progress hit a bit of a slump, some advice!

[logan]

After 3 weeks of huge strength gains in the gym, and just throwing more and more weight on, I feel Like I have hit a bit of a slump. I have been recording everything I do in the gym. This week I found it very hard to add or even push more reps than last week. I still have 2 more days to get to week 4, yesterday was my push day and this is what I do:

1st set I do one rep shy of failure, 2nd set I go all out.

Dips: 1 warmup set, 2 sets.
Incline DB press: 2 sets
Incline Flyes: 2 sets
Close grip bench press: 2 sets
Incline skull crusher: 2 sets
Plate raises: 2 sets
shoulder press: 2 sets

The chest part of my routine feels good, where I am feeling more of a stall in progress is triceps. I have always had trouble with them. DO you think maybe 2 excersises for triceps after chest might me a bit too much? should I take one out? any other really good mass building tricep excercises? What about shoulders? any other great excersises that people recomend?

I was also thinking that maybe my eating was a bit off last week, could that play a role on hitting this bit of a slump?

The one excersise that has kept going up is dips, I added weight again this week. That made me pretty happy, DIPS RULE!

[iron addict]

Let's see Logan, You work the hell out of tri's when doing Dips, Incline DB, Close Grip Bench, Skull Crushers, and then Shoulder Presses. That's 5 out of 7 lifts that have a heavy emphasis on tri's and they are stalled. I won't say duh.....but lets just say thats probably the problem.

What intensity level are you using?

Iron Addict

[logan]

yeah guess that makes sense huh? hahaha, I should open my eyes a bit more.
ok, well as far as intensity, my first set is very close to failure, the last set I go to failure and my spotter helps me push a couple of more out. I always try to give it my all, and pass my previous weeks results even if just a rep.
It has been working well for me. But now I see the obvious, too much tricep work. What changes would you recomend? I love my 3 chest excersises, it's the others I would not mind changing or dropping for that matter. What about shoulders?
thanks again for your help

[iron addict]

I'd need to know a LOT more about you to design a chest/tri/shoulder day.

Here is what MINE looks like NOW, I state NOW, because I train quite a few different ways.

Week one:

Dips, 4 x 10
Low Incline Fly 3 x 12
Military Press 5 x 10

Next Week I do:

Dumbell Bench Press 3 x 10
Close Grip Bench Press 3 X 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Only the last set or two are to failure

Many times I will only do 1-2 work sets to absolute failure, or 1 rest-pause set INSTEAD of the muliple sets.

For ADVANCED trainees, or naturally strong guys I use a lot of rotating shedule routines like listed above where they do two different routines. For beginners or advanced hardgainers, I usually use fixed routines. I USE A ****LOAD OF DIFFERENT SET AND REP STRUCURES. These are all over the place from 1 set to failure, to pure volume work, dependant on the trainee. It all works for the right person during the right stage.

Iron Addict

[logan]

we must be online at the same time. lol
More about myself. I am 6'2 and my current weight is around 200lbs
my body fat percentage is 14-15%. I have been trainning off and on for around 3 years, but it has been in the last 6 months that I have gotten very serious about it. I started off at 170lbs. Since coming from my vacation end of summer I have not missed one workout day. I am very focused and determined. I also now have a trainning partner.
my goal is to bulk up through the winter. I eat around 200g of protein a day, and a hell of a lot of calories. All coming from pretty good sources.
I have super fast metabolism.

I have also started to record everything I do in the gym, always trying to beat myself every week. Like you said, you have to constantly force yourself to do more!
My routine is a 3 day split, push, legs, and pull.
if you need to know more just ask away. Thank for your help
my goal is 210lbs by spring

[iron addict]

Logan,

That's still nowhere near enough, and in all honesty if I write you a body-part routine, I gotta do it for the next guy, and the next, and the next. And I just don't have the time, as once upon a time on another board, I tried doing this as much as possible, and it took most of the day......everyday. I post lots of articles here and on other boards and if you will take the time to do a search by "iron addict" you will find tons of stuff and probably have a pretty good idea of how to better design your own routines. And if you really want one on one instruction, email me about personal training.

Iron Addict