Hey Dan there's not really anything I can add to Lonnie's great write up and post.It's very hard to take yourself out of that comfort zone, I've been there and actually I need to listen to Lonnie's comment's as well.I do believe In what he's saying about needing to give your body the calories to grow and I also believe It's harder for some that have been at a constant body weight for a long period of time.I think that there Is merit to body weight set point's and that you do have to go above them for a set amount of time before your body want's to stay at that higher weight.

Just to follow up. I could get REAL scientific, but I try not to do that. Instead here is a link to an article here on T Nation from Shelby that touches on a few of the issues about finding a balance for muscle growth. As Lonnie said, the real issue is cutting your growth short by dieting back down too soon. The amount of muscle gained in even 6 months is barely noticeable - it takes years to make significant gains naturally.

If muscle gains are your goal - wait till at least next spring to even think about "dieting"... just keep yourself from breaking 10% or so and you should be fine. I have the opposite problem and I now need to try and stay leaner year round to keep my hormones optimized... so for me, I need to stay closer to 10% for different reasons....

http://www.T-Nation.com/...centage&cr=

Dan,
I have been following your log and I agree totally with what Lonnie and Jppage have said ..
But just to piggyback on their points, Its apparent from your logs that you have great discipline, dedication and passion to gain muscle mass and push your body to be its best. Along with this you seem to be very knowledgeable and eager to learn.

It really seems that there is really no specific area in your training or nutrition that needs to be fixed (other than maybe a few more cals as mentioned by the previous posts) to improve you muscle gains. You seem to have all the qualities necessary for progressing in the gym no doubt, but I think sometimes when we act as our own coaches there is a certain staleness that can come about in our training that can lead to less than satisfying progress even if we are varying our programs.

I feel that even if we are doing everything right or to the best of our knowledge, sometimes having a new perspective and letting someone else do the thinking and take the reigns can/will lead to new progress. And while I know you already have done and are continuing to do his programs, I think if you have the money to spend on it, hiring JM would be a beneficial move and great investment. As I know you have seen with your interactions with him on this site, there really isnt a nicer guy or someone who truly wants to see his clients improve and I feel he would not leave you disappointed.

Also, while I dont know as much about him, Shelby seems like a great coach for diet as well. I am currently in the same boat as you, very determined and persistent with my efforts but seeing little gains, and hiring JM is my next plan of attack after I scrap together a few more pennies to pay for it ha! Just my two cents man, best of luck and keeping posting, your logs has been an enjoyable and educational read.

@ bilski
Thanks for chiming in. You're right that some (extra) body fat is optimal and needed in order to gain muscle. It's important because hormones are too low when some people are too lean, which sets up a terribly un-anabolic environment. Clinical studies have proven this to be true for me. That article Shelby wrote hit home for me last year when I read it...I guess I forgot about it lol. Thanks for posting it.

@ rhod
Thanks man.

@ Lonnie
I was hoping you'd stop by and offer advice as you've been in my situation. I saw a pic of you the other day and it looks like you're packing on some quality muscle. Great advice, especially regarding switching goals to focus on maximum strength and "supplements". I've always thought about doing a cycle but the risk has always just seemed to great for the reward for my profession. I like your perspective and I too want to be the best version of me I can be. Having said that, I know that I was a better version of myself a year ago. I spent a lot of money, invested a lot of time and made a lot of social sacrifices and what do I have to show for it? Anyway. I have confidence that JM or Shelby could get me better results than I've gotten alone but to answer your question I wouldn't be satisfied if I had hired a coach and got the lack of results I have achieved. And you're correct, having the reputation of Dan Abs doesn't help things one bit.

@jppage
Thanks for the advice. How long do you think a guy should keep his weight stable to reset his set weight? It's probably specific to the individual but think it's like 6 months or something.

@ Cousein_Vinny11
Thanks for stopping in! Your thoughts and reasoning of hiring a coach like JM or Shelby is right with my thinking.


I did spend some time (about 4-6 months last winter) at 10-12% body fat and I didn't seem to be getting stronger or more muscular, but my lower back and abs sure got fatter...I could pinch at least 2" on my lower back (see caliper measurements in my RP Training Log). The reality is that it will likely take 3-6 months at a higher body fat % to get my hormone levels to normal and THEN I may SLOWLY notice increases in strength and muscle mass thereafter. Patience has never been my virtue and yet bodybuilding is my hobby.