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2003/09/29, 12:52 PM
hey guys.
im 18 years old and pretty fit. I have a really good diet, with lots of protein and relatively low carbs and fats. But my big problem is that ive seemed to run into a plateau. Now, ive read through lots of these posts and ive changed up my routine, but i still rarely feel the burn the next day. This is especially so in the shoulder and triceps area. I was wondering, people say your body needs 48 hours of rest to allow your muscles to heal before training them again, but are there any other forms of exercise that could be incorporated instead of lifting? like, could i do a couple 100 pushups each night or could that lead to injury too? Also my abs NEVER feel the burn anymore...Ive incorporated resistance training( like pulley crunchs) but still no luck. could i technically work my abs out 5 days a week, resting on the weekends? I mean, do some people just heal faster than others or what? One last thing, if anyone has a KILLER shoulder routine, I'd love to hear it.
I know that was a lot, but answers to any of those questions would be appreciated~
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2003/09/29, 12:57 PM
My thoughts here is that you may not feel sore the next day. And in fact using soreness as a sign of a good workout is not a true indicator of a good workout. That said my first thought is to ask what is the weights and reps you are using? doing pushups while a great exercise will not add that much overall mass and if you are doing a chest day intense enough you will overtrain the Pecs by doing pushups everyday. So give us what you are doing (weights and reps wise) and we will go fromt here.
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Eat More, Drink More, and Lift Harder than you thought you could, welcome to Becoming!
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2003/09/29, 01:35 PM
Mutt makes a good point. So many trainees ask why arent' they getting sore anymore, think they are doing something wrong. Soreness is but from the buildup of lactic acid, and actually damaging the muscle. This will initially make you feel that DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Many folks, after passing the initial "newbie" stage, no longer get this. So, it is in no way an indication of a good workout or not. I have not gotten it for years, while others get sore every time it seems. If you are pushing to the limit on each set, and feeling it, pushing past failure, then there is no more you can do as far as training goes. Rest more may be key, I do not think 48 hrs. is long enough for any muscle if you trained it right. 5-6 days is more like it. We all plateau at some point, this is inevitable. This is where alot of folks give up, whether trying to gain or lose. Contrary to that, this is actually the time you have to push harder, force your body past that "set point". This does not necessarily mean more exercises, there are many ways. Keep upping the weight, get forced reps, change your routine, keep steadier on your diet. Change it, if you are trying to gain, and you have not for a while, you may be at maintenance calories, so up your calories by 200-300 per day. If you are trying to see abs, then you need to go the other way. Abs are more a product of the kitchen than the weightroom, probabaly 80% to 20%, diet to weights. Work abs no more than 3 times per week with resistance, and rest them like any other muscle. Here is a post I made in another thread, as to the progression of seeing your abs.
Most people progress from no visible abs to 6-pack abs like this:
1. The whole ab region starts to become visible and separation between the rectus abdominus and the external obliques starts to come out.
2. The abs start showing more separation on the vertical sides and in the center at the linea alba.
3. Separation starts to increase at the top of the abs, showing a 2- or 4-pack at the top.
4. Finally, the whole 6-pack (and in some people, an 8-pack) becomes visible.
Hope this helps, keep fighting.
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2003/09/29, 01:43 PM
Heres an example of a typical workout week
Monday-chest biceps back
Chest-flat barbell bench press, 4 sets,
135lbs-12reps
155-10reps
185-5 reps
155-8 reps
incline dumbell presses, 4 sets
35lbs -12 reps
45lbs-10 reps
55-8-10 reps
60-5-7 reps
standing pulley crossovers, 3-4sets
50lbs-12reps
60-10reps
60-10reps
Biceps-Standing barbell curl 4 sets
65lbs-8-10 reps for 3 sets
70lbs-5-8 reps
standing hammer curls 3-4 sets
20lbs-10reps
20lbs-10 reps
25 lbs- 6-8 reps
Cable barbell curls- burnout set starting from 90lbs then going down to 70, 50, 30- 10 reps each
Back-Chin ups, palms facing in- 4 sets of 10
Standing barbell rows, 3 - 4sets
65lbs-15-20
85- 10-12 reps
95-6-8 reps
Lat pulldown, 3 sets, wide grip
90lbs- 10 reps
105 lbs- 8 reps
90 lbs- 10 reps
Barbell shrugs with varying grip, 4 sets
135-12 reps
145-10 reps
155-8 reps
165-6-8 reps
Tuesday -legs
squat, 4sets, all 8-10 reps, 135lbs, 185lbs, 225lbs, 235lbs
leg press machine, 4 sets, all of 10 reps, 235, 255, 275, 315
calf raises-4 sets of 10, 155-175lbs
wednesday-shoulders, triceps, chest
shoulder press, 3 sets of 6-10 reps, 75lbs, 95lbs, 95lbs
dumbell press 4 sets of 10 reps, 45lbs, 50, 55, 55
side lateral raised, 3 sets of 10 reps, 15-20 lbs
tricep-skull crushers-3sets of 55 lbs
kick backs- 3 sets of 20 lbs, 10 reps
rope press downs- 4 sets of 8-12, 30-50 lbs
friday- chest, biceps
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