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KoolKev2000
KoolKev2000 g Kev Kev
59 Post(s)
59 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: November 11, 2014
Posted

Hey guys!

I'm 16 years old and have been lifting for about two years now. However I have noticed that I have not been able to increase the amount of weight on my excercies significantly.( i.e bicep curls, bench press etc.) My routines mainly consist of burnsets, super sets where I am doing long negatives with short rest(Usually 8-10 reps or 12-15). I also sometimes focus on strength by reducing my reps to 5,4,3,2. However despite this, I have noticed that I still can only bench the same amount of weight, having done these routines for around 3/4 months. Moreover, I have not been able to put on much muscle mass despite my rather comlex routines haha.  Please help!

As for my meal plan, I am in a calorie surplus of 500 calories (mentioned in previous thread)

My workout routine is as follows;

M - Shoulders and abs

T - Legs

W - Chest and tri

T - Rest

F - Back and bi

S - Shoulders and abs

S - Rest

 

Thanks :)

jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: KoolKev2000

Hey guys!

I'm 16 years old and have been lifting for about two years now. However I have noticed that I have not been able to increase the amount of weight on my excercies significantly.( i.e bicep curls, bench press etc.) My routines mainly consist of burnsets, super sets where I am doing long negatives with short rest(Usually 8-10 reps or 12-15). I also sometimes focus on strength by reducing my reps to 5,4,3,2. However despite this, I have noticed that I still can only bench the same amount of weight, having done these routines for around 3/4 months. Moreover, I have not been able to put on much muscle mass despite my rather comlex routines haha.  Please help!

As for my meal plan, I am in a calorie surplus of 500 calories (mentioned in previous thread)

My workout routine is as follows;

M - Shoulders and abs

T - Legs

W - Chest and tri

T - Rest

F - Back and bi

S - Shoulders and abs

S - Rest

 

Thanks :)

When you experience these issues after 2 or more years of consistent lifting, it comes down to a few possible reasons:

 

1) Your routines are too intense and you are doing intense workouts (drop sets, super sets, burn sets) too frequently. Too many people forget that it is not just your muscular system that needs to recover but also your nervous, cardio-vascular, digestive, skeletal, and endocrine systems. Intense workouts as you are doing beat the piss out of your nervous system. Your nervous system is what creates strength not the muscles themselves. If your CNS (Central Nervous System) has not recovered enough, the strength of all muscular contractions will be reduced. Your body could be telling you it needs some periods of less intensity and less volume in-between periods of intense training. This could be as little as 1 week to as much as 3. The only way to tell is mix in days/weeks of lower intensity training with the days/weeks of intense training. Even when you are young (and especially true when you get to my age), more is not better. It is easier to over-train than under-train - especially when drug free.

 

2) You are not eating enough of QUALITY nutritious foods. A 500 calorie surplus is one thing but if it is not quality food then the quality of your recovery will be affected. Quality food = quality recovery. Junk food = junk recovery.

 

3) Not getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night. This is self-explanatory but critical to size and strength gains.

 

4) Doing the same routine too long. Your body is very smart and constantly adapting. If you are doing the same routine on the same days with the same exercises, your body fully adapts and there is no longer any need for muscular growth and strength increase. I always make a point to change up exercise orders, muscle groupings, exercises I do, reps and intensity schemes, and days I work out to keep my body constantly guessing. When you should change things up depends on the individual. In your case, it sounds like at 3-4 months you need to change things up a bit - even just slightly.

 

As a teenager, your hormone levels will be the highest now than at any other time in your life which means muscle growth should come easier (amount and speed determined by your genetics). Most teenagers I know eat a typical American teenager diet which is quite frankly full of shit food. I can't speak directly for you as I don't know you and your eating habits buts most teenagers don't know how to eat properly to support optimal muscle growth and recovery.

 

However if your nutrition is spot on, then it could possibly be due to any or all of the reasons I listed above from my experience.

 

John

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
muscular strength
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