Illustrated 1st Year Lifting - Mistakes, Observations, Q&A

For my fitman who I owe tremendously, here we go. Here’s the *first* year of a 2 year progression. I’ll be happy to share the same illustration for the second full year as well (concluded May 2016) if the community cares for this kind of thing. I still have to compile Year 2, so for now I’ll just post up this year 1 collage + current physique (a full year later than the last shown pic here). Ask any questions you like about lessons learned, mistakes made, broscience confirmations/debunking, and so on.

Disclaimer: My goal from day 1 was physique only, with no regard to strength. I aimed to have a chiseled physique reminiscent of Greek/Roman sculptures. This thread is by no means celebrating anything, in fact it’s primarily pointing out the various mistakes made in order to show a realistic depiction of an average fitizens progress during the first year. Mainly how compromising bodyfat% for muscle gains, and vice versa, makes a difference on appearance in the short and long term. A preview ride of the lifting roller-coaster without actually getting on, if you will. Shitposts, trolls and trip-haters all welcome, just don’t be discouraged if I only reply to people with actual questions.

Attaching current physique (end of year 2) for reference, as seen in several cbt's lately.

Son of a...

>tfw when you leave a typo on the very last line.

Ending of year 1 was 145lbs, not 155lbs. Big difference. Corrected in this version. Sorry bout that.

What do you mean by "blew it" on your first bulk?

Any unique advice you could give that doesn't get reposted on Veeky Forums ad nauseum?

So get cut first, got it.

Ate everything in sight with no regard to calories or macros because Veeky Forums told me I had to eat big to get big. Lesson learned - bulking anything over +500 calories/day above maintenance TDEE is a fast track to going full hindenburg mode. Truthfully all you really need is about +300 to get max muscle gain while gaining minimal fat.

Don't let one exercise you hate cause you to procrastinate or avoid going to the gym. Veeky Forums told me squats and deadlifts (compounds in general) were gospel and the only way to make significant gains. I hated leg day every time it came up because I don't enjoy doing squats or deadlifts. Because of this I would skip leg day fairly often. Eventually I found out I could put together a few different leg-isolations that I actually enjoy doing and make the same gains - no more skipping leg day.

Bodypart splits can be 100% as effective for hypertrophy gains as "the big lifts". Pictured is an illustration of wearing the exact same shorts two years apart. Legs have come a long way.

you have my attention

WTF HOW ARE YOU DROPPING AND GAINING 10LBS EVERY MONTH??

How long should I stay on SS for before switching to a split or PPL(Or is there something else you would recommend for physique)?

What sort of foods did you eat on a cut, at how large a deficit, and did you change your lift program while cutting?

Thank you

people should take this advice with a grain of salt (not the bulking stuff)
Just because it 'worked' for some guy doesn't mean it is most optimal to the average lifter. there are reasons that brosplits aren't suggested for natty lifters and you should focus on getting stronger on compounds.

Balcony bro looks good sure, but he is neither particularly big (155lbs/70kg) or strong and have different genetics than you, so don't forget everything you know and follow his advice because he looks good

Mixed emotions on that one. It was a huge psychological encouragement for a guy who was 27 years old and had never seen his abs before to finally reveal them. But in hindsight I honestly wish I went straight to (lean) bulking. In my naive mind I thought I'd go straight to Zyzz mode by getting hella lean. I ended up looking like an emaciated marathon runner, as seen .

I know virtually zero skinnyfats will take that advice because "but abs!!!", but that's my 2c.

SS (Starting Strength) is a program specifically designed to gain Strength asap, NOT to look better. They move along different trajectories because they are differend end-goals. If your goal is strength, stay on SS for 6 months before going into PPL. If you want hypertrophy, go straight to PPL now. Just be sure to watch youtube videos about every isolation lift to make sure you're practiving proper form to avoid injury (goes for SS as well).

Back then I thought cutting, dieting in general, meant traditional bodybuilding "brodiet" stuff. Chicken breasts, rice, broccoli, and oats. This was unnecessary when I eventually learned about eating anything IIFYM. Deficit was drastic at times, -1000cals below TDEE + 30mins of cardio. I got better at not yo-yo'ing weight in year 2, requiring only -500 deficit and no cardio at all.

This man is wise and 100% correct. Nothing I spout off should be interpreted as "do this and it WILL work for you". This is merely me recounting what worked for me to achieve my current phys.

How old are you ? Your skin looks old, also that shitty chest why?

what was your diet when bulking?

Starting year 1 I was 27 years old, alt-tabbing between /b/ and WoW for most of my 20's. Never played any sports, 100% sedentary my entire life. End of year 2 (now) I'm 29.

Are you a virgin?

>That
>155

Jesus christ I should just fucking cut. Bulking is a meme at this point.

I have a really hard time believe you are 125lbs in that left picture.

I'm only 5'7 and was 120 in high school and I looked like a holocaust victim even at that height.

Looks more like 140-150 left 160-170 right at 5'9. Also why wax your chest?

So your diet, even now, is IIFYM?

That is because he cut from 145

Diet when bulking back then: Eat anything I could find so long as I always hit 1g protein per lb of bodyweight (later found out this protein intake was overkill).

No, lost it at 17 to highschool sweetheart. She's fat and drinks every day now. gg her.

Careful with that mindset. Being very lean *can* provide the illusion of being much bigger, but as you can see from babby's first cut (June 2014), if you haven't built up sufficient muscle mass underneath, low bodyfat alone won't make you aesthetic. I'm the same BF% now as that June 14 pic, but 30 pounds heavier and looking drastically better thanks to two years of consistent lifting/dieting.

How many exercises per body part would you recommend? Do you change exercises often?

Im done one lift 4x8-12 for every muscle group and im worried its not going to be effective.

How do I KNOW when im growing after I left the gym?

No way you can gain 10-15lbs a month

Did you take any supplements in your first year?

G E N E T I C S.

I've had similar results when I really stick to a diet. A lot of people half ass their calorie intake or don't pay attention to their macros besides calories and protein.

what do eat a day when bulking? Specific foods pls

>I always hit 1g protein per lb of bodyweight (later found out this protein intake was overkill).

So what was your protein intake then? Did you have a meal plan?

Bodyhair trimmer to the torso in order to keep an eye on bodyfat. The mirror is a much better gauge of leanness than lb's on a scale.

Correct, IIFYM now and forever.

On a bodypart split every major muscle group (legs, bis, tris, back, chest, shoulders) should get 4 different isolations each. Then 4-5 sets of each isolation, performed in the 8-12rep range per set. If you can get more than 12 reps then you need to up the weight and repeat the cycle.

Changing exercises - absolutely. The more you lift the more you will learn about the sub-muscles in each major muscle group and how different isolations are better for hitting each respectively. IE - Shoulders are technically three different heads, each of which can be pinpointed with different exercises. (Front raises, side raises, rear delt flies, etc).

You will know you're growing based on both the weight you are capable of lifting and looking back on progress pictures. Take pictures OFTEN, even when you dont feel like you've made progress. You will be glad you did.

When the majority of it is fat it's pretty damn easy, broheim. With my appetite I can eat 4-5k calories a day and put on 20lbs in a month without even trying. Obivously I shouldn't because only 1-2 pounds will be muscle, but it's easy to hit +20 on a scale in one month with a no rules fatty lifestyle.

nice but work your chest more

Nice work, now stop shaving your chest.

>Did you take any supplements in your first year?

Indeed, glad you brought it up because I wasted a ton of money here. I started creatine immediately after my first cut. This turned out to be the only truly effective sup long term as far as adding muscle and assisting with recovery. Fish Oil and a multivatmin were added and have stayed indefinitely as well, but those are general health benefits, not so much for lifting. I'll go more into the bullshit GNC sold me in another post, trying to hit as many different topics as I can tonight.

Eat when bulking - easiest calories with decent protein would be peanut butter imo. Bacon is another good option. Less-lean meats in general still pack high protein but also shove in more calories simaltaneously due to higher fat content.

Protein intake nowadays is roughly 0.8g per lb of LEAN BODY MASS, not overall bodyweight. Which for me is around 120-130g protein/day. There were times when I was shoveling 200g+ of protein in me and farting all the time. Apologies to my gf's from back them.

Chest and glutes are my big goals for year 3. Gotta grow both substantially in order to balance out. Upper chest work especially. I didn't even know about upper/lower/inner chest shit back then.

upper lower middle is a literal meme

I tend to agree about inner chest. But upper chest especially is no joke. Perform incline isolation work versus flat or decline and tell me you don't feel a very distinct difference in the recruitment of muscle throughout your chest. Or read literally any professional physique competitor/bodybuilders thoughts on the subject. AthleanX has some science backed good videos about it as well.

So where do you suggest I learn about which isolations to group together, or does it not matter? I have no problem with being consistent but my main hurdle is in knowing what exercises to do to get my desires physique. Would I look drastically different doing ez bar curls than dumbbell curls. Or rope push downs rather than skullcrushers. Lat raises rather than shrugs. Ect.

I know trip friends catch a lot of flack here for pointlessness, but I sincerely think you are doing good with this, and I hope this style of teaching catches on. Congrats on progress, and I hope you keep improving. Thank you for your contribution.

Finally someone who knows their shit

I don't understand how people want to be cut at 150s. I'm in the 180s and feel small. Fucking body dysmorphia

Tell me about eating at a 1k defecit. Im trying to get to at least 12% BF before summer is over (currently 16%) but I'm on crutches as of right now and can't do full activity for another 6weeks. I'll take the muscle loss, I just want to be fuarkin lean.

>creatine only truly effective sup
fugg I just stopped taking it because it was making my hair thin out faster, guess it's no supps for me

Well it's relative to to your height, but some people understand that being lean is better than being 20% BF w/ muscle and that normies will think you're huge if you're cut.

Youtube is a godsend for this. That's not to say that just because a video has 200k+ views that it's gauranteed to be accurate or what not, but that's why you should watch several and observe which things you hear multiple sources saying are effective. For full well rounded delts try searching "deltoid head isolation exercises" or something along those lines. Same applies for triceps, biceps, back, etc. You'll see that optimally every group needs a mix of different specialized isolations for balanced results.

Thanks man, appreciate it. I wouldn't call it teaching though. I'm not a mentor or role model by any means. Still making mistakes and learning as I go along, just happy to share what I've encountered so far in my journey.

It's all relative to learning about your natty limit...based on FFMI I know I'll never be able to be both lean AND maxed out once I hit 170ish @ 5'9 7-8% BF. That's still another 18-24 months out still (cumulatively 4 or 5 years natty lifting).

Just shave your head lol

Skinny skellington here. At what weight did you start comfortably fitting in tight into clothes.

great thread op

Out of curiosity do you mind posting an example of your workout

What is there to tell? Find your current TDEE and eat -1000 calories below that. It sucks and is grueling and if you can't lift due to crutches you will go catabolic very quickly, but that's a tradeoff/choice you have to make. If I were in that situation I'd honestly sit at maintenance and keep protein intake high until I'm able to lift again. Save as many muscle gains you've made as you can. At -1000 they will literally get eaten while you're laid up in crutches.

Funny question...but for my frame and height I need to stay below 12% BF in order to look good in tailored/fitted pants and shirts. Keep in mind it's not about weight, not at all. My waist at 125lbs was 29", and it's the exact same now at 155lbs. At peak bulk I hit about 32" and can't fit into my good looking clothes. The key is what ratio of those pounds is lean muscle versus fat.

Did the hair loss rebound when you stopped? Creatine is not an AAS, it doesn't impact hormone levels in a significant way. I'd try another go at creatine so long as you didn't notice the hair loss to be permanent. Worst case is you notice it start again, then drop it again.

Mirin your progress. Definitely shows dedication and you have just become my inspiration just as im getting back into Veeky Forumsness

What are mistakes you have learned from that you will not repeat again?

Saw you post some routine tips earlier on and wanted to thank you for it, I'm planning on starting a new weight lifting regime and yours sounded good. I hate squats and dead lifts so I'm glad to know I'm not the only one lol. Since you're aiming on getting a bigger chest I'd like to recommend you try out weighted pushups (normal, knuckle, diamond, elevated). I tossed books and weights into a backpack and it really helped get my chest bigger fast, maybe it can help you. Cheers m8

Broke my foot/tibia/heel and lost my routine during the spring semester, losing what feels like a full year of progress. My squat has dropped 70 lbs, which feels like shit.

Have you had any major setbacks / periods of recession?

how big are your arms cold and with a pump?

Current routine, keep in mind this is tailored to address my own weak points (upper chest and glutes specifically) with less attention on areas that are up to par already.

ABCABCx

(A) Day – Chest and Biceps
(B) Day – Leg’s and Triceps
(C) Day – Back and Shoulders
(X) Day – Rest, no lifting

Triceps
Cable kick backs
Rope push down
DB Skull crushers
Overhead rope extension

Legs
Weighted Hyper tensions extension bench
Leg curl
Leg extension
Glute kickbacks

Shoulders
Front raises
Side raises
Overhead press
Rear delt fly / Facepulls

Back
Pull ups
Lat pull downs (varying grip attachments per session)
Seated rows (varying grip attachments per session)
Straight arm pull down

Chest
Incline dumbbell bench press
Single arm sideway incline machine press
Low position cable flys
High position cable flys

Biceps
Preacher DB curl
Side DB hammer curl
Concentration curls
Hammer curl

It hasn't been long enough since I stopped to be able to say for sure. I was only using it for two months. I stopped taking it because I read a lot articles and anecdotal evidence talking about it increasing DHT levels, which will accelerate hair loss if you're already prone to male-pattern baldness. I couldn't find any studies done with any conclusive evidence, but someone that hadn't seen me in those two months mentioned that my hair looked thinner on the sides the other day so I stopped taking it.

>mirin made up weight data

>(X) Day – Rest, no lifting

don't ignore me bro.....

probably 13" cold

how do you go about deciding WHICH of the myriad variations of isolation exercises to do for biceps, in particular?

ATM all i am doing for isolation are seated dumbbell curls, but i've somehow been stalled at the same weight for over a month. how can i break this?

Thx user. Most of my mistakes were diet related, trying all these different fads thinking that there had to be more to it simple calories in calories out. Unless you are a professional athlete or competitor, all you need to focus on is hitting your protein and caloric goal per day. Let fats and carbs fall however you want them based on what your body is craving. Literally if it fits your macros.

My major setback was getting severe Mono, denying it in my mind which led to an immune system failure. Doctor required no lifting for 6 weeks, which led to depression and awful emotional eating habits ensued. It was extremely hard to get re-motivated after that. All I could think about the first day back at the gym was being embarrassed, that people were probably looking at me thinking how I fell off, dyel, etc. In the real world no one gives a flying fuck about your progress, and even if they did, it will never be enough to impress everyone. Gotta do it for you and thats it.

Arms are about 15.5". Nothing big by Veeky Forums standards, but they are actually my #1 compliment from normies. Grill on a date told me that if they got any bigger I would be "one of those guys with arms bigger than his head, not a good look". Being proportionate is all that matters. Look at middle bottom pic of current phys, being lean makes a huge difference in appearance with arms. Having 18" fatceps that are only hard when you're flexing is the kind of thing girls laugh at.

For biceps read about which isolations focus on the long head versus short head. Choose 2 isolations for each head (total of 4 exercises). That'll provide balanced development going forward.

Prior to what is pictured in OP how long did you lift/exercise beforehand?

Literally zero. Didn't even play sports as a kid. All my life I made fun of guys that went to the gym, thought it was some mindless jock thing. Now I can't imagine life without it. Had no idea of the complexities that go into building a balanced physique, staying on top of your diet, the long term goal setting, all the discipline required.

Hmm, neat.
What the hell brings you to Veeky Forums? I'm still reading through the whole thread.

How do you deal with being hungry on a cut, what kind of core do you do, do you drink, how much do you bench, and so you do no squats? Why not deadlift, feel like you could work on having some dope traps

>Arms are about 15.5".
lol

keep telling yourself that

how to avoid injury with lateral raises, OP?

i messed up my shoulder when i first started doing them, babby weights, turned shoulders inward as though pouring pitchers of water (which seems to be the recommended execution).

How were your strength gains on PPL?
Weak skelly here, aiming for aesthetics

kudos for losing the weight, but his chest, delts, and traps are shit.
>those 4arms
He shouldn't of even tried in the first place.

Formerly a /b/tard of many years. I kept seeing Zyzz's face on meme's and such, had no idea who he was or why anyone cared about him. Someone pointed me towards Veeky Forums to explain.

Lurked for a while just laughing at the gym humor stuff, learned about Scooby and all the old tripfags. Got to wondering how much time/effort it *really* takes to build a muscular body, not simply lose weight. I dramatically underestimated that estimation...I figured 6-12 months, hence me cutting first thing thinking I would look ripped if I just lost some weight. Continued lurking Veeky Forums for advice learning about routines and diet, but came to understand that half the shit posted here is troll's trolling trolls. Hence my desire to stay here and offer what I can to people who are in that same stage I was then. Always take what you read here (this thread included) as a suggestion, but follow it up with your own supplemental research.

When cutting I rely heavily on high volume-low calorie foods + lots of caffiene. I don't do any core work, waste of time unless you need the strength for compound lifts. I definitely drink, whiskey and coke zero is #1. I don't like deadlifting due to the stress on the CNS. I feel overly drained after 4 sets of DL's, which affects the rest of the days routine. Trap's are on par, nothing freakish but not underdeveloped either.

Don't go heavy on any of the shoulder iso raises. Always warmup your rotator cuff from all 4 angles with a 5lb DB (youtube for instructions). Working sets shouldn't be heavy, focus on very slow controlled reps. When you think you're going slow, go even slower.

Strength gains have been linear on my ABCABC routine (which is a heavily modified PPL, really to the point of little resemblance) but seeing as I don't do compounds, it's not like you aim to increase your max by 5lbs every other session like other regimens.

Meant to post traps pic but got distracted by zyzz thought.

So, you've been doing 6 days/week for the past 2 years?

gains dont count

you're a manlet

any manlet can look "jacked" in six months. still doesnt make up for the fact that you're 5'9". you just look overcomponsating. like all manlets.

During the 6-12 month range I did ABxABxx, with three muscle groups each A and B day. This worked just as well as ABCABC but each session was 2+ hours longs having to hit 4 sets on three muscle groups each. Two hours in the gym is a bit long for my taste, so I split it out into ABCABC and now each session is about 1:15.

lanklet hate

hey

is it reasonable to be concerned about losing gains when transitioning from one routine to another (or at the very least, supplementing certain lifts for others)? i realize that i will need to do so to target specific areas of weakness, but i'm hesitant because DESU as a moderate newbie several of my lifts are on machines--which are probably inefficient in the long run--but the weight i can handle on the machines are MUCH heavier than their free-weight counterpart movements. on the shoulder press machine, for example, i'm on 110 lbs but am only breaking 60 (two 30lb DBs) on the frees.

i know that the frees are more functional, but how do i avoid losing muscle mass with by transitioning to them?

There should be zero muscle loss when switching routines or substituting different lifts/methods. You only lose muscle as a result of not training a muscle at all, or not feeding it adequately through your diet.

The difference in the number on the side of the plate, machine, or dumbell is contextual, only a measurement of what you can lift on that one specific exercise on that one specific movement. I'd encourage you to try all three as they can all be used interchangeably based on your own preference or accounting for injuries.

What's your opinion on the popular trend on fit that hypertrophy routines are a meme and strength routines is the only way to go for a natty? Most research seem to point at strength rep range = hypertrophy as well as strength for most people and what defines your physique is mostly diet and not your routine.

Hey fit. Im a newb lifter looking for a.mix of strength and asthetics,but mostly mass, im 6'1 160lbs skinny fat. Should I ppl(brosplit) or stay on SS..Also, should I bulk or cut(skinnyfat mode)

What hits lats more, Pull ups or the pulldown?

your shoulders are still really shit to be honest

Yo Balconybro, i have a question regarding your experience with cutting. I'm in no way an advanced lifter (i've been lifting with good diet for 6ish months) and now i'm cutting for summer but i've been going really slow due to fear of loosing muscle (1lb/week or less some bad weeks i cheat too much or skip cardio).
But i see in your 1st year pic that you lost in one month (last 2 progress pics) 7lbs, and honestly, you looked quite fine.

My question is wether you saw any significant muscle loss in that month loosing fat at that rate. And what kind of diet did you follow? (low carb, keto, low carb-high carb days....)

Congrats, Balconybro. I'm 27 and just started lifting, so you give me inspiration to keep at it. I just want to be happy with myself both physically and financially by the time I'm 30.

This one is very clear. It's a fact that your muscle size (not muscle strength) will undeniably grow on a strength routine, no debate there. But it's also a fact that the FASTEST and highest ceiling for muscle size (aka hypertrophy) is a routine designed specifically for that, aka bodypart splits. The entire sport of bodybuilding is the simple proof of this. Look at the guys. In 99/100 examples top tier BB'ers dwarf in size top tier powerlifters despite being substantially weaker than them. This is because they structure their routine to grow muscle size via sets in the hypertrophic range.

Pullups versus pulldowns are largely interchangeable, especially taking into consideration all the different width grips and attachments for each. Doing both is the best solution, but either way so long as they are approached with progressive overload each will grow lats. Pulldowns are especially useful because it's a lot easier to start with less than your bodyweight and work up as opposed to doing assisted/weighted pullups.

I'm trying to get them on your level. Hopefully by year 11 or 12 as I can only imagine what yours look like based on your post.

juice

>All I could think about the first day back at the gym was being embarrassed, that people were probably looking at me thinking how I fell off, dyel, etc.

Holy shit, this is identical to my thoughts this week. Nice to know I'm not a special snowflake

What are your lifts in relation to your height weight?

Muscle atrophy when cutting is dramatically overstated on Veeky Forums. Unless you go well below -500 calories/day, stop getting your protein, and completely stop training, you shouldn't see major strength drops. Talking maybe 10-15% over the course of an entire 6-8 week cut. If you are more than 10% weaker on a lift compared to the same lift last week, that's more likely a sign of general fatigue due to lower calories and/or depleted glycogen from the cut, not literal muscle loss. Brush it off, make sure the next time you hit that lift you're fully fed and rested. If it's still substantially lower you are likely cutting too hard. My diet during that end of year 1 cut was just reduced calorie IIFYM, no special carb manipulation or anything.

That's whats up man. Hitting the big 3-0 knowing you are in vastly better shape than 95% of your peers is a good feeling. Honestly you'll already be at that point after year 1. Year two is just when jimmies start rustling even louder. And great point on the finances. Throughout all of these two years I have grown my career working 40+ hours a week + went back to college to finish my degree, taking as many as 5 classes per semester on top of the full time career + lifting. I learned I had been severely underachieving for a very long time.

>gaining 10 pounds of lean mass a month, consistently
is there some non-natty magic going on?

Yo is your bedroom really the balcony?

>implying it's all lean
user, pls.

I've never even attempted to find out what my 1RM, 3RM, 5RM "lifts" are. They would probably be quite low if you look at it solely through the lense of "you lifted for two years, so that means you should be able to squat/dl/bench plates. Those numbers mean nothing to me and never will. That's a different sport that I don't even train for, I don't even do those lifts in my hypertrophy routine. It would be like me telling a fat powerlifter "you lifted for two years but you look like you haven't left the couch once, you clearly did it wrong". Different goals, different results.

I sleep out here sometimes when the weather permits, so kind of yeah. It's cozy, I like watching the people go by and just chilling with my laptop hanging out on Veeky Forums. I spend more time here than in my actual bedroom for sure.

This. You can see just based on the beginning and end photos that it took me a year to go from 145 lbs to...145lbs. But all the ups and downs between were spikes in bodyfat and incremental muscle gains, weighing as low as 125 and as high as almost 160. Lots of yo-yo'ing that first year but all said and done, based on holding BF% from each of the low points, I gained about 12 lbs of pure lean muscle mass. This is in line with what pretty much any natty can expect given consistent lifting for a full year, maybe even a couple more pounds if they are better with their diet than I was.

There should be a rule stating that you have to post a new picture of yourself to give advice.

You're a fucking manlet, you weigh as much as a 12 year old girl and on top of that you have no V-taper and you look like absolute shit.
Why would you give out advice and why would anybody take advice from you ?
You are shit and your advice is shittier.
Will you ever learn?
Also post your lifts so that I can laugh at them.

you have no chest, or arms really

91 pounds 59" reporting in, lookin cute feelin cute

They're called ectomorphs for a reason faggot

U on roids?

i can understand not wanting to be compared to powerlifts, but having no interest in strength, even for your own personal growth, is completely bizzare to me.

What do you think of PPL routines ? Are they effective, if you ever tried one ?