Stuck at the Same Weights? Why You're Not Gaining Muscle (6 Checks)

Stuck at the same weights for months? You're probably not broken. One of six fixable things is in the way, and you check them in order. Eli is an illustrated example, not a real person or a real result. Real beginners vary a lot. In this video: • How to tell if you've actually stalled (log, scale, tape: in that order) • The 6 checks, from the most common to the least • The one rule that ends the train-to-failure argument • A 4-week restart you can start today The method: beat last time. One more rep, or a little more weight. CHAPTERS 0:00 Same weights, nothing changed? 0:33 Have you actually stalled? 1:16 Check 1: Do you log it and beat it? 2:12 Check 2: Are you eating enough? 4:01 Check 3: Are your sets hard? 4:57 Check 4: Enough hard sets? 5:34 Check 5: Enough sleep? 6:10 Check 6: Showing up the same way? 6:42 Not on the list, on purpose 7:06 The 4-week restart 8:15 The line that moved UNDER 18? If you're under eighteen: form first, load second, and train with a coach or a parent who knows lifting. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports supervised resistance training for teens (Stricker et al. 2020) and advises against performance-enhancing supplements, including creatine, for adolescents (LaBotz et al. 2016). IF HOW YOU LOOK IS TAKING OVER YOUR DAY Talk to a doctor or a counselor. That's not weakness. US: ANAD Eating Disorders Helpline 1-888-375-7767 (anad.org). In a crisis, call or text 988. ABOUT THIS CHANNEL I'm Braddock, an illustrated coach. My images, animation clips and voice are made with AI. The scripts are researched, directed and fact-checked by the Braddock team, and drafted with AI help. Every claim has a source in the description. Braddock is an illustrated coach character, not a certified trainer. General fitness education, not medical advice. SOURCES (in the order they appear) Soreness isn't a growth signal: Schoenfeld & Contreras 2013, Strength Cond J. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0b013e318... Progressive overload, current guidelines: Currier et al. 2026, ACSM Position Stand, MSSE. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.000000000... Training in an energy deficit: Murphy & Koehler 2022, Scand J Med Sci Sports. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14075 Energy surplus and growth: Slater et al. 2019, Front Nutr. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2019.00131 Large surplus adds mostly fat: Garthe et al. 2013, Eur J Sport Sci. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2011... · Helms et al. 2023, Sports Med Open. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00... Protein (about 0.7 g/lb, 1.6 g/kg) and supplements: Morton et al. 2018, BJSM. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017... How close to failure: Robinson et al. 2024, Sports Med. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-02... Failure vs stopping short (15 studies): Refalo et al. 2023, Sports Med. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01... Heavy vs light loads: Lopez et al. 2021, MSSE. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.000000000... Sets per week: Schoenfeld et al. 2017, J Sports Sci. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016... · Pelland et al. 2026, Sports Med. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02... Sleep and muscle building: Lamon et al. 2021, Physiol Rep. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14660 · Saner et al. 2020, J Physiol. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP278828 Sleep hours: AASM consensus, adults (Watson et al. 2015) https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.4758 · teens (Paruthi et al. 2016) https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.5866 Training frequency: Schoenfeld et al. 2019, J Sports Sci. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018... 3-week breaks: Ogasawara et al. 2013, Eur J Appl Physiol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-25... Cardio and muscle gain (43 studies): Schumann et al. 2022, Sports Med. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01... Average lean-mass gain (111 studies): Benito et al. 2020, IJERPH. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041285 People vary (585 adults): Hubal et al. 2005, MSSE. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15947... Teens and training: Stricker et al. 2020, Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-1011 · LaBotz et al. 2016, Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-1300 Music: "Lake Jupiter" (John Patitucci), "Twinkle" (The Grey Room / Density & Time), "Turn In The Sun" (Simon Herody), YouTube Audio Library. #buildmuscle #strengthtraining #beginnerfitness