Can you look good and "aesthetic" from natty lifting?

[ImTheDoubleGreatest!]

Some people can bench over their body weight on day one. In my case, I've been lifting for 2 1/2 years and I'm still below average. Average means the median/mean.

And I've been doing drop sets since about six months in. I've been going to failure since the start. I literally tore a muscle in my arm and my back(different times) because I was pushing a little too much. I'd go past failure and force a crap rep in at the end.
And I still can't bench even 100 lbs.

I do comprehensive rep ranges. I cycle between 3-4 for strength, 6-8 at slightly lower weight, and almost every workout at least some 10-14 as my final set for that lift and then down to about 50% of 1 RM for a burnout on the drop set. My TuT is usually about 6 seconds per rep(2 up and 4 down). It's usually a bit longer on the heavier lifts and a bit shorter on the lighter lifts.

I never sleep less than 6 hours a night and most nights I'm in the 7 1/2-8 range. I drink maybe 3-4 times per year. I am also well hydrated, drinking around a gallon of fluids a day(and most of it is water).

I totally know how you feel dude. Some people just don't get it hahaha. But you still CAN get there. You just have to work MUCH a harder than everyone else. The only problem is that it will take a toll on you. I've finally surpassed these 'naturals' myself, but at what cost? I get heart palpitations now and it only happens when I am at a level greater than these other guys. I cannot catch my breath nearly as easily sometimes and my blood pressure has an extremely high systolic (I'm talking like 140/55). High blood pressure runs in my dad's side of the family, but low blood pressure also runs in my mom's side lol so maybe that's why my BP is weird. But it wasn't like that several years ago. It is what it is. I'm literally killing myself over this stuff, but I look good and feel even better. I figure I'd rather die knowing I did better than most people who were naturals rather than not, even if it is bad for me. I think the reason why I was able to push past it was because I was younger though and have been trying to that since I was a kid, so once puberty came along I was able to physically develop past where I should be.

 

[GhostOfCordon]

That is me a month ago in my avi. Age 45. 6 feet tall and about 190. Never taken a steroid. Though I may start on some test as I am getting older. That being said, I have NOTHING against steroids. I used them for 25 years on my race horses that I trained, and never had an issue. Only good, positive effects. Steroids have gotten a very very bad rap by the media. At the same time, if you are just lifting to get in shape and for aesthetics, it is probably not necessary to spend all kinds of money on gear.

 

[Phobos]

Not many people are mentioning calories as the reason for not growing. If you're putting in the effort at the gym, but your weight isn't increasing by ~0.5 lb / week, then you need to be eating more. It's not always "bad genetics".

 

[Infern0]

The thing is considering how most of the population are not in any kind of shape its not hard to look good by comparrison.

After 3 months of lifting i had a little over 16" arms and if i walked into a room of 20 guys my arms looked BIG because they would all have around 14" arms. Now my arms are 18" i dont want them any bigger

Literally just having your muclscles activated makes a difference.

For me personally i love training but even if you dont, 3x a week with consistency and structure will put you way above average pretty quickly.

 

[EyeBRollin]

Yes. Google Stronglifts 5X5

 

[EmotionalGeek]

Yes. Google Stronglifts 5X5

This i s good program but it emphasise legs to much. If you want bigger upper body you have to find something different e.g. greyskull

 

[Julian]

most people in most gyms look chit its true. those who are ripped are mostly juiced up. there are a few individuals who put in 10 years or so and look great without the use roids. they are in the minority i feel tho.

 

[FuzzyLives]

most people in most gyms look chit its true. those who are ripped are mostly juiced up. there are a few individuals who put in 10 years or so and look great without the use roids. they are in the minority i feel tho.

Well, I have a lean base already. I'm not fat or anything like that. People have told me I'm in a good position to start lifting bc I don't have to lose a ton of fat first. How long would you think it would take to look good if I am consistent with workouts and have a solid diet.

 

[FuzzyLives]

The thing is considering how most of the population are not in any kind of shape its not hard to look good by comparrison.

After 3 months of lifting i had a little over 16" arms and if i walked into a room of 20 guys my arms looked BIG because they would all have around 14" arms. Now my arms are 18" i dont want them any bigger

Literally just having your muclscles activated makes a difference.

For me personally i love training but even if you dont, 3x a week with consistency and structure will put you way above average pretty quickly.

How long do you think it would take me to get in above average shape and aesthetic starting from a lean base.

 

[EyeBRollin]

This i s good program but it emphasise legs to much. If you want bigger upper body you have to find something different e.g. greyskull

The majority of your strength and mass comes from your legs and back. They should always take priority over the vanity exercises.

 

[FuzzyLives]

The majority of your strength and mass comes from your legs and back. They should always take priority over the vanity exercises.

How long do you think it would take me to look above average and aesthetic bro starting from skinny/lean base. Consistent workouts and diet

 

[EyeBRollin]

How long do you think it would take me to look above average and aesthetic bro starting from skinny/lean base. Consistent workouts and diet

1-2 lbs per month. Possibly a little more in your nooobie phase.

 

[FuzzyLives]

1-2 lbs per month. Possibly a little more in your nooobie phase.

So at most like 25 pounds in a year?

 

[EyeBRollin]

So at most like 25 pounds in a year?

If you're lucky. I gained 20 lbs in 18 months, kept the body fat % the same. You can gain more but it will be fat. The expectation of what a human can gain in muscle naturally without steroids is highly overestimated.

 

[ImTheDoubleGreatest!]

If you're lucky. I gained 20 lbs in 18 months, kept the body fat % the same. You can gain more but it will be fat. The expectation of what a human can gain in muscle naturally without steroids is highly overestimated.

If you come from literally nothing and have great genes for lifting then it isn't. You can probably do like 30 lbs in your first year, maybe even 40 if you do EVERYTHING right perfectly and started from below nothing.

 

[FuzzyLives]

If you come from literally nothing and have great genes for lifting then it isn't. You can probably do like 30 lbs in your first year, maybe even 40 if you do EVERYTHING right perfectly and started from below nothing.

Well, making sure I have the food is not an issue for me so i can hit the calories needed everyday. Do you think I should do around 3k to start?

 

[EmotionalGeek]

Well, making sure I have the food is not an issue for me so i can hit the calories needed everyday. Do you think I should do around 3k to start?

I'm 185cm, 79kg and I gain weight eating 3200kcal. I train 3 times a week.

 

[EyeBRollin]

Well, making sure I have the food is not an issue for me so i can hit the calories needed everyday. Do you think I should do around 3k to start?

Honestly, forget about counting calories.

Work on lifting heavy compound excercises. Do stronglifts 5X5 or starting strength. You will notice increased hunger, but only when you starting making progress on these lifts. If you keep getting better, and eat when your body tellls you to, you will grow. Counting calories isn't all that important because you'll get obsessive. Just make sure you're not eating ****, but get enough meat and complex carbs.

Trust me, heavy squats will make you hungrier, which will make you want to eat more.

 

[ImTheDoubleGreatest!]

Well, making sure I have the food is not an issue for me so i can hit the calories needed everyday. Do you think I should do around 3k to start?

It really depends on the person. I myself don't count the calories I eat, my body does it for me. If I don't exercise or work at all that day, I rarely feel like eating. If I exercise 6 hours a day, then I'll eat over 6 or 7 thousand calories like it's nothing (those days really suck though so I don't do them anymore). Just be sure that you get enough protein, carbs, and fats, and the right RATIOS of each. Some people take out fat and/or carbs, but that fvcks with your anabolic hormone levels like testosterone for example. I don't eat particularly healthy myself, I just try not to eat unhealthy, if that makes sense. You should do the same.