Muscle gain

[Prodigy]

Hey everyone,

I'm 17 years old, weigh 150lbs, and have been working out regularly for about 4 months now. So far I have seen fairly good gains, especially in my arms and abs. However I am still trying to find the best method for lifting in order to produce maximum results.

Right now I do biceps, shoulders and back on Mondays, and chest triceps, and legs on Wednesdays. I do abs both days, and Cardio in-between on other days when I can.

My first question is: is this a good way of splitting up my training?

Secondly, the famous reps question. I have browsed around the forums to avoid double posting but have not come across what I am looking for.

Would it be better for muscle size and strength to do say, 3 sets of 12 reps with a weight that I can do all 12 reps with...or would it be better to do 3 sets, but increasing weight and decreasing reps with each set?

Basically, how should I set up my sets?

Thanks,
-Jon

 

[Tough Old Man]

Here try this

Mon: Chest, Delts and Tri's
Wed: Legs
Fri: Back (incl's Lats) and Bi's

Abs whatever day you feel works for you. Remember to get big it takes FOOD. Training is secondary as without the proper diet your going nowhere. Go to the Nutrition section of this forum and spend as much time as needed to gain all the info to get you on the right track.
Without the proper diet all your looking for is ton's of training related injuries from poor nutritional values.

 

[aceshigh]

enough said

 

[GFR]

Here try this

Mon: Chest, Delts and Tri's
Wed: Legs
Fri: Back (incl's Lats) and Bi's

Abs whatever day you feel works for you. Remember to get big it takes FOOD. Training is secondary as without the proper diet your going nowhere. Go to the Nutrition section of this forum and spend as much time as needed to gain all the info to get you on the right track.
Without the proper diet all your looking for is ton's of training related injuries from poor nutritional values.

 

[Prodigy]

Hey, thanks a lot for the advice.

How does this sound:

Mon:
-Flat Bench Press
-Inline Bench Press
-Decline Bench Press
-Flat Flyes

-Seated Dumbbell Press
-Lateral Raises (side and front)
-Bent Lateral Raises

-Close-grip Bench Press
-Skull Crushers
-Tricep Pulldowns

Wed:
-Leg press
-Calf Raises
-(that excersize where you lie flat, face down, and curl your lower legs up behind you on the machine)
-Jogging

Fri:
-incl's Lats
-upright row
-seated row

-EZ bar curl
-Hammer curls

How should I set up the sets for each muscle? Should I be doing 3 sets of many reps with a conistent weight, or should I be increasing the weight with each set and decreasing reps until failure...should I be doing more than 3 sets? Should it be different for different muscles?

Thanks

 

[CowPimp]

Hey everyone,

I'm 17 years old, weigh 150lbs, and have been working out regularly for about 4 months now. So far I have seen fairly good gains, especially in my arms and abs. However I am still trying to find the best method for lifting in order to produce maximum results.

Right now I do biceps, shoulders and back on Mondays, and chest triceps, and legs on Wednesdays. I do abs both days, and Cardio in-between on other days when I can.

My first question is: is this a good way of splitting up my training?

If you want to only workout 2 days per week, my preference would be an upper-lower split or a full body routine twice per week. Kind of a funky split, but if it works then you can't argue with results. I would definitely play around with some others at some point, but that's probably fine for now.

Give us more information though. Walk us through both of your workouts.

Secondly, the famous reps question. I have browsed around the forums to avoid double posting but have not come across what I am looking for.

Would it be better for muscle size and strength to do say, 3 sets of 12 reps with a weight that I can do all 12 reps with...or would it be better to do 3 sets, but increasing weight and decreasing reps with each set?

Basically, how should I set up my sets?

Thanks,
-Jon

Either loading pattern is perfectly fine really. If you do a flat loading scheme, such as 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the same weight, then you should alternate repetition ranges periodically. You could do pyramids, alternate rep ranges each week, use multiple rep ranges in the same session, etc. There is no one special way to do it, but you should certainly be including a variety of rep ranges in your training routine.

 

[benverner]

That monday routine will take you about 2 hours to do it right...Ditch the decline and keep the flies only if you must. Keep in mind you are doing shoulder and tri work on the bench as well. 2 movements of each will be fine.

I'd go
flat BB
incline DB
Military
Laterial raises
close grip bench
dips

something simialr on the pull day, only 2 bicep isolation exercises at MOST.

push pull is the shit!

 

[CowPimp]

Your routine could use a serious makeover. I suggest you take a look at my writeup on designing a split and rework this, big time:

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?t=53332

 

[Prodigy]

Your routine could use a serious makeover. I suggest you take a look at my writeup on designing a split and rework this, big time:

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?t=53332

Hey. Thanks for the link, looks quite usefull, however I am wondering what more specifically is wrong with the following workout. I am one of those people that doesn't just accept what others tell me, I need to know why. I do accept that there is something wrong with it, for you are evidently a much more experienced lifter. However I would be interested to know where I went wrong in making my routine.

Here is the revised routine I posted above.

How does this sound:

Mon:
-Flat Bench Press
-Inline Bench Press
-Decline Bench Press
-Flat Flyes

-Seated Dumbbell Press
-Lateral Raises (side and front)
-Bent Lateral Raises

-Close-grip Bench Press
-Skull Crushers
-Tricep Pulldowns

Wed:
-Leg press
-Calf Raises
-(that excersize where you lie flat, face down, and curl your lower legs up behind you on the machine)
-Jogging

Fri:
-incl's Lats
-upright row
-seated row

-EZ bar curl
-Hammer curls

Thanks a lot for all your help everyone.
-Jon

 

[CowPimp]

Mon:
-Flat Bench Press
-Inline Bench Press
-Decline Bench Press
-Flat Flyes

-Seated Dumbbell Press
-Lateral Raises (side and front)
-Bent Lateral Raises

-Close-grip Bench Press
-Skull Crushers
-Tricep Pulldowns

If I were to revamp this day for you, it might look like this:

Bench Press x 3
Incline Press (45 degrees) x 3
Decline DB Press x 3
Overhead DB Press x 3
Skullcrushers x 2
Tricep Pushdowns x 2

The first 4 movements are the big compounds alternating between pressing on a horizontal and vertical plane.

I included a little more dumbbell action on the pressing movements. Dumbbell pressing movements are greating for stimulating the chest better, as you get a little more transverse flexion at the top of the movement because your arms naturally travel in.

I cut out the CG bench press as you have plenty of pressing movements in here; it gets redundant to have flat pressing, decline pressing, and CG bench pressing on the same day.

I cut out the excessive isolation stuff in the interest of keeping the workout a reasonable length. Testosterone levels start to drop off after around an hour, and cortisol levels start to get to an unacceptable level. If you go a little longer than an hour you won't die, but don't be in there for 2 hours.

If you truly feel that all of your push muscles suck, then I guess you could stick back in the isolation stuff for good measure. Just be reasonable with it and tone down the volume so that your workout doesn't take all day. Remember, you don't have to perform 3 sets of every single exercise. Also, I would perform the compound movements first.

Wed:
-Leg press
-Calf Raises
-(that excersize where you lie flat, face down, and curl your lower legs up behind you on the machine)
-Jogging

Try something like this:

Olympic Squats x 3
Stiff Leg Deadlifts x 3
Leg Press x 3
Hamstring Curls x 3
Calf Raises x 3

I added in a freeweight movement that focuses on knee extension. Squats are not only great for stimulating just about every muscle in your lower body, but the demand they place on your core is great for strengthening your midsection.

I added in a movement that focuses on hip extension (SLDLs). This is a very important function of the lower body, and it should be trained. It also adds in a freeweight movement that stimulates your posterior chain.

Fri:
-incl's Lats
-upright row
-seated row

-EZ bar curl
-Hammer curls

I would do something like this:

Bent Rows x 3
Pullups x 3
Seated Rows x 3
Upright Rows x 3
EZ Curls x 2
Hammer Curls x 2

I don't really know what inc'l lats is, but if it is comparable to bent rows that is fine. I just figured you needed a freeweight pulling movement that works on a horizontal plane.

I figured you needed a movement to stimulate your lats on a vertical plane. Depending on how wide you go, you will either be training shoulder extension or adduction. Either one will be using your lats as a prime mover.

 

[Prodigy]

Hey Cowpimp, you're my hero.

Thanks so much for your help, I really like your suggestions. My push muscles aren't bad, they just aren't incredible, so what you have proposed looks really good. I'll try this starting monday and keep you posted on how it goes

-Jon

 

[Prodigy]

Hey again.

Just wondering, should I do one set of exercises at a time or should i alternate between sets? I mean, take my chest exercises. Should I do a set of flat BP, then incl BP, then decline, then restart until 3 sets of each are done....or should I do my 3 sets of flat BP, then my 3 sets of incl, then my 3 sets of decl?

Thx.

 

[KentDog]

Hey again.

....or should I do my 3 sets of flat BP, then my 3 sets of incl, then my 3 sets of decl?

Thx.

This one.

Personallly, I would get rid of the decline and keep the dumbbell flies for chest. And as others have already suggested, you don't need to do that much for shoulders and triceps, as your chest workouts will hit the muscles as well.

 

[LAM]

Personallly, I would get rid of the decline and keep the dumbbell flies for chest

why ?

 

[KentDog]

why ?

9 sets for chest, all similar motion. Why not mix it up a bit?

 

[LAM]

I was just wondering. I know some people are anti-decline

 

[Prodigy]

Well, today I did the push split of the routine (being Monday) and I have to say, it feels great. I love the routine, my muscles felt as if they had really been worked well, yet not overworked. Also, the routine took just over an hour, so its a good length. This is including abs workout with what has been posted above, as well as pre-workout stretching.

I can't wait until wednesday just so that I can hit the gym again!

 

[CowPimp]

9 sets for chest, all similar motion. Why not mix it up a bit?

I would keep the decline movement of all of them. If anything, I would toss out the inclines for dips or something like that.

 

[KentDog]

I was just wondering. I know some people are anti-decline

Yeah, I know what you mean. I myself have actually not done decline in a while, but may throw it in next time I switch up my routine. I like how incline hits my delts; I kind of feel I have weak shoulders.

I would keep the decline movement of all of them. If anything, I would toss out the inclines for dips or something like that.

Just curious, but why? I haven't heard a really great argument for doing decline bench over flat or incline bench other than to switch things up a bit. I am just curious, since I am looking to switch up my chest routine soon.

 

[CowPimp]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I myself have actually not done decline in a while, but may throw it in next time I switch up my routine. I like how incline hits my delts; I kind of feel I have weak shoulders.


Just curious, but why? I haven't heard a really great argument for doing decline bench over flat or incline bench other than to switch things up a bit. I am just curious, since I am looking to switch up my chest routine soon.

If I am not mistaken, incline pressing does more to stimulate the anterior delts while decline pressing does more to stimulate the pecs. Decline pressing takes some shoulder flexion out of the equation.