How to gain again?

[ECKARDT]

I seem to have reached a pinnacle in my lifting and it frustrates me. I believe I may need to alter my diet or perhaps do something significantly different in the gym. I have been using Cell-Tech and protein regulary. I have worked my way up to a bench of 225 which is not bad for 5'7 162lbs. I am not gaining much strength now. Any suggestions for diet of routine appreciated. I am a US Marine and WILL NOT take any questionable substances. Please advise.

Eckardt

[believer]

Are you looking to gain strength or size?
What is your diet like?
How are you training now?

[ECKARDT]

I would like to gain a little more size say 10lbs at the most. Strength is most important to me though. I could eat better I am sure. My training is four times a week: Arms, chest, back, Shoulders and legs together. I have not been counting calories or protein intake. I have a protein shake every morning and take creatine after my workouts. Should I eat right after a workout as well? Should I vary my exercises more?

[JACKAL]

Originally posted by ECKARDT
Should I eat right after a workout as well? Should I vary my exercises more?

yes, yes. and could you be more specific about what days you train which muscles?

so far i suggest getting your diet in check. you dont necassarily have to count calories, but just eat right---around 6 meals a day.
if you really want more gains then youre going to have to get the diet in check.

[believer]

Here are good starting places:

Diet:http://t-mag.com/html/146mass.html
Andhttp://t-mag.com/html/147mass.html

For pure strength gains, nothing beats Westside. I tried to supply a link but their site must be having problems now. The site is www.elitefts.com. Find the 9 week beginner program and give it a try.

Hope this helps.

[ECKARDT]

I normally do arms on Monday, Chest on Tuesday or Wednesday, Back on Thursday or Friday and legs and shoulders on Sunday. Should I consume protein with every meal.?. My current assignment (recruiting) has some crazy hours and circumstances. It may be difficult to eat 6 times a day. Unless a meal is a MetRx bar or something.

[Dynomyte001]

Bump for the westside, increase food intake.

[Danny_v]

You can also check out http://www.hussman.org/fitness/

[Bubo]

Make sure that you are eating enough.
When I was in the Army I used to stuff snacks in my BDUs, give that a try.

And as for your routine, if I understand you, you are currently doing:
Day 1 - Arms
Day 2 - Chest
Day 3 - Back
Day 4 - Shoulders and Legs together.

Well, to tell ya the truth you haven’t told me when you have your rest days.
They are just as important as going to the gym.
Other than that there is one basic principle you might want to consider.
Arms don’t build size.
The natural size gaining lifts are Deadlifts and Squats

Think about this:
Day 1 - Back: make sure you throw in Deadlifts!
Day 2 – Chest
Day 3 - Rest
Day 4 – Legs: make sure you do your Squats!
Day 5 - Rest
Day 6 – Shoulders then Arms
Day 7 - Rest

[Integrator]

That's interesting... so u guys saying that dividing what to train into days is better than to train everything at once, but for a whole week for example?

[Bubo]

What I posted was just a suggestion, and one that I have done from time to time so I am not taking out of my butt.

There were times where I did a whole body workout for a while, but only to shock my body. I personally find the whole body routines too taxing on my body to keep doing them for too long.

There are as many ways to train your body as there are people who lift weights.

I personally like to seek and destroy a particular muscle group once per week.
I feel this gives me enough time hitting the iron and enough rest.
But this is what I have found to be true for me.
Maybe you’re similar, you have to give it a try and find out for yourself.
Remember to think out a routine thoroughly and give it 3 to 4 months so it can have an effect on your body. Then change it again. This way you will keep the muscles confused and they will continue to grow.

[The General]

Take a look at www.ironaddicts.com

Read the articles and even consider having IA train you!

[Lug]

Hi. I'm new here and I'm from Italy (sorry for my bad english..).

Eckardt, why don't give a try to a routine Ian King style (you can find a lot of articles on t-mag in the previous issues....even a lot of wo's...but always try to personlize your routine and don't just take the routines as they are...one of the best lessons you can learn from King's books).

In a nutshell, King divides the work in a somewhat functional way (hope I'm not using the wrong words..):

Example for a 7 days cycle
day1 horizontal pull/vertical push
day2 hip dominant
day3 rest
day4 vertical pull/horizontal pull
day5 quad dominant
day6 rest
day7 rest

It's up to you how to split the different possible combination. You only know what works best for you.

Multijoint (or compound ...what you call exercise like squat?) exercises are always the first choice. Then come single joint exercises.
You can organize your work by making a plan (periodazation...): 4 phases, the first and - if you fell the need - the second of 4 weeks of work and 1 week of active rest (cut the volume by 40% and the intensity on multijoint ex. by 10%); the 3rd and 4th phase are 3:1 (3 weeks work and 1 week active rest). After the 4 phases take a week of break.
If you're not into competiions of other sports just use a linear scheme to periodize, which means you develop the pattern set/reps along the continuum RM.
I phase: more exercises, less set for each exercise; more use of single joint ex.; 10-12 reps per set; 1 or 2 set per exercise; 15-18 set per wo (it depends upon your work capacities....if you're over 30yo cut to 10-12)
II phase: a little less exercises; you can do more work on every exercise; 8-10 reps; 2or3 sets; cut on the volume
III phase (from this stage on you're gonna work primaly on strenght): 5-6 reps, more sets, volume slows downs and intensity rises up...;
IV phase : neural protcols like 1-6, wave loading (4-3-2/4-3-2), patient lifters method ertc...
Keep your wo less than 1 hour long (after this period it's been demonstrated that the relationship beetween T and C inverts..). The last 2 phases your workouts will be 45'/30' long.

Well, hope you understand my bad english and hope this may help you.

ciao