None of my bulks (lean or dirty) ever seem to result in any muscle gain, and I honestly really don't know what I'm doing wrong at this point

[daughteroftheonetrueking]

TLDR

I'm 5'6", 135lbs and I ended up looking the same in at the end of my cut on December 2023 as I did at the beginning of my bulk in January 2023.

January 2023 - August 2023 - December 2023

Bulking Diet and Workout I used

Entire Progress since 2020 (if curious)

Lift Start of Bulk (January 2023) End of Bulk (August 2023) End of Cut (December 2023)
Bench
180 lbs x 5
215 lbs x 5
190 lbs x 5

Squat
220 lbs x 5
270 lbs x 5
245 lbs x 5

Romanian Deadlift
225 lbs x 5
280 lbs x 5
315 lbs x 5

Edit: I've updated my diet with the protein content for each:

https://imgur.com/Lj54Nbc

. I also forgot to mention that I take 5g of Creatine Monohydrate everyday, along with a multivitamin and some Vitamin D. Thanks again for all the help.

Edit: Thank you all so much for all the help. Just to be sure I actually learned something from you guys, I have written up a summary of all your responses as a reply to this post. Please let me know if I missed/misunderstood anything. Thanks a lot again.

—-----------------------------

Wall of Text

I’m 5’6” and currently 135lbs. Just made a post about recomping a couple of hours ago (if you saw it, this is a follow up to that post). It seems like my lean bulk and cut cycles aren’t really producing great results (if any).

I began my most recent bulk at 138lbs in January 2023 and am currently at 135lbs (December 2023) but I look almost the same. Bulked to 156lbs from January to June and even hit a 225lbs bench for 3 reps but I still look the same at the end of this cut as I did before bulking. I made sure to bulk at around 2lbs per month and get anywhere from 0.8g - 1g of protein per pound of body weight and tracked all my lifts, including my accessories. I got a bit stronger but nothing else to really show for it. My lean bulks are usually just fat gain.

Here's a collage of my entire progress since 2020 too if needed. If it helps, here’s the workout I used while bulking. That link also contains an example of the diet I was using too. Just wanted to know what I was doing wrong. Thanks.

My lifts are below:

Lift Start of Bulk (January 2023) End of Bulk (August 2023) End of Cut (December 2023)
Bench
180 lbs x 5
215 lbs x 5
190 lbs x 5

Squat
220 lbs x 5
270 lbs x 5
245 lbs x 5

Romanian Deadlift
225 lbs x 5
280 lbs x 5
315 lbs x 5

Edit: I've updated my diet with the protein content for each:

https://imgur.com/Lj54Nbc

. I also forgot to mention that I take 5g of Creatine Monohydrate everyday, along with a multivitamin and some Vitamin D. Thanks again for all the help.

Edit: Thank you all so much for all the help. Just to be sure I actually learned something from you guys, I have written up a summary of all your responses as a reply to this post. Please let me know if I missed/misunderstood anything. Thanks a lot again.

 

[grace_chaser]

@daughteroftheonetrueking There’s a lot of good advice here (especially about your not so great diet) but not sure how many people took a close look at your photos. You 100% made progress. Your lifts went up a considerable amount and you look modestly bigger at a slightly lower body weight. These aren’t earth shattering results but that won’t happen in a year. Over 5-10 years these modest results add up to a great result - almost no one can get the results they want in a year because most people have extremely unrealistic expectations.

To make a lot more progress you should bulk even longer. Get to 155 as you did, start maintaining the weight for a few months, and then push more, then maintain again. Get as big and strong as possible without getting too fat, and then in 1.5 - 3yrs cut again. If at some point you get too fluffy for your own mental or physical health do a mini cut to get things under control but don’t actually cut.

Spend a couple years in a caloric surplus and focus on getting those lifts as high as possible since that’s usually the best metric at your point. Maybe find someone to help coach you or to make sure you’re doing lifts properly. Bodybuilding can be tricky so a reputable coach maybe can help you get to the next level if that’s what you’re looking to do.

 

[shiner222]

@grace_chaser Second this, you made real progress. You could make more if you dieted like a pro, but also you're not a pro. You're allowed to celebrate modest gains.

 

[michael67]

@grace_chaser 11 months to add 10 lbs on his bench is not good progress by any means.

 

[grace_chaser]

@michael67 He added 90 pounds to his RDL and 25 to his squat. The 10 pounds may not seem like a lot but he weighs only 135 pounds. These are good improvements that shouldn’t be dismissed. Could they be better? Sure, but an advanced novice/lower intermediate lifter or bodybuilder will keep improving steadily and learning with trial and error. Extended time at a heavier weight and in a surplus will also allow him to keep more muscle next time he cuts.

 

[michael67]

@grace_chaser Those are still not good. Regardless, he should be seeing giant increases in a year. Especiallly because he’s still a newer trainee. Would you be proud of those changes after 1 year of training?

 

[luca02]

@michael67 Im 33 and my bench is way worse then at 23. Somehow my chest look way better it's not always about number. As you get older you learn the ability to make every rep way harder by ewisting little thing here and there. By the way i found the barbell flat bench a terrible chest builder and a great shoulder destroyer

 

[satan_loves_you]

@daughteroftheonetrueking I see barely any protein in your meal plan, pop tarts? Really?

 

[summerwindslady]

@satan_loves_you Yes, OP really try to get a bit more nutrient rich foods in your diet. Remove some less than ideal foods and add stuff like beef, yogurt, potatoes, beans, shit... even some cheese, etc..

 

[roasthawg]

@satan_loves_you I entered his meal plan into cronometer and it looks like he might be getting 200g. Although I am assuming that he is eating a huge serving of chicken in his last meal to make it 900 calories.

 

[greyowl]

@roasthawg he listed his protein intake on there, and its fairly close to 1 gram per lb of body weight, depending on where it was in his bulk. But I am inclined to think they hasn't been pretty careful with this diet, and that's the primary issue here. That being said I'm having difficulty seeing any difference between any of the 3 pictures in terms of size. He looks the same bulked as he does when he started and cut.

 

[endriu888123]

@satan_loves_you Nah he’s eating enough. Assuming minimum protein from each source, he’s at 140g minimum. That should be plenty for a 135lb man.

 

[claudiabrinkmann1566]

@satan_loves_you What’s wrong with pop tarts for bulking especially before a workout? Carb heavy snack before lifting can be amazing

 

[hu%E1%BB%874734]

@claudiabrinkmann1566 Pop tarts, kids cereal, pb&j… good luck trying to bulk on over 3000 calories with just rice and potatoes as your carb source

 

[claudiabrinkmann1566]

@hu%E1%BB%874734 Yes! I’ve made little progress on my bulk trying to do it clean with fiber, I have embraced sugary and fatty snacks and am finally starting to move the needle this bulking session

It’s hard to undo good habits from a successful cut

 

[mecajunboy]

@daughteroftheonetrueking My guess would be that you are simply not training hard enough. If your 3 years into training and still doing 20+ sets per workout your probably training with barely any intensity. If I do more than 12 sets to failure in a session I’m toast. Are you training even close to failure? Do you progress every set every session when bulking?

 

[keith841]

@mecajunboy Agree with probably too little intensity. But I do 24 sets on upper body days with plenty of intensity and get close to or to failure on at least a handful of sets. It’s totally doable, just brutal. You do acclimate eventually. I’m an inch and a half taller than him and 40 lbs heavier. Similar bodyfat at worst, but likely a good bit leaner. But it’s tough to tell from his pictures.

 

[indybap]

@daughteroftheonetrueking With that much work, my first guess would be you're (probably unintentionally) sandbagging your workouts.

I've worked out with people who prior have told me "I train heavy and go to failure on every set" and they almost never do. They tend to give up when they think they won't get another rep. However, that is when the good reps start, when pushed, they've all done 5+ more reps. The effective reps model is 100% not true, but it is helpful for this. Those last 5 or so reps before failure are the ones you REALLY want to get to.

Attack that shit like it's wronged your mum or your partner or your dog or something!

 

[keith841]

@indybap When I do hack squats, I’ve literally been told people thought every one of my last four reps would be my last rep—and I still probably had 2 reps in the tank!

 

[jdp8858]

@daughteroftheonetrueking Your diet there barely contains 80gr of protein, and a 'diet' of poptarts and muffins isn't a diet.

I'd argue its the combination of a lack of calories, lack of protein and not pushing your workouts. You dont mention recovery, but dont forget sleep and rest days are extremely important