Need a new plan!

T

tmalik70

0
Hi,

I have been working out for around 5 months now. Have seen some good gains but my main aim is to gain muscle mass and I've done sum but wanna gain a lot more. I'm around 5'11 and weight 154lbs. I wanna get up to around 170-180lbs. I've sorted out my diet now with help from the nutrition section of this forum.

I'm just coming off the following workout,

Testosterone Nation - Total-Body Training

With the following excersises,

Tuesday

Quads: Full BB Squat
L.Back: Stiff Legged Deadlifts
Back: Pull Ups
Chest: Flat Bench Press
Deltoids: Seated Military Press
Calves: Standing Calf Raises
Abs: Weighted Sit Ups

Thursday

Quads: Leg Raises
L.Back: Romanian Deadlifts
Back: Bent Over BB rows
Chest: Incline Bench Press
Deltoids: Standing Military Press
Bicep: Bicep Curls
Abs: Sit Ups

Saturday

Quads: DB Squat
L.Back: Stiff Legged DB Deadlift
Back: Pull-Ups
Chest: Flat DB Bench Press
Deltoids: Seated DB Military Press
Triceps: Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Abs: Planks
Click to expand...

It has helped me alot in increasing my max weight I can lift but now my main goal is just to put on muscle mass. I've sorted my diet out to have enough calories and protein so now I wanna get onto a routine that will maximize results in gaining mass.

I've always done a full body workout but I'm not sure if thats the best way to gain mass or should I switch to a split? Also rep/Set ranges would be a great help. Basically any help with setting up a new routine which will maximize results in gaining mass would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks.
 
I've just read an article from the same site and it was listed the following sets/reps would be best for maximum results in gaining size,

6 x 6, 4 x 12, 5 x 10

Is that right?
 
Keep doing that same routine less the last 2 exercises in each session, that is just stick to the basic exercises (and variations on them): squat, deadlift, bench press, row/chin, press. You might want to try some other variations: front squats, incline bench press, deadlift, behind the neck press, etc. And also vary the reps so on alternate days you do 4x6, 3x8, 2x15 for different body parts. You probably do not need to think about a split until you have been training for at least 2 years.
 
So cut out the isolation excersises at the end of the workout as well as the ab work? I'm not to bothered about the isolation as I know the compound excersises will help the smaller muscles grow. However I still want to build my abs so shouldn't I just throw in some ab work at the end of each session? Thats what I've been told?

Thanks for the advice on doing alternative excersises. I'll look some up and do that!

I'm gonna stick to a full body 3x a week workout so which rep/set range would be better?

4x6, 3x8, 2x15
or
6 x 6, 4 x 12, 5 x 10

Thanks for your help. You seem like an experienced lifter and if you don't mind would it be possible for you to post either your own workout if its a fullbody workout? I just wanna know how the more experienced lifters workout so I can have an aim!

Thanks!
 
I don't do full body, but if I were going to I would do something like this:
Day 1: squat, horizontal press, row
Day 2: deadlift, vertical press, pullup
every other day. I would switch horizontal press between flat BB, incline BB and incline DB every three workouts, and pullups I would do 2 sets of each: wide grip. parallel grip and chin, etc. I would switch set/rep schemes likewise between 2x15,3x8 and 4x6.
Once you have been working out for more than 2 years and can bench press, squat, deadlift and pullup at least your body weight for 10+ reps then you may be ready for a split of some kind.
 
Thanks for the help guys!

I've decided to carry on with the same routine but change the excersises up a bit but I'm stuck when it comes to choosing the rep range. My 1st plan is to go 4x6 for all workouts. That would make me lift the highest weight possible and has worked before but I'm not sure how good doing the same rep/set range is.

My second choice is to go 4x6, 3x8, 2x15 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday respectively. This would change it up for every workout but other then the first workout I'd be working with lower weights and higher reps which I believe isn't the best for gaining mass.

Finally I've been reading articles about gaining mass and have read that I should be going 3x 8-12 on each excersise so I could do 3x8, 3x10 and 3x12?

All 3 seem to have good points and bad points so I'm hoping one of you more experienced lifters can help me decide whats the best for gaining mass.

Thanks.
 
3x8-12 is generally considered optimal for building mass, but most people pateau on that after a short period of time, which is why we are recommending changing it up a little with set/rep schemes like 5x5,4x6,3x8,2x15... Some people do the same set and rep scheme for 4-8 weeks at a time and then change to another for the next 4-8 weeks, others change every workout. Just start with whatever you are comfortable with and change when you feel like your gains have slowed or stopped.
 
Thanks for the reply. I'll switch between the 3 in the next 3 weeks and whatever I think is best I'll go with that for the next couple months before changing.

Finally how important are the isolation excersises? They do help me but after the workout with the big compound excersises I'm feeling tired so I'm not sure if I should stick with them!
 
If you put enough effort in the big compounds you should not need any isolation until you have been lifting consistanly for many years. If you feel the need to do some type of more direct arm work, try dips, close grip bench press and narrow grip chins. Those are compound movements, but they target the triceps and biceps more than most. If your goal is to add lean muscle mass, you need to get the maximum growth stimulation with the least expenditure of energy, so your body can concentrate all of its remaining energy on building lean body mass.
 
Unfortunately for me, I have to do some home workouts next week because my school will be closed, but when I come back the school will finally open its brand new fitness room (It's a high school, by the way). I made some changes and I will be using this program for 8 weeks before tennis starts (lucky me!). The program is based off of the link above, but hopefully it will come into use for my hypertrophic demands. I'll keep you updated on my gains, if anyone cares.


Week 1, 2, 5, & 6:
Monday – 3 x 5
Wednesday – 3 x 8
Friday – 3 x 10

Workout:
Romanian Deadlift
Pull Ups
Leg Press
Bench Press
Barbell Curl
Military Press


Week 3, 4, 7, & 8:
Monday – 4 x 6
Wednesday – 3 x 8
Friday – 2 x 12

Workout:
Deadlift
Hammer Curls
Squat
Incline Bench Press
Cable Row
Tricep Pushdown
 
I dont know I am right or not, but I think on your first list of workouts you should do:

bench press
military press
barbell curl

instead of curl before press. Because Press is a compound movement and Coumpouns > Isolation.

I might be wrong but thouhgt Id help
Thanks
 
Thanks for the advice. I'll cut out the isolation excersises and go with the compound ones. If I'm doing a workout 3 times a week can I keep doing pull ups 3 times a week for a month before changing it to something like rows or should I just keep alternating? At the moment the workout listed in my first post shows 3 different workouts. I wanna totally cut out the dumbbell excersises as their for high rep-low weights so how long can I keep going with a same excersises before reaching a stop?
 
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