Tired of looking like crap need help please

[beatango2008]

Hey all,
Been training serious for about 2 years, I started working out when I was 15, but had no idea how to eat or train.
I have alot of weak points I would like to improve on.
I am trying to gain some lean/bodymass while obtaining a lower bodyfat.

I current workout routine is

Monday: back/bis
Tuesday:Chest/tris
Friday: Legs/abs
Saturday: Shoulders/traps

I do cardio for 30 mins after training, at a fatburning pace.

My diet is as follows



Meal #1: 60g pro from eggwhites 70g carbs from oatmeal, one teaspoon of natty pb.

Meal #2: 3 cans tuna with 1 tb light mayo = 80g pro and 1 carrot.

Meal #3: 10 boiled eggs, only eat 2 whole eggs and 8 whites, cup of steamed beans.

Meal #4: 60g pro from chickenbreast 50g carb from sweetpotato 1 cup of green beans.

Meal #5: 80g pro from groundbeef 95% lean 1 cup of green beans.

Meal #6: 60g pro from chickenbreast 1 cup of greenbeans.

Meal #7: 50g pro from cottagecheese and 1 teaspoon of natty pb.

On training days I eat an extra 50g carbs from oats preworkout,
and take 20g pro from wheybolic extreame and another 40g pro post workout
with 1 large banana.

Here are my pictures

[beatango2008]

By by way here are my before pictures

[T-MOS]

age?
height
weight
bodyfat %
goals

not sure what your question is??

keep in mind that bodybuilding is a MARATHON, not a sprint. it takes MANY years to develop muscle maturity. I have been at this for over 25 years and still need to make progress...so it never ends

[beatango2008]

age?
height
weight
bodyfat %
goals

not sure what your question is??

keep in mind that bodybuilding is a MARATHON, not a sprint. it takes MANY years to develop muscle maturity. I have been at this for over 25 years and still need to make progress...so it never ends

current stats are:
Hight: 5'9''
Weight: 190lbs
Bodyfat:unknown

My goals are to try and compete one day.
My short term goal is to reach 200lbs with about 8-10% bodyfat.

[beatango2008]

My question is really, where can I improve? I train my legs once a week, but cant get them to grow.

[rogue01]

The diet looks pretty clean. What are your total macros for the day? When is the last time you switched up your lifting routine?

[beatango2008]

Total Pro intake 420g
Total Carb intake 120 none training days
180carbs training days.

Always try to switch it up every month.

[mouse78]

well your pro intake is way to hig bro if you het in 1.50 per lbs of bodyweight you are allready ok. it should look something like this

50% pro 40% carbs 10%fat

as far as your imrpovement in just two years , you have no reason to complain about that you made good gains in just 2 years bro. Tak eyour time

[soulstealer]

well your pro intake is way to hig bro if you het in 1.50 per lbs of bodyweight you are allready ok. it should look something like this

50% pro 40% carbs 10%fat

as far as your imrpovement in just two years , you have no reason to complain about that you made good gains in just 2 years bro. Tak eyour time

Personally I tend to diet alot better on higher fat like:

40% pro 25% carbs and 35% fat.... with my non workout days having higher fat and protein rations (due to less carbs) than my workout days....

[beatango2008]

So if I take 1.5g pro per lb of bodyweight that would put me at 285 and I would still gain just as much muscle with that, opposed to the amount I am taking now?
I just dont feel like I eat enough when I was taking 1.5g pro, and I wasnt gaining anyweight for the longest time, that is why I bumped it up.
I do want to put on quality mass though, so if I have to drop it back down thats what i'll do, it is kind of hard eating the amount I am now anyway.

[alpmaster]

Remember, protein is there as blocks to build muscle, but the energy to actually use this needs to be there. So if you're not gaining at 285g of protein, you need to up the calories, not the protein. If you want to gain weight right now, you definitely need more than 120g of carbs. Try around 300-350ish grams.

[Reed]

My question is really, where can I improve? I train my legs once a week, but cant get them to grow.

What is your leg routine. List exercises, sets and reps.

And I agree with the rest of the guys. This is where a lot of the "smaller" or "skinnier" guys go wrong thinking that carbs=bodyfat. This is not true, its your carb choices and all together your food choices. You may not lean out tremendously or anything but you gotta pick a route, I'd say continue to bulk up, but go about it in a smart, calculated manner and you won't gain all this dreaded bodyfat you worry about w/ lowering your carbs so much

Remember like alp said protein is the only macro that can build muscle so now you need energy and thats from carbs and fat. If you don't have enough of the other two while trying to gain muscle I bet you can guess what your body will use for energy.... what it should be using to build......

Add carbs in there bro and time it out right. What I do is 4 meals before I workout with carbs and 3 meals PWO w/ carbs and my final meal(s) are protein/fat. I don't venture over 12% offseason or lose my abs... I'm thinking you should do the same. But i know you don't eat as much as I or need to for that matter (not yet at least ) so 3 meals before, 3 meals after IMO

I stick to oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, ezekiel bread......

[ray0414]

i wouldnt say you "look like crap". be more patient. and personally i dont like your workout schedule. im a believer of doing arms on their own day so u can focus on them. and if you work your back correctly, it SHOULD hinder a chest workout the following day. so i put chest a day or 2 in front of back. if u really want to work your bi's/tris in with the bigger body parts, i think it would benifit you if u switched your tuesday and friday rutienes. (and u still didnt list your age)

[beatango2008]

Thanks alot guys I appricate all the input, I am going to change up the diet as directed, adding more clean carbs, plus switch my workout routine a little as ray0414 stated.
I will be posting my new diet in the diet section once I get it written up.
again thanks for the help.

I will also post up my leg routine as soon as I get back from the gym,
have to hurry right now though because they close at 6.

[beatango2008]

What is your leg routine. List exercises, sets and reps.

And I agree with the rest of the guys. This is where a lot of the "smaller" or "skinnier" guys go wrong thinking that carbs=bodyfat. This is not true, its your carb choices and all together your food choices. You may not lean out tremendously or anything but you gotta pick a route, I'd say continue to bulk up, but go about it in a smart, calculated manner and you won't gain all this dreaded bodyfat you worry about w/ lowering your carbs so much

Remember like alp said protein is the only macro that can build muscle so now you need energy and thats from carbs and fat. If you don't have enough of the other two while trying to gain muscle I bet you can guess what your body will use for energy.... what it should be using to build......

Add carbs in there bro and time it out right. What I do is 4 meals before I workout with carbs and 3 meals PWO w/ carbs and my final meal(s) are protein/fat. I don't venture over 12% offseason or lose my abs... I'm thinking you should do the same. But i know you don't eat as much as I or need to for that matter (not yet at least ) so 3 meals before, 3 meals after IMO

I stick to oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, ezekiel bread......

Leg routine looks like this

Squats: 3 sets 6-12 reps increase weight with each set

Leg Extensions: 3 sets 6-12 reps increase weight with each set

Leg Curls: 3 sets 6-12 reps increase weight with each set

Lunges: 3 sets 8-12 reps with 30lb dumbells

Seated calf raises: 3 sets 8-12 reps with as much weight as I can.

[beatango2008]

I cant do the leg press because I have a herniated disc, and this movement irrates it.

[jbm]

Good Luck my brother....

[beatango2008]

Good Luck my brother....

thanks mate

[ray0414]

my gym closes at 4 on saturdays and sundays, wish they were open til 6!!

[Reed]

Leg routine looks like this

Squats: 3 sets 6-12 reps increase weight with each set

Leg Extensions: 3 sets 6-12 reps increase weight with each set

Leg Curls: 3 sets 6-12 reps increase weight with each set

Lunges: 3 sets 8-12 reps with 30lb dumbells

Seated calf raises: 3 sets 8-12 reps with as much weight as I can.

Well I can see why, not alot of "mass" building exercises in there

try this

pre- exhaust on leg extension 4 sets 12-15 reps

squats 4 sets 6-12 reps

leg press 3 sets 8-15 reps

stiff-leg deads- 4 sets 10-20 reps

laying leg curl 4 sets 10-20 reps

leg press calve raises

seated calve raises

I actually add one more exercise with quads like hacks and another for hamstrings but I take some type of intra-workout drink with me as well. But start with this first. Go heavy, to failure and beyond, a lot of training with legs is mental w/ going to failure. I like to take a wider stance being taller in squats so I can go real deep and it helps w/ my inside quads development that i need to work on......

I like rest pause sets along w/ forced reps on the leg press where I'll put my hands on my knees to buck out just that last few, as well as forced reps and partials on the laying leg curl. You gotta literally give your self hell where you feel like you are about to pass out and need a cold shower. Balls to the wall my friend.

Just my .02 cents

[beatango2008]

Well I can see why, not alot of "mass" building exercises in there

try this

pre- exhaust on leg extension 4 sets 12-15 reps

squats 4 sets 6-12 reps

leg press 3 sets 8-15 reps

stiff-leg deads- 4 sets 10-20 reps

laying leg curl 4 sets 10-20 reps

leg press calve raises

seated calve raises

I actually add one more exercise with quads like hacks and another for hamstrings but I take some type of intra-workout drink with me as well. But start with this first. Go heavy, to failure and beyond, a lot of training with legs is mental w/ going to failure. I like to take a wider stance being taller in squats so I can go real deep and it helps w/ my inside quads development that i need to work on......

I like rest pause sets along w/ forced reps on the leg press where I'll put my hands on my knees to buck out just that last few, as well as forced reps and partials on the laying leg curl. You gotta literally give your self hell where you feel like you are about to pass out and need a cold shower. Balls to the wall my friend.

Just my .02 cents

looks good, but I cant do the Leg press machine because it hurts my back, I had a herniated disc, same goes for the stiff legged dead lifts.

[Reed]

looks good, but I cant do the Leg press machine because it hurts my back, I had a herniated disc, same goes for the stiff legged dead lifts.

hmm how do you accomplish squats?

Well add hack squats and do another hamstring exercise. Stiff dead lifts are the king of hamstring exercises so you're missing out big time. I can tell the reason your legs are not growing is cause you have one exercise for mass in there, squats. Leg extensions will not build mass. Try Hack squats or something on a power squat machine. Do laying leg curls, then single leg curls. There is a lot that could be done but I think you get the idea of what I am trying to say. You need more power movements in there.

[beatango2008]

hmm how do you accomplish squats?

Well add hack squats and do another hamstring exercise. Stiff dead lifts are the king of hamstring exercises so you're missing out big time. I can tell the reason your legs are not growing is cause you have one exercise for mass in there, squats. Leg extensions will not build mass. Try Hack squats or something on a power squat machine. Do laying leg curls, then single leg curls. There is a lot that could be done but I think you get the idea of what I am trying to say. You need more power movements in there.

thanks bro, yea squats are hard on my disc also, noticed yesterday my back started to act up. Cant go to heavy on them I guess. But thanks for all the useful tips, I will definlently incorperate them into my workout.

[Reed]

thanks bro, yea squats are hard on my disc also, noticed yesterday my back started to act up. Cant go to heavy on them I guess. But thanks for all the useful tips, I will definlently incorperate them into my workout.

No problem my man. Just look into different exercises that will help you along. Start reading into different training protocols for your whole body. You'll get there no doubt. And you SHOULD be very proud of your progress. Its obvious you have put work in. Its taken me a while and a lot work to get where i am and still am not satisfied. Didn't take one year or two years, its a life long journey.

Most of the top physiques we idolize today have take 10+ years to create so don't give yourself a hard time, you doing the right things and will definitely get there if you TRULY want it....

Good luck

[ray0414]

i have back issues also and avoided doing legs til about about couple years ago. but i started doing front squats on the smith machine a couple months ago and it puts most of the pressure on my thighs, not my back. give it a try. go nice and slow and u can feel the burn.