*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***

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Caporegime
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Guys...Question / Advice

I've been doing a three day split since late August now, with a couple of weeks off in total. More or less, the routine has been the same.

The split currently is:

Monday: Legs
Weds: Chest
Friday: Back

Occasionally other exercises get thrown in.

Should I start to think about switching things up? Or shall I go for a 'Strength' program option instead of higher reps? My goal currently is to get some nice 'clean-ish' mass on me, which I then intend to cut down a bit after Christmas to hopefully make myself look decent for once.

Shall I keep weights 'low' ie lower than my 1RM and hit the reps or shall I up the weights and keep the reps low to get strength up?

Thanks :)
 
Caporegime
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H'e's proving a point. :) I've book marked it anyway, as it'll make for an interesting read imo.
EDIT: To elaborate... how many times have you heard the excuse "Well you've never been fat so you don't know what it's like" or similar? :)

you just tell them, its your own fault, nobody else is to blame, stop making excuses fatty and man the **** up, nobody likes a guy with boobs
 
Caporegime
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You only do legs chest and back consistently? :confused:

Please explain?

I do a three day split as advised by multiple people from this thread and by the sticky. The split is made up of three main muscle groups, legs/chest/back.

Naturally I don't do one exercise each day :p

I keep being told different things each week I come here, it's getting ridonkulous!
 
Soldato
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After loosing quite a bit of weight over 2 years

13st 8 to 10 this last 7 months I've been putting a few kg on

I go to gym every day and drink protein shakes in addition to healthy normal eating

Got gtym to check my stats today

Bmi=23.3
Fat % = 9.7%

So not too bad. I'd been getting noticeably stronger but wanted to check weight gain wasn't fat
 
Soldato
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Please explain?

I do a three day split as advised by multiple people from this thread and by the sticky. The split is made up of three main muscle groups, legs/chest/back.

Naturally I don't do one exercise each day :p

I keep being told different things each week I come here, it's getting ridonkulous!

No but in your split you don't have shoulders/bis/tris. Meaning you only do legs back and chest consistently and randomly throw in the rest when you feel like it? That's what it comes across as.
 
Caporegime
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No but in your split you don't have shoulders/bis/tris. Meaning you only do legs back and chest consistently and randomly throw in the rest when you feel like it? That's what it comes across as.

I don't specifically isolate my tri's or bi's no, because they get worked a lot anyway doing other exercises.

Again, this is due to others stating to not do isolation work and 'stick with the basics' for now.

Shoulders are something I need to implement properly, as I am finding it hard to add them to a specific day, also I am doing light work on them due to how fragile they have been over the past year or so
 
Soldato
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I tend to hit specifics a few times a week when I'm not doing circuits. Mainly back, shoulders, bi's and tri's. I've also started a core class as well which I am most certainly not enjoying... (by started I mean I've done one a couple of weeks ago and haven't been back since :D )

Personally I'd not neglect tris or back because they are so fundamental as supporting muscle groups and aid in keeping you safe with heavier workouts. Isolation is not a bad thing as long as it's not done in isolation... *cough*...
 
Man of Honour
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Delvis if you're finding that you're stagnating then try lower reps for a month or so on the big compounds, but keep accessory work in the higher rep ranges.
 
Caporegime
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Don't switch things up then? If you're making gains keep going the same if you aren't then change. Stop making it complicated!

There you go again! Saying don't complicate things! :p

Problem is, I am led to believe by many that you should switch your routine up every so often? ie 3 months or so?

I am making some visible gains 'I think', I know my chest is slowly developing in some manner which is nice. I'm going to post some pics come Christmas time to see if there are more changes.

I just noticed yesterday that my squat really is poor, but ill keep going till xmas, then work on heavier compounds for a bit
 
Man of Honour
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H'e's proving a point. :) I've book marked it anyway, as it'll make for an interesting read imo.
EDIT: To elaborate... how many times have you heard the excuse "Well you've never been fat so you don't know what it's like" or similar? :)

However, this isn't exactly accurate representation of "real life". He's got a lot of lean muscle mass, and as such his body will be more in tune with fat loss. His fat loss will be accelerated and disproportionate to those that have been sedantry all their lives.

He will be comitted and doing this pretty much full time.

It's admirable, but it's a little unfair to use this as a casing point. :)
 
Soldato
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It's true though. Eat, lift heavy and take a multi. I don't see why it should be any more complex than that unless you start going down the competition/powerlifting etc route. Sure i'm by no means the most experienced guy to be giving you advice but i'm obviously doing something right or i wouldn't be almost 40lbs heavier than i was last summer ;) (Just wish my bloody arms would grow, need to do more isolation i think.)

Only reason i changed my routine to HST was to try something new not because it's advised or felt it necessary. Think i will be going back to a progressive 3 day split though as i don't enjoy the 5s at all.
 
Soldato
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However, this isn't exactly accurate representation of "real life". He's got a lot of lean muscle mass, and as such his body will be more in tune with fat loss. His fat loss will be accelerated and disproportionate to those that have been sedantry all their lives.

He will be comitted and doing this pretty much full time.

It's admirable, but it's a little unfair to use this as a casing point. :)

Plus he wont have the horrendous insulin sensitivity that most will at that size. Nevertheless it's interesting. I wonder if he will cut to his starting weight, or BF%? Interested in any LBM changes, might come back with hench legs :p.
 
Caporegime
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However, this isn't exactly accurate representation of "real life". He's got a lot of lean muscle mass, and as such his body will be more in tune with fat loss. His fat loss will be accelerated and disproportionate to those that have been sedantry all their lives.

He will be comitted and doing this pretty much full time.

It's admirable, but it's a little unfair to use this as a casing point. :)

Of course it isn't, but I doubt he's going to submit himself to at least a decade of lazyitis though :p
 
Soldato
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Re my earlier bf % post (9.7%)

Should I aim lower or just maintain

I am in no way dieting I'm eating like s horse
Just healthy food though

And 3 1 litre protein shakes a day

(each 500ml water, 300 pink grZpefruit pure juice,
1 apple, 1 banana, oats,frozen fruit, peanut butter, 1 1/2 scoops
Of whey)

Thanks for any advice
 
Soldato
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Re my earlier bf % post (9.7%)

Should I aim lower or just maintain

I am in no way dieting I'm eating like s horse
Just healthy food though

And 3 1 litre protein shakes a day

(each 500ml water, 300 pink grZpefruit pure juice,
1 apple, 1 banana, oats,frozen fruit, peanut butter, 1 1/2 scoops
Of whey)

Thanks for any advice

What did you use to measure bodyfat? If it was the same machine you used to measure BMI it won't be very accurate.
 
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