# Shock growth methods?



## Rob111 (Jul 1, 2009)

Hi all

Was speaking to an experienced lifter at my gym for advice as I feel I'm not gaining the size my training, diet & commitment should be providing.

I currently train:

Mon - Chest & Tri's

Wed - Shoulders

Fri - Back & Bi's

Sat - Legs

He advised that every couple of weeks, instead of doing chest & Tri's, do chest & bi's and instead of doing back & bi's, do legs & bi's and so on.

Does anyone agree with this, or have any other suggestions to shock muscles into growth?

Please note I'm not a newbie, been training 4 years and just after some shock growth techniques as I believe my body has got used to my routines & exercises.

thanks in advance!


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## rob w (Aug 27, 2012)

I've managed to make gains again after stalling by going on a cut for about 6 months last year and then eating like a horse and changing my routine totally by including bodyweight exercises for chest (dips), back (wide pull ups), biceps (narrow chin ups) at the start of each workout. I never used to do bodyweight stuff and now my body does appear to have been given a kickstart.


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## benno_2010 (Oct 8, 2010)

i dont really believe this muscle shock talk, i mainly stay with the same routine i do but train for strength for a few months then hypertrophy for a few months, so on and so on - seems to work for me


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## Charlee Scene (Jul 6, 2010)

Try eating more and every now and again add in drop sets ect, or try dropping to 5 x 5 for a while


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

I agree with benno, the only way to "shock" your muscles is go from being an office boy to a labourer on a building site for 12 hours a day, that'll shock them!

You could try training each muscle twice a week for a change up, see if that brings anything, incorporate a strength session and an hypertrophy session


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## Mark2021 (Apr 13, 2012)

I think changing routine every so while is definity beneficial

I personally believe the body adopts to a certain training way. So if you shock it with someone it doesn't expect then yeah over time growth will occur if gains have stalled


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## gymaddict1986 (Feb 27, 2011)

If you enjoy your routine, why not keep it and just mix it up a little,for example, instead of flat bench, do incline, front squats instead of back squats and so on. Could also do drop sets, change rep ranges,do a couple of months on low,another on high reps. Or do one week high one week low. , Low volume, high volume.Lots of choices, its down to the individual and what you would prefer.but in my opinion if if someone is going to do the same thing for months or even years, how is the body meant to progress, as the body will adapt to what ever you are doing and you will have do to something a little different..


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## foodaddict (Feb 11, 2013)

Rest pause sets are great for breaking through strength plateaus and if you break through strength plateaus you grow


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Try twice a day training for a couple of weeks;

Myo-fibrillar in the AM & sarcoplasmic in the PM.


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## andyhuggins (Nov 21, 2008)

As you said mate your body has got used to it . So change your training programme.


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## ParaManiac (Mar 20, 2007)

ah24 said:


> Try twice a day training for a couple of weeks;
> 
> Myo-fibrillar in the AM & sarcoplasmic in the PM.


On a more basic level does that equate to low rep and then high rep training?


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## Peacock7 (Mar 10, 2013)

Personally experienced some growth when ditching a hypertrophy program and doing strength for 3 weeks then back onto hypertrophy. Its a great plateau buster give it a try.


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## Prospect (Feb 5, 2013)

Rob111 said:


> Hi all
> 
> Was speaking to an experienced lifter at my gym for advice as I feel I'm not gaining the size my training, diet & commitment should be providing.
> 
> ...


How long have you been trying to gain more size?

If you've been training for 4 years, doing that same routine, with no rest or change, then thats why your growth will have stopped.

If your diet is 'ok' then thats also why, to get good gainz, you need to be eating right.

Maybe try isolating the body parts one week

Mon - Legs

Tuesday - Chest

Wed - Back

Thursday - Shoulders

Friday Rest

Saturday - Arms

then the week after smash in some SUPER SETS

Monday - Chest and Bis example - Incline DB press 24kg x 15 reps followed by seated incline db curls 10kg x 15 etc etc for each exersice you do do chest and bi's super sets

Tuesday - Back - super set back activities, bent over rows BB 40kg x 12 followed by Cable hyper extensions etc etc etc

Wed - Legs - Do drop sets bro, so do some squats start off light going up 10kg each set for 8 reps, when you hit 75% max squat do 5 reps, example 100kg x 5 then drop the weight and go again 80kg x 5 60kgx5 40kgx5 and do the same for most activities on legs

Thursday - Shoulders and Triceps Super Set again, Bar Bel Milatry press followed by Skull crushers etc etc etc

Friday Rest

Saturday - Legs and Abs

Hope this rough guide helps.

Im not putting all activities in, as that costs money, and i charge for that - but just a rough idea of whats worked for me and other people.


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

ParaManiac said:


> On a more basic level does that equate to low rep and then high rep training?


Yep exactly that 

As a rough guide;

- Low reps, big compounds, as much weight/speed as possible with lengthy rest periods. Aiming to switch on as many HTMFU's (High Thresh-hold Motor Units) as possible.

Then

- Medium-high reps, controlled rep tempo so that each set is between 40-70sec TUT, shorter rest periods too, to allow more blood flow.


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## ParaManiac (Mar 20, 2007)

Cheers Adam


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

The only way i can see you "shocking" muscles into growth is one of them shocker pad things. I Dont believe in all this shock growth malarky.


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Suprakill4 said:


> The only way i can see you "shocking" muscles into growth is one of them shocker pad things. I Dont believe in all this shock growth malarky.


'Shocking' a muscle is definitely the wrong term to be used here..

However, twice a day training - if experienced and if you can recover properly - can be an effective way to bust through plateaus.

Each time you train a muscle, you're stimulating mTOR, which in turn stimulates protein synthesis. You can't argue with that - it's just what happens.

Is it required? Definitely not. Should most people attempt it? Probably not.

Just thought I'd clear that up..


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

ah24 said:


> 'Shocking' a muscle is definitely the wrong term to be used here..
> 
> However, twice a day training - if experienced and if you can recover properly - can be an effective way to bust through plateaus.
> 
> ...


Yeah that makes perfect sense mate, i just hate the term shocking a muscle to grow, or keeping your muscles guessing or tricking them to grow lol.


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Suprakill4 said:


> Yeah that makes perfect sense mate, i just hate the term shocking a muscle to grow, or keeping your muscles guessing or tricking them to grow lol.


Lol these terms do make me chuckle..

It's like 21's being the cornerstone of every bicep warriors routine!


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

ah24 said:


> Lol these terms do make me chuckle..
> 
> It's like 21's being the cornerstone of every bicep warriors routine!


And it MUST be done in the squat rack for the full benefit! How could you miss that detail out?!?


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