Question Regarding Workout Volume - Am I working against myself?

[NoFatChicks91]

I'm someone that works out 2-3 hours 5 days a week. I need the gym as an escape, and when I'm there for 2 hours straight, you bet your ass I'm working myself to death the whole time.

Especially lately since I've been having problems with my gf.

My arms routine, for instance, might look like this:
Begin workout with 7 sets of barbell curls, 6-8 reps, with as little rest in between,
Then Close grip bench, 7 sets 6-8 reps.

I start with the 7 sets to get an insane pump in my arms.

Then I would do 3 more exercises of each bicep and tricep,
So,
7 Sets Bicep exercise 1
7 Sets Tricep exercise 1
3-4 Sets bicep exercise 2
3-4 Sets tricep exercise 2
... to exercise 4.

I usually do 4 sets. Lift with the best form I can. Reps vary after several weeks, obviously, and I switch the exercises up constantly.

I like to go in and just DESTROY a muscle group. Like a 2 hour workout. It helps me deal with all the bs going on in my life. But I am growing concerned that my workout volume might be working against me.

The next day the muscle group is annihilated. Often I can't sleep because I'm so sore, but that's what I want.

My workouts look like this.
Monday- arms Tues - Legs Weds- Chest Thurs - Shoulders Fri- Back Saturday - Cardio

I'm going to the gym twice a day Monday Through Friday doing like 20 mins of cardio, some days more intense than others.

I can tell I'm getting stronger week by week, but my arms seem like they are lagging behind size wize. Might this be due to the volume? I feel like if I just do 3 sets of 3 exercises, even if I lift heavy as shit with perfect form, I'm not sore the next day.

 

[buddhabuilder]

It would require your stats and the details of your diet including over all calorie intake with a break down of what that means in grams of protein, carbs, and fat, to be sure, but I'll give a general response to your posting. You can do most anything during the first couple of years training and get some results. It's after that you start to need to research training, nutrition, and supplements in order to keep moving forward. I appreciate your desire to work through your stuff in the gym, and your appetite to really go all out when your there. The only way you can be sure you are doing effective training to gain size is to weigh and measure your self and keep track of these things. Also keeping track of your diet will help you dial in exactly what it takes for you to put on size. IMO, for you to get the amount of all-out training you are going for, and make size gains, it would be a good idea to look into something like Periodization or Dog Crap training. Although you may find 2 day on, 1 day off type stuff with splits like lower body/upper body, you can always train abs on days off, and even do cardio if your carbing for it. On the subject of diet; you can easily spend an hour a day preparing foods and getting your supplements in order, which can prove an effective way to keep yourself busy. You can also keep a detailed journal or even blog where you can share your struggles and successes with like minded people, all the while doing something you enjoy as you get the results you want. Harness your drive and have a good time.

 

[NoFatChicks91]

Thanks for the reply. I don't have measurements but I'm 21, about 187 lbs at 6'4 and I'm sure my BF percentage is low, my guess would be around 12%. I've actually gained a solid 30+ pounds of muscle in the past year. I don't count calories, but I eat clean and until it hurts. I may have something like 10 egg whites with 2 whole eggs, more than a cup of whole grain cereal, and OJ for breakfast. Then I eat again every 2-3 hours for the rest of the day. Each meal consists of something with plenty of protein like tuna or chicken, whole grains bread (sugar free) for carbs, nuts, almond butter.. I eat it all and don't try to watch my intake on anything except sugar, because I'm already eating clean.

I am getting amazing results everywhere else, the problem area really just seems to be my arms.

I also had to take it easy on my legs because I developed a stress fracture in my ankle. But I can hit the squats and deads at full blast now. I think the break did me some good, actually

 

[Buildingup24]

If you're not getting bigger-eat more and provide the muscle a reason to grow via progressive overload.

2 hours on arms in unnecessary. Look up Mountain Dog Arms by John Meadows- That will provide you with guidance for a good arm routine.

 

[Evan Tipps]

I'm someone that works out 2-3 hours 5 days a week. I need the gym as an escape, and when I'm there for 2 hours straight, you bet your ass I'm working myself to death the whole time.

Especially lately since I've been having problems with my gf.

My arms routine, for instance, might look like this:
Begin workout with 7 sets of barbell curls, 6-8 reps, with as little rest in between,
Then Close grip bench, 7 sets 6-8 reps.

I start with the 7 sets to get an insane pump in my arms.

Then I would do 3 more exercises of each bicep and tricep,
So,
7 Sets Bicep exercise 1
7 Sets Tricep exercise 1
3-4 Sets bicep exercise 2
3-4 Sets tricep exercise 2
... to exercise 4.

I usually do 4 sets. Lift with the best form I can. Reps vary after several weeks, obviously, and I switch the exercises up constantly.

I like to go in and just DESTROY a muscle group. Like a 2 hour workout. It helps me deal with all the bs going on in my life. But I am growing concerned that my workout volume might be working against me.

The next day the muscle group is annihilated. Often I can't sleep because I'm so sore, but that's what I want.

My workouts look like this.
Monday- arms Tues - Legs Weds- Chest Thurs - Shoulders Fri- Back Saturday - Cardio

I'm going to the gym twice a day Monday Through Friday doing like 20 mins of cardio, some days more intense than others.

I can tell I'm getting stronger week by week, but my arms seem like they are lagging behind size wize. Might this be due to the volume? I feel like if I just do 3 sets of 3 exercises, even if I lift heavy as shit with perfect form, I'm not sore the next day.

Im the same way. 6-7 days a week. 1.5-2 Hrs each session. IF YOUR MAKING GAINS than you are fine. If you're not going up in weight/getting bigger.. Than you are doing something wrong. Not being able to sleep could be because overtraining.. Im not much of a believer in overtraining. But thats a huge sign of it. Its different for everyone though. If you are making gains keep doing what you are doing.

 

[NoFatChicks91]

The sleep issues usually come after days with compound lifts, like squats and deads. I'll be so sore at night when I roll in my sleep it immediately wakes me up. But I am making gains, even in my arms, though they are definately growing slower than everything else. It could just be my genetics. Im super lean and tall. Classic hardgainer, though I'm overcoming it

 

[Buildingup24]

ZMA- it's cheap and works wonders- I'm a caffeine junkie- zma knocks me out n the dreams are wild- just cycle it like 5 days on/2 days off.

 

[NoFatChicks91]

I've never tried ZMA but I know it's cheap as hell. I'll certainly give it a try and I'm gonna check out that arm routine as well. Thanks brother