Workout is failing me :(

[anabolictonic]

Okay so im starting to doubt my workout. i can only train each muscle once a week because im sore for about 6 days after and yes im eating right and sleeping 8 hours a night. Can you please critique my split and give any/all advice love u guys

My workout goes:

(Note all sets are 8-12 reps)

Monday - Chest and Bi's
4 x Incline bench
4 x flat bench
4 x flat flys
Sometimes 2 or 3 more sets either cables or declince bench
3 x Hammer curl
3 x curls
3 x preacher curl
3 x incline curls or 3 x cable curls

Tuesday - OFF

Wed - Back and tri's

3 x Skull crushers
3 x cable press down things
4 x pull overs (with the rope where u stand and lean forward and pull the rope from behind you to infront of you- dont no wat there called)
4 x deadlifts
4 x lat pull downs
4 x T-bar
3 x rows


Thurs - OFF

Fri - Legs shoulders

4 x military press
3 x rear flys
3 front raises
4 x squats
4 x leg press
3 x leg extenstions or lunges
5 x calves
4 x hamstring curls

Sat - OFF

Sun - ABS

4 x abs

Im really not seein much growth for how hard im workin out in the gym - workouts usually take 90 mins. Am i goin to hard - i wants to be able to workout each muscle twice a week but am always too sore from the last workout.

Any advice of opinions on my workout.

[D7M]

how long have you been training like this, that you "don't see much growth"?

right of the bat, I'd say too much work on bi's and tri's. I don't spend much time on them, as I feel they both get a good workout with back, delts, chest. This has always worked for me.

why work each muscle twice/week? once is fine.

[jamminJohn]

Your split doesn't look too bad at all, but if you're that sore afterwards you may well be overtraining. Particularly on smaller muscles, like the biceps, 12 sets is a little excessive. You say you do 8-12 reps per set. Do you go to complete muscle failure on every set? I have found through much trial and error, that less is usually better. Try doing less total sets per body part and really concentrating on form and range of motion. Personally, I don't ever train for more than an hour. You don't say how long you have been training for. It takes patience and persistance, but if you keep at it, it will pay off. Also, you say that your diet is good, but if you are looking to pack on muscle mass, you may need to up the protein intake.

[anabolictonic]

Oh yer sorry guys - ive only been trainin for about 6 months.

And im gettin between 250-300 gms protein per day

thanks for your help

[amcon]

Okay so im starting to doubt my workout. i can only train each muscle once a week because im sore for about 6 days after and yes im eating right and sleeping 8 hours a night. Can you please critique my split and give any/all advice love u guys

My workout goes:

(Note all sets are 8-12 reps)

Monday - Chest and Bi's
4 x Incline bench
4 x flat bench
4 x flat flys
Sometimes 2 or 3 more sets either cables or declince bench
3 x Hammer curl
3 x curls
3 x preacher curl
3 x incline curls or 3 x cable curls

Tuesday - OFF

Wed - Back and tri's

3 x Skull crushers
3 x cable press down things
4 x pull overs (with the rope where u stand and lean forward and pull the rope from behind you to infront of you- dont no wat there called)
4 x deadlifts
4 x lat pull downs
4 x T-bar
3 x rows


Thurs - OFF

Fri - Legs shoulders

4 x military press
3 x rear flys
3 front raises
4 x squats
4 x leg press
3 x leg extenstions or lunges
5 x calves
4 x hamstring curls

Sat - OFF

Sun - ABS

4 x abs

Im really not seein much growth for how hard im workin out in the gym - workouts usually take 90 mins. Am i goin to hard - i wants to be able to workout each muscle twice a week but am always too sore from the last workout.

Any advice of opinions on my workout.

well, the work out seems fine, so look here:

- your diet - i can tell if i am not getting enough protein cause i stay soar for a few extra days from an intence work out.

- get some blood work to check things, bound test level, free test level, pituitary gand, thyroid, and such

- how much water are you intaking?

- how long have you been lifting the same weights and doing the same stuff (how long have you been stuck?)

start with those four and then get back to us, lifting iron works, if your not growing i would say the prob is one of the above

good luck let us know...

[anabolictonic]

Thanks - well to answer them...

Diet - I do believe im gettin enough protein. 2 meals with chicken and rice , 1 or 2 meal with beef and pasta 10 eggs and toast ( brekky) and 2 protein shakes (on workout days otherwise just one protein shake)

Bloodwork - Will have it done if all else fails.

Water - i usually have a water bottle with me but i didnt no it was a big part of recovery? - i spose i have been slackin a bit on the water

Stuck - improved a little for the first few months but the last 6 weeks havent grown.

[DSM4Life]

Looks like a lot of work to me. Let me explain further :

4 x Incline bench
4 x flat bench
4 x flat flys
Sometimes 2 or 3 more sets either cables or declince bench

15 fulls sets. Now do you really truly believe that you are going to be able to give 100% max effort 15 sets? which on avg 8-10reps = 120-150 reps ?

[jimmyinkedup]

have you been doing this workout all along? If so you need to change it...you should IMO change it every 8 weeks for continued progress........

[mike954]

with out good diet and bcaas and protine u will not see results

[Jakspro]

Looks like a lot of work to me. Let me explain further :

4 x Incline bench
4 x flat bench
4 x flat flys
Sometimes 2 or 3 more sets either cables or declince bench

15 fulls sets. Now do you really truly believe that you are going to be able to give 100% max effort 15 sets? which on avg 8-10reps = 120-150 reps ?

+1

And particularly important if you trying to build muscle and add size.

[TheJuicer]

I switch between Volume and HIT training. I think its time for you to look in to HIT training to get out of your rut. My workout was this today.

Incline DB Press 3 X 6-10 reps
Flat DB Press 2 X 6-10 reps
Flat Fly 2 X 8-10 reps
Cable Cross-Overs 2 X 10 reps
Tri Ext. Mach. 3 X 10 reps
V-bar Pushdowns 2 X 6-10 reps
Rope Ext. 2 X 8-10 reps

Last set is the only set to failure. First 2 sets are warm-ups. Thats it. That was today. Works great for me. Now once it stops workin' I will go to 3 sets with more drop sets and such. Then once I feel as if I might be push my body to overtrains level. i will go back to HIT. Overtraining its what it sounds like might be happening to you. You shouldnt be sore for 6 days like you are. By the 5th day you should be almost 100%.

[MuscleScience]

Looks like a lot of work to me. Let me explain further :

4 x Incline bench
4 x flat bench
4 x flat flys
Sometimes 2 or 3 more sets either cables or declince bench

15 fulls sets. Now do you really truly believe that you are going to be able to give 100% max effort 15 sets? which on avg 8-10reps = 120-150 reps ?

I agree with DSM, less is more. Plus your split is set up to where your hitting triceps three times a week, biceps twice a week and and hamstrings twice a week.

[anabolictonic]

+1

And particularly important if you trying to build muscle and add size.

yer so wat does all that mean... that i shouldnt do that many sets? i do every set to failure pretty much

[anabolictonic]

oh do u mean am i really giving 100% the whole time? Cos yer me and my mates were all talkin and say that i workout harder than anyone else in the gym pretty much - which is why im pissed im not very big

stats by the way

6ft
190lbs
13% bf

[amcon]

research sling shot training... it has the best decription of why you should and how you should switch training up... &

for the most part less is better, lest meaning 25 sets of chest compaired to 12 sets of chest... i believe that is dsm point... you will put up massive amounts intensity in the 12 sets, where as the 25 sets (and that is just an example) your central nervous system, your muscle fibers, and your mind become less fuctionable... imo

keep asking questions you getting some great advise from some very smart people above

[DSM4Life]

oh do u mean am i really giving 100% the whole time? Cos yer me and my mates were all talkin and say that i workout harder than anyone else in the gym pretty much - which is why im pissed im not very big

stats by the way

6ft
190lbs
13% bf

To give you a better example i would need the weight you workout with. Ill make up some numbers:
Made up :
Incline bench max 190lbs
flat 300
db flys 45

4 x Incline bench
4 x flat bench
4 x flat flys
Sometimes 2 or 3 more sets either cables or declince bench

Warm up 90lbs 10 reps incline
warm up 140 8 reps
1 MAX effort 190 for at least 6-8 reps DONE

Flat bench warm up 150 8-10
You need another on ? ur warmed up from incline -Up to you
1 MAX efforect 300 lbs 6-8reps DONE

and so on.......

The goal is to get one max working set for each movement.

[anabolictonic]

oh k thats not many sets but il try it.. just if ur curious my stats are a little lower than that :P but il see how that goes.. i usually do one warm up set for the muscle then get into it.

warm up 110 10 reps incline
then 4 x 150 8 reps incline

4 x 195 8 reps bench

etc..

[DSM4Life]

oh k thats not many sets but il try it.. just if ur curious my stats are a little lower than that :P but il see how that goes.. i usually do one warm up set for the muscle then get into it.

warm up 110 10 reps incline
then 4 x 150 8 reps incline

4 x 195 8 reps bench

etc..

So if you do 4 sets at 8 reps each

Warm up 110 *only one set
Warm up 150 *again only one set
(4 sets is not a warm up but a workout)

Then if you can keep decent for at 195 for 8 then IMO its time to bump the weight up, 200.

Next week go for 4-6. If you get say 4 , then the following week go for 200lbs for 5 etc

When working out in this fashion you have no choice but to work at 100%.

Don't "over warm up"
Keep it intense
Keep your form

[anabolictonic]

thanks

[Dobie-BOY]

I usually do a light warm up, a heavy warm up and then go right to the heaviest weight I can do for the desired rep range. This way you don't spend energy and sets needlessly on higher rep working sets. You will have the best set (usually) on your first working set before any muscle fatigue has set in. This enables you to lift more weight for more reps on your first set = more growth.

[Dobie-BOY]

I usually do a light warm up, a heavy warm up and then go right to the heaviest weight I can do for the desired rep range. This way you don't spend energy and sets needlessly on higher rep working sets. You will have the best set (usually) on your first working set before any muscle fatigue has set in. This enables you to lift more weight for more reps on your first set = more growth.
I think u r overtraining also.

[learnerdriver]

I agree with TheJuicer give HIT a go. I mix between the 2, i do HIT for 6-8 weeks normally depending on how fecked my CNS feels, it can really batter you if you go whole hog. Maybe try pre-exhaust or negatives only. Also think about your ratio of postive to negative, like 2:4 or even 4:4. I ususally go for 2:4 cause am a wuss lol.

Here's a good example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqFvwAF4JnU

[Nooomoto]

You said you're taking in 250-300 g protein/per day. What about carbs? Also, you should be drinking about a gallon of water a day.

[chitownhoker]

Thanks - well to answer them...

Diet - I do believe im gettin enough protein. 2 meals with chicken and rice , 1 or 2 meal with beef and pasta 10 eggs and toast ( brekky) and 2 protein shakes (on workout days otherwise just one protein shake)

Bloodwork - Will have it done if all else fails.

Water - i usually have a water bottle with me but i didnt no it was a big part of recovery? - i spose i have been slackin a bit on the water

Stuck - improved a little for the first few months but the last 6 weeks havent grown.

ok lets say you have 10oz of chx twice per day thats about 100g pro
10 eggs-60g pro
2 pro shake- 50 a piece? 100g
beef 10 oz once per day 60g pr

total 320g....if thats what you eat so that would be enough, what are your portions?

if your looking to gain add a shit load of carbs in then, to get big, you got to lift, to lift you need fuel and the more fuel you get the more fuel you can add to build muscle