should I change programmes?

guile4582

I have been doing this awesome German Body Comp program for about 12 months on and off now. it incorporates deadlifts, squats and all other good strength exercises. I had an injury lay off which disrupted my progress, but in general I am adding the KGs to the lifts.

I am wondering, is it silly to do the same program for so long? should i change it up? will i see better results?

at the moment I have dropped the poundages slightly and upped the reps as I wanna get leaner. but other than that I haven't changed much of the program, maybe sub in a new isolation exercise for a few weeks now and again

advice?

Alf Veedersane

If you're ableto increase the weights you're lifting and getting the results you want, then why do you think you should change?

guile4582

my body nearly knows what exercise is coming next, it seems a tad too easy. but yeah i get what youre saying. i once read you should keep the body on its toes, challenging it with a new way to work a muscle now and again...but then again there is for and against arguments for everything out there.

just with the lower poundages its a doddle, give me more time for cardio though.

Mellor

What's your program exactly?
Have the weights gone up or down? You've mentioned both.

I did a GBC variation last year, was good for getting through volume but the supersets and shirt rest wasnt ideal for strength increases.

guile4582

this is the one, i actually love it

i change up the bicep and tricep exercises (use cable machines for a while etc) and do a bit more on abs,
changed front squat for regular one in the last while too
added barbell bench press instead of one of the db presses

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/muscle-up-lean-down.html

Alf Veedersane

guile4582 wrote: »

my body nearly knows what exercise is coming next, it seems a tad too easy. but yeah i get what youre saying. i once read you should keep the body on its toes, challenging it with a new way to work a muscle now and again...but then again there is for and against arguments for everything out there.

just with the lower poundages its a doddle, give me more time for cardio though.

It's not easy because your muscle 'knows' what's coming. It's easy because it's too light.

But there's scope there to vary some of the exercises alright.

Hanley

Your question sounds like "when I train, I don't really use heavy weights so it's easy. Should I change my program becuse I want to get leaner".

The answer is "no, you should train harder".

A few more reps in a set won't make you leaner - better dietary control and more cardio will.

guile4582

Hanley wrote: »

Your question sounds like "when I train, I don't really use heavy weights so it's easy. Should I change my program becuse I want to get leaner".

The answer is "no, you should train harder".

A few more reps in a set won't make you leaner - better dietary control and more cardio will.

ok so maintain the heavy weights while on cal deficit? lift as heavy as i can to fail, forget about reps?

I found i was getting too bulky.

recovery is tough when deadlifting 140kgs supersetted with 30kg db presses. being wrecked to do cardio then. not excuses, just what i have found. maybe i need to figure out a more delicate balance

thanks for the advice.

conzy

guile4582 wrote: »

I found i was getting too bulky.

pics or gtfo :pac:

guile4582

I've been living in this body for 36 years, I have played football for 30 of them. believe me I know when I am too bulky

Alf Veedersane

What exactly do you want out of a program? What are the results you want?

guile4582

Cheers

I would like to keep the muscle I have, just want to be more cut.
the diet is fine.

suppose my question is, will a program like this be beneficial.

I like lifting heavy but surely if I reduce the weight a bit, i can recover better and get more cardio in.

Alf Veedersane

guile4582 wrote: »

Cheers

I would like to keep the muscle I have, just want to be more cut.
the diet is fine.

suppose my question is, will a program like this be beneficial.

I like lifting heavy but surely if I reduce the weight a bit, i can recover better and get more cardio in.

That program is using high-rep sets. If you don't want to add mass, then it's not really the best program for you.

What cardio are you doing?

If you want to do more cardio, then there's a trade-off. You won't really gain a whole lot by lifting weights that are well within your limits just so you can keep yourself fresher for cardio.

guile4582

I cycle 15km 5 days a week
I swim 30mins twice a week
I play 5 a side for an hour
I play a 11 a side football for 90mins every saturday

I do that program 3 times a week and finish off with a 10min run (when I can)

Alf Veedersane

guile4582 wrote: »

I cycle 15km 5 days a week
I swim 30mins twice a week
I play 5 a side for an hour
I play a 11 a side football for 90mins every saturday

I do that program 3 times a week and finish off with a 10min run (when I can)

What's your diet like?

guile4582

Most days would be like this. I dont eat crisps or fizzy drinks, i have the odd Kelkin ricecake bar with a cuppa

Pre workout: 2 scoops whey shake (myprotein whey impact) + 10g Creatine

Post Workout/Breakfast: Fruit smoothie with flaxseed, oats, 2 scoops whey, frozen fruits, kiwi, banana, low fat yoghurt, almond milk + 5g creatine

Lunch: chicken curry (all natural ingredients no jars) w/ brown rice or lean mince chilli w/brown pasta

Dinner: Breaded Fish with sweet potato and brocolli or turkey enschiladas or toasted sandwich on wholegrain bread - ham, onions, 2 slices of cheese, hummus

snacks: almonds, raisins, protein shake, spoon of peanut butter, melon, poached egg on wholegrain toast

Mellor

If you were getting too big it's because you are eating too much.
To lose weight: Eat less, work Harder

It's hard to estimate calories without quantities. But 4-6 scoops of whey per day is not really aiming for weightless.

glasagusban

guile4582 wrote: »

Most days would be like this. I dont eat crisps or fizzy drinks, i have the odd Kelkin ricecake bar with a cuppa

Pre workout: 2 scoops whey shake (myprotein whey impact) + 10g Creatine

Post Workout/Breakfast: Fruit smoothie with flaxseed, oats, 2 scoops whey, frozen fruits, kiwi, banana, low fat yoghurt, almond milk + 5g creatine

Lunch: chicken curry (all natural ingredients no jars) w/ brown rice or lean mince chilli w/brown pasta

Dinner: Breaded Fish with sweet potato and brocolli or turkey enschiladas or toasted sandwich on wholegrain bread - ham, onions, 2 slices of cheese, hummus

snacks: almonds, raisins, protein shake, spoon of peanut butter, melon, poached egg on wholegrain toast

If you wanted to cut then based on the above I would ditch the creatine and bread -eat non breaded fish, lose the wraps for enchiladas and toast with the egg. More veg and less pasta with lunch. Check there's no sugar in the low fat yogurt. Those are easy tweaks to make and should make a difference.

Blacktie.

glasagusban wrote: »

If you wanted to cut then based on the above I would ditch the creatine and bread -eat non breaded fish, lose the wraps for enchiladas and toast with the egg. More veg and less pasta with lunch. Check there's no sugar in the low fat yogurt. Those are easy tweaks to make and should make a difference.

Why ditch the creatine? It will help you maintain strength and muscle while not effecting fat loss.

Water weight is not fat.

glasagusban

Blacktie. wrote: »

Why ditch the creatine? It will help you maintain strength and muscle while not effecting fat loss.

Water weight is not fat.

He doesn't want to bulk up, everything tightened up for me considerably when I ditched it with no loss of strength. Just my experience.

Mellor

Why enchiladas over wraps?
Found that stranger than all the rest put together.

Alf Veedersane

Mellor wrote: »

Why enchiladas over wraps?
Found that stranger than all the rest put together.

Think they meant making the enchilada minus the tortilla/wrap.

Mellor

Ah ok I missed enchilada's in the OP diary, so was thinking he meant "switch the wraps for enchiladas".

Kettlebelljim

Mellor wrote: »

If you were getting too big it's because you are eating too much.
To lose weight: Eat less, work Harder

If you take nothing else from this thread, take the above advice.

Up the intensity in the gym, reduce your rest periods.
More veggies and more water.

guile4582

Kettlebelljim wrote: »

If you take nothing else from this thread, take the above advice.

Up the intensity in the gym, reduce your rest periods.
More veggies and more water.

cheers guys. I am defo going to reduce my portions.

as for creatine, that was weighing on my mind, am i just bloated. I dont want to start a creatine argument here. I might just lay off it for a month and see