Hi /fit/, I absolutely cannot seem to get 'proper' gains on my split that I am on here. I train 4 days a week. What am I doing wrong?
Day 1:
Squat 4x8
Romanian deadlifts 3x8
Quad extensions 3x10
Lunges 3x8
sometimes finish off with kettlebell squats at the end
Day 2: Shoulders/traps
OHP 4x8
Side raises 3x8
Rear delt flies 3x8
Shrugs 3x16
Day 3: Chest/tris
Flat bench press 4x8
Incline dumbell press 3x8
Cable flies 3x10
Dips 3xF
Skullcrushers 3x8
Pushdowns 3x8
Day 4: Back/bis
Deadlift 1x5 (ramp up to working weight where I do one set of 5)
Bent over row 3x8
1-handed dumbell row 3x8
Pull ups 3xF
Pulldowns 3x8
Ez-bar curl 3x8
One handed dumbell curl 3x8
I have just looked over my routine and I don't know if I am doing too 'many' exercises, or too little. Either way, I seem to be having very very slow gains, nowhere near as fast as other /fit/ users. I have been lifting for 1.5 years and I want to stop wasting my time at the gym and start doing proper routines. I do throw in about 1km of cardio before each session if it's relevant.
>>35332148
bump
>>35332233
bump again
What's the problem?
If by "gains" you mean weight, then your diet would be the problem, not the routine.
>>35332733
I was thinking of going to do madcow 5x5, would that be a better program? I don't exactly know waht the best 'way' to add weight on my lifts is, that's why I don't think I am making gains.
>>35332999
How's your form? Madcow 5x5 is solid, but so is a PPL routine - which seems pretty popular around here lately.
Your routine is alright, but I could see you hitting a plateau.
Also, this is how I do my sets / reps for lifts.
Green is generally accessory (isolation) lifts. Weight is constant in all sets.
Yellow / red are compound lifts. First 4 sets are warm ups, starting at about 50% of my working weight.
The last two sets are the heaviest I can lift for a set of 5.
As for adding weight, if you feel good, add 5-10 lbs onto the very last set, and just see if you can do the full set.
>>35332999
Though my rep / set scheme is just an (arbitrary) example.
You could also follow a routine like 5/3/1, or incorporate 5/3/1 into existing routines like yours.
Just follow your existing routine, but follow the reps / sets that a 5/3/1 calculator tells you to. Mostly intended for the big lifts like deadlifts, squats, bench, OHP.
>>35333141
I thought compound lifts were for weight consistent across all reps. I've been warming up to 70-75kg bench AND THEN doing 4x8, same with squats 4x8. Christ.
>>35332999
You're not tracking calories and you're not doing a routine with linear programming? I think I found your problems.
Read the sticky. Click on the dinosaur that's running around at the top of the 1st page of fit and read.
>>35333165
I do 2 sets of working weight.
3 is common.
4 is still fine.
I just list my warmup sets in my routine, which a lot of people don't.
I think following a 5/3/1 calculator would be good for you.
>>35333322
thanks man, i'll follow that advice and ill post back. i have been stalling on my weights that i use since i don't know exactly how muc hto increase or how to vary my reps etc