Mcginger69's picture
Mcginger69
  • 112
2386

+ 2 Training Advice for intermediate lifter

ad

Hello!! I am brand new to the forum and wanted some tips on training. I have been lifting progressivley for the past 6 years. I've tried many different splits and recently(past year and half) have delved into a push/pull/legs 3 on 1 off split and modified it as I went to adjust for progressive overload. My main focus is muscle gain rather than purely for strength/power. I have been focusing on A.) Intensity with my sets B.) volume C.) slow incremental gains in the weight Ive been moving. I typically take my sets to the brink of failure where my form on my last 1-2 reps starts to dwindle. For example I will do 100s on incline dumbbell and hit 13,11,9. on every one of my sets last reps im squeezing it out and likely can only do maybe one more if not any at all.

Example workouts
Chest focused push day:

incline dumbbell
100lb
13
11
9

dumbell flye
45
15
13
12

smith machine shoulder press
165
15
14
12

lateral raise
30
15
15
13

Hammer strength flat chest press
230(2 plates and quarter each side)
15
13
12

skull crushers
95
15
13
12

The reason I am asking for advice as I am starting to really hit a wall and I want to mix it up a bit but I am not sure which other split is optimal for size gains. I want to focus primarily on my Lats, mid back and chest. (I have good traps, shoulder development etc.) This is also why I want to delve into the realm of gear. Been lifting for years, made some really nice size and strength gains and want to take it above and beyond.! Any advice or tips from some of the more experienced or knowledgeable guys on here would be great.

jewellfuller49's picture

I don’t know what to do, I do full body 3 times a week, and I’m thinking into switching to a upper lower split for 4 days a week

armela18's picture

I feel like I could improve a little but the progress is slow. I will run it for another month or two and see what happens.

Bill1976's picture

Not sure if this is your situation but when I have been lifting non stop for a long time I’ll take a week off or two then come back stronger after a couple weeks.

In a promo × 1
JFit253's picture

If you have the time, I recommend an AM/PM training split. This would be similar to push/pull/legs. For example, on a Push Day, the AM session would be purely chest exercises. Id recommend around 6-8 working sets (not including warm ups or pump sets). The PM session would be Triceps/Delts focused. I do a little less working sets with these but similar.

The idea behind this is to add more volume but keep intensity high. The increase will require you to ensure you get proper rest and tons of food. Training sessions here are about intensity rather than time, so each session should only be around an hour. You get in, train hard, then get out.

JFit253's picture

I forgot to add that you should also value rest days/active recovery days. Personally, I either do 2 days on 1 day off OR 3 days on 2 days off. If you train hard enough this way, you will truly NEED the rest days.

Flexxx's picture

and one day it will pay off........lol. you look like a freaking tank! For me its hard to put on size, even if I take in 10,000 calories a day. But I was always a skinny kid growing up; hard to off-set those genetics.

Flexxx's picture

Same here; wife is Italian and an damnnnnnn good cook. Plus, my daugther likes to bake. Im good to go in the winter when bulking because Im surrounded by carbs! Spring/Summer takes insane dedication.

Mcginger69's picture

now as a natty lifter would that be too much volume to recover from 6 exercises for one muscle group? and would you hit that muscle group again the same week?

Owes a Review × 2
Mcginger69's picture

I like going moderately heavy with a rep range above 8 also. I was thinking long term joint health and preservation while maximizing muscular development. I used to care about weight in my early 20s. Then I realized lifting heavy weight does not get you ass when your dick is still 3 inches. lmao

Owes a Review × 2
Mcginger69's picture

lmao

Owes a Review × 2
Flexxx's picture

Are you lifting more for size or for power. True, you need to push you body/muscles. But, if your looking to have a more cut look, your diet and set/reps are going to be different than a "lets say) power lifter. IMO, you may have a lot of bodybuilders that "look like" they can bench 400 lbs, and cant, and you have some powerlifters that may not even look like they lift, but play around with 400lbs. BB'ers have a "more" strict diet, wheres, power lifters dont have to be as disciplined. Like Stiffy said, your sets/reps/ and exercises will have a lot to do with what the direction you're headed.

Mcginger69's picture

Size

Owes a Review × 2
Flexxx's picture

Simple fix, if you lift as dedicated as you say you do, then you need to eat, eat, eat. Basically eat one time a day.....wake up eating, go to bed eating. Remember proteins are the building block of muscle, anytime you can put on 5 lbs of muscle is better than 5lbs of fat; although weight/size is the goal.

Mcginger69's picture

I think my biggest challenge I face is progression. So my logic is when I start, lets say a new routine, Is mapping out and or forecasting progression over, for example, a month. For some reason I was always worried of adding too much too soon then having to scale back and hit the refresh button so I start small and incrementally go up. if that makes sense. I was always less concerned about the weight I moved but more concerned by how I moved it and nice and slow on the eccentric and building a strong mind muscle connection.

Owes a Review × 2
Flexxx's picture

Like you, Im more concerned with the aesthetics of how I look. I would rather be lean and cut versus being able to push big weight; but thats just me. Especially now, after 30 plus years of lifting relatively heavy, my joints just cant handle it anymore. Good form is a must, lifting wrong is kind of like bull-riding; its not a matter of "if", but when you get hurt (been there, done that, also). Regardless of the look your going for, you still need to lift enough to break down your muscles, and more importantly give them the nutrition needed to recover. Also remember, the body repairs its self during the rest/sleeping phase. So make sure you're getting plenty of rest also.

Mcginger69's picture

rest is so hard sometimes when all you want to do is train!!! I do 3 on 1 off. That rest day makes me feel hella energized. Sleep is a key also!! trying to get this all dialed in before I even touch gear.

Owes a Review × 2
Flexxx's picture

"trying to get this all dialed in before I even touch gear." Very good idea. Training is good, but to get the most outr of rest, youve got to rest to give body time to recoup and grow and diet/clean eating is just as important as the training itelf. Diascipline involves all aspects of health and fitness; not just the gym part of it

Mcginger69's picture

Basically Im not running a cycle unless I know I can maximize my gains on that cycle. I feel like you can only run so many cycles tbh. I could be wrong !

Owes a Review × 2
Makwa's picture
Mcginger69's picture

Do you feel as if this affects performance on your sets by decreasing rest time?

"Shorten your rest periods between sets

What you are doing here is increasing the amount of work you are doing in a given time period. Keep your same rep/set/weight routine but shorten the amount of time you rest between the sets. If you normally rest 2-3 minutes between sets, shave 15 seconds off each workout."

Owes a Review × 2
Makwa's picture

Not really sure what you mean by performance. I always use perfect form. Weight may decrease but the body has no concept of weight, only tension. I don't lift for ego, I lift for results. Every set is performed with maximum time under tension. My goal is 40-80 sec of tension/set. That is the proven hypertrophy range. Under that and you are more focused on strength, above and you get more into the endurance range. If you want to get big as fast as possible then that is the TUT range you need to focus most of your sets on. Doesn't matter if the weights get lighter as long as that is the maximum weight you can lift within that TUT.

AlwaysGottaStiffy's picture

Looks like you have 6 exercises there with 3 sets. Hyper beginner. 8-12 exercises... 4-6 sets each. Reps will depend on your goals. Higher reps for more cut. Lower reps more weight for bulk. I tend to stay in the 12 rep to 6 rep range. Adding weight as I drop reps.

In a promo × 2
Mcginger69's picture

Thats at the beginning of a meso cycle. I typically Add on either A. more volume in sets or B. Weight to induce progressive overload. my week usually will have: 2 push days for example in which the first one has 16 sets per muscle group for the entire week(more sets for bigger groups) and in which im going to fail on the last set of the specific exercise and processes up to 20+ sets by the end of the meso cycle before a de-load period.

And is there truly science behind higher reps for a cut and lower for a bulk? like if im bulking I'm building size therefor I'm trying to exhaust my muscles and add volume and more reps whereas with a cut I'm trying to preserve size which I'm not sure higher reps=preservation of size.

Owes a Review × 2
AlwaysGottaStiffy's picture

Good example can be found in track stars. Sprinters vs long distance. Load is more substantial and for shorter time periods. Ever seen the quads on a 100m champ? Now look at a cross country runner... How do their quads looks?Lighter load over longer period.

When I was hitting weights in my 20s... I went from 135 to 220 in a little over a year using the same logic as above. Doing it again in my 40s. Started at 150. Been at it 6 months and I'm about to crest 190#. I'll hit 220 before summer.

Check my pics. You'll be convinced then.

In a promo × 2
Mcginger69's picture

well comparing someone who workouts for power output versus a runner who runs long distances and using a metric of muscle building doesn't really make sense lol. lighter load in regards to running versus lighter load in regards to weight training isn't comparable. like a sprinter is also lifting more, weighs more etc. as a distance runner you are carrying that weight over a long distance meaning they aren't focusing as much on size and strength. In fact when distance runners lift they are doing so for injury prevention rather than power output like a sprinter. its comparing an apple and a piece of meat. two totally different things in my opinion.

Owes a Review × 2
Makwa's picture

If you have been lifting for 6 years and that is all you are doing on a push day, I can see why you have stalled. That is a beginners routine at best. Look through my forums I have a ton of hypertrophy based workouts that will produce results and take you to the next level.

Mcginger69's picture

I think I've read too much into overtraining to keep adding volume on. But I will look into it!!!

Owes a Review × 2