[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
so, even though I said I’m normally a really shitty sleeper and that any activity will make it harder for me to sleep, I should push it anyway instead of just going home, clearing my mind and getting a good, sound sleep? ok…
yup I’m trying to follow the set/rep scheme as above with safe, controlled eccentrics. definitely feels like I’m starting over again.
how often is it again that I should re-evaluate my weight gain and adjust calories in as needed? weekly? I should be gaining like a pound a week right?[/quote]
If your workouts are causing you to lose sleep, apart from doing them late at night, you’re body isn’t bouncing back very well. Either you need to watch your volume, and/or eat more.
Have at least 2 quality sets per exercise. Yes warmup well, but do not do tons of “warming up sets”…Go home, eat plenty and recover.
If your bad sleep patterns follow a pattern (i.e. when you reach decent PR’s/training was brutal etc), then break up your intense phases with an “easier” week or two (lower load, saving a rep in the tank), and/or more days off per week. If it’s a regular thing, your recovery is probably crap and you need to tame the training a little (e.g. train 4 days per week instead of 5+).
Weight gains are never consistent, set amounts each week. Some weeks you may gain nothing, other’s you may gain 2lbs. You need to monitor bi weekly/monthly weight gains (e.g. 2-3lbs a month). For someone much taller I’d recommend higher weight gains.
Once you gain say 15lbs (200lbs bodyweight), which would probably take around 5-6 months (at 2lbs a month), hold for 3-4 months (eat at maintenance), then trim (just below maintenance).