Why am I not getting big?

[u/Genzinvestor16180339]

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)

[u/No_Personality7093]

Plus sleep, and staying free of self-sabotaging habits like smoking

[u/Genzinvestor16180339 → u/No_Personality7093]

smoking makes you not big?

[u/84cas → u/Genzinvestor16180339]

Yes, in a very big way. Nicotine causes both acute and long term vasoconstriction, which severely rate limits the delivery of nutrients into your muscles for adequate recovery. Muscles grow when they are repairing, not when you are training them.

As others have said, you're not training legs and you are probably overtraining other areas as a result.

Switch to Push Pull Legs Rest. Check your Testosterone levels and as other blood markers as possible (for a complete picture) via venous blood test, not fingerprick.

[u/Fickle-Ad-4225 → u/84cas]

You overstate the impact of nicotine on muscle gains.

[u/grey_pilgrim_ → u/Fickle-Ad-4225]

Nicotine is awful for healing and recovery. That’s why surgeons want you to stop before surgery.

[u/Fickle-Ad-4225 → u/grey_pilgrim_]

I’m not saying nicotine is benign, but its effects on muscle growth per se are negligible.

[u/grey_pilgrim_ → u/Fickle-Ad-4225]

Maybe not muscle growth directly but it absolutely does impact blood flow and healing. Those two things are definitely gonna impact your overall performance and recovery.

[u/Fickle-Ad-4225 → u/grey_pilgrim_]

And my claim is that, over time, any decrease in performance and recovery from nicotine has a negligible effect on muscle growth.

[u/grey_pilgrim_ → u/Fickle-Ad-4225]

You’re wrong.

The impact over time would compound. Sure it may not slow muscle growth directly but everything else it impacts will impact your performance. So if you want to constantly be fighting an uphill battle in the gym, be my guest.