Need Help - Teenage Bodybuilding

Hello, I am new to this website. I have just turned 17 Monday and I am around 5’11 75kg when last weighed. On the main lifts I can deadlift 130kg, bench 80kg and squat only 90kg due to only starting it recently because of poor ankle mobility and Row 60kg. I would like some help as too how I can start putting on some more mass as I’m finding it very hard recently, I will attach some pics of current progress.

I train a 3 day split with chest tris Monday doing heavy bench 3x5 and then incline Dumbbells 8-12 X 3 then some high rep cable Flyes 4x12 and sometimes a super set dips 3-5 with slow tut bench press with smith machine to pump it up more with close grip bench and different variations of pull downs for triceps all 8-12 X 3. Tuesday I do heavy deadlifts 10,5,3,1 increasing weight, then 3x5 barbell row and pull-ups as many as possible for 3 sets, then lat pull downs and shrugs 12 X 2, then for biceps I do various curls for 8-12 reps around 8 sets total with maybe a superset . Wednesday I do heavy squats or light squats mix up weekly for 5 sets then 15x4 hack squats and hamstring curls 3x15 and maybe lunges depending if I feel I need more to do.

But unfortunately the size in my arms and back is lacking a lot I think and it’d be great if you could criticise my routine and let me know what I could improve on. Also my diet is good and I eat 3000 plus calories a day using my fitness pal to measure protein etc, lots of eggs beans and milk too.

Thanks a lot

If you want to stick with a 3 day split, I’d recommend doing full body splits and having a rest day in between. You’d hit most muscles 3 times a week and that could spark some growth.

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looking at your height weight you need way more lean body mass…thats why those areas are lacking.

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If you mean 3 day split as in “I train 3 days a week” then it is pretty obvious why your back needs work.

If you mean 3 day split as in push/pull/legs, then repeat for 6 days a week, then a few things come to mind.

  1. Could be too much. Pull back to 5 days a week and just repeat the cycle on say an “8 day split” rather than a 7 day week split

  2. You’re not paying attention to how you’re lifting the weight when you are training back. If you can’t feel it, you can’t activate it. If you can’t activate it, you can’t recruit it. And if you can’t recruit it, you can’t grow it. Mind muscle connection may need to be the focus for a good 6 weeks at all costs–even the amount of weight or reps. Constant tension, squeezes and holds, isometrics, etc.

  3. You’re only doing 11 sets for back (not including deadlifts). Could also boost volume.

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If it is possible to train mon,wed,fri or tues, thur,sat. That is better than. Mon,tues, wed, certian muscle groups overlap, i meen deadlift tues,squat wed. Noy good idea. Try this, mon same leg workout as noted looks good. Ad 3x8 heavy curl variation. Wed chest tris, do your 3x5 bench then do two drop sets close grips, 7,10, continue inclines, dips, add scull crusher 3x10, superseted with reverse grip curls 3x10 ,Drop cable crossovers, you dont need to do those yet not thick enough. Friday deadlifts 4x5-8 reps, try variations conventional, sumo, frog see what fits. Then my favorite one arm row, stretch at bottom ,sqeeze at top 4x5-8, superset chin up or pull downs with , shoulder press , 4x8-15 each, then face pull 3x 20, the 3x20 con or spider curl. You can work bicep 3xweekely, as well as calves and abs. I do chest,tri delt myself . But training shoulder and traps very synergistic.

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Aragorn has good idea also when was your age i had 5 years of lifting 5-6 days per week, the part Aragorn has about stretching back muscles is 100% correct, i have bent over rows with 400 plus pounds, bit got better development going with 315 and not using legs to generate momentum. Hang in their and train hard, at 17 you will make better gains. Right now you test and gh levels are as high they get.

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Yeah I train 6 days a week simply cause I like going in a lot but maybe it is too much, I will try throw in a rest day and hit back with some more volume & see if that helps, and when I train I can always feel the muscle work and squeeze. Thank you

I see what you mean as I could be tired from deadlifts when trying to do squats. I will try that out the new routine you suggested and see if I can start making some good gains. Cheers

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Definitely. One strategy if you like going in to the gym a lot is this: Go 6 days a week, but make 2-3 of them easy days. Essentially, you have 3-4 main workouts and 2-3 easy workouts. Easy workouts would be specifically geared around isolation exercises, mind muscle connection, limiting the weight used in the exercises, and just basically getting a pump. The 3-4 main days would be standard bust ass days. So basically you have 1 hard day for each group and 1 easy pump day for each group. Easy days would also be times to work on mobility, movement patterns, bettering technique, etc.

The trick with this strategy is to keep a CLEAR LINE between “easy” and “main” workouts. What usually happens is people start out like that and gradually get feeling good or seeing gains so they start ramping up the easy days and pretty soon they are back to 5-6 days balls out.

That’s ok as long as you are DOING IT ON PURPOSE and are AWARE you’re ramping things up as part of a plan. It is not ok to accidentally slip into that.

Yeah 6 days not necessary. Just get on a proven template -do this…

Yep… understand growth occurs outside the actual gym. The training itself is the means too trigger the growth process. @Aragorn IMO has the right idea for a strategy for guys whoms mind set on training 6 days a week.

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Aragorn is right i love going to gym, my job dont let me go a peak time’s have three balls out days. Then light leg day do some easy stuff, to get blood flowing, for example on fri, (i am going to get shit from this ) i had day off was. Bored did 30 minutes on recumbent bike just to look at chic’s asses, on treadmill, i am a bastard i know, i think that might bring testosterone up??

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