Pleateu!!@$%!^!#!

[buffed]

I have been training for 2 years now, and i think i have reached a pleateu.
Heres my workout routine:

Mon: Chest
Incline bench--------------------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Decline bench-------------------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Machine flyes--------------------8 reps of 4 sets

Tues: Biceps/Triceps
One arm dumbell curls--------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Barbell curls---------------------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Dips-------------------------------10-12 reps of 4 sets
Cable pushdown---------------6-8 reps of 4 sets
dumbell tricep ext--------------6-8 reps of 4 sets

Wed: Legs
Squats/leg press--------------10 reps of 4 sets
Leg extension------------------8-10 reps of 4 sets
Seated leg curls---------------8-10 reps of 4 sets
Standing calf raise------------8-10 reps of 4 sets

Thurs: Back
Chin ups-------------------------max out for 4 sets
Lat pulldown--------------------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Bent over row------------------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Seated row---------------------6-8 reps of 4 sets

Fri: Delts
Dumbell lateral raise----------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Dumbell front raise------------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Upright row---------------------6-8 reps of 4 sets
Dumbell rear lateral raise----6-8 reps of 4 sets
Barbell shrugs------------------10 reps of 4 sets
Dumbell shrugs-----------------8 reps of 2 sets

Sat and Sun: off

Can you guys tell me how i can break the pleateu? Critics are welcome and if possible can you tell me what i should add or erase from the above routine, and the reps and etc. Im trying to gain mass now.

Been eating lots of carbs like pasta, yogurt, oatmeal, oatmeal cereal and wheat bread. For proteins i eat red meat, chicken breast, egg whites, peanut butter and lots of milk. But i have stopped drinking the milk as i am lactose intolerant the milk that i drank caused me to go to the toilet frequently.

Supplements that i am taking: Protein powders.
The supplements is just for additional protein.

Hope to hear from you guys soon.

 

[Flex]

have you done that routine for the entire 2 years???

best way to overcome a plateau is A) take time off (even like one week helps) B) change exercises, change reps, change sets, change order of exer, change bp's that you work together...

basically CHANGE EVERYTHING!!!

 

[buffed]

Nope just 6 months and btw, my chest and biceps are lacking.

 

[Flex]

you've been doing that exact routine for 6mo. now?

there's your problem man. you gotta change everything like i said above. try new everything. your body adapts quicker than you think. when you keep doing the same shit, your body stops growing cuz it's used to the same reps, sets, exer. etc.

you do have your prioritizing right though. if your chest and bi's are lacking, you're correct in having them first in your routine while you're freshest.

you gotta "shock" your muscles, change brotha........

 

[buffed]

Can you give me examples? i know i have to change them but to what? Thanx for replyin that fast.

 

[Flex]

There are soooooo many "adaptations" you can make bro.......
here's an example for chest:
-flat bench (prob. the best overall chest ex. there is), both wide grip (overall) and close grip (inner chest)
-flat/incline/decline db press
-fly's w/ db's (fl/inc/dec)
-dips (lower chest)
-cable crossovers
-pullovers

dude, there's just too many too name. everything is basically a slight variation of eachother.

here you go bro.....this may help............
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

 

[buffed]

heh.. kk..
So basically i should change all the exercises to something else?
Do i need to change the days on which i do them?
And what reps should i be doing for all the exercises?

 

[Flex]

yup, don't change forever though. just add shit, drop shit, CHANGE man. that's it. switch shit around!

you may wanna go like 2 on, 1 off, 3 on........

to build muscle, anywhere from 6-12 reps. some go lower, some higher, you gotta find what works for you. personally, i like to use higher reps, i feel it in the muscle much more.

you know you could do that may help.....buy the Arnold Schw. Encycl. of BB.........it'll explain EVERYTHING for ya bro.....

hope this helps........

 

[gr81]

Here is a good tip that many people don't think of. Variety doesn't just necessarily mean changing the exercises either. Another way to switch things up effectively is to change the tempo of an exercise as well as rep range, intensity level, grip, angle of a movement, things like that.

 

[buffed]

ill change things up.
Btw someone told me that cable crossover will not be able to get your chest bigger is that true? so i should just stick with presses for mass?

 

[gr81]

the popint taht they were making i sthat crossovers are not a multi joint compound movement like presses are and yes crossovers should not be a staple of any chest WO. It is a good exercise but you can only go so heavy on it. It should be used supplementary with a compound movement if it is mass you are looking for. make sense?

 

[vanity]

chest on monday and triceps on tuesday - a big no-no

 

[buffed]

I thought that tricep being the minor muscle, it wont be much of a problem. right?

another question, when i am doing high reps of like 12-15, i feel much more burns on the muscle than when i am doing like only 6-8. Does this happens to anyone else or just me? If i am the only one experiencing this, does this means that i should go for higher reps? Cos i also heard from some ppl that getting mass doesnt mean that you have to go for low reps, it all depends on each individual muscle. Sometime a person can do reps for like 12-15 but hes buffed.

 

[maddog1]

You are feeling the burn with higher reps, because you are building up more lactic acid than you would with lower reps. It happens to everyone. You can alternate between workouts of higher reps and lower reps. It helps to stimulate the different types of muscle fibers.

 

[buffed]

does that mean if im exercising bicep curl for 4 sets, 2 sets high reps and 2 sets low reps? or the next different exercise for the same muscle then i go for different reps?

 

[maddog1]

It means you do lows reps for the entire workout and then the next time you hit that body part, you do high reps.

 

[buffed]

oh alright, kewl thx.. and since i have been doing my minor&major muscle once a week, should i work them twice week now to break the pleateu?

 

[maddog1]

Stay with once a week, look at the above posts by Flex,etc. to pcik a new routine

 

[buffed]

I know that flex said that dips and flyes are some of the exercises that i can do but can that build mass? or just definition?

 

[maddog1]

They build mostly mass and if your young, that is what you need most right now.

 

[vanity]

triceps aren't "minor" muscles. They make up most of your arm.

when you work your chest you also work your triceps that's why your Monday: chest, Tuesday : Triceps is wrong.

work them both on the same day.

 

[buffed]

Oh alright.. Thanx..
I think ill be changing all of them anyway since flex said that i should change my workout routines.. Wanna start taking weight gainers, but still afraid that it will get me to much fat rather than muscle. Wish me luck.

 

[vanity]

look up "periodization".

That type of training is good for avoiding plateaus.

You don't need weight gainers. Save your money.
Eat alot of good quality, healthy food.