# New Please Be Kind



## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

I've been really focused on my trainng for about 3 years now, i've been with several different personal trainers and i've learned alot and but right now im going it alone having decided that i know my body best.

Over this time the biggest thing i've learned is that as a whole my body is reasonably resistant to gaining muscle, but i lean down really easily which is kinda a shame because right now im focused on gaining some muscle.

I'm 5ft 3 about 120lb's oh and a girl  I've been playing with my diet and i've been attempting to bulk since christmas.

Before christmas i was sitting at around 15% body fat, i had a training break for 3 weeks (the first break in 2 years) while i went to the states and i came back having eaten everything in site for 3 weeks at about 17% body fat.

I've been playing with my numbers and i've found i need to eat abou 2400 cals per day to gain weight, anything less and the scale just doens't move at all. At the recomendation of a friend i've come off my usual body part split workouts and i'm trying block training, focusing on Quads and Delts.

The idea being that i figure by asking my body to bring up all locations at once maybe im just asking too muh of it, so im trying to shock it into focusing on the 2 single locations and doing maintinance training for the rest.

I've been doing this since january and i've made some good strenght gains on my legs but my shoulders are still stuck and looking as screwny as ever, to top this off measurements / photograph's etc suggest that most of the weight im gaining is fat, there is some noticable improvement in my quads but honestly it's my shoulders i want to cap Sooo much !!

I train pretty hard, i squat 100kg not bad for a girl or so the guys in the gym tell me, but my shoulders are really causing me issues as without a partner to spot me i seem unable to break though the plateu i seem to be stuck on.

I don't think the problem is the training per say but im concerned by the weight gain, im gaining which is good but i'm not gaining the correct sort of weight, i know that some fat gain is enevitable and im fine with that, but im really getting discouraged by the lack of improvement in my shoulders which still look boney to me with a compleate lack of shape.

I think the issue is with my diet, i find when i really ramp up the protien i get serious gut trouble, which means im not sure i always get the protien i need for real gain's, i do get at least 1g - 1.25g per pound of body wieght on the average day but beyond that i start to suffer.

This week i've reduced the amount of protien powder im using limiting it to my workout only, and relying on more whole foods see it that helps but has anyone encountered this problem and gotten round it?? or has any other idea's why im not gaining on my shoulders?


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## Críostóir (Dec 12, 2009)

Hi and welcome  Im on 2g per kg BW on training days and 1.5g per kg BW on off days. What are these problems you encounter.... protein death farts??


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

Well protien death farts is just the start haha. i also get stomach cramps which can be pretty bad.


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## Críostóir (Dec 12, 2009)

Pretty impressed on your squat tho for a girl and your height v. good


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

Thanks, i've just moved gym's and my squats have gotten me a fair bit of attention in the last few weeks, tbh my lower body is coming along a treat as is my back which looking pretty damn good if i do say so myself (my back is my fav body part.. weird much?)

it's mostly my arms and shoulders which are letting me down, if i cut much lower than about 15% fat i start looking like a crack whore it's not pretty and i really want to get to a place when i can have my abbs and NOT look sick.


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## nothing2fear (Jul 7, 2007)

Welcome to UK-M 

My knowledge on womens training is limited if im honest... for size/strength gain I personally use 5x5 training which is very effective; whether this would be the same for a lass I cannot say. Im sure the ladies will be along very soon and point you in the right direction though  , alot of excellent knowledge on here. (PS if you havent already found it, theres a whole section specifically for the ladies too)

With regard to a dodgy gut when taking protein, you may be lactose intolerant if its the shakes specifically that give you an dodgy tum? Do have you have the same problem when eating dairy products? If you post up your diet people will be able to help you tweak it and adjust it accordingly.

Also, would be a good idea to put up your usual routine and what you do on each day?

Btw.... very impressive squat weight... infact I think I need to up my game!


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

I've always eaten alot of dairy and it's never caused me trouble before. Honestly though i have the same trouble when i cut and i cut out all dairy, execept whey when im cutting.

This week im gonna try limiting the whey, at this point i figure it's either the whey or it's just the amount of protien.

Routine (4 day block)

Day 1


5 x 5 Back Squats

3 x 8 Front Squats

5 x 5 millies

3 x 8 Super set, Arnies and Side Laterals


Day 2 (lower volume)


3 x 5 Back Squats

2 x 8 Front Squats

3 x 5 Hang Cleans

3 x 8 Corner Press


Day 3


3 x 8 RDL's

3 x 8 Bench Press

3 x 8 T-Bar Rows

Then one of the following Alternating each block,

3 x 8 Chin ups

3 x 8 Bi Curls

3 x 8 weighted dips



Day 4 - Rest

Rinse and Repeat.

This is a newish plan, because i didn't have much luck the regular way so going for some shock tactic's i don't think it's a problem with the Training as i have alot of faith in the person who sugested it.

But because i work out alone i do find it harder to push my shoulders though the platues, i've always had a strong lower body, i joke im ass heavy.. i just need to bring my upper body up but it just isn't wanting to grow 

Diet wise ... i eat differently every day.. but it looks something like this.


m1 : either 2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites on Wholegrain toast, or Oats and Whey.

m2 : chicken or lean beef rice and veg

m3 : workout Whey and Dextrose

m4 : Potato, Cottage Cheese

m5 : i always struggle with this one, Almonds and whey, sometimes a yogurt or a banana (if im organised i may have a wrap with salad and ham)

m6 : potato or sweetpotato, Salmon or lean beef with green veg, broccoli, Cauliflower, green beans, spinach, or cabbage.

m7 : again struggling with this one, depending on how my protien is homous and a Wrap, or greek yogurt with whey, sometimes some nuts if im low on cal's


Honestly though my food changes daily.. i try and keep it good quality but im a business woman and i often get dragged into meeting that drag on for hours an on thoses days it can been really hard to get all the meals in, or i get caught u in a project and i end up forgetting to eat.

I often end up trying to cram in the calories at the end of the day which i know is less than ideal, so if anyone can sugest easy portable snacks i can eat on the run then i'd be really happy.

thanks for baring with me.


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## LunaticSamurai (May 19, 2009)

Leiela said:


> I train pretty hard, i squat 100kg


At 8st 5lb you can squat twice your bodyweight???

I'm finding that difficult to swallow... sorry to sound disbelieving.

Whats your other lifts like?


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## McQueen (Aug 21, 2008)

Hi 

Nice squat !


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## spiderpants (Nov 21, 2007)

hiya, because women are dasigned a bit different, they aren't as tiolerable to haigher proteins as males. if you keep your proteins higher you need to take your fibre intake up to to accomodate the digestion and stop cramps and clogging.


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## Khaos1436114653 (Aug 28, 2009)

welcome.....and i don't just think it's your squats which are attracting attention:whistling:


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

LunaticSamurai said:


> At 8st 5lb you can squat twice your bodyweight???
> 
> I'm finding that difficult to swallow... sorry to sound disbelieving.
> 
> Whats your other lifts like?


My lower body is fine, About 60kg on a deadlift (wrists let me down there, i can't keep the grip on heavier thouh i think my legs could manage it im reluctant to turn to straps) it's only 100kg on back squats down onto a box, without the box i can only manage about 80kg but i think thats fear of falling more than lack of ability.

My front squats are much lower again (only about 60kg) as i struggle to hold that sort of weight across my chest because of the dependence on my arms to keep it there i find it slips foward and i don't have the strength to stop it.

Honestly i understand the disbelief, i've just moved gyms in the last few weeks and tbh in my old gym it was just taken as granted all the guy's there knew me and i didn't realise for me size i was squating well, getting to the new gym has an experience, first day i squatted i ended up with about 5 guys standing around watching.

my upper body sucks which is why im having the problem. shoulder corner press, using the olympic bar i add a 10kg disk, millies 20kg, Arnies 10kg each arm and i struggle with that towards the end, Hang Cleans .. can manage 30kg if it's the first thing i do, 25kg otherewise.

My bench is god damn awful, stll struck at 25kg. Side Lat's 7.5kg, weighted dips 25kg disk on my knee off the side of a bench. bi curls just 10kg.

I really just need to bring my upper half up to match my lower, im built like a cart horse from my waist down and a stick insect from the waist up.


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

Khaos said:


> welcome.....and i don't just think it's your squats which are attracting attention:whistling:


haha


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## spiderpants (Nov 21, 2007)

try doing forearm exercise too and that will improve grip strength so you can deadlift heavier


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## TinyGuy (Dec 7, 2009)

> first day i squatted i ended up with about 5 guys standing around watching.


rofl i bet you did!

Welcome to UKM


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## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

Welcome...


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## mal (Dec 31, 2009)

hi.


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## weeman (Sep 6, 2007)

welcome to ukm :drool:

Taking some digestive enzymes will go a long way to helping your protein farts,i started using acidolfus caps during my contest prep last year as i was suffering extreme stomach cramps and upset as well as the gas,once i started using those inside 7 days the problems aleviated big time!!

ok thats the helpful post out the way,i'm back to drooling over you 

:drool:

p.s. nice squat btw,impressive:thumbup1:


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## Bettyboo (Jun 8, 2009)

Hiya welcome to the site hun x


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Agree with Mr Weeman above, digestive enzymes can help a lot with protein farts. Glutamine (5g three times a day taken on its own) can also help a lot in many cases of impaired digestion. Takes about two weeks of that dose for effects to show but it can make a dramatic difference to IBS and protein wind generation.

For building up shoulders, try a period of higher rep work and see if that makes a difference - I once trained with a gal who had a strong overhead press, but could only get any real growth in her delts when working with lower weights than her max and reps in the 10-15 range.

Another thing to look at doing is not locking out when doing shoulder presses, as the last phase of the lock out is almost all triceps and no delt. Cut this phase out and you have more energy in the set for focusing on delts only. Also, focus on side and rear delts mostly... when these are developed they create the round shoulder cap look far more than developed front delts do. Lateral raises and bent over laterals are your friends here.

Oh yes and a warm welcome to UKM :thumb:


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## Khaos1436114653 (Aug 28, 2009)

have you ever farted while on that pole?? sorry had to ask couldn't resist


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

Khaos said:


> have you ever farted while on that pole?? sorry had to ask couldn't resist


haha no but im suffered plenty of chafing Pole burn is the worst!


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## rodrigo (Jun 29, 2009)

:thumb :just thought i would drop in and say helllllllllllllllllllo


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

Any reccomendations for digestive enzymes ?? and where can i get them, i've got Glutamine already so i'll start on those right away.

Ty for the help


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## Khaos1436114653 (Aug 28, 2009)

The plant-based proteolytic enzyme* bromelain* comes from the stems of pineapples and is useful in many conditions. *Papain *comes from unripe papayas. All of these enzymes are available as supplements.


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## iron head case (Jul 2, 2008)

Hi and welcome to uk-muscle


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Khaos said:


> The plant-based proteolytic enzyme* bromelain* comes from the stems of pineapples and is useful in many conditions. *Papain *comes from unripe papayas. All of these enzymes are available as supplements.


Bromelain is good. As Khaos says, the enzyme is mostly found in the firmer core of the fruit but there's enough in one pineapple to have a noticable effect. When going through a bulking period (or as close to full on bulking as I get) I eat half a pineapple a day and notice definite difference compared to when eating lots and not taking it.

Another one that definitely works is Piperine, an extract from black pepper. Piperine has various effects on digestion and absorption of certain nutrients and when taken with certain supp's/medications it can increase the bioavailable amount by significant levels.

I would also use bioyoghurt of some kind with some kind of live culture. If you try one and it doesn't seem to help after a few weeks, make note of the culture it contains (Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium longum etc) and try a different one - sometimes the digestive system is ok other than lacking one specific kind of friendly bacteria


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## GHS (Oct 6, 2008)

Welcome to the forum


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

Great thanks  i might buy some pineapples as i love them anyways  I popped to boots and bought a bottle of Digestive Enzymes it has

betaine hci 250mg

amylase extract 100mg

papain 15mg

lipase extract 10mg

It's not great but it was the best i could get at short notice and right now i need all the help i can get, i'll take a look online and see if i can order a better one but this will do short term and i'll look into the yogurt 



Dtlv74 said:


> Bromelain is good. As Khaos says, the enzyme is mostly found in the firmer core of the fruit but there's enough in one pineapple to have a noticable effect. When going through a bulking period (or as close to full on bulking as I get) I eat half a pineapple a day and notice definite difference compared to when eating lots and not taking it.
> 
> Another one that definitely works is Piperine, an extract from black pepper. Piperine has various effects on digestion and absorption of certain nutrients and when taken with certain supp's/medications it can increase the bioavailable amount by significant levels.
> 
> I would also use bioyoghurt of some kind with some kind of live culture. If you try one and it doesn't seem to help after a few weeks, make note of the culture it contains (Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium longum etc) and try a different one - sometimes the digestive system is ok other than lacking one specific kind of friendly bacteria


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Leiela said:


> Great thanks  i might buy some pineapples as i love them anyways  I popped to boots and bought a bottle of Digestive Enzymes it has
> 
> betaine hci 250mg
> 
> ...


Glad to help  .

At first glance that little supp isn't too bad - betaine helps maintain stomach acid levels, amylase helps breakdown carbs, lipase breaks down fats and papain proteins! May pop into Boots and have a look myself :thumbup1:


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

Dtlv74 said:


> Glad to help  .
> 
> At first glance that little supp isn't too bad - betaine helps maintain stomach acid levels, amylase helps breakdown carbs, lipase breaks down fats and papain proteins! May pop into Boots and have a look myself :thumbup1:


the where £4.75 something like that, they had all different kinds i got this one because i recognised the ingredients from what had been suggested.


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## Ironclad (Jun 23, 2009)

Leiela said:


> Well protien death farts is just the start haha. i also get stomach cramps which can be pretty bad.


 :lol:

Welcome to ukm


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## ValJ (Aug 24, 2009)

*Hiya*

*
*

*
Hunni you rock * :thumb: * I am sure you will get the advice you seek here.*

*
*

*
Val x*


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## vsideboy (Feb 3, 2009)

welcome to the club, you seem disapointed in yur progress from january, but don't forget its only 6 weeks and as you should already know building up takes a LONG time, sure everyone on here will back me up on that one :thumb:

Hope you can gain lots of new knowledge and new friends here. Plenty of ladies about who'll be keen to help you out (and be very jealous of the weights you're chucking about)

Dan


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

vsideboy said:


> welcome to the club, you seem disapointed in yur progress from january, but don't forget its only 6 weeks and as you should already know building up takes a LONG time, sure everyone on here will back me up on that one :thumb:
> 
> Hope you can gain lots of new knowledge and new friends here. Plenty of ladies about who'll be keen to help you out (and be very jealous of the weights you're chucking about)
> 
> Dan


It's not that im dissapointed, it's just frustrating because i've had a 3 year battle with my upper half my arms and shoulders are a sticking point and concidering the fantastic transforation i've have on my legs and back i just want them to damn well catch up


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## vsideboy (Feb 3, 2009)

Leiela said:


> It's not that im dissapointed, it's just frustrating because i've had a 3 year battle with my upper half my arms and shoulders are a sticking point and concidering the fantastic transforation i've have on my legs and back i just want them to damn well catch up


Well looking at your avatar pic you look pretty well proportioned top half/bottom half so maybe this big defecit that you're seeing isn't realistically as big as you think?

We're all different and all have different muscles that respond better than others. Legs usually respond well because you can move alot of weight with them, whereas arms can't move that much weight so will respond differently to legs.


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

vsideboy said:


> Well looking at your avatar pic you look pretty well proportioned top half/bottom half so maybe this big defecit that you're seeing isn't realistically as big as you think?
> 
> We're all different and all have different muscles that respond better than others. Legs usually respond well because you can move alot of weight with them, whereas arms can't move that much weight so will respond differently to legs.


haha tbh the avi picture isn't a great pose for checking proportion's.

tbh it's only when i cut thats it's really noticable, as the problem is mostly to do with the way my body loses fat. My upper half loses fat much quicker than my lower half.

Right now if i cut below about 15% my arms go scarey scarey skinny while my legs still look like they need to shift some fat before they start getting a good shape, i figure if i gain some muscle on the arms, shouders they will remain a decent size while i get the fat down. it will hopefully just balance out my proportions.

Right now i'm in a tricky position in that to remain a good size to be healthy looking i still carry to much fat on my ass and legs and that in turn reduces the chances of me being hired for dancing, but if i cut the fat off, i look sick and that also doens't do me any favor's.

Right now im a healthy weight about 18% fat, but it's not a good weight for dancing, the pole can be quite unforgiving and certain moves highling any and all fat you have so i really need it to be gone, but i don't want it gone till i have the upper body to carry off such a low % without looking sick.


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## vsideboy (Feb 3, 2009)

I see, well can't really suggest much other than to stick at it, maybe concentrate more on the arms shoulders and cut back on the leg exercises for now?

Surely some of the local girlies will be able to give you better advice.


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## Khaos1436114653 (Aug 28, 2009)

Leiela said:


> haha tbh the avi picture isn't a great pose for checking proportion's.


i can see nothing wrong with those proportions:thumb: :whistling:


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## vsideboy (Feb 3, 2009)

come on everyone lets be professional, stop dribbling over the poor girls picture will ya jeez.

She's come here for advice on getting bigger and you lot just keep drooling. tuttut.


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## Khaos1436114653 (Aug 28, 2009)

i wasn't drooling, i was stating a fact, i see nothing wrong with her proportions..i've seen alot of un-proportionate people and Leiela looks very good IMO


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

Khaos said:


> i wasn't drooling, i was stating a fact, i see nothing wrong with her proportions..i've seen alot of un-proportionate people and Leiela looks very good IMO


Haha bless  I'm gonna have to start paying you guys for all these compliments.

Honestly im not a great base shape, i have a very wide ribcage which means i have no natural waistline, and my legs are short and dumpy (my last personal trainer discribed my figure as "like a shetland pony" built for labour not for looks.

i am with work and effort slowely changing it, i've added to my lats and shoulders (though not as much as i would like) to enhance the waist, i will be loosing the fat of my primary storage area (thighs) to slim them to make them look more in proportion (bugger all i can do about the length haha ) It's been a hard process but 3 years ago i looked more like a teenage boy, it least i do look female now... i just need to add a solid chunk of size to my arms and shoulders and i'll be happy. (err happier are women ever happy  )


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## vsideboy (Feb 3, 2009)

Leiela said:


> (my last personal trainer discribed my figure as "like a shetland pony" built for labour not for looks.


hope you gave him a good kickin for that!!


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## Leiela (Feb 14, 2010)

No but I did leave her, she said I'd reached my genetic limit and that I basically couldn't gain muscle because of my genetic's and that perhaps I needed to try and focus on a different sport. In short it was a lame ass excuse because she didn't know why I wasn't gaining.


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## vsideboy (Feb 3, 2009)

doesn't deserve to be called a personal trainer then really, you can't just quit and say nope theres nothing more I can do for you.

yeah genetics can be rubbish, and most of us won't ever be world strongest men (or women) but you don't just have to remain average either. what a stupid woman.


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## dannyboy01 (Apr 9, 2008)

hiya


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