Ahh.. what to do now..

[Lestat]

This is going to be a long post, with a lot of different focuses.

First off, I must say, 80% of everything I know about lifting weights, bodybuilding, diet, etc.. I learned from my friends here at EF. I am very proud to be a part of this board and really owe a lot of where I am at today to this board. This is why I look to you guys (and women) for advice and help when I need it (which seems to be a lot).

So first, my background.

I started college in 1995 and worked out for the 2nd time then. The first time was in college during the track and field off season where I remember doing incline bench with JUST the bar to failure.. unfortunately all of my friends who trained with me then still remember that to this day.

In college I tried working out with a couple of guys that did regularly. They were lean with decent builds.. but I had no clue what I was doing, I was not consistent, and I had no idea what to eat. Needless to say the working out I did between 1995 and 2000 was sporatic, near worthless, and didn't get me any muscle gains or development. I probably only worked out 12 times over those 5 years. So basically what I am saying is that doesn't really count.

So in 2000 I started running competatively again, but I also started throwing in some weekly chest and bi workouts. I had a limited home gym so that was all I really did. I did that for about a year and did see some decent results. Muscle toneness... I had a chest, although small, but I had one. My arms were a little defined. I was benching 3-4 sets with 85-105lbs. My max was 1 rep of 135.. I had to work up to this... It actually took me a long time before I could do 135 once.

Then in March 2001, around the time I joined this site, I started really hitting it hard, developing a routine. My running pretty much stopped July 2001.. and from then on it was all weights.

I am 6'2", I was 165lbs with about 4-5% bf in July 2001. The running had basically burned every ounce of fat off me.

My weight gain came quickly. By February 2002 I was 190lbs. Unknown bodyfat.

By October 2002 I was up to 210lbs. My waist had gone from a 34 to a really tight 36.. I was outgrowing my pants. I looked big all over. I was told my ass was so large it was out of proportion with my body. My highest weight reached was 213lbs.

Starting in December 2002 I cleaned up my diet a bit. During that month I lost 10lbs. Starting January 2003 I dieted harcore. Used NYC and Yohimburn and added in regular cardio. I went from 200lbs @ 14%bf to 189lbs at about 8.5%bf.

That is basically where I am at today. The thing is, my strength has been relatively the same since October 2002. I have done one rep of 225 now. September 27th 2002. But now, after all of the dieting, I can't even get that up once. Along with the fat loss, I lost a little muscle and stength.

So today I am just over 190lbs.. less then 10% bodyfat.. defined abs.. but some love handles.

I feel like I am stuck in a plateau that I can't get out of. Here is my current split.

Monday - Chest and Bis
Flat bench - 1-2 warmups 2 heavy working sets of 6-8 repts
Incline Dumbells - 1-2 warmups 2 heavy working sets of 6-8 reps
Incline Straight bar OR decline straight bar - 1-2 warmups and 2 heavy working sets of 6-8 reps.

Straight bar standing bicep curs - 1-2 warmups and 2 heavy working sets.
Standing alternate dumbell curls - 1 warmup, 3 heavy working sets.
Dumbell Hammer curls - 2 heavy working sets, 1 warmup.

Tuesday - Legs
Smith SQUATS - 1 warmup - 3-4 heavy working sets.
Leg press machine - 1 warmup 3 heavy working sets
Leg extension - 3 working sets
Hamstring Curls - 3 working sets

Wednesday - OFF

Thursday - Back and Tris
PULL UPS - 4 sets as many as I can do
Wide grip pull down - 2 warmup, 2 working
Seated Row Machine - 1 warmup 3 working
Deadlifts - 2-4 working sets 1 warmup.
Sometime I throw in a bend over row

Triceps
Dips - 3 sets as many as I can do (usually 8-15 per set)
Tricept pushdown machine - 3 sets, 1 warmup
Rope pull down - 3-4 working sets

Friday - Shoulders
Dumbell shoulder press - 1 warmup, 3 working
Seated Military Press on the Smitt - 1 warmup 3 working
Dumbell Shrugs - 1 warmup, 2 working
Straight bar shrugs on the smith 3-4 working sets
sometimes I throw in upright rows


So that is basically it in a nutshell.

From time to time I mix it up with a superset. or I will work in with this big guy at my gym who does a really high volume, short rest period training session. I am an ectomorph, he is an endomorph so our training styles differ. he does each body part 2 times per week and his workouts are 2 hours at a time. my workouts are about an hour at a time and I hit each body part once per week. I've talked to him about my plateau and he says if I keep doing what I am doing I'll never get big.. from what I have learned on here that is not true though.

As far as diet, I eat a lot of protein, not much fat except from fish and nuts, and my carbs are mostly complex, low sugars.

I'd like to bulk again, but without putting on a huge layer of fat and outgrowing my pants.

I'd appreciate any and all advice. Different perspectives always help.

I've haven't used any AS yet either.

Brian

 

[jeremys]

i'm guessing that a large, fairly clean bulking diet would break most plateaus. how long have you been doing that split? sometiems you just gotta switch your training up/find what works..a couple guys here are trying dogcrapp's method, which seems promising. there's also the 5x5, etc

 

[Debaser]

I would say your training needs a serious overhaul. Check out the DC sticky at the top of the page. Make sure to follow the diet as well as the training. You have a lot left in you as far as gains, I promise. I can help you personally with the program if you want, go ahead and PM me. If I'm not doing DC I'm doing hardgainer/HIT style training. Read this excellent post by realgains: HERE

The root of the problem is your training, which is based around the usual 4 day split. While I'll admit it is lower volume than many I've seen, most people cannot train more than 3 days per week productively. For many people this becomes 2 days per week. I know this seems absurd, but most people have been directly or indirectly conditioned by bodybuilding mags to believe that this is the way to train. The focus should always be adding weight to the bar almost every week; this becomes extremely difficult when your body isn't recovered from doing too much volume.

 

[PolishHammer1977]

Sounds like you have made some strides Lestat. Congrats on that. Lets focus on that! Use that as motivation for new goals and objectives.
No matter what training choice you make, make sure it is different to what you are currently doing. Compound exercises are always the same but the days you perform them are not. 5X5, DC, WSB, body building, sports specific training, powerlifting, etc....there are so many. Focus on your weak points along with rest and food.
About the guy @ the gym..."diff't strokes for diff't folks". Take everything with a grain of salt and be a sponge. We all have something to learn from one another.

 

[epimetheus]

Try switching to powerlifting for awhile.

 

[johnb]

Are you more concerned with gaining strength or size?

On the strength side, I'll defer to the powerlifting folks here for advice, but WSB is obviously very popular.

On the mass side, I'm a big fan of and have made good gains using HST. I, like you, was in a bit of a rut using a conventional split routine, I've been using HST for ~8 months now without anything even approaching a plateau.

 

[Lestat]

What exactly is HST?

I am more into bodybuilding and mass, not so much powerlifting and strenght. I do what I do for mainly cosmetic reasons.

 

[Debaser]

That's where the confusion lies. If you gain strength, you will gain size along with it. Most people on the DC program are breaking PRs every single session, ask Louden or bignate or others how they are doing...bignate put on 8 pounds in 3 weeks, for example...

 

[Lestat]

So i can do to DC routine/method without paying for his personal training services right? Or are you just trying to sell me that?

 

[TheProject]

That's where the confusion lies. If you gain strength, you will gain size along with it. Most people on the DC program are breaking PRs every single session, ask Louden or bignate or others how they are doing...bignate put on 8 pounds in 3 weeks, for example...

Strength does not always equate to size.