what training to do for a 20 year old?

[andrewT]

I am 20, been lifting since I was 17, but only seriously into bodybuilding within the last year. I have done your typical high volume stuff in high school, and then last year started some of the basic Yates routines from his book which really helped me grow. I also learned to train with intensity and heart. I do not consider myself a newbie, but in years experience wise I am still an amateur compared to most of you guys. I am coming back from a long layoff due to back injury and want to fire up back to my solid weight of 200lbs from the 170 I have leaned down to.

DC says I am too young/inexperienced. Should I try Rippetoe or is that mainly for young teenagers? high volume I am not a very big fan of. Max-OT looks quite appealing as I have seen some natty guys gain GREAT size on it. All these good programs say "advanced" so how do I know when I can classify myself as someone who can step into that realm?

I want to gain size and stay lean/healthy, though my ultimate goal is to be a freak one day (whos isn't). What would you guys suggest? I don't want to waste time getting fat or shitty workouts. I am usually a hard and heavy guy but am quite weak for what I am worth.

Any advice? school me! I work hard and will do whatever it takes!

[andrewT]

any feedback?

[bigtavi8]

I know you have expierence and your trying to switch it up but i think your complicating things first off and secondly im not sure what question to attack. These workout plans are nice and put in a lot of techniques but im telling ya at 21 im only a year older than you and when i do the heavy basics mixed with 5 day-6 day routine with plenty of rest and food i grow like a weed. 20 pounds this offseason cleanly with the basics. So i wouldnt overthink training. keep it heavy, strict and intense and work the big 3. Bench, deads, squats. There ya have in my 2 cents but probobly not exactly what i or anyone wants to hear.

[andrewT]

I know you have expierence and your trying to switch it up but i think your complicating things first off and secondly im not sure what question to attack. These workout plans are nice and put in a lot of techniques but im telling ya at 21 im only a year older than you and when i do the heavy basics mixed with 5 day-6 day routine with plenty of rest and food i grow like a weed. 20 pounds this offseason cleanly with the basics. So i wouldnt overthink training. keep it heavy, strict and intense and work the big 3. Bench, deads, squats. There ya have in my 2 cents but probobly not exactly what i or anyone wants to hear.

I agree with you. I don't like to overthink stuff and enjoy keeping it simple.

what kind of split you run? what rep/set range you work in?

thanks for your help. If you have gained 20lbs of muscle your a f-in freak:shock

[bigtavi8]

Not a freak by any means. a wannabe freak with the desire and work effort of one. But back to the topic. I train mainly in the 6-8 rep range in the offseason on my working sets of the basics and 10-12 reps on fine movements such as delts, flyes, leg extensions. Usually hit 5-6 exercises with 3-4 sets at max and thats pushing it. Take every set and make it a complete challenge and high high intensity. Not heavy just concentrate on that muscle and invision the growth. the mind is a powerful thing. And remember all this training is excellent but without a boatload of lean meat and a lot of good carbs its as good as yoga.

[andrewT]

Not a freak by any means. a wannabe freak with the desire and work effort of one. But back to the topic. I train mainly in the 6-8 rep range in the offseason on my working sets of the basics and 10-12 reps on fine movements such as delts, flyes, leg extensions. Usually hit 5-6 exercises with 3-4 sets at max and thats pushing it. Take every set and make it a complete challenge and high high intensity. Not heavy just concentrate on that muscle and invision the growth. the mind is a powerful thing. And remember all this training is excellent but without a boatload of lean meat and a lot of good carbs its as good as yoga.

what kind of split? chest with tris? back with bis?

Thanks for the info! the affordable meat part is the hardest thing for me!

[tiramisu]

Darn, I read what training to do a twenty year old.

[andrewT]

I always hit the big 3 and always will just because I love doing them. I always do a nice long farmers walk with 50lbs in each hand for as long as I can till I feel like puking at the end of every workout. I do "endurance" light ab work everyday because of my back issue.

Any suggestions on a 5 day split? Anyone can chime in here?

chest- (incline bb press, flyes, decline press, finish off with pushups to failure)
legs- (squats front or back, leg press, ham curls, leg extensions, standing calf raises)
back-(yates rows, deads, lat pulldowns, low cable rows, pullups to failure)
arms-(bb curls, hammer curls, preachers, skullcrushers, cable pushdowns)
shoulders/forearms-(shrugs, lateral raises, front raises, military press)

too many exercises? should I add in heavy ab work? I usually do all these excercises for 3 sets of 10 should I try a different rep scheme?

after doing low volume/high intensity for so long I feel like if I do too many excercises/sets/reps that I am wasting muscle so thats why I like seeing what other people do, take some things here and there and apply it to meself.


btw Tavi what kind of 5/6 day split you following right now and rep schemes? I usually try to hit higher reps for legs like 10-12.

[Ritch]

I think low volume training is a great way to achive your goals. If your body is meant to grow this way, stick to it. Maybe you need more volume. When you find that out, spend the majority of your time training that way. I discovered it around 18 or so and it`s my favorite training method.

[riccosuabe]

i think while your young do all the compound exercises you can isolation exercises arnt really needed until that muscle matures so dont mess around with fancy cables or machines keep it basic,hell im 31 and have been lifting since 17 and still to this day im growing due to the fact i only use one or two(max) iso exercises per bodypart.i think about it like this,all the exercises that take the greatest effort yield the greatest gains!!i would stick in the 7 -10 rep range and dont overtrain!!!big muscle groups (back,legs and chest) you can get away with about five exercises but arms and delts keep it to about 3 exercises.i remember dorian used to say "once youve hit the nail straight in,you dont keep hitting it with the hammer do you?"hope you get the results your after my friend