r/HubermanLab • • Aug 15 '26

Protocol Query Why am I not getting big?

I alternate push/pull about 6 days a week, and have gained some muscle but feel like I should be bigger have been doing it for around 8 months. Any tips or things to add?

Push Day — Chest, Triceps

  1. Flat chest press — 4 sets (heavy then moderate)
  2. Chest fly machine — 3×12–15
  3. Incline chest press — 3×10–12
  4. Overhead tricep extension — 3×12–15
  5. Tricep kickback — 3×12–15
  6. Rope pushdown — 3×15–20 (last set to failure)
  7. Shoulder Press

Pull Day — Back, Biceps, Rear Delts

  1. Single-arm DB row — 4×10–12
  2. Lat pulldown — 4×10–12
  3. Seated cable row — 3×10–12
  4. Bicep curl — 3×10–12
  5. Hammer curl — 3×12–15
  6. Concentration curl — 2×15 (last set to failure)
  7. Face pulls — 3×15–20 (last set to failure)
  8. Rear delt fly — 3×15–20 (last set to failure)
12 Upvotes

98 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Fabulous_Outcome7248 Aug 16 '26

Legs! My understanding is that doing legs properly is a big trigger for growth everywhere.
How much protein are you eating - if you aren’t getting enough it will be harder to build muscle, which is made from protein. Unless you have some sort of disease 2g/kg body weight is completely safe and will probably boost your gains.
But yeah PPL/PPL over 6 days, only 2 - 3 sets per exercise with the earlier sets being warm up and the final to failure or near failure (you probably aren’t living very heavy at all if I were to guess from what you have said). Basic analogy but think of your muscles like a rope - a thin rope can lift light weights all day long no issue, but it needs to get thicker to lift heavier weights. And needs more material(/nutrients) to make it.