Help with program

[whirlydick]

Hey guys i have been searching here so as not to post a possible repeat thread but i cold not find any related post so here goes.... I have been doing a push/pull workout for a couple months now, 6 months or so. during this time, i was able to trim down my weight , as earlier planned. But now, i wish to gain muscles. Do I .....

1) Stop treadmill of 15 mins each workout day? (3 days a week)

2) Add another supplement aside from whey protein? (pls suggest a good and safe supplement)

3) switch my program to a chest/back, arms /trapz, legs /abs , type of workout? ( i used to do push / pull i.e. chest, shoulders and triceps ; back and biceps, etc)

4) do low reps heavy lifting? 4-6 reps only?


Thanks in advance. I do not wish to get huge, just to build muscle and show it since i know i have gotten stronger but it is not evident physically.

[mustang GT]

On the days you workout, you can still use the tredmill, but only for 5 minutes of light cardio to get to your AT before your workout, and the same for a cool-down after your workout.

As for supplements, you don't really need any to gain muscle, though some will indeed help. You can do some research on supplements like glutamine and creatine; plenty of threads to search with great info about them. Also remember to take simple carbs with your whey protein, such as dextrose.

Yes, it's a good idea to switch up your program every now and then for variety. Though, switching days you'd work a particular muscle combined with another won't make much of a difference imo, but that's up to opinion. You can benefit by switching exercises, sets, and reps, though.

Yes, do heavy lifting with low reps. Every workout, you should be increasing the weight and making the workout harder than the last time.

Remember to eat enough to support your heavy workouts, and you will build the muscle.

[maverick]

Here's my take:

1) Thats up to you. If you continue to do cardio, just make sure you are eating enough calories to exceed your requirements for the day. Personally, I need a lot of calories to grow and I bulk clean, so cardio goes out the door for a while when I'm trying to bulk.

2) Diet is going to be the largest factor in you growing. I just wanted to state that before listing any supplements. Having said that, creatine or glutamine are probably your next best bet from my experience. You are taking a multivitamin right?

3) I always suggest switching your program. Variation is key to adaptation, i.e., growth. If you;ve been doing push/pull for a while, swicth to a split that invloves more days. Or vice versa. Keep your body guessing.

4) Depends on your base of strength. The optimal rep range for hypertrophy is about 8-12 reps per set. A lot of people here are big Max-OT or PL advocates so they will undoubtedly suggest low reps. The fact remains that time under tension creates the most muscle damage.

[threenorns]

another plan for your consideration:

1) do only light warmup as suggested on days you do weights. on days you don't do weight, do either a moderate intensity session of 30 to 60 minutes or a HIIT session of 12 to 20 minutes, depending which program you choose.

2) scrap the supplements. you don't need them. instead, focus on learning how to eat a clean, nutritious diet.

3) whatever works for you. me, i go three days a week: bench press/chest/tris/shoulders; squats/legs/lower back/abs; deadlifts/back/bis/abs. i followed MaxOT for a while and i really enjoyed it - got fantastic results, too.

4) however you like it. my preference is low reps, even though my current program is low rep only for the major compound exercises and high reps for the auxiliary isolation exercises.