New Member- Looking for Advice

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Hard-worker32

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Hey guys. I am new here. I am 25. 5'10" 158 lbs. 17.7% body fat.

I have a hard time gaining weight. I started at 148 lbs. one year and have worked hard (eating when I am not hungry, weight training, creatine and not running as much) to gain just 10 lbs.

For example I do bicep-curls (30 lbs. each arm, 3x for 8 reps) 3 days a week and my arms still like skinny and small. What gives?

It seems like I haven't made much progress for all the working out that I have been doing 4 days a week. Is there anything that others suggest to gain mass and look better. I feel ok with my body, but definately have lots of room to improve. I always look like the skinny/wimpy guy in a dress shirt next to my brother and friends. Even though I can probably lift more than them and run a 7 min mile. Any particular exercises to make my neck line look more like a NFL player? Haaa

I tried power cleans for a bit but I ended up with wrist pain the next day (each time I did them).

Is there any hope for me? Or should I just accept the body that I have and forget trying so hard.
 
Warm-up: jog 5-7 mins on the treadmill

Stretches on the mats. 30-40 crunches on the exercise ball. More crunches on the mat.

Then: Bench Press 45lbs plates, 3X, 8 reps or 50lbs dumbells free-hand bench press or push ups (30-40, 3X)

Chest fly machine 100lbs. 3x 10 reps

Overhead bar pull down 90 lbs. 3x 8 reps increasing weight

Hold 45 lb plates and lift shoulders slowly, trying to exercise my neck/shoulder muscles (12 reps, 3X)

Tricep dips on the flat bench, 3x 10 reps or extensions on the cable machine

Bic-cep curls 30lbs. 3x 10reps

Wrist curls for my forearms 30 lbs. 3x 20 reps

I do this at least 3 times a week, but often 4. I also mix in squats across the gym floor, calf exercises, some dry-land style ski drills for my quads.

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As you can see I don't have good muscle definition and my chest isn't well developed. Do you think it is because I have fat to loose, or do I simply need bigger muscles?
 
What does your typical diet look like? Also, that routine needs to be rethought or when you do start putting on muscle, you're going to be top heavy. It looks like a few upper bodyareas are all being worked in isolation. I'm not sure where to start on the routine, but it should be scrapped and replaced with a new one from the ground up.
 
Think big. Compound lifts, such as squats, deadlifts, bench, pullups, dips...these will give you great results if you really hit them hard and eat accordingly.
 
Hard-worker32 said:
Warm-up: jog 5-7 mins on the treadmill

Stretches on the mats. 30-40 crunches on the exercise ball. More crunches on the mat.

Then: Bench Press 45lbs plates, 3X, 8 reps or 50lbs dumbells free-hand bench press or push ups (30-40, 3X)

Chest fly machine 100lbs. 3x 10 reps

Overhead bar pull down 90 lbs. 3x 8 reps increasing weight

Hold 45 lb plates and lift shoulders slowly, trying to exercise my neck/shoulder muscles (12 reps, 3X)

Tricep dips on the flat bench, 3x 10 reps or extensions on the cable machine

Bic-cep curls 30lbs. 3x 10reps

Wrist curls for my forearms 30 lbs. 3x 20 reps

I do this at least 3 times a week, but often 4. I also mix in squats across the gym floor, calf exercises, some dry-land style ski drills for my quads.

------

As you can see I don't have good muscle definition and my chest isn't well developed. Do you think it is because I have fat to loose, or do I simply need bigger muscles?
Click to expand...

Lots you can change here, You need to get down the fundamentals of lifting. To make it as easy as possible I would get the book Scrawny to brawny by John Berardi. Its 14 bucks that can save you quite a headache.

As for your current routine...

Warm up-Do some dynamic stretches or some specific warms up before your sets. If you are going to squat then do some pre lifting squats with no weights or minimal weights first. If your body doesn't like big movements it is likely because you are doing them wrong and your aren't properly warmed up for them.

Exercises-You have almost all isolation exercises here. Step it up, you aren't going to get anything doing bicep curls. Hit hard with the compound movement. Want you biceps to grow? Chin ups will do ten times more then curls. You need some squats, lunges, rows, chin ups, presses, the big players.

Nutrition-Can't gain if you don't eat right, make sure you are getting an excess of calories (but clean and within reason). Check out this article on bulking. Testosterone Nation - The Truth About Bulking
 
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I would try 3 things for starters:

1) Change your exercises (i.e.: there are many ways to do a curl; try some of these variations)

2) Add a second & then even a third biceps & triceps exercise to your routine & work up to 3 sets of each (3 biceps & 3 triceps exercises 3 sets each is plenty for arm specialization... you can also try doing them in circuit form for 2 or 3 circuits)

3) Vary your reps at some point (either each day, or after a week, or at least once a month): do low reps, then switch to high reps, then go to moderate reps, then switch back to low reps, etc, etc

Doing these things allows you to shock your muscles which stimulates growth.
 
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