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I've been lifting for about a month and am getting concerned by my lack of improvement. I understand that visible changes don't happen overnight, but I keep reading that beginners should be able to improve almost every exercise with noob gains.
However, I'm literally lifting until my muscles don't move the bar up but am performing the same every time for some exercises.
For example, the past 3 times I did a shoulder press, I did one set of 8 reps no problem, one set of 8 reps a little shaky, and a final set with only 6 reps. I've done this now three times in a row without any sign of improvement. I'm trying to get to 10 reps good form before increasing the weight, but it's not happening.
I've been drinking a protein shake every day and my diet is mostly chicken and eggs so I feel like I'm getting enough protein. potential things I''m doing wrong:
- Not consuming enough calories (I eat about 1.8k-2k) out of fear of putting on fat along with muscle. my logic is I'm getting enough protein to sustain my muscle at least for now while I'm a weakling
- I'm using AWR workout, which recommends doing ABA schedule MWF. I've been keeping the schedule but going about 5 times a week (AB, rest, AB, rest)
- I'm doing 3 sets/8 reps as recommended by AWR, and am only increasing weight once I can do 10 in good form. I made that 2nd part up so it might be off.
Is it ok to be progressing this slow? or is one of those three things above likely hindering me?
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>Not consuming enough calories (I eat about 1.8k-2k)
There's your problem brutha
Maybe your bf% will increase slightly, but you're not going to become obese. You should be eating at least 2500 cal. Ideally 3000+
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>>38462993
cool, thanks. is the goal of this just to consume more protein? in that case, can I just add another protein shake? or do I actually need more calories to become stronger?
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>>38463007
>didn't read the sticky
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>>38463007
More calories.
And aim for at least 100g of protein each day. A protein shake (with milk) is about 25-30g. Get the rest from meat, chicken, fish, milk etc
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eat more! Sounds like you have enough protein. Read the sticky.
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>>38462965
You most likely need to read more and likely have bad rpogramming. You need to give your muscles a chance to recover, usually 2-3 days. And you need to incrementally load your weights. Drop your shoulder press 20%. Ithe will feel easy. That's fine. Next time bump it up 5lbs, even if you feel you can go higher. Repeat until you fail, then drop 10% and do it again.
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>>38462965
2k calories is far from enough unless you weigh like 110lbs..
You need calories.
think of it like building a house. Protein is the bricks, calories is the workmen who build it.
You can have as many bricks in a pile as you want, but without the work, nothing will get built.
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>>38462965
Not familiar with AWR but does it make you add weight every work out? I'm doing SL5x5 and my squat has gone from 165lbs in April to 265 this August
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>>38462965
>fear of putting on fat along with muscle
you can't gain muscle without gaining fat. you aren't going to turn in to a hippo overnight
get over the fear and read up on bulk/cut cycles
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>>38463007
Work out your TDEE and add 15%. Eat between 0.8-1g of protein per pound of bodyweight
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>>38463068
>>38463035
I do probably need to read the sticky more, but the basic diet thesis I got from it is that if you eat more calories than you burn, you get bigger. I didn't know if that implied it's the only way to get STRONGER too (because I read a lot about noob games on here that come easy, the importance of form and how that helps beginners, and the possibility of converting fat into muscle).
I'm already a bit chubby (185lbs, 5'11, no muscle), so I'm probably just in denial that I need to eat more and deal with gaining some more weight. but yeah, I believe you guys if eating more is also the only way to get stronger.
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READ THE FUCKING STICKY
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>>17018018
Read
>>17018018
The
>>17018018
Fucking
>>17018018
Sticky
>>17018018
You
>>17018018
Dyel
>>17018018
Overweight
>>17018018
Faggot
>>17018018
Goddamn just get some fucking gains.
Even if it's been 3 months and you're not seeing a ton of progress. You're off the couch, keep trying.
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>>38462965
Continue lifting heavy for several years.
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