I'm 16, and I have been weight training since September 2008. I did chin-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups at my home for years before though.
Currently, I do a full body routine 2-3 times a week that takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. (Maybe it's slightly longer than most people's workouts, but I always feel like pushing myself and doing more while I'm working out. I usually take around 2 days off, but sometimes 1, and on rare occasions I may take off 3 or so if I'm unable to workouk for whatever reason. During the school year, I did a similar workout for ~35 minutes 3 times a week).
(this isn't necessarily in order)
40-50 chin-ups (spread throughout with sets of 4 to ~17 chin-ups)
30-40 various types of push-ups, often while waiting for weights or something
8x7 (assisted/cable-machine because I don't like asking people to spot for me
) bench press
6x7 bicep curls
20 inverted sit-ups while holding a 20lb weight with my arms stretched out above my head
20 jumps, reaching as high as possible
2-5 sprints, at 90-100%, ~1 time around the gym's track each
10 "push arms out" (using the machine, I hold the handles with my arms in front of me, and then push so that my arms become approximately in a straight line with each other, whatever that's called)
10 "pull arms in" (using the same machine, put facing the opposite direction)
6-10 minutes on various cardio machines
I vary the routine slightly depending on what I feel like. I often won't be consistent with the amount of repetitions I do per set (for example, I usually do around 16 repetitions for the first set of bench pressing, but do around 5 for the last few sets).
My goals are to increase my muscular strength and endurance and cardiovascular health. I have fairly good "muscular definition" for my age, but I'd like to gain more muscle mass and become stronger while retaining and hopefully improving endurance, speed, and cardiovascular health. I'm also trying not to prevent any possible vertical growth I may get, which is why I'm currently avoiding heavy squats and deadlifts (I sometimes do a couple of lunges in between sets of bicep curls using my bicep curl weights). I'm 6 feet tall and 145-150 lbs. (I know 6 feet isn't really short, but I think it'd be nice to be taller)
I come from a background of playing soccer for years (although not currently) and being somewhat skinny, but strength training in the past year years has helped bring up my weight a bit.
The problem is that recently, it seems that my routine doesn't seem to be getting any easier, and I don't appear to be gaining much muscle (lately). I've also weighed between 145 and 150lbs for nearly the past year.
What should i do? Should I try a split routine? Also, if it seems like I usually need 5 or so days for my muscles to completely recover (and feel a lot stronger when I workout), but they usually often stop being sore after 1 day (I don't hardly notice any muscles being sore, except for sometimes my pecs and legs). What do you think is the correct amount of rest days I should have? Thanks
EDIT: Also, I have a pretty healthy diet. I'll eat eggs, milk, whole grains, meat/poultry, vegetables, fruits, and generally healthy stuff basically every day. I don't try to undereat or overeat..I just eat as much as I feel like.
I had been getting as much sleep as I wanted since school ended at the beginning of June, but starting this week and through the rest of this month, I have to wake up earlier Monday-Friday. I'll still probably be able to get around 8-9 or more hours of sleep every day though.
I don't regularly take any supplements. Being healthy one of my main goals (which includes leading to a healthy life when I'm older and living long), and multiple people in my family have kidney problems, so I decided to play it safely. The only supplement I my take is an occasional protein drink or bar.
Currently, I do a full body routine 2-3 times a week that takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. (Maybe it's slightly longer than most people's workouts, but I always feel like pushing myself and doing more while I'm working out. I usually take around 2 days off, but sometimes 1, and on rare occasions I may take off 3 or so if I'm unable to workouk for whatever reason. During the school year, I did a similar workout for ~35 minutes 3 times a week).
(this isn't necessarily in order)
40-50 chin-ups (spread throughout with sets of 4 to ~17 chin-ups)
30-40 various types of push-ups, often while waiting for weights or something
8x7 (assisted/cable-machine because I don't like asking people to spot for me
6x7 bicep curls
20 inverted sit-ups while holding a 20lb weight with my arms stretched out above my head
20 jumps, reaching as high as possible
2-5 sprints, at 90-100%, ~1 time around the gym's track each
10 "push arms out" (using the machine, I hold the handles with my arms in front of me, and then push so that my arms become approximately in a straight line with each other, whatever that's called)
10 "pull arms in" (using the same machine, put facing the opposite direction)
6-10 minutes on various cardio machines
I vary the routine slightly depending on what I feel like. I often won't be consistent with the amount of repetitions I do per set (for example, I usually do around 16 repetitions for the first set of bench pressing, but do around 5 for the last few sets).
My goals are to increase my muscular strength and endurance and cardiovascular health. I have fairly good "muscular definition" for my age, but I'd like to gain more muscle mass and become stronger while retaining and hopefully improving endurance, speed, and cardiovascular health. I'm also trying not to prevent any possible vertical growth I may get, which is why I'm currently avoiding heavy squats and deadlifts (I sometimes do a couple of lunges in between sets of bicep curls using my bicep curl weights). I'm 6 feet tall and 145-150 lbs. (I know 6 feet isn't really short, but I think it'd be nice to be taller)
I come from a background of playing soccer for years (although not currently) and being somewhat skinny, but strength training in the past year years has helped bring up my weight a bit.
The problem is that recently, it seems that my routine doesn't seem to be getting any easier, and I don't appear to be gaining much muscle (lately). I've also weighed between 145 and 150lbs for nearly the past year.
What should i do? Should I try a split routine? Also, if it seems like I usually need 5 or so days for my muscles to completely recover (and feel a lot stronger when I workout), but they usually often stop being sore after 1 day (I don't hardly notice any muscles being sore, except for sometimes my pecs and legs). What do you think is the correct amount of rest days I should have? Thanks
EDIT: Also, I have a pretty healthy diet. I'll eat eggs, milk, whole grains, meat/poultry, vegetables, fruits, and generally healthy stuff basically every day. I don't try to undereat or overeat..I just eat as much as I feel like.
I had been getting as much sleep as I wanted since school ended at the beginning of June, but starting this week and through the rest of this month, I have to wake up earlier Monday-Friday. I'll still probably be able to get around 8-9 or more hours of sleep every day though.
I don't regularly take any supplements. Being healthy one of my main goals (which includes leading to a healthy life when I'm older and living long), and multiple people in my family have kidney problems, so I decided to play it safely. The only supplement I my take is an occasional protein drink or bar.
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