T Nation

Maintain Gains While Moving to New Muscle Group

Beginners
#1

Hi there Forum! Was needing advice. There’s alot of info out there and I’m not able to really find or pick what sounds right for me. Just not sure. I am on a four day workout week. I do a 2 day split. One day bicep and one day tricep. I’m looking to build muscle and mass. I’m getting 30+ sets a week.

In the future I’m wanting to eventually hit chest and some other muscle groups.

How far do I dial back my sets to where I can add other muscle group exercises to focus on and build without losing my gains and physique? I just can’t come up with a good answer. My time allows for what it allows between work home and dieting.

Any solid advice is appreciated. Thanks!

#2

How big are your arms?

#3

Cut back to 8 sets of biceps per week. And 10 sets of triceps per week.

2 Likes
#4

Read 10 Dan John articles

1 Like
#5

Thanks. I’ll keep those as notes. And I don’t know how big my arms are but I’m starting to get some shape and mass to them and was wanting to know what I needed to do in the future.

#6

I was thinking to only do one body part per month.

2 Likes
#7

Here’s my advice,

Why do you train?

  1. To look a certain way (aesthetics),
  2. or to improve certain lifts (strength),
  3. or to support a sport? (performance)

It appears to be 1.

Find a program tailored to your goals, with as many training days a you can commit to, and follow that program. Because if you are getting 30 sets of arms but not getting any chest stimulus your programming is way off and you aren’t ready to figure this out on your own yet.

1 Like
#8

OP, I am under the impression you’ve been doing nothing but 30+ sets of bis and tris for some time. Is this impression accurate?

8 Likes
#9

Yea I’m wanting to build one section of my body at a time slowly and I’ve built my own program around those goals. I get some bench press in on my tricep day. I had more but I’m not wanting to spend more than two hours a session at the gym. After I get my arms built then I want to focus more on my chest and shoulders.

#10

Have you ever seen anybody with massive arms but no muscle elsewhere?

#11

Buddy, you can hit your whole body in half that time, but I guess the important thing to ask at this time is, are you willing to abandon your program for something that makes sense? Because you’re in the right place to make an improvement, but your current program is not going to do anything for you.

4 Likes
#12

I’d love to see pictures op

1 Like
#13

I think both of you don’t know what your talking about or what my goals are. I understand perfectly what I’m doing and why I’m doing it I was looking for information on retaining mass and shape when I move on to my next muscle group.

I think you buddies need to learn to read what I said. Sounds like you might have skimmed a few parts and are under the wrong impression.

See I’m building big muscles one large muscle group at a time. Right now I’m focusing on biceps and triceps with legs on a four day split. When I’m happy with the size I’m going to move onto chest and shoulders. Then my lower back and a bit more legs. So I can focus on that group. I’m a pretty smart guy and I got a good plan for me and my time.

#14

My bad - your 4x a week arms only program is optimal. Good luck.

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#15

Should we tell him about the existence of Lats, or…?

4 Likes
#16

Smart people definitely always say this, so I think he probably knows way more than us about this.

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#17

Who needs lats when you have a PLAN?

2 Likes
#18

I love how these always go

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#19

Who needs a plan when you have an imagination!?!

ILS FTW!

1 Like
#20

Did you see my question?