Hey guys, I always had trouble switching up my routine and thats where I suffered. The variables he talked to me about are reps, sets, and rest time.
Right now I am lifting just for strength doing just 3 reps and 5 sets (3x5) so how would I swtich my workout like every 3 weeks so that I keep my body guessing but still bilding strenght and muscle. He mentioned that keeping the same volume in your routine is important. Can anyon explain this to me?
volume is total reps X weight. If you’re doing 3x5 at [insert weight] you want to try and increase the volume the next time you do that lift. You can either do this by changing # of reps, # of sets (which would probably have you drop he weight a bit), or you can add more weight to each rep.
First who is he? What are you goals? Are you talking Bench, Squat, deads or all three? I have quoted Dave Tate several times and he might start charging me every time I do it but O’well.
[i]"…you need to take that lifter and build him up, and you’re not necessarily going to build anyone up doing dynamic work or max effort work. It still comes down to the three ways to induce muscle tension: the repetition method, the max effort method, and the dynamic method.
Where the miscommunication comes in is when the beginners place all their focus on the max effort and the dynamic methods. They don’t understand the application of the repetition method. From a powerlifter’s standpoint, a bigger muscle is going to be a stronger muscle. While that’s not always the case, it is part of the equation.[/i]"
If you are going to go with ME, and there is nothing wrong with that, I would say you volume is to low and you need to up it. For ME Bench I would say do at least 8x3 and as much as 10x3. For squat and deads Id go with 6x3 to 8x3 b/c to me they are more taxing on the body. But that about all I can give with what I got.
True, but if I change up my reps for lets say higher reps, I wont then be training for strenght right? I have until wrestling season to bulk, then I need to cut to be on weight. I want to lift to get as much strenght and muscle as possible.
Also I am working out to increase my squats (beloew parallel), deadlift, and bench. I want those lifts to get stronger and just become stronger all around.
My workout routine is
Mon: Squat, Bench Press, Bent Over Row overhand
Wed: Deadlift, Push press, pull ups
Fri: Same as Mon
I did this for 3 weeks and next week Im going to do this:
Mon: Either barbel lunges or front squats, Incline Bench Press, BOR underhand
Wed: Sumo deadlift, standing overhead press, pull ups
Fri: Same as Mon
Sound good? I hear switching exercises is not enough though, I have to switch the variables and its killing me because I only want to lift for strenght nor do I want to do high reps.
3x5 does seem really low. Just try the 3x5 and see how that works for you. If your gains aren’t where you wanted them to be, then you could easily increase the volume. At least a simple 5x5 would be the next step. The keywords are “at least”.
I think you missed the point. 10x3 is 10 sets of 3 reps so you wouldnt be uping the reps, but the sets. Right now you arent doing enough to do much of anything. And sense you are a wrestler then you need to be putting as much muscle as you can b/c when you go to cut weight you body is going to cannibalize it. Now that is unless you cut weight the right way, but wrestlers dont cut the right way(Dont argue I know I did it for six years). So by only doing ME and not trying to pack on more muscle you will loose most of the strength you gained.
Also why are you so opposed to doing more reps? If I were you Id be doing (for the 3 majors) 5-6 sets of 4-8 at the minimum. For the secondary lifts I would do 5x6-10. Your Strength will go up and youll put on muscle.
(edit)Plus I would also add weighted dips for Tris b/c just by doing bench(my opinion) you arent hitting them hard enough, and I think if you were to aske most ppl how to up your bench they will tell you to hit the Tris
Thank you,my gym is very limited to equipment, I cant even do dips,lol. How would this work?
2 reps for 10sets (20 total reps)
3reps for 6sets (18 total resp)
4reps for 5sets (20 total reps)
5reps for 4sets (20 total reps)
6reps for 3sets (18 total reps)
7reps for 3sets (21 total reps)
10reps for 2sets (20 total reps)
With the lower reps, I would do it for 3-4 weeks, and in the higher reps I would do it for 2-3 weeks. The volume is the same there right?