Okay, here’s the deal. I’m not a beginner to weightlifting, but am somewhat newer to bodybuilding. I train 5 days a week- each body part only once, but I need some help with my routine. Each time I go to train, I try to completely and totally exhaust the muscle group I’m working, so that by the end of my workout, I can’t lift even the lightest of weights. Every last set is taken to failure.
Only problem is, that most of the time, I keep on going because I havn’t exhausted the muscle group, even though I’m lifting heavy as I can and even though the sweat is flowin’ off me; so I keep on adding extra sets or reps… I know that more ISN’T better, but I can’t help adding more.
Here’s my routine at the minute…
(Each follows after a 10-minute light jog)
Mon - Chest;
Incline Bench Press 3 X 8 - 10 reps
Bench Press 3 X 6 - 8 reps
Decline Dumbell Press 3 X 8 - 10 reps
Cable Cross 3 X 12 - 15 reps
Incline Flye 3 X 12 - 15 reps
Dumbell Flye 3 X 12 - 15 reps
Dips To Failure
Tues - Back;
Bent Over-Row 3 X 8 - 10 reps
Wide Grip Pull-Ups (Machine Assist) 3 X 6 - 8 reps
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown 3 X 10 - 12 reps
Seated Cable Row 3 X 10 - 12 reps
One-Arm Dumbell Row 3 X 10 - 12 reps
Close Grip Lat Pulldown 3 X 10 - 12 reps
Staight-Arm Pulldown 3 X 12 - 15 reps
Wed - Shoulders + Traps;
Military Press 3 X 6 - 8 reps
Arnold Press 3 X 8 - 10 reps
Upright Dumbell Row 3 X 10 - 12 reps
Front Raises 3 X 12 - 15 reps
Lateral Raises 3 X 12 - 15 reps
Rear Delt Machine Raises 3 X 10 - 12 reps
Shrugs 3 X 15 reps
Thurs - OFF
Fri - Arms;
Alternating Dumbell Curls 3 X 8 - 10 reps
Cable Hammer Curls 3 X 8 - 10 reps
Concentration Curls 3 x 8 - 10 reps
Cable Ez Bar Curls 3 x 12 - 15 reps
Weighted Dips 3 x 8 - 10 reps
Rope Pressdown 3 x 8 - 10 reps
Dumbell Kickbacks 3 x 12 - 15 reps
Diamond Push-Ups To Failure
Sat - Legs;
Leg Press 4 X 8 - 10 reps
Horizontal Leg Press 4 X 8 - 10 reps
Quad. Extensions 4 X 12 - 15 reps
Lying Ham. Curls 4 X 12 - 15 reps
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 3 X 10 - 12 reps
Calf Raises 3 X 15 reps
Seated Calf Raises 3 X 15 reps
Sun - OFF
Sometimes I’ll even do slightly more if the muscles aren’t exhausted…
I’m an 18 year-old, 130lbs, 5% bodyfat and 5ft 10. I’m having a hard time putting on any any muscle (about 5 weeks of training and 1lb of muscle and a couple of pounds of fat.) Am I over-training?
My diet is great- it’s pretty much totally clean, I never cheat and I usually end up getting around about 200g of protein a day and 2800 calories. I really need some help here- please criticise anything, or gimme suggestions guys