need HELP with PERFECT at home workout...

**YellowFever** · 06-05-2016, 12:13 AM

Hey I am a beginner to all of this and it isnt easy for me to get to a gym for the next five or six months untill I can buy a car and I want to make sure my workout routine is sound mostly for strength and size....
first off its 3-4 full body workouts every week I care significantly less about the lower body because i played soccer and since highschool ive had huge legs so they will grow much quicker once i can get to a gym...
I have a 20lb weight vest which I have used with pushups, pullups, and sit ups

-My current belief is that as long as it is a full body workout with increasing weight and at 80ish% of my max rep, with successful progressive overload I will gain size and strength as effecient as in a gym...
My workout:
Pushups: 4 sets starting at 20 lbs pyramid down to 15 lbs. 7-8 reps
Pullups overhand: 4 sets starting at 20 lbs pyramid down to 15 lbs.. 6-8 reps
pullups underhand: 3 sets 20 lbs..
Handstand pushups: 2 sets of 3 with wall
handstand pushups: 2 sets of 6 with feet on ground.
my sit up routine is sound and I am at a low bf % maybe 12%...
My biggest concern is whether or not buying increasing weight for the weight vest as it can go up to 60 lbs as long as the philosophies and diet is on point will be as efficient at building my upper body nicely... these workouts should work most of the muscles in my upper body and will be able to increase weight in increments of 2.5 lbs whenever I want.. also Im 160-165 lbs 5'10 and still a bit of a beginner as this workout put on about 20 ish lbs of muscle on me in the past six months...

**Livinlean** · 06-05-2016, 11:48 AM

I can't imagine you being able to follow that routine for long. 7-8 reps even with a 20lb weight for pushups is a cake walk... If it isn't for you yet, it will be once you regularly do this routine. I would say you will definitely need more weight and since your vest can handle it, why not? Also I would scrap that idea of counting reps. Do every set to failure. This is going to help you gain size and muscle endurance. Gaining muscle endurance will help you gain strength easier once you have access to lift heavier. This obviously isn't the ideal way to gain size/strength but might be the most realistic.

**hellomycognomen** · 06-05-2016, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by YellowFever

........ as this workout put on about 20 ish lbs of muscle on me in the past six months...

I seriously doubt this, even for a beginner 20lbs in six months is unheard of.

I would also agree with Livinlean, scrap the numbers, they mean nothing, and make your LAST set always go to failure.

You can always increase the intensity of any exercise, either by slowing down the tempo, or by changing how its performed. Example: if you can do 20 standard pushups, switch to dive bombers pushups and that will cut your number in half very easy.

Pushups, pullups, and burpies will definitely add lean muscle to your frame but there is nothing like going to the gym and using the equipment to really reach full potential.

-Cheers

**YellowFever** · 06-06-2016, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by hellomycognomen

I seriously doubt this, even for a beginner 20lbs in six months is unheard of.

I would also agree with Livinlean, scrap the numbers, they mean nothing, and make your LAST set always go to failure.

You can always increase the intensity of any exercise, either by slowing down the tempo, or by changing how its performed. Example: if you can do 20 standard pushups, switch to dive bombers pushups and that will cut your number in half very easy.

Pushups, pullups, and burpies will definitely add lean muscle to your frame but there is nothing like going to the gym and using the equipment to really reach full potential.

-Cheers

thanks guys i would definitely prefer a gym and i did put on the muscle but i believe ive hit a wall and i want to add more weight but i dont feel as though im able to get any more reps in as i would like to get up to 10 reps before adding weight (im looking at an increment of 20 lbs) this way i can move between both hypertrophy rep ranges and strength geared rep ranges... and I do go to failure everytime ...also can anyone give explanations why using freeweights would be better than this system because im concerned that there could just be bias against anything other than freeweights because they are compound "lifts" and will progress in weight

**hellomycognomen** · 06-06-2016, 05:03 PM

You dont need anymore weight, you need intensity. The rep ranges are not set in stone, they are a general guide but nothing to be a stickler about. You need to train for your goal. Strength, endurance, bodybuilding, power, athletics, etc each have specificity. There is much crossover but in general if your goal is maximum hypertrophy then you should structure your program so that you hit each muscle with the proper intensity to stimulate the growth mechanism, then allow for the proper rest period to give the body the ability to repair and grow. Training to failure is very taxing to the body, you need to give yourself ample time to rest, this may be the cause of your "wall"

As far as free weights, and the gym equipment in general, they allow for better control, greater loads, ability to hit the muscle from various angles, more flexibility in changing resistance curves, muscle isolation, ability to expose weak links, etc etc.