Upper body weight lifting, how the hell do you get bigger??

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BD231

BD231

Lifer
Feb 26, 2001
10,568
138
106
I've been into lifting and running for some time now, and I always seem to hit a wall when it comes to getting bigger.

I do notice a lot of extra mass everywhere, and strength for sure, but whenever I get to a certain size I start having trouble with energy. Short of eating a whole medium pizza from dominos or the like, I don't have the energy to move onto more weight, I get incredibly drained and just end up feeling like sh*t.

Is this normal? If so how do you get past it? I don't take any supplemts, but I do drink alot of portein powder meal replacements.

I'm thinking of just lifting the normal amount of weight I do and increasing reps insted, but I'm not sure I'll be getting anywhere by doing that.
 
Amused

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,483
20,007
146
As I've always said, you have to eat big to get big. And you cannot get big on any kind of low carb diet, either.

How many times a week are you lifting with each muscle group? You really only should lift once a week per muscle group if size and strength are your goals.

Something like this:

Mon: Chest shoulders and biceps

Wed: Back and bis

Fri: legs and calves

From what you've said describing your loss of energy, it sounds like a classic case of over training.
 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
WTF?

You post this thread after making the anti-weight lifting comments to Spamela?
 
Regs

Regs

Lifer
Aug 9, 2002
16,666
21
81
Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT
Click to expand...

Lots of beef. You have eat like your trying to gain 20lbs, but you have to make sure to work out plenty to balance it out. Eggs in a blender, anyone?
 
S

Spamela

Diamond Member
Oct 30, 2000
3,859
0
76
Originally posted by: BD231
I've been into lifting and running for some time now, and I always seem to hit a wall when it comes to getting bigger.

I do notice a lot of extra mass everywhere, and strength for sure, but whenever I get to a certain size I start having trouble with energy. Short of eating a whole medium pizza from dominos or the like, I don't have the energy to move onto more weight, I get incredibly drained and just end up feeling like sh*t.

Is this normal? If so how do you get past it? I don't take any supplemts, but I do drink alot of portein powder meal replacements.

I'm thinking of just lifting the normal amount of weight I do and increasing reps insted, but I'm not sure I'll be getting anywhere by doing that.
Click to expand...

here's the secret: LIFT, EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT

and running is somewhat counter-productive, btw.
 
BD231

BD231

Lifer
Feb 26, 2001
10,568
138
106
Pizza it is!

Unfortunately I have trouble with weight gain while eating those foods, energy foods that is. I lift about 3 times a week, and I only really noticed the huge drain when I started working on my legs a little here and there (the running keeps my legs fit).

Coming off a 150 pound weight loss, it's really tough to get myself into the mindset of eating and getting bigger, being fat sucked ass! I'm in no hurry to be a fat ass again.

Spamela:

How is running counter productive? Not sure I quite understand how that works. It always gets my shoulders/back/stomach and of course the legs in great shape from what I can tell.
 
P

prvteye2003

Diamond Member
Jun 19, 2003
3,876
1
0
Originally posted by: BD231
Pizza it is!

Unfortunately I have trouble with weight gain while eating those foods, energy foods that is. I lift about 3 times a week, and I only really noticed the huge drain when I started working on my legs a little here and there (the running keeps my legs fit).

Coming off a 150 pound weight loss, it's really tough to get myself into the mindset of eating and getting bigger, being fat sucked ass! I'm in no hurry to be a fat ass again.

Spamela:

How is running counter productive? Not sure I quite understand how that works. It always gets my shoulders/back/stomach and of course the legs in great shape from what I can tell.
Click to expand...

you burn all the food up before it can be used for your muscles.
 
S

Spamela

Diamond Member
Oct 30, 2000
3,859
0
76
Originally posted by: BD231
Pizza it is!

Unfortunately I have trouble with weight gain while eating those foods, energy foods that is. I lift about 3 times a week, and I only really noticed the huge drain when I started working on my legs a little here and there (the running keeps my legs fit).

Coming off a 150 pound weight loss, it's really tough to get myself into the mindset of eating and getting bigger, being fat sucked ass! I'm in no hurry to be a fat ass again.

Spamela:

How is running counter productive? Not sure I quite understand how that works. It always gets my shoulders/back/stomach and of course the legs in great shape from what I can tell.
Click to expand...

congratulations on your weight loss.

nobody's ever gotten big by running. try googling some of the following keywords: "running hypertrophy lifting catabolic"

in my experience, most people who want hypertrophy do
sets of 10-12 reps (e.g., a weight that isn't very heavy for them).

maybe you're overtraining?
but, if you're doing heavy squats, then you're going to feel drained.
when i want to move up from a squatting plateau i expect about
4-6 weeks of quad/hamstring hell.

pizza isn't exactly training food, IMHO, but it's ok every once in awhile.

This seems to be a popular place for ATOT fitness wannabees.

i like to post questions here.
 
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