Workout Advice Please :)

[DoubleTapThat]

Hi, I'll start by giving a bit of background info about my workout and then list the main problems I have.

So, I'm George. I'm 17, I weigh 70kg or 154lbs, and i'm 5'8 tall. I currently work out twice a week for 2 hours per session. I take Maximuscle Cyclone after my workouts (I cannot afford to take it every day, as they reccomend). My muscles are a reasonable size and I try to work all groups (i.e. Legs, Arms, Chest, Abs and Back, rather than just trying to train arms etc). I eat a healthy diet and walk 3 miles every day.

With that out of the way, I'll start to explain the reason behind this post.

Firstly, It's now got to the point where I find it hard to put on mass with my biceps. When I first started training, I saw awesome improvements for the first few months. Then the work I was doing just started to maintain the muscle, rather than building more mass. (From what I read I believe this is called a plateau?). My question is, how can I overcome this plateau and start gaining mass again? I'm currently doing Hammer Curls, Standard Curls, Incline Curls with the dumbbells and standard curls with a barbell (dumbbells are 10kg, barbell is around 15 - 20kg) rougly 2 sets of 10 of each.

Secondly, I'm also finding it hard to build shoulder muscle. Its got to the point where my arms are significantly larger than my shoulders and it looks a bit odd now, so I need to build them up. Any suggestions on shoulder building excercises would be appreciated (I currently do front raises, upright rows and shoulder press with 7.5kg dumbbells).

Lastly, what excercises should I be doing to improve my bench press. My current 1RM is 60kg on a smith machine (Due to there being no free weight bench in my college gym. switching gyms is not an option as I can't afford it and the college gym is free to students).

Any help and tips are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
George

 

[Trek]

If you want to add mass you have to do less reps/sets with heavier weights. Pick a weight that you can only do 6 reps for 3 sets. When you can do 6 reps for all 3 sets then jump up some weight. Also, 2 hours 2 times a week will not do it. I do a split routine (chest/back/bicepts day 1 & legs/shoulders/tricepts day 2) and work out 5 days a week for about an hour each day. Overall, just try to go heavier with the weights and fewer reps/sets and you will blast out of your rut, good luck!

 

[DoubleTapThat]

Thanks for the advice, i'm gonna try the fewer reps thing tomorrow. Plus, I'm getting a free weights set w/ dumbbells, barbell and ez curl bar in a couple of weeks so i'll be able to train harder more days of the week then. Whereas at the moment, my workouts i try and fit in when i have free periods at college. With this, Ill be able to train when i like

 

[DoubleTapThat]

1/ you should work out at least 3 times a week. Twice is not enough, especially at 17.
2/ too many reps, not enough weight
3/ don't stay at the gym more than 90 mn at a time. It is not about going through the motions, it is about INTENSITY.
3/ Do you get enough sleep?
4/ do yo eat the right kind of food?
Thierry

I've started training 3 times a week now, i can do as I like now and up the sessions if i need be as my weight bench and barbells are here now.
Thanks for the advice on reps and itnensity, i'll bare that in mind. I try and get 8 hours sleep per day. My diet is pretty good, i've upped my calorie intake to around 4000 a day and increased protein intake. I also take a shake supplement with whey, creatine, l glutamine, hmb, etc in.
thanks