Dear coaches,
I just received your group programming excel sheet and am very excited to start. It’s about time I got professional coaching, because my results have been underwhelming.
In a recent podcast Jordan briefly mentioned that some factors could inhibit muscle growth and I would love to hear more about that subject.
I have been training seriously for 2 years and have gained little LBM since mid-LP (fat gains have been easy though). Apart from genetics and my narrow frame, which are beyond my control, are there any factors that could explain the lack of muscle growth? Hopefully, things that I could act on?
More context and nuance below, if you have time for it.
Thanks!
Raphael
Some background: Male 35 yo and 5’8.
Two years ago I discovered SS and TBAB after unsuccesfully trying my luck in the gym several times over the years. I was 125 pounds (but no abz). I did the NLP, took my weight to 180 pounds in 10 months while my lifts went from ~0 to almost decent.
However beyond the initial “bump”, muscle mass didn’t really increase. I just became very fat (https://www.instagram.com/p/BhufwyNhCDu/). So I dieted down to mid-high teens BF%, and then slow bulked 1-2 pounds bodyweight per month for about half a year. At that point waist size had clearly increased back up… but muscle mass hadn’t noticeably increased.
Anyway, today I am back to 145 pounds at about 16% BF, which means I have gained more or less 10 pounds LBM in two years training (not counting the years fucking around the gym before SS). I can pull 2.5x BW though which is kinda sweet.
With regards to programming: after LP and a short bout of TM, I was doing HLM and some GPP once or twice a week for the past year.
Nutrition: basically TBAB unmeasured. Eating “clean, unprocessed”, and veggies, most of the time, plus some milk and cookies with my shakes if/when calorie target neccessitates it. Maybe undershooting fiber since I don’t eat oats. I also smoke 4-5 cigarettes a day, and have 1-2 drinks 1x to 3x a week. Sleep goes from fair to poor but I do get at least 6 hours a night.