Gym Program Advice

K09

Hi,

I am looking to bulk up. Currently I am 76kg and 5'11".

I've read on some sites that to gain mass, high reps is key. But others say low reps and heavy weight. So that has me confused! Which is correct?

Here is my current program. Is it suited for gaining mass? I do 3 days and on the 3rd day either program is alternated. The weight values are where I currently am at.



Any help is much appreciated!
Thanks!!

Mellor

People will argue reps range endlessly. The reality is the difference, if any, is minor. IMO total volume is more important that high rep or low rep. But it's worth pointing out that medium-high reps (like 8 reps) is more conducive to volume than low rep, max effort stuff.

Exercise selection looks ok. I'd probably swap day one pull ups days for a horizontal row variation
Are you supersetting presses with pull-ups? And curls with pullovers? That's how it reads.

Squat and deadlifts look light, relative to other lifts.
Ultimately, bulking requires surplus calories. What's your diet like?

K09

Mellor wrote: »

People will argue reps range endlessly. The reality is the difference, if any, is minor. IMO total volume is more important that high rep or low rep. But it's worth pointing out that medium-high reps (like 8 reps) is more conducive to volume than low rep, max effort stuff.

Exercise selection looks ok. I'd probably swap day one pull ups days for a horizontal row variation
Are you supersetting presses with pull-ups? And curls with pullovers? That's how it reads.

Squat and deadlifts look light, relative to other lifts.
Ultimately, bulking requires surplus calories. What's your diet like?

Thanks for the help! Yeah I definitely need to get more calories in. Is it OK to superset presses with pull-ups? Or should I not?

Mellor

K09 wrote: »

Thanks for the help! Yeah I definitely need to get more calories in. Is it OK to superset presses with pull-ups? Or should I not?

It's no harm. Works antagonistic (aka opposite) muscles. Will save time. But I doubt you'd be performing 100% in either though.

Get the calories in. Get the squat ave Deadlift number up

Eoinbmw

Put dips into day 1!
Up the sets!

Transform

K09 wrote: »

Hi,

I am looking to bulk up. Currently I am 76kg and 5'11".

I've read on some sites that to gain mass, high reps is key. But others say low reps and heavy weight. So that has me confused! Which is correct?

Here is my current program. Is it suited for gaining mass? I do 3 days and on the 3rd day either program is alternated. The weight values are where I currently am at.



Any help is much appreciated!
Thanks!!

vary rep ranges more and just get stronger

silverharp

Can I throw a random question in here, if doing one of the normal compound exercises with weights , apart from say a couple of warm up sets with little or no added weights do you build up until you can add no more or do you start with your heaviest weight and work back? Does it matter?

Mellor

silverharp wrote: »

Can I throw a random question in here, if doing one of the normal compound exercises with weights , apart from say a couple of warm up sets with little or no added weights do you build up until you can add no more or do you start with your heaviest weight and work back? Does it matter?

After you warm up, you could

A) Do all sets at the same the same weight as prescribed
Work up to a single heavy set using the minimal amount of reps
C) Start of light with high twos, and work up to your heaviest set and lowest reps (pyramid)
D) Start with your heaviest set, drop weight and increase reps as you go (reverse pyramid)

Pros and cons for each. None are more correct than the others. Do which ever suits you most

Transform

Mellor wrote: »

After you warm up, you could

A) Do all sets at the same the same weight as prescribed
Work up to a single heavy set using the minimal amount of reps
C) Start of light with high twos, and work up to your heaviest set and lowest reps (pyramid)
D) Start with your heaviest set, drop weight and increase reps as you go (reverse pyramid)

Pros and cons for each. None are more correct than the others. Do which ever suits you most

"do which ever suits you most"

or everything works but nothing works forever so be ok about changing when progress has stalled

silverharp

Mellor wrote: »

After you warm up, you could

A) Do all sets at the same the same weight as prescribed
Work up to a single heavy set using the minimal amount of reps
C) Start of light with high twos, and work up to your heaviest set and lowest reps (pyramid)
D) Start with your heaviest set, drop weight and increase reps as you go (reverse pyramid)

Pros and cons for each. None are more correct than the others. Do which ever suits you most

Cheers, it might suit me better to start heavier and work back. Btw what are “high twos”? its not a term I am familiar with

Alf Veedersane

silverharp wrote: »

Cheers, it might suit me better to start heavier and work back.

Just as an aside and only cos it's a way I've trained and found it good...I work up to s heavy set of usually 3-6 reps, drop weight by ~20% and then get the volume in.

The top set wouldn't be all out. If I was doing a set of 5, it would be with a weight I would have about 2 reps left in the tank (ie 7 would be the max I'd get with that weight). That way you're getting in some heavier weight but you don't tax your CNS hugely and you're able to get more volume in.

But its just one way to skin a cat.

ETA: I'm guessing 'high two's' was a typo and he meant high reps.

Mellor

silverharp wrote: »

Cheers, it might suit me better to start heavier and work back. Btw what are “high twos”? its not a term I am familiar with

"High reps"...not sure where twos came from

TRS30

Maybe look at German Volume Training if you looking to bulk up. Have just finished phase 1 (4 week block) and have definitely put on muscle (and some fat).

Transform

TRS30 wrote: »

Maybe look at German Volume Training if you looking to bulk up. Have just finished phase 1 (4 week block) and have definitely put on muscle (and some fat).

it worked because it was different from what you were already doing NOT because the program was "better", this can be achieved with far less volume and certainly when referring to GVT far less time.

Plus id add that many are fond of attributing improvements in muscle size to a certain program when often its because they simply upped their calories appropriately

progressive overload + variability + autoregulation = winning

TRS30

Transform wrote: »

it worked because it was different from what you were already doing NOT because the program was "better", this can be achieved with far less volume and certainly when referring to GVT far less time.

Plus id add that many are fond of attributing improvements in muscle size to a certain program when often its because they simply upped their calories appropriately

progressive overload + variability + autoregulation = winning

I never said it was better. Just gave my experience of a programme that achieved (for me) what the OP is looking to achieve.

Transform

TRS30 wrote: »

I never said it was better. Just gave my experience of a programme that achieved (for me) what the OP is looking to achieve.

and we could throw out 50 more, the point is

the body will respond to two major stressors to force adaptation

1) overload - no point using loads that are too light but being also aware of MRV
2) variation - this is not variation for the sake of it but simply because the body has adapted to the previous applied program

neither will work for muscle gain when there isnt sufficient enough calories consumed beyond maintenance levels