Questions About My Program!

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Hey everyone,

As you can tell I am brand new to these forums. I’ve read around a bit and really like what this website has going. Seems like a great community and very helpful to anyone who is looking to pursue body building, and it just so happens I am one of those people.

Anyway, I’ll cut to the chase. I have quite a few questions about what I should be doing, and if what I am doing will work at all to help me reach my lifting goals.

I’m 21 years old, 6’1’’ and weighing in at 155 lbs. My goal at the moment is getting to 180 and then eventually in the 220 range ( I know I have quite a bit of work ahead of me don?t I, but hell that?s what I’m here for and lifting is one of the things I love doing ).

I’ve worked out on and off for 6-8 month periods in the past 3 years, I am just now getting back to the gym after a 1 year hiatus due to personal reasons. But now am back and ready to hit it hard and do what needs to be done.

I’m going to go ahead and list out all the particulars of what I am currently doing in my attempt to put on weight, any and all critiques are greatly appreciated.

I’ll start this off with my workouts:

I’m currently working out 5 of 7 days a week with a one hour session each day for one specific muscle group, and one split day working out in full hour sessions one in the morning and one in the evening. So just for example…

Monday: Back
Tuesday: Biceps
Wednesday: Chest
Thursday: Triceps
Friday: Legs (am) Shoulders (pm)
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

Now the reason I’m trying this over a 3 day a week 2 muscle groups each session program, is because it just never seems for me that working two muscle groups in one workout is ever effective enough. In other words, I never feel like I hit both muscle groups hard enough if I work them both in one day.

Here is how my workouts look, I’ll use Chest days as an example:

I do 5 different exercises, and 6 sets per exercise the last two sets in each exercise being my ‘burnout’ sets where i attempt to push until failure.

Dumbbell Bench Press:
45lbs. x 12 reps 1min rest
50lbs. x 10 reps 1min rest
55lbs. x 8 reps 1min rest
60lbs. x 6 reps 1min rest

45lbs. x 12 reps NO REST
40lbs. x 12 reps

then I’ll do the same setup for all the rest of my exercises which at the moment are

Decline Dumbbell Bench
Incline Dumbbell Bench
Dumbbell Fly?s
Barbell Bench

The workouts throughout the rest of the week use the same set up as what I showed you for my chest days. I just obviously use exercises that target the specific muscle group.

So my questions about my workout set up are:

1.) Is working out 5 days a week 1 muscle group a day going to be effective to help me bulk my 155 frame to 180?

2.) How does my workout set up look? Anything different you suggest I try?

Now on to nutrition…

I eat healthy, really healthy (helps a lot that I work in a grocery store). After reading around a bit what I’ve gathered is that if you want to gain mass you have to do the following: Eat a lot, and eat often. So in lieu of that, I’ve been shooting 7 meals a day, eating carbs and protein with every single meal, and then about 3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Also I am currently taking GNC Pro Performance 100% Whey Protein, 2 scoops (40g of protein) twice a day. Basic breakdown of my meals in a day…

Meal 1: 3 Egg omlet, O.J.
Meal 2: Shake
Meal 3: Cottage cheese, Strawberries
Meal 4: Oatmeal, fruit, yogurt
Meal 5: Turkey Sandwich
Meal 6: Shake
Meal 7: Bagel w/ Peanut Butter, Applesauce OR Tuna Sandwich

So my questions about my nutrition are:

1.) Am I eating often enough? and am I eating the right things to gain mass?

2.) Should I be having my protein shake 3 times a day rather then just 2?
(I’ve heard you want 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for every pound you weigh, I am prety sure I’m hitting that but I’m not sure if I should just overshoot it under the ‘better safe then sorry’ theory)

3.) Are there any other supplements you suggest I take?
(Aside from steroids and the human growth hormone that is. Also I am still not 100% sure how safe I feel creatine is seeing as I personally don?t think its been tested long enough to ensure no LONG term side effects exist, but hey, if you can show me otherwise then great)

My sincere apology for the novel like length to this post, but I am really interested in learning and doing this right. Once again any criticism or comments are greatly appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Take care…

2

HERO, welcome aboard. I am going to give you some quick basics to go by. 6’1 and 155 pounds means you are going to need to work your ass off to get up to 220 and this may take anywhere from two to three or more years if you stick with it.

  1. Exercise selection. Ditch the tricep movements and curls for the time being. Your workouts need to revolve around big compound movements. Chest: Flat and incline barbell and dumbbell bench, and dips.

Shoulders: Military press with both dumbbell and barbell.

Back: Wide grip chins, heavy rows db and barbell, deadlifts.

Legs: Squats and lunges.

Nutrition should consist of lean protein in every meal either combined with healthy carbs like vegetables and fruit or healthy fats like walnuts, almonds, or fish oils. Eat at least two hundred grams of protein per day and around 3500 to 4000 calories per day. Take it easy on non lifting days and don’t do or over do any cardio. LIft three times per week leaving adequate time for recovery.

Read all the articles on the products here as well as the articles on training and nutrition by the different authors.

These are my recommendations.

Good luck,

D

3

Pick up a program that focus on compound movements and stick with it. As long as you are making gain, resist the temptation of switching program to “optimize”.

and… EAT!

4

Great, thanks for the tips so far defiantly gave me a few things to consider.

Any specific training programs come to mind that either of you think would benefit me? Or rather, any specific members programs on the site you suggest I take a look at?

Thanks again.

5

[quote]HERO wrote:
Great, thanks for the tips so far defiantly gave me a few things to consider.

Any specific training programs come to mind that either of you think would benefit me? Or rather, any specific members programs on the site you suggest I take a look at?

Thanks again.
[/quote]

Try ABBH by Chad Waterbury. It should be at the very top of training program archives.

6

Here is a great article to read about Creatine.

http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1085045

7

[quote]jbodzin wrote:
Here is a great article to read about Creatine.

http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1085045[/quote]

Great thanks for the link it was a great read. I do have one quick question though.

From what I read they suggest when you take creatine monohydrate you have it with a juice or water. Now I plan to take creatine imediatly after my workout, thats also however when I take my whey protien powder.

Is it safe or effective to to mix in the 5 grams of creatine monohydrate with my protien shake?

Thanks!

8

Its fine in the sense it wont hurt you or anything.

I have heard suggestions of not mixing the two though.

I usually have my protein shake during my work out and then drink my PWO drink with creatine when I am done lifting.

Has worked well for me.

9

[quote]jbodzin wrote:
Its fine in the sense it wont hurt you or anything.

I have heard suggestions of not mixing the two though.

I usually have my protein shake during my work out and then drink my PWO drink with creatine when I am done lifting.

Has worked well for me.[/quote]

I used to do that and it’s fine. The main thing is drinking your Creatine quickly upon putting it in liquid instead of letting it sit awhile. I, as others will also undoubtedly recommend to you is mixing your Creatine in Surge.

Surge is the perfect vehicle for Creatine delivery and is a top rate PWO recovery drink in it’s own right. Read up on it as well in the T-Nation store.

D

10

To paraphrase Alwyn Cosgrove:

Skinny guys usually think its their training which is holding them back, and fat guys usually think its their diet. But, the skinny guys should work on their diet, and the fat guys should work on their training.

You, my friend, are a skinny guy. Therefore, there is no such thing as eating too much (of course, you can eat too much crap food, but that’s another story). For example, cottage cheese and strawberries is NOT a meal. Look up Berardi’s Massive Eating articles, and do what he says.

As for training. I am going to say this once, and whether you listen or not is up to you: Ditch the split. Do three full-body workouts a week (as suggested before, try Waterbury’s ABBH, or Scrawny to Brawny). Use compound lifts and try to go heavy. If you want to build muscle, you have to lift big weights, and to lift big weights, you have to be strong.

Don’t be like me. I was stuck at 5’11" 180lbs for two friggin years, doing my bobybuilding split. Then I found T-Nation and put on 20 pounds in 5 months doing full-body workouts. Oh, and they’re FUN!

Good luck.

11

I think your routine sucks and you should go with something like Home Grown Muscle. Working back one day then biceps the next doesn’t make any sense. You work your biceps inadvertently by working your back. They need rest then you work them the very next day (you shouldn’t directly work them that much anyway).

Your diet is really weak. Your not eating nearly enough food for your size.

IMO, Your Meal 1 should be Meal 1 + Meal 4. Meal 2 something like your Meals 3, 5, + some Chicken or Meal 7. Then you still need like 4 other meals.

12

Get over the idea that failure or “burnout” as you call it is a goal. Increasing the loads on your muscles is the goal. Chad Waterbury writes about this sort of thing often.

Do you squat? Deadlift? Any overhead work (OH squats, DB snatches)? Pick a Waterbury program, get on it, and stick to it.

I don’t think you really have a sense of how much food you need to take in to grow significantly. A 3-egg omelet is a joke. Use fitday.com (it’s free) to track your intake and make sure you’re getting enough. Read Dr. Berardi’s “Massive Eating Reloaded” and get to eatin’.

13

Ok so from the replies I’ve gotten so far I realize I need too…

  1. Eat more
  2. Ditch the muscle split and go for 3 workouts a week using compound movements
  3. Eat more

You know what, sounds like a plan to me! Waterburys ABBH looks really solid so I plan to start that up beginning next week. Also, thanks for the lead to fitday.com, that?s going to be a big help in making sure Im getting enough protein / carbs / calories.

And yea putty, my routine does suck haha; but hell that?s why Im here on the forums. Not because Ive got everything down pat but because I need help!

So thanks to you all and if there is anything else keep em coming.

  • Hero