I first started training my muscles when I was 19 years old. I was always pretty consistent until the year after I graduated college. In high school I was the prototypical 150lb weakling once so graciously chronicalled in the back of old school muscle magazines. Anyway, long story short, from 19 up to about 22 I had gained about 45lbs going from 6' 155lbs to 6' 195-200. Then for some stupid reason (partying WAY too much) I stoped training and fell all the way back to 180lbs of nothing.
However, I have been back on the horse for 2 years and am back up to 190 consistently and I'm beginning to notice a static period in my workouts. Here's what I was doing up until this week:
Day 1: Chest
Day 2: Back and shoulders.
Day 3: Bi's and Tri's
Day 4: Legs
Each workout consisted of 3-4 exercises each at 5 sets, with reps going 15, 12, 10, 8, 6. The only exception was with legs for which I would do DEEP parallel squats, 3 (sometimes 4) sets 205 (first set after warmup) 225 for 10 reps.
It was working very well for me in terms of
gaining strength and better muscular definition. Basically it did what I wanted it to do, but now I'm trying to gain some more size and get those muscles growing. As a result I have gone to the same basic routine only I now do only 3 sets with a heavier weight for sets of 10, 8, and 6.
First of all, is this enough of a variation to "shock" the muscles? I was on the previous routine for a good 3 mos or so.
Secondly, I generally do 3 sets of major movements (e.g. flat bench, incline, decline) and then a final set of a minor movement to hopefully exhaust the muscle group (e.g. for chest finish with pec-dec). Is the number of sets and rep range (10, 8, 6) good for what I'm looking for?
Finally, I have been sticking to a 4 day
workout routine, should I increase the number of days that I lift during that week thereby hitting 2 body parts daily?
Any and all feedback would be much appreciated. I want desperately to get back to 200lbs. It's gonna take some time, but I've rededicated myself complete with workout journal and all (woohoo). Oh, if only I had never quit on myself, it pains me to think about where I could have been...FOR SHAME ON ME!
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