Mass building program - First thread post!!

[superfit86]

Hey everyone,

I've been training for 2 years now and I've been hanging around this forum, reading all the articles, tips and logs for the past year. I've learned alot and adjusted the way I train dramatically.

My goal is to gain mass and strength, I've been very strict in the past with diet, exercise and rest and went from 159 - 178. I'd like your opinions on this routine I made, this is my first semi-full body. Here's what I do...

Current status
178lbs, 12-14% bf, 5'11

Routine

Monday

Seated curls 3x8
Hang Clean 4X5
DB Shrug 3X12
Pulldown 3X8
Deadlift 4x5
Decline press 3x8

Wednesday

Chin-ups 3x8
Squats 4x5
Ab leg raises 3x10
Farmers walk - 40m/lap x4
Oblique extensions 3x8
SLDL 4x5

Friday

Shoulder press 3x8
Incline press 4x5
DB lunges 3x8
Tricep Bench 3x8
DB flys 4x5
Dips 3x8

My diet consists of 2500 cals +, 5 - 6 meals a day. I eat clean, chicken breast, yams, oatmeal, LOTS of veggies, tuna, brown rice, egg whites, nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanut butter), fruits, cottage cheese, protein powder and skim milk. I try to eat and weigh myself so I gain about a pound a week.

Comments and suggestions will be much appreciated!! Thanks so much guys

Superfit

[tiramisu]

eat more :)

[Shortdave]

eat more :)

x10

[MMASTAR]

evryone always says to eat more but if your gaining a pound a week and not doing cardio/only lifting 3 times a week i would say stay where you are, 2500 sounds good to me. You dont have to get fat to put on muscle. Go ahead all.. tell him im wrong..lol

[tiramisu]

A pound a week sounds good. 500 calories over maintenance every day and then add another 500 when you stop growing got me about 30 pounds in the first year of training. I'm still guessing that he'll need closer to 3k to start.

Obscene eating will put meat on though. Sumos world wide have proven this.

[superfit86]

Thanks a lot guys.

Yeah i used to be fat so Im laying off calories when I can. I dont think you can gain more then 1 lb/wk naturally. What about you guys, what gives you the best results in gaining size/mass fastest? (workout/eating wise)

[Mr Ontario]

Welcome....Tall guy you are :)

[MMASTAR]

just remember to eat your carbs pre and post workout...

[petem]

If your going to only train three days, I would break it down into,

day 1 - horizontal movements
day 2 - lower body - one week hip dominant, next week knee dominant
day 3 - vertical movemments.

I would focus on only large multi joint type movements, wouldn't bother with curls and shrugs. Change you deadlift grip to a wide snatch grip and your traps will get plenty of work. Use over head pressing from a standing position vs seated.

I would also suggest that you acutally take the time to write out and calculate your calorie intake as most will under estimate how much they are eating.

[superfit86]

Thanks petem for the input

I probably require about 2800 - 3200 cals a day to gain a pound+ per week. I know my body really well in terms of how much I can eat to produce this result. After these two weeks I've upped by clean calories to be about 3200 now (6 meals 500+ cals each) to accomodate that

Ive replaced the curls with chin-ups as I think thats probably a better full-body workout

I'll eliminate the shrugs and instead widen my deadlifts grip. But what would you suggest I replace that work out with to maximize that day?

thanks man

[petem]

But what would you suggest I replace that work out with to maximize that day?

thanks man

I don't understand what your asking here?

[superfit86]

Oh what I meant is, I'm removing the curls from my workout, so what exercise should I substitute in for that missing exercise

[petem]

i thought that you said your replacing the curls with chins?

[superfit86]

Never mind miscommunication, but thanks Petem

Actually the workout is going well so far, Ive been steadily increasing my lifts by 5-10lbs over a 3 week period. But there is a problem....

Im finding on the Chest/upper body day Im over working my shoulders, or my chest. So I noticed if I really push myself on the military press, then I cant push my self as hard on the incline bench or my tricep bench press.

But if I over work my chest then I cant push myself on the latter. So do you guys have any suggestions on how I can move these exercises around so I dont compromise the exercises I have but still maintain the type and intensity?

[tiramisu]

A couple of things for you to look at:
1) the starting strength program
2) doggcrapp template

both offer a 3 day a week program designed primarily for strength and mass.
If you give both of these programs a little study you'll have most of the answers you need to modify your own program if you don't find either compelling.

[superfit86]

Thanks man


The doggcrapp work out program certainly has its merits and it looks very promising, its sorta similar to what Im doing now but not really. I also never knew about Rest Pausing. I think it would be a great way to gain strength/size and I'll either incorporate that into my current program somehow or do it the next time I start a 12wk program again.