There’s nothing like that brutally sore feeling after a hardcore workout to make you feel like you’re making some serious gains! It’s like a badge of honor for us but that also makes us question if the workout was good enough if we don’t feel sore at all! You start having doubts like… Do I need to lift heavier? Do I need to work out longer? And actually the answer is no, not at all Nation!

There are 3 mechanisms by which muscles grow and I am going to try to explain these very complicated mechanisms in very simple terms in this video. #HTH #SHFAthlete #ProjectGains

Hi Scott. I noticed after watching a video of you from 2012 that NOW your chest is much fuller and seems bigger in general. But big gains have been made in the middle and upper areas. These are weak points for me and I am trying to really target that area. Could you put your finger on what it was that helped you to make the changes there?

Thanks mate

I would say incline for the upper chest for sure @snowlosman. Incline will actually help with your middle chest too, and then you will have the regular flat bench press too. Cables might help too to target different areas.

Just suggestions!

What are you doing for your chest exercises at the moment? Reps and sets?

Jordan

I recently started processing to join the Air Force along with working out. The max weight allowed is 180lbs. and I've already gained 8lbs. in a month but I can't really see any muscles getting bigger. Am I just gaining weight because I'm eating so much due to me hitting the gym? Or is muscle actually growing? Also is their a way I can add muscle and burn fat without the two interfering with the other?

Thanks for updating your profile and making a forum post @WannaBRipped :)

Seeing change takes a long time. One month isn't long as all in terms of building muscle. If you have just started working out, it's normal that your weight will probably jump up a bit, because you'll see the biggest change in weight in your first year or two of lifting and eating properly. Still..8lbs in one month is a lot.

So you say that you're about 20% body fat..do you know what your percentage was before you started working out? Did you take measurements of your body parts before you started working out? And have you been getting stronger? Did you take pictures before you started working out too?

You can definitely burn fat and build muscle as a newbie. It can happen naturally, but it will help if we sort out your diet and training routine. What routine are you following at the moment? The 12 week program?

Come back with some more answers and we'll do our best to help you :)

I am not currently doing either of your major programs because the holiday is so close and I want to be able to start it when I know I can finish it uniterrupted. Currently I am doing a program where I do 3 compound movements each workout and then other exercises isolating which ever muscles I am working on that day.

For example "A" Days I do Squats, Bench Press, and Bent Over Rows. "B" Days I Squat, Overhead Press, and Deadlift. I'm doing 5x5 sets with only one set of Deadlifts with 5 reps. If Monday is an "A" day, and it's also chest and biceps, then I'll do the "A" workout and then continue to do chest and biceps. Is this good enough to hold me for the next month?

Also when ever I hit the gym I'll do an exercise and feel like it actually did something during the workout and after I'm finished for probably a half hour. When I get home I feel like I can hit the gym again and do the same reps and sets. I know I'm not lifting to little because I struggle to keep poor form near the end of the exercise. It also makes me feel like I didn't work hard enough but when I'm at the gym I can't do anymore then I already done without doing the exercise incorrectly. What am I doing wrong? I want to be able to actually notice my workouts the next day. @scott_herman

Yes this is ok for now! But you will see much better results from one of my programs once you can commit the time. Maybe try the bodybuilding split program.. It contains lots of burn sets which will esure muscle fatigue because it sounds like you need more volume in your training.

I guarentee once you hit more volume... you wont feel like you need to domore work once you get home!