Program change-up ideas

SpaceCowb0y

Just looking to see if anyone has any good ideas of how to change my work out routine, ive been on the same program for about 8 weeks now and reckon its about time to mix things up and try something new! Looking to completely shock the body and start growing again as i reckon ive hit a bit of a plateau in the last couple of weeks.

I was thinking of a stronglifts 5x5 program but most that ive seen online are only 3 day programs and i like to train 4 if i can and usually do carsio on off days?

This is what ive been doing lately:

Monday:
Incline Bench: 6
Flat bench: 4x 8
chest flies: 4x 8
chest press: 7x12


BB curls: 4x 8
DB Curls 4x10
Pulldown curls: 4x12

Tuesday:
Assis Chins: 4x10
Barbell Row 4x10,
Lat Pulldwn: 4x10, 45
L arm row 4x10, 30kg (cables)


Dips: 4x10
Overhead Extensions: 4x10, 15kg
Pushdowns: 4x12, 20kg

Thursday:
Shoulder Press: 4x8
Military Press: 4x10
Laterals: (15x5kg, 12x4kg, 10x3kg) x3
Frontal cables: 12x3
Upright row: 10x3
Smith shrugs: 8x6

Abs:
Kneeling press
Plank & Knee
medicine ball squats

Friday:
Squats 4x10
front squats: 3x8
walking lunges: 12x3

leg curls: 4x12
calves: 6x15

itsallaboutheL

Stats?

Strength Level?

Training Age?

Past Lifting History?

SpaceCowb0y

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

Stats?

Strength Level?

Training Age?

Past Lifting History?

Age: 25
Height: 185cm
Weight: 81kg
Chest: 37 1/2"
Arms: 13"
Thigh: 21"

Body composition:

subscap: 10mm
Superilliac: 7mm
Bicep: 5mm
Tricep: 7mm

Body Fat%: 11.8%

Ive only been weightlifting for about 6 months now, i originally began training to lose weight! Last October i was somewhere between 13.5 - 14 stone. 22% bodyfat.

Ive put on a good deal of muscle all over but as i said lately ive kind of hit a rut?

As for my strength level nothing major!

max bench maybe 75kg, im not deadlifting due to back pain issues that im currently looking to get sorted!

murphthesmurf

SpaceCowb0y wrote: »

Monday:
Incline Bench: 6

---

is this 6 sets? 4 sets max.
Flat bench: 4x 8
chest flies: 4x 8
chest press: 7x12

---

take this out


BB curls: 4x 8
DB Curls 4x10
Pulldown curls: 4x12

---

drop this

Tuesday:
Assis Chins: 4x10
Barbell Row 4x10,
Lat Pulldwn: 4x10, 45
L arm row 4x10, 30kg (cables)


Dips: 4x10
Overhead Extensions: 4x10, 15kg
Pushdowns: 4x12, 20kg

Thursday:
Shoulder Press: 4x8

---

do with dumbels
Military Press: 4x10

---

drop these
Laterals: (15x5kg, 12x4kg, 10x3kg) x3
Frontal cables: 12x3

---

drop these, do bent laterals instead.
Upright row: 10x3

---

drop these
Smith shrugs: 8x6

---

Barbel shrugs, 3-4 sets only.

Abs:
Kneeling press
Plank & Knee
medicine ball squats

Friday:
Squats 4x10
front squats: 3x8
walking lunges: 12x3

---

stiff legged deadlift if your back allows it.
leg curls: 4x12
calves: 6x15

---

very stubborn muscle, do standing and seated, 3-4 sets each

Diet is most important though. Are you getting between 1 and 2 grams of protien per lb of bodyweight? Eating good clean foods?
When people aren't gaining, diet is often the cause. Plenty of chicken, tuna, eggs etc. For supplement, a good whey protien drink is best.

SpaceCowb0y

murphthesmurf wrote: »

Diet is most important though. Are you getting between 1 and 2 grams of protien per lb of bodyweight? Eating good clean foods?
When people aren't gaining, diet is often the cause. Plenty of chicken, tuna, eggs etc. For supplement, a good whey protien drink is best.

Yes im getting plenty of protein, have been on a high protein diet practically since i started! Eggs for breakfast everyday, at least one tin of tuna for lunch and plenty of meat in the evening along with protein shake PWO and before bed with fruit and nuts as snacks!

murphthesmurf

Ideally you would want to be eating meals every couple of hrs. For example -
8am breakfast, 4 egg whites, 2 whole eggs scrambeld. 1 cup of oats.
10.30am - tin of tuna, whey protien drink
12.30pm - chicken breast with lettace etc, 1 cup brown rice.
3pm - Turkey with salad and chopped red pepper on wholemeal wrap.
whey protien shake b4 workout, whey protien shake post workout.
Post workout meal - chicken breast or lean steak with vegatables etc.
Whey protien shake b4 bed.

This is only a rough guide though, dont take it as gospel. Just an idea of the amount and sort of food you should be eating.
The meals are the most important, the protien shakes are justa little extra.

SpaceCowb0y

murphthesmurf wrote: »

Ideally you would want to be eating meals every couple of hrs. For example -
8am breakfast, 4 egg whites, 2 whole eggs scrambeld. 1 cup of oats.
10.30am - tin of tuna, whey protien drink
12.30pm - chicken breast with lettace etc, 1 cup brown rice.
3pm - Turkey with salad and chopped red pepper on wholemeal wrap.
whey protien shake b4 workout, whey protien shake post workout.
Post workout meal - chicken breast or lean steak with vegatables etc.
Whey protien shake b4 bed.

This is only a rough guide though, dont take it as gospel. Just an idea of the amount and sort of food you should be eating.
The meals are the most important, the protien shakes are justa little extra.

No offence buddy but its not my diet im looking to change up!?? my diet is fine! Its my workout routine i was looking for fresh ideas with! Thanks all the same though:)

murphthesmurf

No prob, I realise that but 9 times out of 10 when people aren't gaining its down to diet. The only real prob with your routine was that you were overtraining a little (the other main cause for people not gaining). When you said what you were eating you only mention 3 meals breakfast, lunch, and tea, with snacks and protien drinks in between. This IS NOT enough. You will be wanting to increase that to 6. Getting a MINIMUM 1 gram protien per lb of bodyweight. Try to eat at around 8, 10.30, 12.30, 15.00, 17.30, 19.30, or similar. No point me trying to help by just switching a couple of exercises if it aint gonna work.
Good luck.

Ps. did you see the changes to your workout I made? What do you think ?

SpaceCowb0y

murphthesmurf wrote: »

No prob, I realise that but 9 times out of 10 when people aren't gaining its down to diet. The only real prob with your routine was that you were overtraining a little (the other main cause for people not gaining). When you said what you were eating you only mention 3 meals breakfast, lunch, and tea, with snacks and protien drinks in between. This IS NOT enough. You will be wanting to increase that to 6. Getting a MINIMUM 1 gram protien per lb of bodyweight. Try to eat at around 8, 10.30, 12.30, 15.00, 17.30, 19.30, or similar. No point me trying to help by just switching a couple of exercises if it aint gonna work.
Good luck.

Ps. did you see the changes to your workout I made? What do you think ?

I do try and get 6 or 7 small meals in daily and try leave a gap of 2 -3hrs between each, and always try to include some sort of protein if i can(even if its only natural yogurt and a banana), i wish i could afford to eat more but bieng a poor student thats not going to happen any time soon ha! Not that im fading away or anything i eat plenty! Id say on an average day im eating anywhere between 150g and 200g of protein and try to cut carbs out after 6ish and on days that i dont train.

Yeah i seen the changes you made, seems like id be cutting alot out though? Will it really benifit me to do so much less? Also i was hoping to completely change my routine: i.e. different split and excercises or even a completely different approach altogether as i said the 5x5 program?(Ive never tried it so i dont know much about it to be honest just what ive read online!?).

My main goals are not to bulk up and be huge! I like how im progressing, ive cut down alot of bodyfat and have toned up nicely i would just like to keep up my progress, building muscle while staying as lean as possible.:)
Ive been on the same program for about 8 weeks or more now and i usually ask my friend who competes in bodybuilding to change things up for me but with college and exams i havnt been able to see him lately so was hoping to get something to completely shock the body and start again?