Will Volume be good for me???

[tommyboy]

Ive allways been a guy in the game who is almost NEVER satisfied with the workout after. I feel like I didnt hit my biceps good enough.... didnt get a big enough pump in my chest... Didnt go ALL OUT. etc etc. I do a 4 day split and workout 4 to 5 times a week. I hit each body part with 10-12 sets for bigger parts chest, leg, back and 5-7 sets for small bicep/tricep/abs. I try and switch up my workout about every 4 weeks. And usually jsut change rep schemes and excercises. (Allways keeping basics) bench squat dead. Should I be pumping out more sets since im not an insane guy in the gym.... Or should I lift more days per week. ( Im never still sore from previous workouts when im back to same body part)
Also should I be going to failure???? what works better for strength and muscle gains/



comments, questions...... etc etc would be great!!!!!!! thanks a lot!!!! I want to GROWWWWW

 

[glenihan]

i would recommend using the heaviest freaking weights you can and going to failure as well as going SLOWLY on your negs ... you won't risk overtraining (although CNS fatigue might start to come into question) and the slow negs should really make you feel like you've worked the hell outta the muscle

 

[tommyboy]

On cycle and off?? By heaviest do you mean failure at about the 6th rep?

i would recommend using the heaviest freaking weights you can and going to failure as well as going SLOWLY on your negs ... you won't risk overtraining (although CNS fatigue might start to come into question) and the slow negs should really make you feel like you've worked the hell outta the muscle

 

[glenihan]

yeah that's what i mean by heaviest failing somewhere between the 4th and 6th rep ... i think its a great program for both on and off cycle ... although i don't think its optimal for PCT

 

[tommyboy]

Glenihan, how often do you swap up your progam and do you still go to failure with heavy weights on small body parts like biceps? Is this program optimal? How often do you change up your routine?

yeah that's what i mean by heaviest failing somewhere between the 4th and 6th rep ... i think its a great program for both on and off cycle ... although i don't think its optimal for PCT

 

[glenihan]

is it optimal ... thats a tough question to answer .. for me it works and works very well ... i think it will work well for anyone, especially the first 8 weeks they ever try it

i usually stick with this program for a while, used it through my whole last cycle and will use it during my next cutting cycle, i wish i had done something a little different during my last PCT but you live and learn (like lighter weights and more moderate reps)

anyway i don't really swap it too much, rather every 8 weeks or so i take an entire week off to let my body relax and heal up

yeah i still go to failure with bis and tris (they are muscles just like everything else, just smaller, hence the lower number of sets)

i think if you eat enough and give this program a shot for 8 weeks, you'll be VERY happy with the results ... just be very intense while you're in the gym, it'll take a week or two to figure out exactly what weights you should be using, but after that its fun time (and remember don't pyramid the weights, just use the same weight throughout the exercise)

 

[glenihan]

ugh damn it the whole long response i just typed up accidently got deleted ...

i can't say whether this program is optimal, i will say it has worked incredibly well for me and i think it will work very well for most, you shouldn't overtrain with it and it really allows for amazing strength gains and you cannot gain strength without building muscle and i've been happy with my size increases

i don't swap it up too often, i do different exercises every week in a different order and every 8 weeks i take an entire week off to let my body relax and recooperate, like i said though i don't think its great for PCT as its too taxing, but otherwise i love it

yeah i still go to failure on bis and tris (they are the same muscles as back and chest only smaller, hence the lowered number of sets for them)

as long as you eat enough and you train hard i really think you'll love this program 1) its fun to push around heavy ass weights 2) you'll gain size

it'll take a week or two to figure out what weights you should be using, but after that its all fun and gains

if you have any more questions or want my exact routine or whatever just let me know

 

[tommyboy]

Sample workout back/biceps

3x standing preacher curls 4-6
2x alternating db curls 6-8
2x concentration curls 10-12

3x deadlifts 4-6
3x lat pull down 4-6
3xbb rows 6-8
3x bb shrugs 10-12


am I doing enough sets and using the right rep scheme should I ALLWAYS use 4-6 and ALLWAYS go to failure or is 6-8 a good rep scheme also??

Also..... How will my workouts vary when im "on" should I lift like 6 days instead of 4? or just up the volume in my workouts????

thanks bro!!

ugh damn it the whole long response i just typed up accidently got deleted ...

i can't say whether this program is optimal, i will say it has worked incredibly well for me and i think it will work very well for most, you shouldn't overtrain with it and it really allows for amazing strength gains and you cannot gain strength without building muscle and i've been happy with my size increases

i don't swap it up too often, i do different exercises every week in a different order and every 8 weeks i take an entire week off to let my body relax and recooperate, like i said though i don't think its great for PCT as its too taxing, but otherwise i love it

yeah i still go to failure on bis and tris (they are the same muscles as back and chest only smaller, hence the lowered number of sets for them)

as long as you eat enough and you train hard i really think you'll love this program 1) its fun to push around heavy ass weights 2) you'll gain size

it'll take a week or two to figure out what weights you should be using, but after that its all fun and gains

if you have any more questions or want my exact routine or whatever just let me know

 

[glenihan]

well when i'm on i don't change anything, except you can use MUCH heavier weights which is SO MUCH FUN! lol

that looks fine only i would only do 2 bi exercises and definitely do them after back, your bis get worked with your back anyway and no need to tire yourself out even a little before hitting back

i believe 4-6 reps is optimal as you can really use a heavy heavy weight and total tear apart the muscle going above 8 you'll tend to fatigue the muscle before you do anything really good since you'll be using to light of a weight

6-8 may be ok but i really prefer to stay in the 4-6 rep range

also, i wouldn't up the volume or frequency while on gear, just use heavier weights and eat a ton more

 

[glenihan]

just for reference, and because i don't feel like doing the work i have to do right now, here is my workout

mon - chest and bis (remember the order of exercises varies each week)
flat bench - 3 sets 4-6 reps (not counting warm ups you MUST warm up the muscle group during the first exercise)
incline bench - 3 sets 4-6 reps
some type of fly - 2 sets 4-6 reps
straight bar curls 2 sets 4-6 reps
incline alternating db curls 2 sets 4-6 reps

tues - legs
squats - 3 sets 10-12 reps (done every other week)
leg ext - 2 sets 8-10 reps
leg curls - 2 sets 8-10 reps
calves - 3 sets 6-10 reps OR try to get as many reps as possible in 4 minutes using a rest-pause technique

wed - off

thurs - shoulders and tris
db press 3 sets 4-6 reps
lateral raises 2 sets 4-6 reps
shrugs 3 sets 6-8 reps
skull crushers 2 sets 4-6 reps
overhead ext 2 sets 4-6 reps

friday - back
deadlifts 3 sets 4-6 reps (done every other week)
weighted pull ups 3 sets 4-6 reps
low rows 3 sets 4-6 reps

sat and sun - off

there are many other exercises i put in place of the ones i listed (i.e. pulldowns instead of pull ups, preacher curl instead of straight bar curls, etc.) but that's the general idea

 

[tommyboy]

Is that a picture of your for your icon?......... Yea bro jeez you dont do very many sets per body part? It must be that your going to failure though...... that makes muscle growth

just for reference, and because i don't feel like doing the work i have to do right now, here is my workout

mon - chest and bis (remember the order of exercises varies each week)
flat bench - 3 sets 4-6 reps (not counting warm ups you MUST warm up the muscle group during the first exercise)
incline bench - 3 sets 4-6 reps
some type of fly - 2 sets 4-6 reps
straight bar curls 2 sets 4-6 reps
incline alternating db curls 2 sets 4-6 reps

tues - legs
squats - 3 sets 10-12 reps (done every other week)
leg ext - 2 sets 8-10 reps
leg curls - 2 sets 8-10 reps
calves - 3 sets 6-10 reps OR try to get as many reps as possible in 4 minutes using a rest-pause technique

wed - off

thurs - shoulders and tris
db press 3 sets 4-6 reps
lateral raises 2 sets 4-6 reps
shrugs 3 sets 6-8 reps
skull crushers 2 sets 4-6 reps
overhead ext 2 sets 4-6 reps

friday - back
deadlifts 3 sets 4-6 reps (done every other week)
weighted pull ups 3 sets 4-6 reps
low rows 3 sets 4-6 reps

sat and sun - off

there are many other exercises i put in place of the ones i listed (i.e. pulldowns instead of pull ups, preacher curl instead of straight bar curls, etc.) but that's the general idea

 

[glenihan]

yeah that's me in the avatar and no i don't do many sets, but trust me if you are going as heavy as you can and going to failure each set, you CAN'T do more sets lol