# Paying my Dues...



## Derrick (May 24, 2014)

I've been working out since I was seventeen. I started benching at 75lb for 8x, curling 40lb barbell x10, seated row 120 x10, leg pressed 180lb x8, dumbbell curl 17.5lb x8, never did squats or deadlifts until 6 months ago. I was 5'6, 165 lb, & 23% body fat. Now I am 22, 5.8, 202lb, and 17% body fat. My goals by the end of the year is to hit 210lb with 10-11% body fat. I now bench 245lb 10x, deadlift 245lb 12x, squat 205 10x, curl 100lb barbell for 12x, dumbbell curl 55lb 10x, seated row 270lb 3/45lb plates on each side 12x, & leg press 540 12x. I've come a long way, but I'm hitting plateaus. By the time I'm 24 I wanna start my first cycle, or sooner. I'm not looking for a connect overnight. I know there is dues to pay and what not, but I'm gonna stick around and learn what I can from you guys. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## Maintenance Man (May 24, 2014)

All I can say Derrick is just be yourself here. Learn all you can about the game. Give back when you can. You know what we aren't and what we are. It sounds like you've come a long way man. Keep it up.


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## Rage Strength (May 24, 2014)

*Dues...*

You say you just started doing squats and deads six months ago? Definitely give it a lot more time, because the "big 3" should always be the base and foundation of your training imo. You should have been doing those since day 1. What's your diet like? That's definitely the biggest key factor in regards to any goal you have fitness wise.. And typically the trickiest for most to master... You have to learn what your body responds to best nutrients wise.


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## ECKSRATED (May 24, 2014)

You should try a strength program if your hitting plateaus.


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## Derrick (May 24, 2014)

diet is alright Rage not where I want it, but soon it will. Yes I just started because when I first started working out, my workout partner at the time wasn't into dead of squats. He moved and I started squats and dead soon after.


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## JackC4 (May 24, 2014)

Welcome brother, stick around soak up this info


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## GuerillaKilla (May 24, 2014)

Welcome and thats a good attitude to have. We all pay dues-- in the gym, in life, on the boards. 

Keep moving forward and keep a positive attitude my man.


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## woodswise (May 24, 2014)

I would focus on getting that diet under control.  Learn how to eat for bulking and how to eat for cutting.  If you are really serious, learn how to weigh and measure your food so you get the same macros and Kcals day in and day out and start a food log.  Spend at least a year working on these things, then cut down you bf to 10% before you think about doing a cycle.  

At your young age you should be able to gain significant muscle without AAS because your natural test production is so high.  It should stay high for several years.  Once you start AAS you risk permanently shutting down your natural test production so you should think carefully before starting.  

Good luck and I wish I was your age with all the internet boards.  When I was your age you couldn't get most of the quality information that is freely available on here, unless you moved to somewhere like muscle beach and hired a trainer.


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## BigGameHunter (May 24, 2014)

Sounds like your heading in the right direction.


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## AlphaD (May 24, 2014)

Keep going brother......your still young and maximize on that with a solid foundation.  Keep reading up brother.


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## Derrick (May 25, 2014)

Solid community around here. Thanks guys


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## Kelly (May 25, 2014)

IMHO the only dues you have to pay is to yourself....you shouldn't have to to prove to anybody on this forum what you want to do...knowledge you can gain here is just another tool to add to your knowledge.  Honestly, if you totally screw up yourself, no one here will loose any sleep over it...that's reality....just learn.


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## Jayjay82 (Jun 11, 2014)

I would cycle but not rush it like you said. You sound like you are ready for a beginners cycle and listen to what these people got to say in my opinion it's better to start looking for a legit source when you really don't need one cause the time you find one the timing will be dead on and perfect you gotta plan in advance. Good luck


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## Kozmos79 (Jun 27, 2014)

Rage Strength said:


> You say you just started doing squats and deads six months ago? Definitely give it a lot more time, because the "big 3" should always be the base and foundation of your training imo. You should have been doing those since day 1. What's your diet like? That's definitely the biggest key factor in regards to any goal you have fitness wise.. And typically the trickiest for most to master... You have to learn what your body responds to best nutrients wise.



This is right on, well said man!


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## Canadian muscle (Jun 28, 2014)

From what my understand is from what I read above.
If your hitting a plateau that only means your training can be refined or your diet can be refined. 

The members are right. The compound movements will stimulate a lot of growth.

Just get the technique down. This takes years. Once you have perfected the technique focus on connecting with as much muscle tissue as you can on the concentric motion. On the  eccentric motion stretch it out.
Fire the muscle out from the furthest point you can on the eccentric to maximize the contraction.
Just don't hyper extend.

Think of the muscle like an elastic band. The further you stretch it the further it goes.
For muscle contracts  harder on the deepest effentric point. This will make it more difficult but much more efficient.

Your training can be refined and your diet can be refined


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## Canadian muscle (Jun 28, 2014)

I would also do some test for 2-3 months if I were you.

I'm not condoning steroids. I do think it will speed Up the process. If you listen to some of these guys and take the proper advice with diet and training. With a moderate dose of test you can make great gains.

I also find testosterone alone is very very easy to recover from.


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