Weights Advice

desie09

Hi All

Long time lurker, first time poster.
A few details, I am 6 2, 13.5 stone with slim/skinny build .


I joinned gym a year ago to try and add some strength and bulk up a little without getting too serious or addicted.

I do weightr 3/ days a week ( no progrma in place)with a bit of running , I mosltly use the weights machines and smith machine for bench press the gym has very few free weight dumbells max weight is 27.5kg (x2)which I can bench easily) there is only one barebell and the plartes with these are max 20 kg.

Now that I have got into it I am wondering should I change gym to one with more free weights to bulk up more( I cannot do the max wieight on the machines put from what I read here most seem to think that the weight machnies are useless.

The machines and max lifting weight are ( all 5x5)

Chest Bench 70KG trying to ge tto 80
Lat pull down 70kg
Shoulder machine 55kg
Chest machine ( where u sit and push handles out ) 70/75kg
Other chest nachine were u bring pads together 65kg
Triceps/biscepts curl 35/40kg
Lat pull up 65kg


I also do some chin up , 5x5 at the moment though with a great struggle!can'y do the pull up yet!


I do notice that I am gaining size in chest and shoulders but nut by that much which is disappointing seeing that I am a year at it

The staff in the gym are next to useless and am lookign for advice on whetther I need to move on to free weigths to progress and also is 5x5 better thatn 3x8 or any other variation for gaing musle /bulking up

all advice appreciated

desie09

any advice posters?

Have added dumbell flyers for the last few evenings

kevpants

Well if you joined a year ago and you are looking to renew I'd find a new gym. If you can't access a decent bar and some plates you will struggle.

Machine weights aren't gonna do much. You've seen you own lack of progress in the last year. If you're a skinny guys I think getting somewhere to just give yourself a year of concentratng on getting a bigger squat/bench/deadlift will add some mass to your frame.

There's no point in using machines to target individual muscles that aren't there yet.

aye

start working your legs, squats and romanian deadlifts.

Move on to free weigths.

why do you do two chest press exercises?

you need to do a rowing exercise for your back, barbell row for example.

so it could be
squat
bench press
barbell row
military press
pull up (try doing negatives to build the strength here)
romanian deadlift

check out http://stronglifts.com/ if you wanna stick with the 5 x 5.

mccreamark

Hi ,
you need to look at your nutrition weights are only half the equation.Look at bodybuilding (dot)com for articles on this.
Mark

bigstar

are you eating enough, have you put on much weight in the last year? you cant go far wrong with compounds and LOTS of food.