Alright, let’s talk about growing H and M. Not the companies, but height and muscle – ha! Been messing around with this for a while now, so I thought I’d share what’s been working (and what totally bombed).
Phase 1: The “New Year, New Me” Fail (January – March)
Started like everyone else, super hyped. Bought a gym membership I barely used. My routine? Zero. My diet? Still pizza. Expected to magically transform. Surprise, surprise – didn’t happen. I basically just paid to feel guilty. Learned my first lesson: hype fades fast. Gotta have a plan.
Phase 2: Actually Doing Research (April – May)
Okay, time to get serious. Ditched the “wing it” approach and started reading. Found a decent beginner’s workout plan focusing on compound exercises – squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, rows. Looked intimidating, but I figured I had to start somewhere. Also started tracking my calories and protein intake. Aiming for a slight caloric surplus and around 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. This part was a pain at first, but got easier with time.
Phase 3: Gym Time (May – July)
Actually went to the gym consistently, like 3-4 times a week. Started with light weights, focusing on form. Those compound exercises are no joke – almost threw up after my first deadlift session. Slowly increased the weight as I got stronger. Also started incorporating some accessory exercises – pull-ups (assisted, at first!), dips, bicep curls, triceps extensions, the usual stuff. The biggest win here was consistency. Even on days I didn’t feel like it, I dragged my butt to the gym.
Phase 4: Nutrition Tweaks (July – September)
Weight was going up, which was the goal, but so was my body fat. Realized my “slight surplus” was more like a “massive surplus.” Adjusted my calorie intake to be a smaller surplus, and started focusing on cleaner eating. More whole foods, less processed junk. Still allowed myself a cheat meal once a week to stay sane. Also started experimenting with creatine – definitely noticed a difference in strength and endurance.
Phase 5: Plateau Blues (September – November)
Hit a wall. My lifts stalled, and I wasn’t seeing any noticeable progress. Frustrating as hell. Realized my routine was getting stale. Started researching different training techniques – deloading, progressive overload, periodization. Decided to try a deload week, basically taking a week off from lifting heavy. Came back feeling refreshed and stronger. Also started incorporating more variation in my exercises – different angles, different rep ranges, etc.
Phase 6: Current State (November – Present)
Still grinding away. Not seeing crazy gains, but definitely making progress. Focusing on long-term consistency and making this a sustainable lifestyle. Still learning and experimenting. The key takeaways so far:
- Consistency is king. Even small, consistent efforts add up over time.
- Nutrition matters. You can’t out-train a bad diet.
- Listen to your body. Don’t be afraid to take rest days or deload when needed.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment. Find what works for you.
- Enjoy the process. If you’re not having fun, you’re less likely to stick with it.
It’s all about that slow and steady progress, man. No magic bullets, just hard work and consistency. Let me know if you guys have any questions!
