How to bulk up?

[itsnevereasy]

Guys, firstly well done to those making progress, it's hard work but the feeling you get when you see the results is worth it.

Right I'm after some advice, recently I have increased my time in the gym (3/4 days a week), re-arranged my training plans to split body parts and it has been going well. Eatting a lot more and putting on weight. However I feel like in the last few weeks I have hit a wall. Weight hasn't moved for 3 weeks, and just feel like I am not progressing.

Anyone got any training plans that could push me past this point I currently find myself in? In regards to diet I am eatting 4/5 times a day.

 

[didactic]

Guys, firstly well done to those making progress, it's hard work but the feeling you get when you see the results is worth it.

Right I'm after some advice, recently I have increased my time in the gym (3/4 days a week), re-arranged my training plans to split body parts and it has been going well. Eatting a lot more and putting on weight. However I feel like in the last few weeks I have hit a wall. Weight hasn't moved for 3 weeks, and just feel like I am not progressing.

Anyone got any training plans that could push me past this point I currently find myself in? In regards to diet I am eatting 4/5 times a day.

Are you doing the exact same thing week in week out or do you adjust your routines. So even though you are working the same muscles change what you actually do. Also how many core movements do you have in your training?. That includes posterior core, pull ups and general strengthening ones like squats and dead lifts?.

Its always good to switch routines I do every week so on my back day I do deadlifts one week with the bar next week with just the dumbbells. Sometimes Ill do the row machine others I will use the bar for my row. I always try and trick my body so when it gets comfortable I hit it with something different.

-- Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:36 am --

my food intake has increased by about 75% since i started training 3 weeks ago.
i thought id get bored of forever being in the kitchen and planning out my next days meals but im really enjoying the whole lot. enjoy training, enjoy the pain,enjoy eating, enjoy cooking and most of all im enjoying looking healthier all round.
hope others are enjoying it as much as me.

Well done I have just polished off a salad made from 1/4 chicken, lettuce, a packet of cherry tomatoes and olive oil and its only 10:30.

-- Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:38 am --

my food intake has increased by about 75% since i started training 3 weeks ago.
i thought id get bored of forever being in the kitchen and planning out my next days meals but im really enjoying the whole lot. enjoy training, enjoy the pain,enjoy eating, enjoy cooking and most of all im enjoying looking healthier all round.
hope others are enjoying it as much as me.

Envy you!

The eating is where I let myself down, I juts can't eat as much as I need to. Looking at a liquid source of gaining weight without ridiculous amounts of sugar.

Eat hard, train hard, sleep hard. No ways round it if you want positive results. Find foods you enjoy and plan your whole weeks meals in advance makes it so much easier. Dont see it as a chore, just do it enough times till its automatic. Your body will even start becoming hungry at certain times.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Well done to you too FI, glad it's still going well pal.

Cheers Harry,3rd week/session,both squats and deads going in the right direction - and it's making me hungrier in both senses of the word......

 

[Dirty Harry]

Well done to you too FI, glad it's still going well pal.

Cheers Harry,3rd week/session,both squats and deads going in the right direction - and it's making me hungrier in both senses of the word......

Excellent stuff mate, think I'm heading in the opposite direction atm lol, falling into the same old trap of hammering it all the time 5 days a week, we're our own worst enemy sometimes aren't we so time to take some of my own advice I think.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Excellent stuff mate, think I'm heading in the opposite direction atm lol, falling into the same old trap of hammering it all the time 5 days a week, we're our own worst enemy sometimes aren't we so time to take some of my own advice I think.

I know exactly where you're coming from..... Less is more i tell people,and, more often than not,it is.... However,once the bug bites,how difficult is it to stay away?? Its an addiction without a doubt.

Definitely limit yourself to at most 4 days lifting,maybe even one of them just bodyweight/stretching,because,i know i'm teaching you to suck eggs but for every other 'newbie',you'll just experience burn out and progress will not be made.

3 days is ideal imo,and that's what i'm aiming for.

 

[Dirty Harry]

Excellent stuff mate, think I'm heading in the opposite direction atm lol, falling into the same old trap of hammering it all the time 5 days a week, we're our own worst enemy sometimes aren't we so time to take some of my own advice I think.

I know exactly where you're coming from..... Less is more i tell people,and, more often than not,it is.... However,once the bug bites,how difficult is it to stay away?? Its an addiction without a doubt.

Definitely limit yourself to at most 4 days lifting,maybe even one of them just bodyweight/stretching,because,i know i'm teaching you to suck eggs but for every other 'newbie',you'll just experience burn out and progress will not be made.

3 days is ideal imo,and that's what i'm aiming for.

Agreed FI, lifting is just three days though mate and quite a simple routine, although probably pushing that a little too hard in truth effort-wise, but it's the ten sessions of cardio AM (50 mins) and pwo PM (20 mins weight days, 40 mins non-weight days) on a bigger than usual calorie deficit that are the problem I think lol, maybe (well definitely) too much too soon after such a long lay-off, time to reign some of that in I think.

 

[GStar]

I'm adding some arm work into my routine, they've always been stubborn and the SS workout doesn't really stimulate them as much as i'd like.

Also angered the very bottom of my back squatting last week, swapped squats for legs extension on Friday to give it a bit of a rest feels fine now so i'll go back to it on Monday.

Legs have progressed the most over the last few weeks, barbell rows do nothing for me either, no idea why, so i've swapped them out for dumbell rows.

I've also pussied out of doing any power cleans so far... might give them a go this week, will have to read up on correct form.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

I'm adding some arm work into my routine, they've always been stubborn and the SS workout doesn't really stimulate them as much as i'd like.

Also angered the very bottom of my back squatting last week, swapped squats for legs extension on Friday to give it a bit of a rest feels fine now so i'll go back to it on Monday.

Legs have progressed the most over the last few weeks, barbell rows do nothing for me either, no idea why, so i've swapped them out for dumbell rows.

I've also pussied out of doing any power cleans so far... might give them a go this week, will have to read up on correct form.

So much innuendo in that post I can't even begin to start sniggering.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Agreed FI, lifting is just three days though mate and quite a simple routine, although probably pushing that a little too hard in truth effort-wise, but it's the ten sessions of cardio AM (50 mins) and pwo PM (20 mins weight days, 40 mins non-weight days) on a bigger than usual calorie deficit that are the problem I think lol, maybe (well definitely) too much too soon after such a long lay-off, time to reign some of that in I think.

Ha ha,and i thought i was mad ya nutter!!

Take it easy mate,ya know it makes sense......

 

[Dirty Harry]

FI, the voice of reason and sanity ;-) will do mate.

I'm adding some arm work into my routine, they've always been stubborn and the SS workout doesn't really stimulate them as much as i'd like.
Also angered the very bottom of my back squatting last week, swapped squats for legs extension on Friday to give it a bit of a rest feels fine now so i'll go back to it on Monday.

Legs have progressed the most over the last few weeks, barbell rows do nothing for me either, no idea why, so i've swapped them out for dumbell rows.

I've also pussied out of doing any power cleans so far... might give them a go this week, will have to read up on correct form.

Gstar I could have wrote the bits in bold myself lol, the SS should be enough for most to work arms (you may find it with the lateral head of the deltoid too), alas :-S I'm very much like you in that respect aswell, I've found a set or two of isolation exercises like bench dips (or between two sturdy chairs and feet up) and single arm dumbbell preacher curls thrown in at the end can really make a difference.

Again, the barbell rows, although it be will be doing something, it's hard to get up for an exercise when you don't feel it hitting the spot much (we'll call it that 'mind-muscle' connection for want of a better phrase), you could persevere and hope it all falls into place or try these options which I've personally found more productive :-
T-bar rows, if no T-bar and the gym allows (the beauty of home training I suppose) load one side of a barbell and wedge the other in a corner, get an old pot-towel or rope and wrap around the weighted end similar to this <a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68Q6tNFzLj0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68Q6tNFzLj0</a> or

Barbell bench rows similar to this <a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvRuHZ0JAxI&feature=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvRuHZ0J ... re=related</a>

The above also helps eliminate much of the lower back stress some find on barbell rowing which may help.

Power cleans, if you're lucky enough to live near Adlington (Lancashire) then I'd recommend a call in at the 'Adlington Barbell Club' and get some pointers there (in particular a lad called Andy Littler, or 'Little a') they have a few vids knocking about on the net. Failing that maybe FI's gym still do some Olympic sessions ?