Ok, i need HELP!

[mikeds]

Ok guys, its been a year since i posted here, or maybe more.
Basically, i gave up. YES, I KNOW, the dumbest thing i could have done is quit lifting weights because i wasnt growing. I worked out for 4 years, and i gained 10 lbs. it was getting soooo frustrating, and the funny thing is that I KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET BIG, but it is sooo hard for me to eat more then 5 meals a day. i mean, i have a meal, and i am not hungry for another 5 hours, what do i do??
PLEASE HELP!!

I am 5'9, 145 lbs, 14.5" arms, 40" chest, 14" calves, you get the point. I dont look bad, but i dont look good. i have like 6% BF.
Tomorrow is my first day back in the gym since a year. i cant believe i didnt work out for a year, i must be crazy.
here is my diet.

11 am: 5 whole eggs, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, glass of milk.
1 pm: 2 chicken reasts (about 8 oz each) and a cup of rice
3 pm: steak (15 ounce) and mashed potates
6 pm: Protein Shake
6:30: Work out for an hr
8 pm: Arbys Beef and cheedar sandwich
10 pm: 2 more chicken breasts (i love chicken)
12 pm: whatever i feel like eating.

That is what i am planning on doing. Rememmber, it is soooo hard for me to get hungry, and when i force my self, i feel ike i want to puke, and its just not fun.

My work out routine is as follows:

M- Chest
T- Bi's/Tr's
W-rest
Th- Quads
F-Back/shoulders
Sa- Rest
Su- calves and hams

Cycle repeats

Am i doing something terribly wrong in my routine that i am just not growing?? I would give my left sack (maybe my righ one too, haha) just to gain an inch everywhere on my bod.

Please help, and if i knew how to post pics, i would. i have a few of my physique.
I hope i get many opinions so maybe this time, i wont get so down on myself when i am not growing after 4 years.:0

Thank you

 

[RusPA81]

I Believe that lifting 5 days a week is to much. 4 is much better, especially for a hard gainer. Also what how many sets and reps do you currently. Let us know so it will be easier to critique your routine. Your diet isn't actually that bad. I would add a protein shake right after your workout. I recently started taking ginger pills and they helped me eat more by relaxing my stomach. They increase digestion and control nausea which helps eat more food.

 

[Citruscide]

When you are not growing, you need to ask yourself some questions. Are you getting enough protein? Are you getting enough calories? How is your intensity at the gym? I mean, intensity... not working out hard... INTENSITY... or as I call it... INSANITY!!!! If you are working out for 4 years and not putting any size on, you have to look at what you are doing...

If your diet adds up to all the correct calories to add size, and you are getting the correct amount of protein... then either you are sleeping 30 minutes a day or you aren't putting enough blood, sweat and tears into your workout.

A way to help this, or know if you are or not... is to team up with someone at your gym or someone you might know who has a good knowledge of weight training, and has made solid gains... a personal trainer might be something to look into it.

Seriously though, I'm not dogging on you... it is a strong possibility... a few friends of mine told me they train SUPER intense in the gym... I took them through one of my workouts and they were crying the entire time... I know there are people on this board that workout more intense than I do... and I push myself with fury... point is, if you don't know your limits, you don't know them.

Sorry... ranting.

C-ditty

 

[zackdarnell]

Id cut it down to 4 days and not do back the day after legs. Are you squatting and deadlifting?

 

[Mindwraith]

I'd add some complex carbs to that diet. Get some whole wheat bread and pasta in there. From what it looks like you're at about 90% protien 10% carbs. According to most people I talk to it should be around 60% protien 40% carbs. Complex carbs help quite a bit to build muscle.

 

[Legion Kreinak2]

Carbs just give energy, I believe. They don't actually build the muscle directly.

Don't train Tris the day after chest. I'm guessing either your chest or tri workout isn't intense enough.

Try this:

S- Off
M - Back/Bis
T- Abs
W- Chest/Tris
T- Off
F - Legs/Shoulders
S - Abs

Or somethinglike that. Or you can do the 5x5 routine. Great for size and especially strength gains. Just follow B Fold in his saying...

"...Train like animal, eat like a horse, sleep like a baby..."

 

[zackdarnell]

Carbs just give energy, I believe. They don't actually build the muscle directly.

Caarbs provide the energy which is necessary to build the muscle.

 

[mikeds]

Hey guys, i wasnt able to post a reply since i couldnt find this damn thread again, hehe. I want to say THANK YOU so much for those who are helping me out, this really means a lot to me, and i am willing to do ANYTHING to get some muscle. How do i post pictures on here? i would like to show you guys my current physique so you can know where i stand. I actually have some muscle, but i am not anywhere where i want to be. Anyways.....

Ok, as far as working out 5 times a day being too much, ok, i understand. I am going to take every suggestion form you guys and take it to heart. I will start hitting it 4 times per week, instead of 5. I only have 1 question about the routine that

Legion Kreinak2 gave me. he suggested that i do the following:


S- Off
M - Back/Bis
T- Abs
W- Chest/Tris
T- Off
F - Legs/Shoulders
S - Abs

I just have couple of comments.

1) When you say to do legs/shoulders, isnt that a little too much? I mean, that is saying to do calves/hams/quads/and shouldes in 1 day! isnt that a lot?
the reason i ask is because when i used to work out a lot, i used to do quads alone, which took me about 45 mins to get done with (4 sets of squats, 4 sets of leg extensions, 4 sets of leg press). So doing all of the leg muscles plus shoulders all in one day, i would be in the gym for over 2 hrs. is this ok? or am i missing something?

2) Also, isnt Back/Bis and/or chest/tris a bad combination? and i say that not because some personal trainer told me or anything, but but because i know that when one does back and bi's together, you are not able to give one of the two muscles 100% because it is already sore from hitting a secondary muscle. you guys know what i mean? for ex, if i were to do 3 sets of pull ups for 10 reps for my back, then i go on to dumbll curl, i am not able to curl as much simply because my bis are already kind of sore from doing the 30 reps of pull ups, leaving me not able to do my curls at 100%. Is this true? Please dont think iam saying bad things about your program, i know all of you guys know a lot more than me, but i just need to know. If what i sad is BS, then i will for sure try that work out and see what happens, i am sure changing it up from my previous routine inst gonna hurt, obviously looking at my physique change. lol.

and for last, as far as my diet goes, Mindwraith suggested that i add some more carbs, like pasta and whole wheat bread. I will do that for sure.

So, what do you guys think of all this? Again, i really appreciate the help guys, i promise that i will follow these guidelines and post before/after pics for you, if my body allows me to grow..hehe.
any suggestons/comments?

 

[michaelcoutts]

i know what it feels like to struggle to stomach so much food mikeds.
I mean i can take the intense workouts but i think it is harder to push food down your throat when your stomach tells you not to. It makes the day hard when u have to attempt to get as much food as the bodybuilders suggest huh. I mean 300-400grams of protein is a fucken huge amount to take. The average schmoe would not eat 1/3 of that in a day

 

[TinyTim]

I would say that legs and shoulders on the same day is a no-no, especially if you've been lifting for quite some time. There just isn't anyway you could do enough sets hard enough. My split is.

mon-shoulders
tue- legs
wed-off
thurs-chest/tris
fri- back/bi's



I like to work chest and tri's/ back and bi's... I don't think that the stimulation from the other exercises prohibit gains, they just make you a little weaker on the exercises themselves.... I think its mainly an ego thing to work arms on a separate day.

 

[jeremys]

you're getting quite a bit of good advice here

we've all had to force-feed ourselves at some time. be sure to eat plenty of carbs

remember to squat and dead...heavy

dont go too high on the volume. a lot of the time, less is more. i would never stay in the gym for over an hour

 

[DrBones]

Am i doing something terribly wrong in my routine that i am just not growing?? I would give my left sack (maybe my righ one too, haha) just to gain an inch everywhere on my bod.

You've got two sacks? Thats got to be an interesting site.. maybe all your gains have been going there? Just kidding..

Anyways.. if you want me to host some pictures for you, send me a Private message and I'll give you my email address..

I personally prefer to have a different split than what lord kreniak described.. Heres my split.. and I've been CONTANTLY getting stronger since using it

Mon - Back
Tue - Chest
Wed - Off (you can do some ab work here if you please)
Thur - Shoulders/Bi's/Tri's
Fri - Quads/Hams/Calves


The way I've setup my routine nothing colides with each other and each muscle gets ample time to recover. Back gets a very large rest between deadlifts on monday and squats on friday.. Shoulders get ample great rest between themselves and chest.
I dont do a lot of ab work, as I feel they get pretty hammered through other excersices, however I do usually toss in a couple of sets of wednesday to make myself feel like i at least made an attempt.

 

[crew9]

2) Also, isnt Back/Bis and/or chest/tris a bad combination? and i say that not because some personal trainer told me or anything, but but because i know that when one does back and bi's together, you are not able to give one of the two muscles 100% because it is already sore from hitting a secondary muscle.


That's the point. They work synergistically together. It doesn't matter if you can't use as much weight if you did them separately. You'll grow and get stronger and isn't that the point? Also a vast majority of lifters put their movements together like that for the very same reasons.

 

[mikeds]

Ok guys, thank you very much for all of your help, starting wednesday, i am gonna hit it hard again...

ok, now i just need some advice as far as work out set up. A few of you have given me different routines, let me ask for your advice on this routine, and if is no good, then i have to decide between some of the routines you guys gave me.

M- Chest/Tris
T- Quads/Hams
W- Rest (some abs before bed time)
TH-Back/Bi's
F-Calvs/Shoulders
SA-Rest
SU-Rest

Is this bad? I ask your opinion on this routine only because there is no way i can do legs in one days. Quads, Calvs and Hams all in one day? It takes me about 45 mins for quads alone, nevermind adding calvs and hams too, i will be in the gym for a while.

What do you guys think? if this isnt good, can you fix it up for me, but somewhat in that way? Thanx guys.

 

[jeremys]

how many sets do you plan on doing?

looks pretty good to me

 

[mikeds]

Ok, if that looks ok, here is the routine in depth.

M- Chest / Tris

Chest (4 sets of incline benchpress. 10, 8, 6, 4 reps)
(3 sets of flat bench. 8,6,4 reps)
(4 sets of cable flys. 10, 8, 8 reps)

I change it up every now and then with the exercies, swiching to dumbells.

Tris( 3 sets of skull crushers. 10,8,6 reps)
(3 sets of str8 bar push down. 10,8,6 reps)
(3 sets of kickbacks with db. 10,8,6 reps)


T- Quads/Hams

Quads(4 sets o squats. 10, 8, 6, 4)
(4 sets of leg press. 8, 6, 4)
(3 sets of leg extensions. 8,6,4 reps)


Hams(3 sets of leg curls. 10, 8, 6 reps)
(3 sets of deadlifts. 10, 8, 6 reps)
3 sets of underleg curl 'the one where u sit down and press down with you heels' 8, 6, 4 reps)


W- Rest


Th- Back/Bis

Back(4 sets of pull ups. 10,8,6,4reps)
(3 sets of seated row. 8, 8, 6 reps)
(3 sets of dumbell row. 10,8,6 reps)


Bis(3 sets of bicep db curl. 8, 6, 4 reps)
(3 sets of hammer curls. 8, 6, 4 reps)
(3 sets of concentration curls. 8,6,4 reps)


Fri-Calvs/Shoulders


Clalvs(5 sets of calf raises. 10,10,8,8,6 reps)
(5 sets of seated calf raise. same thing for reps)


Shoulders(3 sets of millitary presses. 10, 8, 6 reps)
(3 sets of up rows 'where u bring the ez bar up to ur chin' 10, 8, 6 reps)
(3 sets of raising the db with ur arm right in front of you, whatever that is called, haha. 10, 8, 6 reps.


SAT- rest
SUN - rest

What do you guys think?? Please critique, thank you very much.

 

[zackdarnell]

Unless they are stiff-legged deads, do the deads on back day.

 

[mikeds]

anybody please?

 

[mikeds]

come on guys, we are almost done..just tell me if my workout routine is ok and i will leave you guys alone. promise..

 

[DrBones]

Move back and bis to friday so you have a longer rest between squats on tuesday and deads on fri...
If you use your back much in your squats 1 day rest doesn't seem like nearly enough...