Is my routine ok? 6' 1" 180lbs, want Mass

[gymtime]

Best way to keep from stagnating is to change up your routine. I usually do this every three months or so. You'll get to a point where you can't add anymore weight, that's when you change. But if you're still improving, no need to fix what's not broken.

As for your chest...seeing the line you're looking for is more a matter of diet than chest work. To see it, you need to remove the fat on top of it. Only one way to do that.

As for your workout, I'd concentrate on adding weight each set and going from higher reps to fewer reps. I think you'd benefit more from a 10,8,6 routine than 8,8,8.

 

[Martimus Maximus]

Your body can only matabolise approx. 7 grams of creatine in a 24 hour period, so taking 5 grams prior and 5 grams post is a waste if you ask me, and I take mine post work-out, although I have argued with too many friends that take it prior to workout for me to want to argue anymore.

You look like you have some decent guns, and you have been working out for 2 years I think you said...but looking at the weights your tossing is very surprising to me. That just seem so...well...small...I dunno, 8 years in the Corps, I guess push-ups and endurance excercises allow me to lift much heavier once I switched to resistance training.

I would also consider more basic compound movements, since you want mass...consider tossing out those inclines for some damn mass builders. Inclines tend to maintain the shape more than thicken the muscle. I always tell people that already huge body builders and old men do inclines, neither are too worried about adding more thickness at some point.

You should be eating about 60% protiens and 30% carbs with 10% fats. I hear ALL THE TIME about increasing the carbs, but the fact is, muscles are made from protiens, carbs are fuel, you use it or wear it. Eat carbs in the morning, and right after your work out, otherwise eat protiens and some fat to help the protiens convert lean muscle.

If you pile on the carbs, you won't look like the Hulk, you will look like Barney, unless your juiced and carrying mucho gear.

Also, I'll bet your squat sucks, and if so, work on it, which will allow your chest excercises to lift heavier quicker. If I'm wrong, post your leg routine, it is critical to overall development and stagnation ovoidance.

Peace...

Oh by the way, you look real lean and have some mass and definition...but why are you lifting so damn light? I just can't imagine benching 95 pounds with your build, yet you claim to lift to failure. Those are some nice looking, weak arms lol

 

[Magnus_Dx]

gymtime, i'll definately try adding the weight and dropping the reps. Sounds like a good idea.

Martimus Maximus, Thanks a TON for that in depth reply! Very humorous too.

What I'll do is take half a scoop of creatine before workout for a little sugar kick and then the full scoop post workout.

Thanks for the compliment. I've been working out off and on for 2 years now most of which was arms and shoulders with free weights in my basement. My chest, back and legs fell behind though which is why I HAD to get a membership to the gym.

I was benching sets of 5 reps of 175 a month ago or so but when I upped my reps, the weight had to come down. One problem I have is i get fatigued.. I can go strong right off the bat but as I go through my workout I have to keep dropping the weights.

What do you suggest I do instead of incline?

I like to think I have the protein covered. I'm always concered about protein intake with my meals and always add glasses of milk to everything for an extra 8.

I'm definately working on my squats!!! A typical squat routine for me is like such:
10 reps 95lbs
10 reps 115lbs
8 reps 135
8 reps 145 (struggling)

I remember reading a few months back about how you guys were giving newbies advice and kept saying work the legs!!! So I make sure not to skip a leg day. I like to get in 2-3 squat routines in when I'm working the legs and a calf exercise. If the squat bars are taken I'll settle for a leg press. I usually leg press 3 plates on each side. :-/ My legs need work.

Thanks again for the compliment.. The 95 lbs is just a warmup set. When warm I bench minimum of 135 and just go up as I can.. but sometimes at the end of the workout I worked out so hard that even 135 is tough. If I don't stress my chest with heavier weights though I could do 135 for quite a few reps.

Thank's again for that great reply!

 

[gmanlax7]

keep at the legs bro good mindset !
i was real discouraged in the beginning when i started squatting cuz i was using puny weight that my grandmother wouldn't have been proud off, but those fuckers strengthen up quick !
keep at it ! make sure your squatting and not just bailing out and leg pressing and doing extensions like so many !

 

[DrBones]

Personally,
I'd drop the flat bench, and replace it with incline barbell bench press.... I've gotten WAY better development in my pecs since switchin over.

My chest routine looks like this right now and its been great so far

5x5 incline barbell bench press
2x8-10 Flat dumbell bench press
2x8-10 Pullovers

This routine DEFINITELY has put some beef on my chest.. I have fresh stretch marks to prove it...

Ditch the crappy isolation movements like flys IMO..... if you want big pecs stick to more compound movements...

Hope that helps bro...

 

[Magnus_Dx]

gmanlax7, I'm definately not leaving the legs out. My squats have been going up each week. I too was VERY discouraged when I started leg exercises. I'm now squatting 145lbs for 8 reps and that's a big improvement from where I was 2 months ago. I do FULL squats to, no fake crap. I try to keep my back as straight as possible also.

DrBones, I dont thinK I'll totally drop flat bench. What I might do is switch from bar to dumbells.

In general is good to favor compound movements over isolated for size? One thing I have to learn is which movements are isolated and which are compound. I have a general idea though. This technical stuff is all new to me. I'm just a guy who likes to move some heavy weights without wondering and worrying about what I'm really doing. I just want mass.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[DrBones]

In general is good to favor compound movements over isolated for size? One thing I have to learn is which movements are isolated and which are compound. I have a general idea though. This technical stuff is all new to me. I'm just a guy who likes to move some heavy weights without wondering and worrying about what I'm really doing. I just want mass.

Its generally pretty obvious which excercises are compound, just by doing them... If you can feel an excercise working more than one muscle group.. its compound.. heres a short list

Squats
Bench (all variations)
Deadlifts(all variations)
Bent over rows
T bar rows
Chins (all variations)
Over Head presses(all variations)
Pullovers

There are many more too.. but thats just a start


You say you don't want to worry about what your doing, but if you want to train smart and achieve the best results... like it sounds like you do, your best bet is to get as educated as possible... Knowledge is power, and its what you'll need if you want all that mass your talking about.... Tossing weights around will only get you so far before your intelligence comes into play.... it seems like your heading in the right direction though.

Happy training,

 

[Magnus_Dx]

Thanks again Ryan. I'm learning the behind the scenes part to body building now, like diet, nutrition and such. It's a slow process but I'm being very observant, and making posts like these.

Martimus Maximus, Just for you I made sure how my chest/tri routine went today:

Pre workout: 5gm of creatine in water (Phosphagen HP)

Flat Bench:
95lbs 8 reps (warmup)
115 8 reps (warmup)
135 8 reps (warmup)
155 8 reps (to failure)
175 6 reps (to failure)
185 4 reps (to failure)

3 cable machine push down tricep sets (upside down V thing double handed) I usually do 170lbs or so

Incline Bench (I need work here):
135 8 reps (failure)
135 7 reps (failure)
135 6 reps (failure)

Tricep: Cable machine reverse curls (going downward single handed) with palm facing up. 3 sets of 50,55,60

Decline Bench:
135 8 reps
155 7 reps (to failure)
185 6 reps (to failure)

Tricep: Sit down on low back bench with weight behind the head lifting upward (2 handed). 3 sets of 70,80,80

2 sets of incline flys with 20 lb dumbells, just to stretch.. very slow and way out there.
2 sets of flat bench flys.. same as above. 8 reps each set.

Flat bench again just to fatigue the muscle
135 10 reps (to failure)
115 12 reps (to failure)

Post workout: 10gm creatine
20 min later: Meal with 30g protein shake


That's that. I had a real good workout today. My chest movements are slow and my form is good. I'm not ripping through the reps nor am I bouncing the weights off my chest.

What do you think?

Oh yea, I also weigh in at 184 lbs today and still have upper abs.

- Keith

 

[gmanlax7]

what did you take your creatine with?

 

[Magnus_Dx]

pre and post were both in water.