Advice on my routine - cannot gain muslce!

J

johnnyg2008

0
Hi...

Ok i'm having trouble gaining weight so i'm gonna lay all the information out here for some help:

Height: 5ft 7' (170cm)
Weight: 123.2 pounds (56kg)
Age: 19
Sex: Male
Bicep - 10.5 inches, Waist - 28.7 inches, Legs (quad part) - 17.5 inches (tiny legs i know!)
I don't think i'm one of those ectomorphs because i'm not very tall and i do have some build in my shoulders and chest

After working out the muscles seem to stay pumped up or bigger for a cuple of days but as soon as i stop for 3-4 days i look like i did 4 months ago when i started... Here is my routine which is not exactly what i've been doing for the last 3-4 months but is my current one and similar:

After day 3 i go straight back to day 1 again
-----------------
DAY ONE
Chest Press - 3 set x 12 Rep - Don't have bench so done on floor
Chest Flies - 3 set x 8-12 Rep with increasing weight each set - done on floor
(after each chest set i do 5 or so pushups)

Seated Shoulder Press - 4x8-12 Rep
Lateral Raises - 3 x 8-12rep
Front Raises - 2 x 8 - apparently this also works chest so only 2 sets
Upright Dumbell Rows - 3 x 8-12reps
Shrugs - 3x15reps - even with all my weights these are easy so do 15 reps
----------------
DAY TWO
Seated Bicep Curls - 3 x 8-12reps - last set sometimes a 'drop set'
Standing Bicep Curl - 3 x 8-12reps
21's - 1 set of 21's

Squats - 3 x 12 reps with dumbells in hand
Lunges - 3 x 12 reps with dumbells in hand

Not sure of name but those single rows for back - 2 sets of 12 on each side
-----------------------
DAY THREE
Skull Crushers with dumbells - 3x8-12reps - each set followed by 10 tricep (elbows by sides, hands close) pushups
Close Dumbell Presses with elbows by side - 3 x 8-12 reps
Tricep Dips - 3 sets of 20 odd

Weighted Crunches - 3 sets of 15-20
---------------------------
the ab, leg and back exercises have only been in there for 1-2 weeks.

the upright rowing and lateral raises HURT my shoulders, i can feel pain in the tendons when doing the upright row and would like to know if there is a replacement exercise or a way of ditching these exercises altogether?

Now maybe i'm doing too many exercises and sets? not enough compound movements? or maybe i have put the wrong exercises on days together but i haven't really made any muscle gains, maybe a tiny bit but i expected a bit more gain after 3-4 months of this.

I can definitely lift more than when i started though in all the exercises.

there are a lot of questions here but thanks in advance!
 
Ok i'm having trouble gaining weight so i'm gonna lay all the information out here for some help:
Click to expand...

For one, your routine is horrible. Stick to the stickies and look up compound lifts.
second, to gain weight you need to check your diet.
If you aren't gaining, raise your calorie intake by 300-500
 
philsaigon said:
Right, how much are you eating?
Click to expand...

Porbably not enough... eggs, lots of bagels, lots of cheese, fruits, lots of almonds and cashews, bit of chocolate usually, milk, vegetables, dinner usually has meat with it and rice or lots of potatoes, sometimes pasta. If i'm out i usually get a toasted chicken sandwich. I only drink water.

That isn't me trying to eat specifically to gain weight, been eating like that all my life but just trying to eat more of it now.

Anyway i mainly wanted some advice on the weightlifting and some specific modification advice on my routine.
 
johnnyg2008 said:
Porbably not enough... eggs, lots of bagels, lots of cheese, fruits, lots of almonds and cashews, bit of chocolate usually, milk, vegetables, dinner usually has meat with it and rice or lots of potatoes, sometimes pasta. If i'm out i usually get a toasted chicken sandwich. I only drink water.

That isn't me trying to eat specifically to gain weight, been eating like that all my life but just trying to eat more of it now.

Anyway i mainly wanted some advice on the weightlifting and some specific modification advice on my routine.
Click to expand...

Your routine sucks. What sucks worse is you've been doing it for 4 months

Do a Full body workout 3x a week

A
squat
row
bench
lunge

B
Deadlift
Good morning
pullup
military press

You can also add in Chin ups/ Pull ups and/or a couple isolational exercises.

workout 3 times a week, and alternate workouts A and B. dont do workout A or B twice in a row
 
And curious, since you don't have a bench press, how are you doing them on a floor with a bar, unless your doing them with dumbells??
 
Phate89 said:
Your routine sucks. What sucks worse is you've been doing it for 4 months

Do a Full body workout 3x a week

A
squat
row
bench
lunge

B
Deadlift
Good morning
pullup
military press

You can also add in Chin ups/ Pull ups and/or a couple isolational exercises.

workout 3 times a week, and alternate workouts A and B. dont do workout A or B twice in a row
Click to expand...

Porblem is... i only have dumbells... i do have more than enough weight though... so is there any replacements for the exercises using barbells/machines?

Also just curious... what exactly is wrong with my routine? why don't the isolation exercises work?
 
johnnyg2008 said:
Porblem is... i only have dumbells... i do have more than enough weight though... so is there any replacements for the exercises using barbells/machines?

Also just curious... what exactly is wrong with my routine? why don't the isolation exercises work?
Click to expand...

Hmm, i'm sure you can try doing though exercises with squats, not sure if its going to be as optimal. is there any chance of you being able to buy one of those ez curl bars or something? I think it would be cheap, let me look it up.
 
Phate89 said:
Well damn, an ez bar alone is almost 50 bucks which would be too much even for me. But you could always try craigslist or ebay, they have good deals. Though I would wait for the input of others and see what they have to say

Actually, I remember a member on this forum talking about a full body workout with only Dumbells, let me see if i can find it

EDIT: Here you go, found this posted by another member as to doing a fbw with dumbells.
Click to expand...

Ok thanks... maybe they are cheaper in my country i'll check it out

That routine contains things like bicep curl? but no chest pressing
haha ah i'm slightly confused now.. for example my tricep routine really works the triceps for me well yet they dont seem to grow very much, i just don't get why it doesnt work but why a squat and bench press will make my triceps grow for example.
 
johnnyg2008 said:
Ok thanks... maybe they are cheaper in my country i'll check it out

That routine contains things like bicep curl? but no chest pressing
haha ah i'm slightly confused now.. for example my tricep routine really works the triceps for me well yet they dont seem to grow very much, i just don't get why it doesnt work but why a squat and bench press will make my triceps grow for example.
Click to expand...

To make your muscles grow you need to not eat more, but stimulate your entire body. Doing compounds lifts like squats get your growth hormones going, as for the dumbell FBW i'd wait for someone with better advice because i'm not experienced with that. Your not going to get massive triceps doing skull crushers alone

Read the stickies

TESTOSTERONE NATION - Training for Newbies, Part 1
TESTOSTERONE NATION - Training for Newbies, Part 2
 
Phate89 said:
To make your muscles grow you need to not eat more, but stimulate your entire body. Doing compounds lifts like squats get your growth hormones going, as for the dumbell FBW i'd wait for someone with better advice because i'm not experienced with that. Your not going to get massive triceps doing skull crushers alone

Read the stickies

TESTOSTERONE NATION - Training for Newbies, Part 1
TESTOSTERONE NATION - Training for Newbies, Part 2
Click to expand...

That site promotes the use of both compound and isolation exerices which is what i've been doing? sorry i'm just confused about what exercises i need to ditch and which i need to add in and how i need to change the frequency of my workouts.
 
Add in a deadlift and Military press, sorry just at a first glance it seemed like your routine was composed mainly of isolationals
 
12 out of 17 of your exercises are isolation. Not that isolation is bad, because if you cant lift heavy in your compounds, isolation may be the way to go to get those numbers up. However Im not talking about arm work.

Take a look at your bicep, now take a look at your hamstring. Then look at your back. Which muscles are larger?

...
...
The hamstring and back correct. To gain any type of size, you need to stimulate the largest muscles of your body. Glutes, quads, hammies, pecs, and back. Figure out how to work those muscles first, the arm growth will follow.

You need to eat to gain size. You wont go anywhere in the weight gain department not eating enough. I lift heavy no matter the goal, losing or gaining. Weight training is not a miracle activity that just adds muscle, as you've witnessed.

Finally how are you limited by dumbells? I dont see any limitations when you have a pair of adjustable dumbells.
 
tonymcclellan said:
Oh and ditch those exercises that are causing you pain.
Click to expand...


Ye.. already gone

Um dumbells are limiting only because a dumbbell squat and dumbell chest press don't seem as effective as with a barbell.

Anyway ye... so as you said most of the exercises are isolation... so i've added in a deadlift and ditched the upright rows.

So should i actually ditch some of the isolation exercises or just carry on how i am + deadlifts and fix up the diet?
 
Hey Man It sounds like you need to change a lot of things that you are doing!
First depending on your size you need to increase your calorie intake to about 3000-3500per day.
Second you need to eat five times a day-it sounds crazy, but it works- Eat a good breakfast,have a snack or shake at about 10am,eat a healthy lunch, have another snack or shake around 2pm, then eat a hearty but healthy dinner. This causes your metabolism to work efficeintly.
Third your work outs need to be spaced out- have a break day Work outday then break day then work out day ....... On your break out day make that your cardio day situps, jump rope, jumping jacks, running.
Fourth when you work out you need to work muscles that work against each other(in the same work out) Meaning if you are going to work your chest you need to work you back on that same day. Then on your arm day work out your bys then trys then shoulders then forearms. Then you work your entire legs on the next work out.
You can even do chest/back 1st day, BREAK DAY, Legs, BREAK DAY, Arms shoulders. And remember on Your break days to always work your stomach or you can work you abs on chest/back day too. (ALWAYS remeber work muscles that work against each other) THis will bring you satisfying results!!!!!!!!!
Please let me know how this works for you.
 
Here is my new routine... ALL the exercises are performed with increasing weight for each set... usuall 12 reps for set 1 then 10 for set 2 with more weight and 8 for set 3 with even more weight.

Day 1 - Shoulders
Shoulder Press 3 x 8-12
Lateral Raises 3 x 8-12
Front Raises 3 x 8-12
Shrugs 3 x 8-12


Day 2 - Bicep, Legs, Abs
Standing Bicep Curls 3 x 8-12

Squats 3 x 8-12
Lunges 3 x 8-12

Weighted Crunches 3x10-15


Day 3 - Chest, Back, Tricep
Dumbbell Chest Press 4 x 8-12
Chest Flies 3 x 8-12

Close Dumbbell Presses 3 x 8-12

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows 3 x 8-12

+ A whole lot of pushups, close pushups and triceps dips with a chair

Day 4
Weighted Crunches + other abs stuff

After day 4 its back to day 1


A few questions:
1. i got rid of the skull crushers... am i still doing enough tricep work?
2. is this an optimal routine to build lots of mass fast if i have correct diet? If not then what needs changing?
 
I think Tony & Phate have already given great advice to you.

Looking at the routine right now - there is still not enough leg work, still not enough full body compound movements (squats, deadlifts, lunges, cleans, etc.). You build strength & muscle from these exercises. Period. I'm not sure why you seem focused on doing body part splits. You seem like an ideal person for FBWs.

There are variations of each of these that can be done with dumbbells. It might not seem as "good" as doing bar work to you, but in some ways, it is actually better. There is a reason that we can't lift as much using DBs as we can using the bar - it's because the DBs present your body with a different kind of challenge.

This is a great site for finding lots of variations for each type of movement (bar, db, cable, bodyweight, etc.):

Weight Training, Exercise Instruction & Kinesiology

Good luck!
 
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