Reps per Sets, bulking cycle vs cutting

[Iron_Clad]

So I'm finally getting back into the gym, and I want to take it seriously.

I'de like to know as much as I can on the bulking and cutting cycles of workouts. I used to go to the gym, but I always just lifted and never truly studied the "art" of perfecting your workout for max gains/bulk, and the cycle of a cutting phase.

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'de be most grateful...though I do have a few questions.

I've been working out to get a greater idea of where I'm at in weight for reps so I can get on a program to keep a journal and have a greater idea of my ability now vs what I'll set as my goal(s). I'll be going to the gym 3 days a week strictly for lifting, as I've read that cardio should be limited on a bulking phase...W-O #1 is legs, rear, and torso, W-O #2 is chest and triceps, W-O #3 is Back and Biceps. I've added a slight shoulder workout during the back day, but I don't want to over stress those muscles and set myself back.

My first question is how many reps should I be doing per sets, and how many sets should I be doing for the bulk. I'm focusing on the power lifts of Squats, Press, and D-Lifts of course, and building my workout to compliment those three.

I'll be focusing alot of time with barbells in the first month, and slowly work in more dumbbells as I go into the 2nd(december), and I figured that alot of Cable work would be great for cutting, but I don't know when I should start that phase...

So my next question is how long does each phase last? How do the workouts differ? Is it just lighter weight and high reps during cutting?


If someone could point me to a solid direction, give me an idea of what kind of reps/sets I should be looking for within both phases, I'de be forever grateful. A website would help, but I find it hard to get a real basic answer...nothing seems to be clear cut.

Thanks in advance AM's

 

[jumpshot903]

A lot of your sucess in devloping a good workout routine is trial and error finding out what works best for you because everyone reacts different to certain programs and rep schemes, that being said there are some tips i can give to point you in right direction.

For bulking normally i sit in the 3-8 rep range this yields a good amount of strength and mass albeit as long as you eat a lot 5x5 is one of my favorite routines i read in an article to remember the 25 rule, 25 reps of a certain movement is all you need so something like a 5x5 or 6x4 or 8x3 or whatever it is that works for you limit it to 25 reps especially the compound lifts because when you get into the 10-15 rep range and 30-40 reps total you start working more cardio.

Ultimately the key to success is adaption, adapt to what your body is telling you and how you react to something also variety is key doing the same thing day in and day out week in and week out won't yield the same results as someone who continuely alters their routine to fit there needs muscles adapt to load put on them thats when muscle is build via hyperthrophy if you put an excess load on a muscle that its not used to it will adapt to that load so continually put loads on that your muscles are not used to and they will adapt.

 

[superman5039]

I'm new to this site. I'm 50 years old and have been working out for about 28 years. I'm 6'2 225 with BF @ 13%. I use to hit the gym 2 on 1 off for years. When I was younger my recovery time was awesome. As I've gotten older my recovery time has slowed down greatly. About 2 years ago while in Iraq, I came upon a routine called STC (static contraction training), by Pete Sysco. I really wish I would of known about this routine back in my 20s. Basically, it's a lift and hold at the peak of the lift. The goal of the routine is to increase every lift by 5%-10% per workout. The main theme of this routine is the length you don't have to spend in the gym. A 5 body part workout usually takes only 30 minutes. It takes longer to load the weights. The most important part of this routine is rest inbetween workouts. When I first started this rountine I would take 3 days off then hit the weights with adding 5%-10% more weight. As I started to creep up in the poundage (2000 lb stc leg press, 500 lb stc bench, 600 lb stc deadlift) all at 48 years old I had to increase the time off to acheive a higher poundage lift the next time at the gym. Depending on my work schedule, if I had to hump 60lbs of gear in Iraq for 10 hrs a day I had to go almost 10 days inbetween workouts. On average I'd workout every 5 days. I would do this routine 10 weeks on. Then I would do 5 weeks of rep sets. For example, full range of motion 5 x5 of bench etc.. every 4 days, two major body parts per lift days. Let me tell u this. All of my rep sets increased at least 30%. My bench went from 250 for 5 x5 to 325 5 x5. I never tried to max out the reps, as more reps with more weight really stresses my tendons and joints. My leg press went from 600 lbs to 1100 5 x 5. In those 2 years I added 25lbs of solid muscle and my frame has transformed. I'm not a hulk or I can't compete with the pro body builders, but I'm thick and lean. Or I was. I was injured in Iraq and I am now home waiting on surgery. I can't workout like I was before but as soon as my injuries heal I will be back in the gym doing the STC training alongwith the 5 x 5 rountines to see where I go. My goal is to add 25lbs more of solid muscle and look lean. I want to get up to a 3000lb stc leg press, 600 lb stc bench. I'm going to try and get up to 405lbs on my full range of motion benches 5 x 5. I can't go too much higher with dead lifts as I've had surgery on my back when I was 40. I also want to get to 2000 lb 5 x 5 leg presses too. If this routine interests you google stc or Pete Sysco.

To get lean I work out first then do my cardio. My reasoning behind this is that it takes at least 15 minutes of cardio to kick in the fat burning process. The first 15 minutes is a waste of time imo. Or at least for me. When I hit the cardio it isn't 30 minutes at an average pace. It's HIIT training. I warm up then I go all out for 10-15 seconds, then I back down for 10-15 seconds then I go full out again. I do up to 20 sets of HIIT. Every now and then I'll do a 3-4 mile run at an average pace. Well when I get healthy again.