# Gaining size...



## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

Been going at it quite hard on the same 5 day split alough lately i've been "slacking" as I keep running into colds and viruses. Right now I've got a throat infection, nasel infection and an ear infection all in one added to that im stressed out but im still trying to hit the gym as hard as I can. Basically I feel I am gaining size and pretty well, my chest, arms and back/lats are coming along nicely now. Im still somewhat lagging in the shoulder department so need some advice on that, anyway heres a pic, it's not great I know, took it with the webcam today just trying to do a bodybuilder pose haha.

Anyway my current routine is 5 days a week lifting, body fat has remained low alough I admit even though my stomachs flat there is some fat covering over the lower abs now lol but that's expected. Anyway, some tips? was thinking of doing shoulders and back (want that v-taper) twice a week to gain mass in them, opinions? Cheers all.


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## Geo (Apr 3, 2007)

-S-K- said:


> Been going at it quite hard on the same 5 day split alough lately i've been "slacking" as I keep running into colds and viruses. Right now I've got a throat infection, nasel infection and an ear infection all in one added to that im stressed out but im still trying to hit the gym as hard as I can. Basically I feel I am gaining size and pretty well, my chest, arms and back/lats are coming along nicely now. Im still somewhat lagging in the shoulder department so need some advice on that, anyway heres a pic, it's not great I know, took it with the webcam today just trying to do a bodybuilder pose haha.
> 
> Anyway my current routine is 5 days a week lifting, body fat has remained low alough I admit even though my stomachs flat there is some fat covering over the lower abs now lol but that's expected. Anyway, some tips? was thinking of doing shoulders and back (want that v-taper) twice a week to gain mass in them, opinions? Cheers all.


What is your diet like dude?? Can you post up it up, as that will be the first think to look at to gaining more size.

And also your Stats, height, weight etc.

Iv always like chin up with some weight hanging off me for back, along with doing Deads, T-Bar, Bent over row, and Seated Row.

For shoulders, i normaly Pre exhaust with Side Laterals, then straight onto Run the Rack shoulders presssing for 3 sets, pretty much gubbed after that, then some rear delts, and shrugs.

I see your in Scotland dude, where abouts??

Geo


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

Geo said:


> What is your diet like dude?? Can you post up it up, as that will be the first think to look at to gaining more size.
> 
> And also your Stats, height, weight etc.
> 
> ...


Ok first of my diet isn't amazing due to the fact I've been ill and what not but I was going to start my diet, I won't start for a few weeks though as I want to cut a lil bit off as I haven't done cardio for like 4 months (bad I know). Diet would be something like:

Meal 1 (8am): 2 wheetabix in skimmed milk 60g oats, 30g whey protein

Meal 2 (11am) (pre workout): 50G oats + 30g whey

Meal 31pm) (Post workout): 50g corn starch + 60g whey + Banana

Meal 32pm) 2 Slices wholemeal bread + chicken cuts and lettuce

Meal 45pm) Steak/Chicken/Fish + Veggies + Potatoes

Meal 58pm) 1 avocado plus tin of tuna

Meal 611pm)Casein or whey shake

Just typed that up now so no exacts. Theres something up with my back, im gonna go see a physio basically if I try any deadlifts, t-bar rows, squats I get a sharp pain in the lower back. Whats run the rack shoulders? Im from Edinburgh m8. Cheers for the reply.


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

Meant to put in stats:

Age:18

Weight: 14 stone

Height: 6'2

bodyfat: ? around 10% according to these scales it's 9.4% last time I checked but it will be innacurate.


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## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

What are wheetabix...? ( Lost in translation )


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## Geo (Apr 3, 2007)

cellaratt said:


> What are wheetabix...? ( Lost in translation )


http://www.weetabixusa.com/

Geo


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## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

Geo said:


> http://www.weetabixusa.com/
> 
> Geo


Thank you


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

A small update, im still suffering from pains here and there, in wrist, in forearm, in lower back etc. Sharp pains and bad pains. I should take a week off or two but can any of you guys give me some advice? I get withdrawl symptoms, scared incase I lose mass lol. so what you reckon? one week or two weeks off? and what should I do in those two weeks? I would like to cut up in all honesty, I dont have much fat really but theres some fat brewing on the very lower stomach. Thats another thing, my mid section is solid, the abs are solid there and it's tight and firm. But my lower stomach is pretty crappy in all honesty I really want to sort that out and have a good looking lower stomach so help appreciated on that issue.

Diet as well, keep protein high, cardio? routines? etc. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.


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## Guest (May 1, 2008)

Your training five days per week heres the problem!

When i cut training down to 4 days per week i grew tons more now i cut it down to 3 days per week and expect even more gains!


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## PRL (Jul 5, 2006)

Con said:


> Your training five days per week heres the problem!
> 
> When i cut training down to 4 days per week i grew tons more now i cut it down to 3 days per week and expect even more gains!


Well said.

Your not giving your body time to grow and repair.

3 days a week is all thats needed. Bit worried about all the pains and infections your getting though.


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

PRL said:


> Well said.
> 
> Your not giving your body time to grow and repair.
> 
> 3 days a week is all thats needed. Bit worried about all the pains and infections your getting though.


5 days week but the split is, monday chest, tuesday legs, wednesday shoulders, thursday back, friday arms. Like that. The infections are gone now though, just lil aches and pains to go. I could go down to a 4 day split then. Cheers.


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## fozyspilgrims (Oct 22, 2007)

-S-K- said:


> 5 days week but the split is, monday chest, tuesday legs, wednesday shoulders, thursday back, friday arms. Like that. The infections are gone now though, just lil aches and pains to go. I could go down to a 4 day split then. Cheers.


I personally find training 5 times per week too much as i still feel stiff from the day before. I train Mon, Wed and Fri.:lift:


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## bigden (Jul 16, 2007)

PRL said:


> Well said.
> 
> Your not giving your body time to grow and repair.
> 
> 3 days a week is all thats needed.


i agree cut it dwn to 3 and u will benefit much more, i currently do mon weds fri also

p.s sick quads PRL look awesome man


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

I did the exact same routine as you on the 5 day split, it didnt work that well for me.

Not enough time for recovery.

Your shoulders if you are hitting rear delt will be hit on back day on Thursday.

Thursday back routine will hit bicep indirectly on Thursday and you are doing bicep and tricep on Friday.

I would have a day off between workouts.

If you took a week off you wont lose anything, in fact you will be ready to hit it hard.

I bet on that routine your strength has stalled some right?


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## Five-O (May 21, 2006)

Con is correct, cut down the training and volume, it will allow you to approach compound exercises not giving a sh1t if you cannot do tons of exercises afterwards, as long as your heaving the poundages.

My arms actually got smaller as an example when I went back to a conventional 4 a week training plan from a powerlifting routine which was 3 x per week.


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

hackskii said:


> I did the exact same routine as you on the 5 day split, it didnt work that well for me.
> 
> Not enough time for recovery.
> 
> ...


I felt I have gained some size from it, but point taken. Strength has kind of stalled, some things it's went up, others it's stalled. I don't mind cutting back some at all, whatever works really, im willing to try out better ideas. What about 4 days a week? say

Monday - Chest/Tris

Wednesday - Back/Bis

Friday - Shoulders/Abs

Sunday - Legs

What of that? or just stick Legs with Shoulders? Alough I do believe that more is not better, why 3 days a week? I'd feel I may not be straining myself enough? if someone could explain it would help me thanks.

Another problem is these compound movements, I don't do squats or deadlifts because my back kills me, guess I should take that week or two off. And because I can't do those 2 big compounds I feel I have to work harder and more volume of isolation and what not to achieve the same. If I take a week or two off what should I work on? cardio? Thanks.


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Monday - Chest/Tris

Wednesday - Back/Bis

Friday - Shoulders/Abs

Sunday - Legs

You could do that routine, but after Legs on Sunday I would take Monday off, then do chest and triceps on Tuesday.

Recovery is a big thing in the growth of things, you do not grow in the gym but during rest.

If you train too much you tap into your recovery, and compromise the adaptive responce to resistance training.


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## ParaManiac (Mar 20, 2007)

Why does your back "kill you"?


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

hackskii said:


> Monday - Chest/Tris
> 
> Wednesday - Back/Bis
> 
> ...


What of working muscle groups twice a week? or is that a bad idea, just out of interest? I could work it like that routine but the fact of then not doing monday and doing tuesday would shift back to thursday then shoulders to saturday then legs? how would I keep that one up.

And my back kills me, I have no idea why, im thinking a trapped nerve so im going to go to the doctor and hopefully get some sort of determination of the cause. It's not bad all the time just when I lift weights or even if I run, I can't play football without getting a sore back from running about, weird eh?


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

I hit each muscle group every 9 days but I do train pretty hard.


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## thestudbeast (Jul 20, 2007)

hackskii said:


> I hit each muscle group every 9 days but I do train pretty hard.


and you are pretty old


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

So what do you reckon of training each muscle group twice a week, for example:

Mon: Chest/Tris

Tue: Shoulders/Legs

Wed:Back/Bis

Thur:Chest/Tris

Fri:Shoulders/Legs

Sat: Rest

Sun: Back/Bis

It's all quite seperated from each other, so what would you reckon of that? as you can see im a gymaholic tbh, I live for the gym lol. But if the macros are kept high then should there be a problem? recovery shouldn't be a huge problem really either?


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

-S-K- said:


> So what do you reckon of training each muscle group twice a week, for example:
> 
> Mon: Chest/Tris
> 
> ...


It doesnt matter, beings the fact you are hitting the central nervous system with resistance training I would allow more rest between resistance training to offer better adaptive recovery.

Plus you will be working upper body twice a week and totally neglecting legs.

With any intensity at all you will be overtraining.

Way too much overlap


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## get me big (Mar 21, 2008)

fella from what i can make out the lads are saying MORE REST so dont complicate things do thefour day routine it just means gym sessions in 1 & 3 are the same and 2 & 4 are same.

mon - gym

tue - rest

wed - gym

thu - rest

fri - gym

sat - rest

sun - gym

mon - rest

tue - gym

wed - rest

thu - gym

fri - rest

sat - gym

then back to the begining plenty of rest and plenty of training


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

You can do cardio on off days.........


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

Okay thx, I'll give that 4 day routine a shot. Suppose I could take 2 weeks off and cut? but if I do how can I do it so I won't lose any muscle mass, basically I want to take a week or two off just to repair any aches and pains and because I've never really taken any time off, if I do what could I do instead, I know I'd do cardio but how much cardio a week? and how not to lose muscle mass? thanks.


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

I was doing a 3 day split, then doing cardio twice a week, then had the weekends off.


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