Stuck between a rock and a hard place

[nacius]

I don't know what to do. Right now I work out 6 days a week and I do cardio for 6 too. Here is what I do:

Monday: 1 hr. chest workout
45 min in pool
Tuesday: 1 hr. back workout
45 min in pool
Wednesday: 1 hr. Bi's and Tri's
45 min in pool
Thursday: 1 hr. Legs and abs
45 min pool
Friday: 1 hr. chest shoulders (light workout, toning)
45 min swim
Saturday: 1 hr bi's tri's back (light stuff, lotta reps)
long bike ride.

I don't have the build for bulk so I am trying to put on some muscle and the cardio just gets me cut. I would like to put on more mass but it is hard to break out of this routine of hitting a muscle hard then lighter twice a week. if i don't do it twice a week I feel as if once a week is not enough to get any gains. I am also not lifting insane weight, either.

What do you think, should I lift less or contine the same? I have been doing this for 2 months now.

Also how many excercises for each muscle group? like 4 maybe?

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate this.

 

[Jeremy21]

Lay off all that swimming, your body may developp a layer of subcutaneous fat in order to insulate from the temperature drop your body experiences when subjected to the cold water for prolonged periods. And you're lifting far too frequent for a beginner, cut it back to 2 or 3 days a week and build from there. Focus on heavy compound movements & you'll be good to go.

kind regards,
jeremy

 

[The mann]

first your training too much,start by hitting each muscle once,you say tha doesn't feel like you're making gains,but damn you look like you're gettin ready for an ironman competition.you want to grow you gotta eat!!! you grow outside of the gym,hit each muscle hard then rest and grow.tone down the cardio,man.

 

[big4life]

Like they're saying, cut back on the workouts
to 3-4 a week, and cut back on the cardio
if you're trying to bulk.

 

[Phemomena]

are you a competitive swimmer, if not, other forms of cardio will probably be more effective because of reasons stated earlier (i.e. swimming on a regular basis, because of water temp etc, tends to encourage the body to hold onto a layer of fat...look at olympic swimmers, they are in great shape but rarely are they ripped...) but if 'ripped' isn't a look you are going for and enjoy swimming they hey, by all means, stick with it...

i would increase the weight and work each muscle just past fatigue... hit each major muscle group once a week (unless you are on AS, which i don't believe you are?) the muscles need about 2-3 days to recover and maximum growth and results will be seen if you hit it again within the next 5-8 days (thus once a week is perfect for most people)

cut back on the cardio a bit as mentioned... doing what you are doing now probably catabolising your muscles... 3-4 times a week 45 min should suffice...

also make sure that you are eating enough clean food to sustain your activity... (you can look at the diet board to get ideas)

good luck