Adding more volume to gain weight

[thex95]

So I have been using a 5*5 for the past couple of months and I think I am going to switch up to a higher volume routine to aid in gaining more mass. I am extremely happy witht he 5*5 as my bench, military press, and especially deadlift have increased in weight substantially. I managed to add 70 lbs to my deadlift so I am really stoked about that. The only thing is with these great strength gains I have not gained a lot of weight which was what I was shooting for. So essentially my idea is to keep the same workout format, but for the exercises I was doing 5*5 I will now do a 10*10. So deadlift, squat, bench and probably lat pulldown or pull ups, and shoulder press will be 10*10 and keeping everything else the same.

I am wondering if anyone thinks this will lead to overstraining which will further prevent me from hitting my goal weight of 192 lbs by the end of April?

here is the current workout, I am going to switch deadlifts, squat, bench press, lat pulldown, shoulder press with a 10 by 10 and keep everything else the same



Bring on the critique TJ!!

[MickeyKnox]

Thats excellent bro!

Just took a quick look at your routine and if i were you i would seriously consider including dips and or weighted dips for growing mass on your triceps.

And make sure you include the big 5 during the wk. I think i already recommended this in your other thread.

Also, you could consider the Body For Life routine. Reps = 12,10,8,6, then 12,12 consecutively to complete the muscle group. This has worked well for me in the past. Just an idea..

Good luck.

[thex95]

Thats excellent bro!

Just took a quick look at your routine and if i were you i would seriously consider including dips and or weighted dips for growing mass on your triceps.

And make sure you include the big 5 during the wk. I think i already recommended this in your other thread.

Also, you could consider the Body For Life routine. Reps = 12,10,8,6, then 12,12 consecutively to complete the muscle group. This has worked well for me in the past. Just an idea..

Good luck.

oh man i definetly added those dips in! I just have not updated the attachment file because I am lazy lol.

Also the body for life routine ROCKS!! That routine is literally what got me into working out 5 years when I was probably about 155 lbs.

Could you just confirm for me the big 5? I am guessing 1 squat, 2 bench, 3 deadlift, 4 shoulder press?, 5 pullup?? haha

[MickeyKnox]

oh man i definetly added those dips in! I just have not updated the attachment file because I am lazy lol.

Also the body for life routine ROCKS!! That routine is literally what got me into working out 5 years when I was probably about 155 lbs.

Could you just confirm for me the big 5? I am guessing 1 squat, 2 bench, 3 deadlift, 4 shoulder press?, 5 pullup?? haha

The overall king of kings is the Deadlift.

1. Back = Widegrip Pullups
2. Legs = Squat
3. Shoulders = Military Press
4. Chest = Flat Bench BB
5. Arms = Dips/Straight Bar curl

[thex95]

The overall king of kings is the Deadlift.

1. Back = Widegrip Pullups
2. Legs = Squat
3. Shoulders = Military Press
4. Chest = Flat Bench BB
5. Arms = Dips/Straight Bar curl

awesome man thanks!

[thex95]

also what % of my 1rm should I should for while doing a ten by ten.

Not going to lie I am already dreading how hard a deadlift 10 by 10 is gonna be haha, but if it works WORTH IT

[MickeyKnox]

Want my honest opinion? I really don't like the 10x10 routine for your specified goals. And i seriously question whether or not this routine will benefit you.

I was hoping TJ would have responded by now as he has more experience in this area. Although i don't always agree with him, i do respect his ideas and opinions and they are always well written and articulated.

You indicated you just finished up a 5x5 cycle. I would look closer at my diet if you're complaint is that you are not gaining weight, provided youre getting enough rest ..ect. Continue with your current routine but switch up the exercises so that your body cannot adapt to your current regime. Even something as small as changing the order in which you hit the mucsle group can add benefit and confuse your body enough make additional gains.

Wait and see what others have to say, but my advice has worked for me and others that i know.

[thex95]

Want my honest opinion? I really don't like the 10x10 routine for your specified goals. And i seriously question whether or not this routine will benefit you.

I was hoping TJ would have responded by now as he has more experience in this area. Although i don't always agree with him, i do respect his ideas and opinions and they are always well written and articulated.

You indicated you just finished up a 5x5 cycle. I would look closer at my diet if you're complaint is that you are not gaining weight, provided youre getting enough rest ..ect. Continue with your current routine but switch up the exercises so that your body cannot adapt to your current regime. Even something as small as changing the order in which you hit the mucsle group can add benefit and confuse your body enough make additional gains.

Wait and see what others have to say, but my advice has worked for me and others that i know.

thanks for the input man!

[Turkish Juicer]

OP, you will come across with many people on this board and elsewhere who swear by 10x10 (aka German Volume Traning - GVT) but I have done it in the past and decided it is not for me.

Here are some of the rationales why I have decided so:

- Following this routine requires too much time to train, as I don't like to spend that much time at the gym (nor do I have that much time to spare for anymore)

- It puts way too much strain on your body, especially joints & ligaments. Thus, you become very prone to lifters' injuries with this routine.

- Recovering from a single training session takes days. Destroying yourself that much doesn't make sense unless you are on AAS and possibly other compounds.

- It becomes very hard and demanding to maintain mental focus once you have already finished set 5 or 6, many people will simply start questioning why the hell they are doing 10sets of each compound exercise before finishing their routine. It happens.

- It is a bitch to follow this routine at a regular gym where half the members are there for fitness purposes and space and/or equipment is limited, because it takes forever to finish one exercise and move on to the next one. You will be bugged every 3-4 min. by an idiot who wants to squat 30lbs on the smith machine in between your infinite number of sets.

I have managed to develop chronic muscle spasm in my lower back while following 5x5 and 10x10 routines, thanks to heavy RDL and squats. As it also turns out, I have managed to cause vertebral column hypertrophy in the same area, again most likely due to heavy RDL and countless number of sets at +80% of 1RM. Now I am going through manual therapy (a form of physio-therapy) to get that out of my way. You have no idea how grateful I am everyday for not having developed spinal disc herniation in my lower back, which many of my training partners and buddies have thus far. I have also managed to hurt my right frontier deltoid thanks to heavy bench presses following these HVT routines.

So, nowadays, I refuse to follow any routine expect for HIT. I am in and out of the gym in 45 min. and I can barely move around in the shower once I am done with my HIT sessions. I like to force my muscles into grow as opposed to fuking up bunch of other stuff and causing permanent damage to my body.

[thex95]

OP, you will come across with many people on this board and elsewhere who swear by 10x10 (aka German Volume Traning - GVT) but I have done it in the past and decided it is not for me.

Here are some of the rationales why I have decided so:

- Following this routine requires too much time to train, as I don't like to spend that much time at the gym (nor do I have that much time to spare for anymore)

- It puts way too much strain on your body, especially joints & ligaments. Thus, you become very prone to lifters' injuries with this routine.

- Recovering from a single training session takes days. Destroying yourself that much doesn't make sense unless you are on AAS and possibly other compounds.

- It becomes very hard and demanding to maintain mental focus once you have already finished set 5 or 6, many people will simply start questioning why the hell they are doing 10sets of each compound exercise before finishing their routine. It happens.

- It is a bitch to follow this routine at a regular gym where half the members are there for fitness purposes and space and/or equipment is limited, because it takes forever to finish one exercise and move on to the next one. You will be bugged every 3-4 min. by an idiot who wants to squat 30lbs on the smith machine in between your infinite number of sets.

I have managed to develop chronic muscle spasm in my lower back while following 5x5 and 10x10 routines, thanks to heavy RDL and squats. As it also turns out, I have managed to cause vertebral column hypertrophy in the same area, again most likely due to heavy RDL and countless number of sets at +80% of 1RM. Now I am going through manual therapy (a form of physio-therapy) to get that out of my way. You have no idea how grateful I am everyday for not having developed spinal disc herniation in my lower back, which many of my training partners and buddies have thus far. I have also managed to hurt my right frontier deltoid thanks to heavy bench presses following these HVT routines.

So, nowadays, I refuse to follow any routine expect for HIT. I am in and out of the gym in 45 min. and I can barely move around in the shower once I am done with my HIT sessions. I like to force my muscles into grow as opposed to fuking up bunch of other stuff and causing permanent damage to my body.

awesome input TJ thank you very much.Lots of new perspectives for me to look at for sure. So for my goals how would you recommend I critique my routine? If I understand correctly 5*5 is too low volume and 10*10 is too high, so should I find a happy middle ground such as 4*8 for my heavy compounds?

Thanks again for the reply

[Turkish Juicer]

awesome input TJ thank you very much.Lots of new perspectives for me to look at for sure. So for my goals how would you recommend I critique my routine? If I understand correctly 5*5 is too low volume and 10*10 is too high, so should I find a happy middle ground such as 4*8 for my heavy compounds?

Thanks again for the reply

I wouldn't say 5x5 is too low volume. Keep in mind that 5x5 typically requires you to lift the weight that's pretty darn close to your 1RM for 5 times. Rep number may be low but 5x5 should still be treated as a member of the HVT family IMO.

Don't get me wrong, I have indeed made great progress in the past with 5x5. I absolutely loved it, because it worked. I guided many other amateur BBs who want to put both strength and size through it and it worked for them too, apparently. It is just the fact that 5x5 sessions also require lots of attention and time at the gym, I am just not a fan of 2-5 min. rests in between sets and can't afford to destroy my joints & ligaments by constantly working with super-heavy weight.

Why don't you go on youtube and type ''blood and guts dorian yates'' and learn more about HIT?

[thex95]

I wouldn't say 5x5 is too low volume. Keep in mind that 5x5 typically requires you to lift the weight that's pretty darn close to your 1RM for 5 times. Rep number may be low but 5x5 should still be treated as a member of the HVT family IMO.

Don't get me wrong, I have indeed made great progress in the past with 5x5. I absolutely loved it, because it worked. I guided many other amateur BBs who want to put both strength and size through it and it worked for them too, apparently. It is just the fact that 5x5 sessions also require lots of attention and time at the gym, I am just not a fan of 2-5 min. rests in between sets and can't afford to destroy my joints & ligaments by constantly working with super-heavy weight.

Why don't you go on youtube and type ''blood and guts dorian yates'' and learn more about HIT?

right on man I will do that for sure thanks

[iSwanson]

I wouldn't say 5x5 is too low volume. Keep in mind that 5x5 typically requires you to lift the weight that's pretty darn close to your 1RM for 5 times. Rep number may be low but 5x5 should still be treated as a member of the HVT family IMO.

Don't get me wrong, I have indeed made great progress in the past with 5x5. I absolutely loved it, because it worked. I guided many other amateur BBs who want to put both strength and size through it and it worked for them too, apparently. It is just the fact that 5x5 sessions also require lots of attention and time at the gym, I am just not a fan of 2-5 min. rests in between sets and can't afford to destroy my joints & ligaments by constantly working with super-heavy weight.

Why don't you go on youtube and type ''blood and guts dorian yates'' and learn more about HIT?

I've been doing that exact routine with a few changes and I've seen great results in only 3 or so weeks. The best thing is you get an amazing workout in 30-45min.