[likkuid]

I've been bulking (first time) for the past 3 months. The first ~6 weeks I was gaining regularely and went from 177 to 191. ~5 or 6 weeks ago I hit a plateau and as of now I still can't get past 191.

I highly doubt it's my diet (I eat minimum 4000 calories a day, clean; lots of protein) so it must be how I workout. I started out on the Rippetoe Starting Strength program but stopped doing deadlift & pendlay rows ~7 weeks in because of lower back pain due to poor form (I watched a ton of videos/read a few articles but still messed them up somehow - I'm assuming out of arrogance [adding too much weight]).

Also, the last couple weeks my body hasn't been able to handle squatting 3x a week like I usually do. Now I squat once a week; twice at most. Reason being is I've doubled the weight from when I first started 3 months ago and my legs only rest on Sat/Sun as I have Muay Thai twice a week (which, in addition to squats, takes its toll).

Should I wait to bring back deadlift (when my back feels 100%) or start up again now, doing it with very low weight?

Anyways, as of late, my workout plan has basically looked like this:

Mon/Wed/Fri:
3x5 Benchpress
3x5 Squat (once or twice a week)
3x5 Dumbbell Row
4x5 Barbell Curl
4x5 Tricep Extensions

Tues/Thurs:
Muay Thai 90min

Any advice on how to get past this plateau and start gaining again?

Oh, and in case in matters - I'm 18 and 6'3.

[Donut62]

Originally Posted by likkuid

I've been bulking (first time) for the past 3 months. The first ~6 weeks I was gaining regularely and went from 177 to 191. ~5 or 6 weeks ago I hit a plateau and as of now I still can't get past 191.

I highly doubt it's my diet (I eat minimum 4000 calories a day, clean; lots of protein) so it must be how I workout. .

Your doubt is misplaced. If you aren't gaining weight, you aren't eating enough. Plain and simple. You can lift all you want, but if you are not in a caloric surplus you're going nowhere. 4000 calories isn't necessarily a whole lot if you are training hard in the weight room and in the ring at your age.

[vince89]

[hunto]

Plus

Originally Posted by vince89

and

and lots of

[fearfactory]

^ this is very good advice

[ThinkGreen]

Wake up every night at 2 am and drink a casein protein shake w/ milk. And oh ya, eat more

[cXs808]

Originally Posted by Donut62

Your doubt is misplaced. If you aren't gaining weight, you aren't eating enough. Plain and simple. You can lift all you want, but if you are not in a caloric surplus you're going nowhere. 4000 calories isn't necessarily a whole lot if you are training hard in the weight room and in the ring at your age.

2x a week Squats and adding back in DL's won't hurt either

[vince89]

Mix your rep ranges up abit more.

Maybe get away from the full body workouts and do an upper/lower split or a push/pull split so you can do more volume which may get you some growth. Basically, do things differently to what youve been doing.

[Donut62]

^Look for a sign like this, and order $30 worth of stuff.

[likkuid]

Originally Posted by Donut62

Your doubt is misplaced. If you aren't gaining weight, you aren't eating enough. Plain and simple. You can lift all you want, but if you are not in a caloric surplus you're going nowhere. 4000 calories isn't necessarily a whole lot if you are training hard in the weight room and in the ring at your age.

I was gaining fine until I switched from Karate to Muay Thai. Muay Thai has been much more conditioning-intensive, though I didn't think it would make that much of a difference. I've also been playing 2-3 hour games of soccer on Saturdays. I suppose these are the things that burning off all my excess calories. I'll add 1000 more calories a day in almonds/organic peanut butter/eggs and see where things go from there.

Originally Posted by ThinkGreen

Wake up every night at 2 am and drink a casein protein shake w/ milk. And oh ya, eat more

I go to bed at 2am - and that's when I have my casein shake w/ milk lol.

Originally Posted by vince89

Mix your rep ranges up abit more.

Maybe get away from the full body workouts and do an upper/lower split or a push/pull split so you can do more volume which may get you some growth. Basically, do things differently to what youve been doing.

I Googled this but I'm still a little confused. Are you suggesting every day I do push/pull split or one day I do purely push, the next purely pull, next push, etc. etc. If you can elaborate more on what you're saying it would be appreciated.

Thanks for the responses.