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This is a discussion on Help- my "bulk" blows! within the Share Your Physique Photos forums,----- I competed on October 3rd, took about a week off, and started a "bulk" -- but I'm frustrated with my ...
I competed on October 3rd, took about a week off, and started a "bulk" -- but I'm frustrated with my progress... or lack thereof. I am doing a four day split which I love, and I feel like I can tell a slight change in my upper body, but it's not much. Now I fully admit I've slipped now and again in the diet, but the workouts have been great -- I just wish I saw that in the mirror.
I was trying to hit shoulders hard, but I don't know what else to really concentrate on. I will post one comp pic, and then a few I took tonight. Tell me what you see -- what body part or parts need the most work if I intend to compete again in April? (I still haven't fully decided.)
Your bulk should be slow. I out on about 1 pound a week some aim to only gain a pound a month. You just need to eat over maintaince, eat clean with a few treats and hit weights hard and heavy and you'll grow.
I also cut out cardio, I would have prob put on less bf% had I did my cardio.
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Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth. ~Benjamin Disraeli
You are an ectomorph like me, so I empathize with you. What really worked for me was to lift heavy, heavy and train my shoulders three times per week. I also did a three week stint where I did 100 push ups and 50 pull ups six days a week. That worked wonders.
With shoulders, I would work them every other day, three days a week. Not a full workout. I would do one compound followed by a triad. I read that shoulders are fast recovery. I think within a month my shoulders completely transformed.
Legs I worked in splits. I would do one day focusing on quads and another focusing on ham/glute tie-in.
I lifted hard, but only for forty minutes at a time. Don't go longer than that. Ectomorphs have a hard time building if we lift too long and too light.
Kill it, girl. And lay off the cardio until you are close to your show.
Eat a LOT. I was eating 2700 cals a day when bulking. It was killer, but it worked.
Hugs! I know how you feel. Everyone wants to be skinny but us haha!
I think you have maintained a great weight since your show. As far as areas to improve on, I think you need to gain some muscle over your entire package. Of course for figure you want nice shoulders and back and legs as a focus.
I think you just need to eat more, and cut your cardio lower....I'm a 100% pure mesomorph, but not even I'm doing cardio right now...maybe 1 session of HIIT/plyometrics per week, but mainly focused on eating and heavy lifting. I'm growin.
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"It's funny...the harder I train and better I eat.....the better my genetics seem to get." - G. Diesel
First off you are beautiful.
I agree with Kel...no cardio!!
As for lifting I did a back/shoulder specialization program for about 5 weeks that helped alot. It did involve lifting those body parts 3 days a week, but only for a short time.
I would concentrate on compound moves...hard and heavy...heavy...heavy!!
bulks are slow...but you will see more results soon girl!
I competed on October 3rd, took about a week off, and started a "bulk" -- but I'm frustrated with my progress... or lack thereof. I am doing a four day split which I love, and I feel like I can tell a slight change in my upper body, but it's not much. Now I fully admit I've slipped now and again in the diet, but the workouts have been great -- I just wish I saw that in the mirror.
I was trying to hit shoulders hard, but I don't know what else to really concentrate on. I will post one comp pic, and then a few I took tonight. Tell me what you see -- what body part or parts need the most work if I intend to compete again in April? (I still haven't fully decided.)
Congrats btw on ur competition ! From your day comp. pic, i would have NEVER recognized you ! You look so different, in a good way that is !
thanks everyone! That helps a lot! I have been running about three days a week. I thought that was okay, but I guess I need to cut that out and just concentrate on lifting. My 4 day split has me training shoulders on Mondays, but I think I'll add at least one more day on that. I like the idea of doing 100 pushups and 100 pullups, but I can't do that many at once! (And I can only do one pull up unassisted!) But I'm going to work them in more and do as many as I can.
Right now I do legs on Fridays. I have been doing deads, squats and lunges then, but not other days of the week. Should I add more leg work in? Maybe do a big compound movement day instead of one of my "rest" days? Here is the schedule just so you can see where that might fit in.
Monday - shoulders and triceps
Tuesday- back
Wednesday- rest
Thursday- chest and biceps
Friday- legs
Saturday- rest
Sunday - rest
I had been using rest days for cardio. Rest days are so hard! I am supposed to rest today but I feel fine. I could def add extra shoulders today if you guys think that would do the trick.
I would definitely cut out the running...that is slowing things down for ya. As far as legs go, I like to split them up...Quads/calves on one day and I like hammies paired with back. That worked really well for me!
ugh - I stopped running this week and I feel all keyed up. I did have a great workout today --I'm a day off schedule so I did chest and biceps. I walked out with my muscles burning and I was only in the gym about 35 minutes (per KJ's helpful hints). I'm thinking about spliting up legs as some of you suggested.
thanks for your sweet compliments and expertise - there's no way I would be able to train without this site!
It will take a while for you to get used to not running, but you will! KJ is a smart cookie...no need to spend hours in the gym (but I would if I could LOL!).
You are an ectomorph like me, so I empathize with you. What really worked for me was to lift heavy, heavy and train my shoulders three times per week. I also did a three week stint where I did 100 push ups and 50 pull ups six days a week. That worked wonders.
With shoulders, I would work them every other day, three days a week. Not a full workout. I would do one compound followed by a triad. I read that shoulders are fast recovery. I think within a month my shoulders completely transformed.
Legs I worked in splits. I would do one day focusing on quads and another focusing on ham/glute tie-in.
I lifted hard, but only for forty minutes at a time. Don't go longer than that. Ectomorphs have a hard time building if we lift too long and too light.
Kill it, girl. And lay off the cardio until you are close to your show.
Eat a LOT. I was eating 2700 cals a day when bulking. It was killer, but it worked.
Hugs! I know how you feel. Everyone wants to be skinny but us haha!
I'm also an ectomorph - can you recommend a specific routine and nutrition plan? or a good book to follow?
Carolf
Help- my "bulk" blows!
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