Guest viewing limit reached
  • You have reached the maximum number of guest views allowed
  • Please register below to remove this limitation

Question about form vs weight

bigsteveo

New member
I have been working out for about 10 yrs off and on, but just recently became ready to hit it hard. In the past 3 wks I have made huge gains and am very happy with what I am doing. My split looks something like this:

Day 1: shoulders/bis/tris
Day 2: back/traps/neck/abs
Day 3: legs/forearms/abs
Day 4: chest/tris/abs

I have tris twice because of my infatuation with getting bigger arms. I usually do 3 sets of 10-12 and a fourth set to exhaustion for all exercises.

My question is a simple and probably stupid one, but I know the amount of experience in these rooms is awesome.

When I work a day 1, for instance, after one or two sets of shoulders, my arms are shot and it seems I can't lift S#@T. Should I continue with lower weights to where I can complete the 3-4 sets of 1-12 reps for each exercise, or am I doing something wrong.

I just feel I'm not accomplishing anything with using such low weight because I killed my shoulders, and now can't curl. Don't get me wrong the amount of weight I push doesn't bother me, I don't care if I'm using the 10lbs dbs to curl.

Any suggestions, ideas, or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

By the way, I'm 28 yrs old, 5'7 180lbs. Thanks
 
If you are training like you say you are... to get bigger arms... you are probably over-training them. You need to realize that they are relatively small muscles and don't need a TON of work. There are ways to train them multiple times a week, but recovery and whatnot has to be taken into consideration. how many sets are you doing for each exercise?

MB
 
What are your goals , what are you looking to do with your body whether it be gain weight , bulk , gain strength etc....
 
Firstly, drop the exhaustion set IMHO. Make a note to up your last set in weight or reps the NEXT time you lift. The exhaustion/burnout thing is a good shocker if you hit a plateau, but it looses its effectiveness if you do it all the time. How many exercises for each body part do you do?

MB
 
Here is my workout:

SHOULDERS 1 Upright Seated Dumbell Press
SHOULDERS 1 Side/Front Dumbell Raises
SHOULDERS 1 Upright Rows
SHOULDERS 1 Machine Press
BICEPS 1 Standing Barbell Curl
BICEPS 1 Curl Machine
BICEPS 1 Incline Dumbell Curls
BICEPS 1 Hammer Curls
TRICEPS 1 Overhead Extensions
TRICEPS 1 Bench Extensions
TRICEPS 1 Dips
BACK 2 Hyperextensions
BACK 2 Lat Pulldowns
BACK 2 Dumbell Bent Rows
BACK 2 Pullups
TRAPS 2 Trap Machine
TRAPS 2 Shrugs
NECK 2
ABS 2
LEGS 4 Squat
LEGS 4 Extension Machine
LEGS 4 Press
LEGS 4 Curl Machine
LEGS 4 Lunges
FOREARMS 4 Forearm Curls
ABS 4
CHEST 5 Chest Press
CHEST 5 Incline Dumbell
CHEST 5 Fly Machine
TRICEPS 5 Machine Press
TRICEPS 5 Close Grip Bench
TRICEPS 5 Dips
ABS 5

As for my goals: decrease fat, increase size. In the past 3 wks I've lost about 6-7 lbs of pure fat and have increased size and strength. So I think I'm on the right track just need a little guidance. Thanks again!!
 
When you say 1 is that 1 set, or is it 1 group of sets?

MB
 
The 1,2,4,5 are the days. All 1's are done on the same day, and each exercise is done 3 sets 10-12 with the 4th exhaustion (which I will eliminate per your advice).
 
I'd say overtraining, that is a LOT of sets and reps, especially if you are going for failure. I'm currently doing high reps, but I'm not going for failure since I'm re-habbing my tendons/joints/ligaments.

MB
 
i agree with ManBeast fully, it does appear you are overtraining your arms. Try dropping a few exercises or sets. Keep in mind when you work your back you hit your biceps, that means you are hitting your biceps two days consecutiviely meaning gains will be slowed. I would consolidate days perhaps and instead focus on moves such as pullups and chinups that work the biceps and back.
 
For a 4-day split I'd say something like this:
1) Chest/tris/abs
2) Back/bis/abs
3) Legs
4) Arms (shoulders, bis/tris, forearms)

notes:
-on days 1 and 2 focus on the chest and back and do say two tricep exercises and 1 bicep exercise.
-on day 4 do different exercises for the tris and bis, 2 for each.

MB
 
CURRENT AS OF: APRIL 2008


BODY PART DAY EXERCISE NAME
CHEST 1 Chest Press
CHEST 1 Incline Dumbell
CHEST 1 Fly Machine
TRICEPS 1 Machine Press
TRICEPS 1 Dips
ABS
BACK 2 Hyperextensions
BACK 2 Lat Pulldowns
BACK 2 Dumbell Bent Rows
BACK 2 Pullups
BICEPS 2 Curl Machine
BICEPS 2 Hammer Curls
ABS
LEGS 3 Squat
LEGS 3 Extension Machine
LEGS 3 Press
LEGS 3 Curl Machine
LEGS 3 Lunges
NECK
SHOULDERS 4 Upright Seated Dumbell Press
SHOULDERS 4 Side/Front Dumbell Raises
SHOULDERS 4 Upright Rows
SHOULDERS 4 Machine Press
SHOULDERS 4 Shrugs
BICEPS 4 Standing Barbell Curl
BICEPS 4 Incline Dumbell Curls
TRICEPS 4 Overhead Extensions
TRICEPS 4 Bench Extensions
FOREARMS

Does this look any better. Each exercise 3 sets 10 reps. I need to retrain my thinking that one or two exercises is enough. Thanks
 
That should work a lot better :) I also suggest not doing cardio with the leg workout, but there is another thread debating it somewhere on here :)

MB
 
It seems everyone else has been taking care of your program...

but my only suggestion is to drop all extra tricep exercises on your chest day. Bench press utilizes primarily 3 muscle groups.
Your pec, your triceps and your anterior delt. thoughtout the movement different muscles take the majority of the load. You shoulders can be less involved by pinching your shoulder blades back but your pec and triceps are still very involved. Especialy on heavy chest days, all of your triceps motor units will be recruited.

Adding more tricep excerises on this day along with your tricep day will forsure help that muscle reach an overtrained state. Your muscle will not grow. Strength may increase but your end result will be stress and anger.

For back, chest, tricep and bicep growth I recommend you look at the 200rep workout on T-nation.com. This workout will help you shock your muscle into new growth.

just 2 cents.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top