Managed to cut 6 pounds of fat with no strength loss over the course of a month's cutting. But I'm afraid that if I continue, I'll just end up looking like a skinny-fat loser again.

So I decided to bulk until I hit a 405 DL (currently @ 340). And it feels good to be able to drink some soda and eat at restaurants again.

Also I've been working on addressing caving issues on my squat. A powerlifter who's a friend of mine suggested that I do 1x10 High Box Sumo Squats after my work sets to start with.

(09-29-2011 11:02 AM)saito Wrote:  Today, a douchbag at the GYM made jokes about my weight when I was on the weight scale. This is characteristic of my endeavor to gain muscle mass. I pay a lot of attention to good form, have the exercises you need to gain muscles but no idea how to split them. I am pretty clueless about the subject matter of splitting. I do 3 sets and 5 reps in 3 work outs a week.

bench press
deadlifts
overhead press
bicep curls
barbell extension
shrugs
squats
lateral raise

Any practical advice?

Workout every 5 days.
Workout A
Leg press
Dips
Row
Pull Down

Workout B
Calf raisers
Leg extension
Leg Curl
bench press
overhead press
bicep curls


That's pretty much all you need and follow HIT principles. Do one set each to failure for each exercise. Legs between 10-15 reps and the rest 6-9 reps.

Use heavy weights, but make sure you go to full failure. Use a spotter if youre doing free weights. I recommend machines since it's safer.

Yeah, I've been getting frustrated with my gains on 3x8-12 for asst exercises, so I'm switching to a more HIT-style regime with 2 fairly heavy warmups and 1 work set to failure (Wendler-style). I'm already feeling like I'm getting a better workout and having more fun, but we'll see.

My feeling these days is it almost doesn't even matter how you split up your sets/reps as long as you change your workout around every few months. No matter what I've done over the years, it always feels great when I start, and then feels old and ineffective around the 3-6 months mark. Then I switch it up again and it feels better again.

(10-11-2011 06:27 PM)Mark Wrote:  My feeling these days is it almost doesn't even matter how you split up your sets/reps as long as you change your workout around every few months. No matter what I've done over the years, it always feels great when I start, and then feels old and ineffective around the 3-6 months mark. Then I switch it up again and it feels better again.

You didn't deload in those months?

(10-11-2011 09:31 AM)Sexual Twinkie Wrote:  

(09-29-2011 11:02 AM)saito Wrote:  Today, a douchbag at the GYM made jokes about my weight when I was on the weight scale. This is characteristic of my endeavor to gain muscle mass. I pay a lot of attention to good form, have the exercises you need to gain muscles but no idea how to split them. I am pretty clueless about the subject matter of splitting. I do 3 sets and 5 reps in 3 work outs a week.

bench press
deadlifts
overhead press
bicep curls
barbell extension
shrugs
squats
lateral raise

Any practical advice?

Workout every 5 days.
Workout A
Leg press
Dips
Row
Pull Down

Workout B
Calf raisers
Leg extension
Leg Curl
bench press
overhead press
bicep curls


That's pretty much all you need and follow HIT principles. Do one set each to failure for each exercise. Legs between 10-15 reps and the rest 6-9 reps.

Use heavy weights, but make sure you go to full failure. Use a spotter if youre doing free weights. I recommend machines since it's safer.

Only do single set training when dieting or when hard pressed for time. Multiple sets have been proven to be significantly superior again and again. (in the gym + studies) Don't go to failure all the time.

(10-11-2011 07:44 PM)Happy Wrote:  

(10-11-2011 06:27 PM)Mark Wrote:  My feeling these days is it almost doesn't even matter how you split up your sets/reps as long as you change your workout around every few months. No matter what I've done over the years, it always feels great when I start, and then feels old and ineffective around the 3-6 months mark. Then I switch it up again and it feels better again.

You didn't deload in those months?

Yes. Despite deloading. It may be completely psychological. But switching to a new split or switching out exercises -- even something as simple as dumbbell presses instead of barbell presses -- it FEELS like my body responds much quicker again. Just an observation.

It just seems like people get results doing all sorts of different splits, sets/rep combos, types of exercises. There's no single "right way." But switching them up every few months seems to be beneficial... if anything psychologically.

(10-11-2011 08:10 PM)Mark Wrote:  

(10-11-2011 07:44 PM)Happy Wrote:  

(10-11-2011 06:27 PM)Mark Wrote:  My feeling these days is it almost doesn't even matter how you split up your sets/reps as long as you change your workout around every few months. No matter what I've done over the years, it always feels great when I start, and then feels old and ineffective around the 3-6 months mark. Then I switch it up again and it feels better again.

You didn't deload in those months?

Yes. Despite deloading. It may be completely psychological. But switching to a new split or switching out exercises -- even something as simple as dumbbell presses instead of barbell presses -- it FEELS like my body responds much quicker again. Just an observation.

It just seems like people get results doing all sorts of different splits, sets/rep combos, types of exercises. There's no single "right way." But switching them up every few months seems to be beneficial... if anything psychologically.

There is an optimal area though (inverse u shaped curve), which doesn't vary that much between people sans drugs. The power of drugs makes it hard to see what works for most people though (if you can get insane results with silly training).
Rotating exercises can be benefical if one maintains an eye on increasing overall strength in the exact same compound exercise.
A problem that often crops up with "switching things up" is that people make the same increases all the time. And spin their wheels.
Yeah the psychological component is quite integral in this game too.

Quote:it FEELS like my body responds much quicker again. Just an observation.

I've heard people say that this actually has a basis in physiology. What happens is that when you switch up a routine, you devote your attention differently to different body parts, which can lead to glycogen store growth (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy) in previously neglected areas. But after a while, the body adapts to the stress, and the initial gains fall off.

did you read matthew parryman's maximum muscle book? It's pretty lengthy and wordy but it's got a ton of honest, scientific info on this stuff.

Not to mention its free.