Struggling to make progress

[jonny_g81]

hey all

looking for some advice on trying to achieve a lean but muscular physique. Don't want to be massively bulked,morefocussed on putting on some lean musclebut staying 'cut'.

I've been training for about a year on and off but at my 'fittest' i was about 13st 2lb (6ft 2in) but wasnt seing good muscle gains. I'm now at about 14st (mainly due to not being at the gym over 2 months) and i'm just about getting back to lifting what i had been when i was fit. The thing i want to avoid is becoming as thin as i was before. ideally the weight isn'ta personal concern, more about the appearance and physique if i'm being totally honest.

I've decided to invest in some whet protein which i have been taking before and after workout (about 36g in each shake) along with incorporating moreprotein into my diet.

i'd just likesome advice from the experienced among you as to where i'd best go from here to achieve what i want.

Current workout 3-4 gym sessions/wk

Chest and triceps - bench 72.5kg 5x5 Inc DB press 20kg (each arm) 4x7 DB flye20kg (each arm) 4x6 Inc DB flye15kg (each arm) 4x6 Tricep push down (setting 4 on the CYBEX machine) 3x6 Tricep dips (body wt) 3x9

Back & Biceps Narrow grip lat pull down (11) 3x8 Seated Row (12) 3x6 Bicep pull down (13) 3x6 Constant tension curl 12.5kg (each arm) 4x8 Hammercurl 27kg 3x8 singlearm row 22.5kg 3x8 each arm bent over flye 12.5kg (each arm) 3x8

shoulders Squat Arnold press 17.5kg (each arm) 3x8 Lat raises 9kg (each arm) 3x8 seated DB press 12.5kg (each arm) 3x8 Front raises 10kg (each arm) 3x8 DB upright row 12.5kg (each arm) 3x8

i usually finish each sessionwith some abs and cardio about 15mins of each

daily diet

breakfast = 2 eggs scrambled with one slice burgen soya and linseed bread toasted

mid morning = piece of fruit

lunch = wrap or burgen soy and linseed bread sandwich. usually skinless chicken breast, lettuce tomato with small amount of olive oil spread. plus 1-2 pieces of fruit and low sugar, low fat yoghurt

pre work out

nutrisport 90+ shake

post work out

nutrisport 90+ shake, then dinner about 30-45 mins later

dinner= usually small portion of baby potatoes/pasta/rice/cous cous along with lean meat plus vegetables

any suggestions on how i could improve and any advice on the whey protetaking would be very helpful. i could also use some leg routine advice has i have ruptured my left achilles twice in the past 18months so flexibility is an issue and i find it almost impossoble to do squats etc

J

[jonny_g81]

things seem to be going a bit better over the past week and a half

have some new PBs(albeit modest-everyone has to start somewhere) on the bench 75kg 5x5 and 40x8 for the close grip press.

onwards and upwards!! :-P

[Ronin66]

Hey Bud, I think you need to work a bit on your "heavy" compounds, do you not Deadlift? A good Deadlift can be the difference in a guys body. Use all the bench mark exercises on the app as "yard Sticks" keep adding weight to them every week you can and you'll keep adding muscle. diet looks good, if you find you start losing weight again I would suggest eating more eggs,chicken, pasta and rice. or working out for shorter times but keeping it intense!
Hope its helpfull

Michael

[mrwright]

If your getting stuck, something that worked well for me is either take a few days/week off and just rest and let the body completely recover
Or do a deload week, just keep the weights lighter so your body keeps working and you don't risk losing any strength etc, but you still get a rest

Or just try a completely switch up your week, instead of say doing chest monday, bis tries tues, back weds, shoulders legs friday

Do say Chest and biceps monday, back and triceps wednesday, and shoulders legs friday

Or do the same routine just switch up the exercises, just do a couple of supersets/giant sets/drop sets then done instead of all your exercises, or drop 1 or 2 and focus more energy on the others.