Gain 15 lbs in 5 month

[daok]

Hello!

It's me again, and I need your help. I want to gain 15lbs for September 2003! That give me 5 months to achieve to that result.

I need a lots of advice and coatching from you guys For the moment I have 152 lbs and I want to reach 165.

This is my current workout:
Set/Rep Side Overall
Day1
Barbell flat bench 5x5 90 180
Incline dumbbell presses 5x5 75 150
Incline dumbbell flys 3x8 37 75
Machine presses (military)* 5x5 55 110
Upright Rows 3x8 27 100
Barbell shrugs* 3x8 65 175

Day2
Narrow-grip bench* 5x5 70 140
Dip 5x5 60 60
Dumbbells kickbacks* 3x8 30 30
One-arm cable rev Pressdowns 3x8 65 65
Concentration curls 5x5 45 45
Preacher curls* 5x5 22 75
Incline dumbbell curls* 3x8 30 60

Day3
Deadlift* 5x5 90 225
T-bar rows (close) 5x5 100 100
Pulldowns 3x8 130 130
Seated cable rows 3x8 125 125
Flat dumbbell presses* 5x5 85 170
Straight-arm pullovers* 3x8 65 65

Day4
Leg Press 5x5 286 572
Leg extensions 5x5 165 165
Leg curls 5x5 105 105
Calve Raise 5x15 110 110
One-arm behind the neck 3x8 35 35
Hammer curls 3x8 35 70
Lying dumbbell extensions 3x8 65 65
One-arm cable curls 3x8 45 45

I am eating :

6am Normal meal
9am Normal meal
11am Medium meal
3pm Normal meal
6pm Big meal
9pm 3 scoops of N-Large2 of ProLab

What should I do? I will go buy Creatine tommorow and I plan 2 cycles of 8 weeks each during this 5 months.

Any idea, suggestion or anything else, negatif or positif I will take all, I want to have 165 and I will got it!!! But I need to know how and you guys are my only reference.

Daok

 

[Legion Kreinak2]

Dude... fix your damn routine. Too much 5x5. Try this:

Day 1 - Legs
Squat 5x5
Good Morning 3x8
Leg Extension 4x8
Leg Curl 3x8
Heel Raise 5x15

Day 2 - Chest
Flat Bench 5x5
Inclined Bench 2x8
Inclined Flies 2x8
Crunches 4x8

Day 3 - Off

Day 4 - Back
Deadlift 5x5
Chin-ups 2x8
Bentover Row 2x8
Heel Raise 5x15

Day 5 - Off

Day 6 - Arms
Military Press 5x5
Upright Row 2x8
Closegrip Bench 5x5
Skull Crushers 2x8
Curl 5x5
Concentration Curl 2x8

Day 7 - Off

 

[daok]

What I do not like is I can do most of your days between 25 min and 40 min. I can go to gym and do my max for 45 to 1hour without problem.

I do not want to be fat I want to have 165 with the same amount of fat that I have now, and I think I am around max 10% (Never did a test)

 

[daok]

Legion Kreinak2 you might be right, and I know is not the first time you tell me that but when you have the habit to do more exercices it's hard to slow down.

And you have to know that I only train since 10 months so I do not know if your trainning is good for me, maybe it's good for a guy who do bodybuilding since 3 years and not for me. Any way, tomorrow I will consider what you have wrote for the trainning. I go sleep, cya tommorow.

Daok

 

[gmanlax7]

if you do not want to be fat you definatly shouldnt be taking Nlarge that late at nite, way too much carbs.

it is a weight gainer, take it during the day and eat some pure protein at nite like tuna or ff cottage cheese

 

[Legion Kreinak2]

Dude, I've not been bodybuilding for 3 years, let alone 1. Probably started my actual bb split around October. I just know my shit. And I know what works. Don't even get me started on "everyone's different, what works for some may not work for others" because if you follow the basic guidelines then you'll be sure to see results.

 

[gmanlax7]

chill out on the dude legion, just give him advice. Don't scare him away with attitude.

 

[supersizeme]

Legion...please shut up.

Not only are you about 30 million light years away from "knowing your shit," but you are in no position to give anyone advice and have an attitude about it to boot. Stop talking.


daok, your routine:

too much volume...cut down on the 5x5 sets
start squatting
don't do arms twice a week...once a week at most
especially don't train triceps the day after doing bench
give yourself a day off every couple of workouts. lifting 4 days in a row is taxing as hell on your body

 

[ZGzaZ]

daok, aside from the changes in your training mentioned...the main factor in you getting up to 165 is going to be your diet!
you are fairly lean...(10%) and a very low weight (in the 150's) I would recommend not worrying about taking in too little fat, just eat eat eat! high protein throughout the day, and good carbs post workout, like I said though, dont limit your fat intake...picking up 15lbs is no easy task...but keep lifting hard and eating hard and you'll get there.

 

[Debaser]

You could gain 20-30 lbs in 5 months...but not with that kind of routine

Check out the DC sticky at the top of the page. Post on that thread if you need some help putting together a routine or need advice. We'll get you hooked up bro.

 

[Lee]

Just out of curiousity Daok, how tall are you?

 

[daok]

Hello,

Thx for all reply and sorry Legion if I were rude, that was not my goal and I appreciate your opinion (maybe I just didn't find good words to make my reply, my english is very bas I am sorry).

Thx gmanlax7 for the advice about N-Large2. I might continue because after ready all post I think I can have a little fat if I want to achieve to my goal. Well, I have diffuculty to have fat, my metabolism is weird, fat always go aways

supersizeme, I will start doing squat 5x5, today I'll post my new routine and thx for the tricep tip, I haven't notice that they were so close.

Debaser, If I can gain 20 to 30 lbs in 5 months I will be the most happy guy I the world, I want to be bigger and I am ready to make the impossible to go over 165/170lbs.

Thx all and continue to coatch me, I appreciate, my modified workout will be posted this afternoon.

Daok
*Sorry for all error in my post, I haven't take time to check all in dictionnary.

 

[daok]

My height is 5'8½.
My weight is 152.
I have gain 20 lbs (no fat) since I train my self (10 months).

Daok

 

[Kurtz2]

the original routine definitely needs to be changed...

 

[daok]

I have some work to do before doing some modification of my routine but, I really like all exercice that I am doing. I want to include Squat to.

So I think I'll base myself on Legion routine for the quantity of exercices and might use my exercice, or maybe his exercices.

I'll be back after work,

Daok

 

[casualbb]

How much weight you gain is a factor of how much you eat.

How much of that is muscle is a factor of your training.

As long as you're eating to gain 15 pounds, you'll gain 15 pounds whether you train or not. If you pick a good program, most of that will be muscle.

I'd say under optimal conditions you could expect maybe 10-15 pounds of muscle in that timeframe, so your goal is reasonable. I really do think you should be working a plan with higher frequency and lower volume, though.

I recommend DC or HST.

-casualbb

 

[daok]

I didn't know about HST but I found some thread on it and the main website (http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/).

What I do not understand is that HST work all bodypart 3 time weeks and do not give 48 hours to repair and grow like 5x5.

For DC well, it's more like HST. You split all body part in 2 and you do 3/4 workout each week. With DC you do more rep that HST.

Well, I do not like DC cause they have to much rep and I think low rep with hight weight is better to grow. What I do not like in HST is that you do all body part in 1 workout... and what I do not like in 5x5 is that I do only once by week each body part.

So I am confusing, but I think I prefer 5x5 with a mix of HST...

Do I understand well each training style?

 

[OreoPL]

hey man i would say cut volume to a little bit and eat eat eat. i started in jan with my goal i was 169.5 pounds i am now 190 pounds. my bodyfat is still between 10-11% u know calipers arnt perfect. i just did the normal 5x5 do 5x5 on big stuff like bench squat dead barbell curl stuff like that then i did 2x10 for the accesory stuff. and i only did 2 accesorie exrecises for each body part. some i only did one like my biceps and tris and the small muscles. in the first six weeks i gained up to 186.5 in the paast 4 weeks my gains slowed way down. most of my gains were inmy back and legs from squats and deadlifts they are a must.
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=210999 that is my progress in the first 6 weeks how much my body grew in inches all over and how much weigghts went up. i may have just got beginners luck but all i can say is 5x5 low volume with tons of food will get the job done at least it did for me. i never counted carbs or protein or naything i just ate. best of luck to you if you want it i am sure you can get there if u follow the basics.

 

[casualbb]

What I do not understand is that HST work all bodypart 3 time weeks and do not give 48 hours to repair and grow like 5x5.

Would you mind clarifying? HST indeed has you work each muscle 3x/week. That provides 48 hours of rest after two of the workouts and 72 hours after the third. I've found that to be plenty.

If you don't like doing everything at once, you can even go six times a week and do some kind of split, say upper/lower. As long as the frequency is there.

Well, I do not like DC cause they have to much rep and I think low rep with hight weight is better to grow. What I do not like in HST is that you do all body part in 1 workout... and what I do not like in 5x5 is that I do only once by week each body part.

I'm not sure a mishmash of those routines would be all that effective. HST/DC are both effective because of the frequent workouts and progressive loading. So you don't want to work 3x a week, but nor do you want to do 1x. What exactly do you want?

-casualbb

 

[daok]

Thx OreoPL, I am currently cutting some exercice and set of my new workout.

 

[Debaser]

Agreed, HST and DC are both programs that should be followed to a T, generally speaking. Some people will do DC and add a lot of volume, they miss the whole point and overtrain. Then some will do HST, adding more sets and training to failure more often. Again, they're directly circumventing the efficacy of the program.

Really, you could do both. Not at the same time of course, but what if you did an HST cycle now, then DC training for 2-3 months? I guarantee both will be effective, and then you can choose which one you prefer for a longer term as well.

 

[daok]

So you don't want to work 3x a week, but nor do you want to do 1x. What exactly do you want?

I want to grow without sitting on my "ass" all the week. I want to do low reps, cause I beleive on it to grow. What I am not confortable is to do a 3-4 exercices 1 time week when I have the "force" to do more and when the muscle do not need 1 whole week to restore and to grow...

 

[daok]

Thx Debaser but why you say that's should be followed to a T ? For me T is for testosterone, I am right?

 

[daok]

I have cut on volume like most of you told me and I have cut bicep and tricep (only 1 day each now)

Day1
Barbell flat bench 5x5
Incline dumbbell presses 5x5
Incline dumbbell flys 2x8
Upright Rows 3x8
Barbell shrugs 3x8
Straight-arm pullovers 2x8

Day2
Narrow-grip bench 5x5
Dip 5x5
Dumbbells kickbacks 2x8
Concentration curls 3x8
Preacher curls 5x5
Incline dumbbell curls 2x8

Day3
Deadlift 5x5
T-bar rows (close) 5x5
Pulldowns 2x8
Seated cable rows 2x8
Machine presses (military) 5x5
Dumbbells presses 2x8

Day4
Leg Press 5x5
Leg extensions 3x8
Leg curls 3x8
Calve Raise 5x15
Squat 5x5
Abs 3x15

 

[Debaser]

Sorry, follow "to the T" means follow exactly, and not changing things around. You have to understand that you might feel like you can do more, but that you'll quickly overtrain like that. Then your strength/size gains will stop.

 

[daok]

Oh! OK cool but the new training that I post is more fine you think?

 

[Egresser]

Ok, here is my 2 cents...I have been in the game since '94. I've seen alot of training fads and routines come and go. I have no opinion on any of them, cause I've never tried them. I do agree that you need to change your workout every once and awhile. And I do agree you need to eat alot to gain. You have already put on that "beginers" weight that we all have expierenced. I was 150 when I started, a few months later I was 165. From there on out it was very hard for me to put on "natural" weight. You will hit a plateau, and a different routine will help you past that. Now 8 years later (and after a 2 year break) I'm at 215 about 12%bf (up from 200 and 16%bf). Before the 2 year break, I was at 220 and 8-10%bf. (BTW, I'm 5'9). What I'm trying to get at (aside from all the blabbing I'm doing) is that after you try a new routine, a nice week or two off from the gym would be real beneficial for you. Natural weight is hard to put on, and sometime the body needs a break. You wont lose anything if you keep eating right. It took 3-4 weeks to gain all my strength back, and that was after 2 years. Again this is just my opinion...Sorry for the novel....Good luck.

 

[Egresser]

BTW...I checked out the 5x5 routine, and thats basically what I've been doing for years...lol I didn't know there was a name for it...

 

[Dirty Workout]

How much weight you gain is a factor of how much you eat.

How much of that is muscle is a factor of your training.

As long as you're eating to gain 15 pounds, you'll gain 15 pounds whether you train or not. If you pick a good program, most of that will be muscle.

I'd say under optimal conditions you could expect maybe 10-15 pounds of muscle in that timeframe, so your goal is reasonable. I really do think you should be working a plan with higher frequency and lower volume, though.

I recommend DC or HST.

-casualbb

He summed it up pretty good.

To that I would add
EAT, EAT, EAT!!

 

[daok]

Thx Egresser

I will try to eat more, I think it will be hard but I'll do my best and for my workout I will use legion one I think.

Daok

 

[Lord_Suston]

try this since your routine has too mcuh volume and overlapping body parts will inhibit strength and recovery and size.

D1 Back/traps
Deadlift, (chins/pulldowns), Barbell row, seated row, shrugs

D2 Chest/delts
Incline Barbell, Flat bench, flyes, military press, lateral raises, reverse flyes

D3 rest

D4 Arms
Close-grip bench, barbell curl, pushdowns, db curls, skullcrushers, hammer curls

D5 Legs/calves
Squats, SLDL, leg ext, hamstring curls, calf raises

D6 rest

D7 rest

I suggest pyramid up and down with weight and reps to hit all fibers for the greatest amount of hypertrophy. since you have not lifted weights for a long time this should cause some major soreness and growth.

 

[casualbb]

I suggest pyramid up and down with weight and reps to hit all fibers for the greatest amount of hypertrophy. since you have not lifted weights for a long time this should cause some major soreness and growth.

Suston, I think I remember posting on this before, so I'll make it brief. When lifting loads, slow twitch is always recruited first with fast twitch recruited on top of those as need be. It's sort of like a ladder and you have to climb the lower (slow-twitch) rungs on the bottom to reach the fast-twitch on top. You can't just skip to the top.

That being said, there are other reasons to train with different rep ranges. Drop sets are a great way to induce metabolic fatigue; "the burn," so to speak, can facilitate hypertrophy. High rep work is also good for the joints.

Reducing reps over a timeframe of some weeks is also a good way to allow progressive load, which causes growth.

-casualbb

 

[daok]

I have talk to a gym trainer today and he watched me doing my squat and my deadlift and I got a suprise.

The first one is not big suprise cause I never really did Squat but I have a problem doing them. My back curve like a banana! I cannot put it straight!!! So he suggest me to do more back exercice to help that problem...but I have a good back...anyways

The seconde suprise put be down a bit, when I deadlift I do half straight lift and half deadlift so I have to "relearn" do it them.

So, I cannot Squat and my deadlift since I do them were never done well so I am in a down mood

 

[coolcolj]

Suston, I think I remember posting on this before, so I'll make it brief. When lifting loads, slow twitch is always recruited first with fast twitch recruited on top of those as need be. It's sort of like a ladder and you have to climb the lower (slow-twitch) rungs on the bottom to reach the fast-twitch on top. You can't just skip to the top.
-casualbb

I don't agree with this.

Highly explosive and ballisticly quick movements can entirely skip the slow twitch fibers - their too slow to keep up!

for example, dropping down from a box and doing a depth jump, contact time is 0.1 to 0.2 of a sec - slow twitch fibers can't even begin to contract is this time range

Same can be said for olympic lifts, especially from the hang or from blocks. By the time the slow twitch fibers have even begun to contract its over!

Basicly the faster the velocity, and the shorter the duration, the less slow twitch fiber involvement there is.
Slow twitch contribution rises as muscle contraction time increases from 0.1 to 1 sec.

 

[Egresser]

The seconde suprise put be down a bit, when I deadlift I do half straight lift and half deadlift so I have to "relearn" do it them.

Martial artists have a saying when it come to different movements--"Do it 100 times to make it yours". You can try and apply this philosophy to the excercises that give you trouble. Start out with just the bar. Concentrate on your form. As you feel comfortable, add weight...a little at a time. Have someone (who knows what to look for) watch you. Good form, especially with the excercises you mentioned is a must. Deads, and squats can screw you up big time if not done right. Keep at it...it will be second nature in time. Hope I help..Good luck!!

 

[casualbb]

Hmm...that's interesting, Colin. Where'd you read about that?

Even if that's the case, most of these guys here are training for a combination of hypertrophy and strength. If that's the case, they're going to want to use negatives a good deal longer than .1 seconds in duration to accentuate the microtrauma and stimulate growth. That should cause them to recruit both. Besides, even weights near the 15RM are enough to recruit a whole buncha fast-twitch stuff.

That does make me wonder, though...have you seen any studies comparing muscle fiber percentage in elite olympic lifters to bodybuilders?

-casualbb

 

[daok]

Thx Egresser, but I do not have a partner for the moment so I think I will auto-correct myself with the mirror and ask to the trainer sometime to check me.

Thx

Daok

 

[coolcolj]

Hmm...that's interesting, Colin. Where'd you read about that?

Even if that's the case, most of these guys here are training for a combination of hypertrophy and strength. If that's the case, they're going to want to use negatives a good deal longer than .1 seconds in duration to accentuate the microtrauma and stimulate growth. That should cause them to recruit both. Besides, even weights near the 15RM are enough to recruit a whole buncha fast-twitch stuff.

That does make me wonder, though...have you seen any studies comparing muscle fiber percentage in elite olympic lifters to bodybuilders?

-casualbb

Supertraining book mostly which references studies by Bosco
Any weight will recruit fast twitch fibers if you attempt to accelerate it and lift it ballisticly.

Elite Oly lifters will be mostly white fiber, if you aren't fast twitch dominant then you wouldn't be lifting as much weight in those lifts compared to somewhere that is because, while everyone can pretty much squat the same amount of weight, to be able to move heavy loads at high speed requires mostly fast twitch fibers. If you have half as much as the other guy your already well behind, and no amount of strength will make up for that.
You can make your existing fast twitch fibers stronger, but when somewhere has double the amount, he can do likewise and be well ahead.

Pro Bodybuilders are fairly fast twitch dominant too, because slow twitch fibers don't grow all that much. You can't really fatigue slow twitch fibers all that readily anyway with weights.

Anyway there isn't a general division between fiber types, there is a continous spectrum of fibers from slow to fast.

 

[GioMan7]

CAN SOMEONE TELL ME A GOOD ROUTINE?

I HAVN'T WORKED OUT FOR 8 MONTHS AND I HAVE TO GET BACK ON IT.. CAN ANYONE PLEASE GIVE A GOOD ROUTINE ON IT.. PLEASE HELP ME HERE!

 

[daok]

Here is what I did today:

Barbell flat bench 5x5
Incline dumbbell presses 2x8
Incline dumbbell flys 2x8

Upright Rows 3x8
Barbell shrugs 3x8
Straight-arm pullovers 2x8

I think it's better that the first I post.

I did well but I had to decrease my weight on some exercice... I do not know if it's an effect of the creatine that I use since 4 days but it's the first time since I train myself that I have to decrease my weight... Weird isn't it?

Daok