one hand it's not that big of a deal b/c i'm in it for the long haul, but on the other it makes me wonder what's up. Almost everyone in my gym is benching 275 or more like it's nothing. I benched about 240 a year ago, and to this day am still right around that depending on what type of program i'm on. It's kind of baffling. Anyone else have this problem?

lifter85 · 03-23-2008, 03:34 PM

btw i also do nothing but lift for fitness and maybe a day of cardio once in a full moon, so there really should be no excuse for me not getting big really fast. however, the people who are playing basketball all day long or going out for long runs daily are the ones i generally see all so much bigger than me.

Cynic · 03-23-2008, 08:14 PM

It could be any number of reasons:

1. They've been lifting longer than you.
2. They take steroids.
3. They eat for the purpose.
4. They push themselves to do more than they did the last time.

If your gains are coming slow, the first thing I would look at is your diet. The next thing I would look at is your drive. Third, your training age.

CharDar · 03-23-2008, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynic

It could be any number of reasons:

1. They've been lifting longer than you.
2. They take steroids.
3. They eat for the purpose.
4. They push themselves to do more than they did the last time.

If your gains are coming slow, the first thing I would look at is your diet. The next thing I would look at is your drive. Third, your training age.

So true.

PerfectMartini · 03-24-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynic

It could be any number of reasons:

1. They've been lifting longer than you.
2. They take steroids.
3. They eat for the purpose.
4. They push themselves to do more than they did the last time.

If your gains are coming slow, the first thing I would look at is your diet. The next thing I would look at is your drive. Third, your training age.

and

5. Their genetics are more favorable to the muscle building process than yours.

You are always going to tend to compare yourself to people that are more successful than you. No matter how successful you are at anything, there will always be more successful people so you have to find a way to be happy without comparing yourself to others.

If you are trying to gauge the value of your "inside edge" you should be asking yourself whether or not the approach you are using works better for you than other approaches you have tried. You should not ask yourself if the approach you are using now works better for you than other approaches work for other people because the answer is always going to be no.

Paradigm · 03-24-2008, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PerfectMartini

and

5. Their genetics are more favorable to the muscle building process than yours.

I would be hesitant to fall back on this one, though. It is the kind of excuse that is way to easy to fall back on and justify a lack of effort in training/nutrition by just thinking "oh, well that guy just has the genetics for it"; think about how many overweight people use something like this to justify that extra burger/taco/cookie/etc, or to not get to the gym and then attribute not losing weight to 'genetics' and giving up. I'm not saying that this is an invalid point, but you had better be damn sure that you have the other points in line first.

LWilson212 · 03-24-2008, 08:04 AM

Whenever you are comparing yourself to other people, you have to consider the setting as well. I am the most muscular / fit woman in the weight room at my gym. I'm also pretty much the only woman I ever see in the weight room, so there you have it!

If you are training in a gym full of professional athletes or bodybuilders, its not really a fair comparison.

Cynic · 03-24-2008, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradigm

I would be hesitant to fall back on this one, though. It is the kind of excuse that is way to easy to fall back on and justify a lack of effort in training/nutrition by just thinking "oh, well that guy just has the genetics for it"; think about how many overweight people use something like this to justify that extra burger/taco/cookie/etc, or to not get to the gym and then attribute not losing weight to 'genetics' and giving up. I'm not saying that this is an invalid point, but you had better be damn sure that you have the other points in line first.

I agree. Don't fall back on the "I'm just not made for it" type of excuse. That may explain why they have broad pecs that meet in the middle, or high peaking biceps, but everyone can gain mass and/or strength if that is what they are determined to do.

Hunter · 03-24-2008, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifter85

Despite my perfect nutrition, quality supplementation, and lifting programs (all 3 of these qualities are "said" to be above the average b/c we apparently know more), I still find myself benching nearly the same as I did 1.5 years ago, squatting almost the same, etc etc.

Are you sure about "perfect nutrition"? I have my doubts.

If your goal is to maintain your current weight, maybe your nutrition is perfect, but if your goal is to continue to gain mass and strength, I don't think your nutrition is perfect. 1.5 years without making any gains in strength? Sounds like you've maxed out your potential at your current weight. I think you need to reassess your goals and adjust your diet accordingly.

PowerManDL · 03-24-2008, 08:42 AM

Extraordinary gains require extraordinary efforts.

I know I've said this over and over, but it's not what you've got written down on paper that creates results. The best program on Earth doesn't teach you how to work hard, which is why the program you use will always be secondary to busting your ass in the gym. This is why I keep saying that the program is mostly irrelevant.

A guy with a great work ethic but a crappy program will end up ahead of the guy that just goes through the motions with an awesome program, every single time.

If you're small and want to be big, you'll have to eat for it. Perfect nutrition means nothing if you're not continually eating in excess of what you need. If you're not putting on at least a pound every week or two, you're not eating enough. End of story.