Author Topic: how many sets, reps, etc!?!  (Read 2896 times)

roastbeef1

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how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« on: November 30, 2008, 06:00:53 PM »
hey guys, I am new on here, and just want some of your expert advice.  I have been lifting now for the better part of 2 years, and have made some good progress, going from 140-185 lbs, gaining minimal fat along the way.  My question is, at this point in the game, how many days a week should I be hitting the gym, and when there how many body parts should I be hitting, and for how many sets, reps etc.  As it stands right now, I tend to hit chest 3 times a week, as it is my favorite part, doing 10-12 sets ending with a couple drop sets at the end.  I will usually couple this with another major body part, such as back, again doing another 10-12 sets with a couple burnout sets at the end.  To cap off the workout I will then do a few sets of another body part, like some light shoulder flies, or a few sets or hard pullups. I usually hit each body part, in this same fashion, with the exception of my favorite, chest, twice a week.  ANYWAY, sorry for the babble, but what I am getting at, is how would you guys suggest I spice up my training?  Am I hitting the gym too often, at 4-5 days a week, as well as how can I start to make progress again.  Again, I do go fairly often to the gym,but I just love it, and find it hard to not go.  I have also suffered minimal injuries in the last 2 years, which to me would signal that I am not necessarily overtraining, but again, being stuck in a plateau have be believing otherwise.  Please hit me back with any pointers! ;D 
Also, my sups are fairly minimal consisting of whey isolate, creatine monohydrate, and flax seed oil.

leonp1981

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2008, 06:57:27 PM »
I'd have to say first off, you're overtraining.  Chest 3 x a week is too much.  You seem to have made good gains though, so maybe the higher volume works for your body? 

If your gains have hit a plateau, the first thing to do would be to re-organise your schedule.  Reduce the volume, training each bodypart once a week, or maybe three times in 14 days?  There are a hundred different ways to organise your training, so have a look around.  A good place to start could be a 3 day split of good old Push/Pull/Legs, or a 4 day split of Chest+Bi's/Back/Shoulders+Tris's/Legs. 

It's really up to you to choose how you want to approach it, but I'd definately cut back on the number of workouts you're doing.  Why not go buy a couple of magazines and have a look at the options in there?

roastbeef1

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2008, 07:13:13 PM »
sweet man, thx for the tips.  What is the deal with the push pull legs plan, do you do one of each in each workout, or a split of somekind or what?  Thx!

leonp1981

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2008, 07:23:34 PM »
sweet man, thx for the tips.  What is the deal with the push pull legs plan, do you do one of each in each workout, or a split of somekind or what?  Thx!

It's a 3 day split:-

Day 1 - Push - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps.
Day 2 - Pull - Back, Biceps.
Day 3 - Legs - Quads, Hams, Calves.

You could do all 3 in a row, then take a day off and repeat, or leave a day inbetween each, whatever you feel like.  Don't go overboard with the number of sets, e.g. 10-12 chest, 6-9 shoulders, 3-6 tri's.  You'd wanna stick to compounds, 8-12 rep range.

Again though, this is just an option, you know your body better than me, so you need to see what you like and, more importantly, what you enjoy.  The best routine in the world is worthless if you don't enjoy doing it.

Mr. big

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2008, 05:37:52 PM »
It's a 3 day split:-

Day 1 - Push - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps.
Day 2 - Pull - Back, Biceps.
Day 3 - Legs - Quads, Hams, Calves.

You could do all 3 in a row, then take a day off and repeat, or leave a day inbetween each, whatever you feel like.  Don't go overboard with the number of sets, e.g. 10-12 chest, 6-9 shoulders, 3-6 tri's.  You'd wanna stick to compounds, 8-12 rep range.

Again though, this is just an option, you know your body better than me, so you need to see what you like and, more importantly, what you enjoy.  The best routine in the world is worthless if you don't enjoy doing it.

Man i want advice:
what do you think of this routine im doing this type:
MWF
Day 1 Chest, Shoulder, Tris
Day 2 Back, Bis, legs
Day 3  Chest, Shoulder, Tris  .....and start all over again...i called it i hit today what i didnt hit yesterday...what do yah think of this...
+

leonp1981

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2008, 05:47:36 PM »
Man i want advice:
what do you think of this routine im doing this type:
MWF
Day 1 Chest, Shoulder, Tris
Day 2 Back, Bis, legs
Day 3  Chest, Shoulder, Tris  .....and start all over again...i called it i hit today what i didnt hit yesterday...what do yah think of this...

That's pretty much a push/pull split.  Can work well, again as long as you focus on heavy basic movements and don't go overboard with the volume.  I've done something similar, but I usually make into 3 days, splitting up legs and back.  I like both squats and deads, but you can't go all out on both in the same workout.

Mr. big

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2008, 06:00:53 PM »
That's pretty much a push/pull split.  Can work well, again as long as you focus on heavy basic movements and don't go overboard with the volume.  I've done something similar, but I usually make into 3 days, splitting up legs and back.  I like both squats and deads, but you can't go all out on both in the same workout.

Tnx for the advice man...am i not overtrained with this type. when im hitting deads i am also hitting my lower back and upper legs..
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leonp1981

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2008, 06:08:36 PM »
Tnx for the advice man...am i not overtrained with this type. when im hitting deads i am also hitting my lower back and upper legs..

You'd be doing deads on 'pull' day with the push/pull/legs routine, but I'd start the week with legs, then push, then pull, so you've got a few days between squats and deads.  I don't find that deads work my quads very heavily, but my hams are always sore.  So on leg day I leave ham training til the end, concentrating on my quads first.  I don't think this would be overtraining.

The problem is that when you condense your whole body into a couple of workouts, you're going to get things that overlap.  The argument could be made that dead's will work your traps quite heavily, then they'll be hit again when you do seated barbell presses during your push workout. 

It's always going to be about finding what you like, and what works.  If, after a few weeks, you feel like it's not right, then switch it up again.

ozman

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2008, 09:57:24 PM »
You'd be doing deads on 'pull' day with the push/pull/legs routine, but I'd start the week with legs, then push, then pull, so you've got a few days between squats and deads.  I don't find that deads work my quads very heavily, but my hams are always sore.  So on leg day I leave ham training til the end, concentrating on my quads first.  I don't think this would be overtraining.

The problem is that when you condense your whole body into a couple of workouts, you're going to get things that overlap.  The argument could be made that dead's will work your traps quite heavily, then they'll be hit again when you do seated barbell presses during your push workout. 

It's always going to be about finding what you like, and what works.  If, after a few weeks, you feel like it's not right, then switch it up again.

nice avatar

leonp1981

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Re: how many sets, reps, etc!?!
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2008, 09:15:45 AM »