Thread: Which is more important?

Sounds like you aren't working out right

First of all, you can't put those two scenarios in a comparison... that's like saying, what is more important, putting gas in the car or putting tires on the car? The car isn't gonna go anywhere without both. Same with your body, you need a good workout schedule and a good diet.. without both, you won't get the best results.

Ok, you say it is possible to eat 3 times per day? .. Good, that's a start. Get some protein powder and milk, and drink a shake twice a day. Now you are up to 5 meals per day. Cafeteria food isn't usually the best, so go post your choices in the nutrition area and I bet Jodi or Emma can come up with a workable diet plan.

Now, the workout schedule? Post everything you've been doing and the guys here can critique your workout plan. They'll set you straight on any mistakes you've been making. Some people like to work each bodypart twice a week, some people swear by once per week... it's up you. But whatever works, you need a solid foundation to start with.

You've been working 4 weeks and no changes? Don't give up hope, cause sometimes it takes longer than 4 weeks to notice a difference. Especially when you've got no diet plan. Plus, small changes are taking place deep inside your body. Sometimes it takes up to 12 weeks to notice anything on the outside. Get your diet right. That is the most important thing of all. Figure out the calories you need to accomplish your goals. Do you need to gain lean muscle mass? Then you need to know how many calories your body burns everyday and add 300-500 more so your body has some material to build muscle with. It's like building a house.... the diet is the delivery truck that brings the wood and the workout is the tools that drive the nails. You gotta eat my man.. no way around it.

Originally Posted by Ejhickey

Eating right (5-6 small meals, lots of protein and some carbs, fruit, etc)

this is always most important, however if you are not training enough, or overtraining that would be an issue as well, but in your case I would have to say eating 2 meals per day is the reason you are not seeing any gains. You can lift weights all you want but if you do not provide your body with proper nutrition you will get no where.

Monday
(Bar)Bench Press: 3-4 sets x 10 reps (or max) at 135 lbs
(Bar)Incline Bench Press: 3 sets x 10 reps (or max) at 125 lbs
(Bar)Decline Bench Press: 3 sets x 10 reps (or max) at 135 lbs
(Cable Cross Machine) Some Decline Chest Movement, basically sides are down at the bottom and I pull them up in front of me: 3 sets x 10 reps

Tuesday - all sets 3x10reps (or max)
Standing Dumbell Curls
Standing EZ Bar Curls
Bicep Machine
Tricep Rope Pulldown
Tricep EZ bar, lying flat on bench and pushing it from behind my head to above it
Tricep Machine, Pushdown

Wednesday - all sets 3x10 (or max)
Military Press
Dumbell Shoulder Press
Shoulder machine - Lateral Raise(?)
Standing, Holding Light dumbells at side and bringing them up vertically
Rear Delt Machine

Back Every other Day 3-6 sets, Abs every day. Also I usually play 2-3 games of basketball after working out for the running aspect of it.


Repeat the second part of the week. If I lift less (sets or machines), I never get sore, which leads me to believe I havent worked out hard enough.

Any particular reason why u only train chest and arms? No back, no legs?

in my opinion your over doing chest and arsm remove some excersises and like crazy_enough said excersise back and legs also eat right if you want to bulk up and its different on every person as to weather they lift more or less and it also depends if you pryamid your work outs or not

Neo

I dont know why I didnt post back in there, i guess I wasnt thinking. I usually do 3-6 sets every other day on back. And Abs every day, but I only do 1-200 crunches so its no big deal

I never trained my legs ever, being a marathon runner i just figured running the distances I did was a good enough leg workout in itself. I really like to be able to go out and run 10 miles whenever I want, and fear that if I bulk up my legs I wont be able to do that for some reason. Or worse, injure them and not be able to run period.

I used to have the same "work out & nutrition" strategy a while back,(because I was so busy) and it took me forever, talking months and months before I saw the slightest result. Very frusterating, then I educated myself on nutrition and FOUND time and quick health concious meals and after my first month I saw twice the results compared to what I saw on my crap diet and training schedule. Dont get me wrong I didn't gain 50lbs of LBM in a month or anything but my body was looking different (better) thicker ect ect. Nutrition is so important. I never thought so either but you'd be surprised if you're not allready how much you'll be helping yourself out by putting your diet under a microscope. And not over training and training EVERYTHING, I used to be obsessed with just big arms,chest and shoulders too, must be a "young guy thing" hahahaha, do yourself a favor be "obsessed" with every body part you'll thank yourself in the long run.

Cool. Did you go through your "work out & nutrition" strategy three times too