For Gaining Mass

This is a work in progress describing how to gain mass...
 
The most common mistakes leading to frustration and disappointment that I see among those who already exercise with resistance are:

1. They fail to modify the workout after adaptation occurs.
   
2. They over-train and exercise beyond the point of diminished returns.
   
3. They fail to increase caloric intake as muscle mass is added.
   
4. They force caloric intake rises and cause thyroid production to increase, thus spiking metabolism.
   
5. They believe a "stack" or supplement is what they "need" to get big and fail to institute the basics.

Take note of those.

#1 Diet - most important
You need to be eating enough calories so that your body is not in survival mode! 
Each person is different and needs what THEY need...so, diet is very specific.

500 calories over your needs per day will get you +1 pound a week...if you need more, anything over 2 pounds a week, some will likely be fat...so you have to decide what weight you want to gain.  Though you can gain 1-2 pounds a week of muscle, and even lose 1/3 to 1/2 pound fat a week at the same time, if you play the game right.

At least 4-6 meals a day!

Go to this post to figure your daily calories if you don't have a clue.
Calories needed per day for various goals <------ link for you to click
At the bottom of the post is a link to a spreadsheet/calculator that you can use... or read the article and do the math!

Use the smallest figure in the range for you...after a week you can adjust as needed. 
Remember you want to look at the figure for muscle growth/weight gain.

Divide that into 6 equal parts (2400 calories = 6x400 calories)

Basic meal:
A protein (3 oz Chicken/turkey/beef/soy...)
A vegetable (1/2 cup broccoli/green beans/peppers/ 2 cups salad...)
A carb source (1/2 cup Rice/quinoa/amaranth/oatmeal...sweet potato, potato...)
Sufficient good fat  (from Fish oils, omega 3 oils, flax oils, nuts..)

You are looking for:
Protein-15-25%,
carbohydrates-45-75%,
fat-10-30%
...of your total calories

The ideal range of protein for growth is .6-.9 grams per pound of body weight.

If you are a light eater and meats sit like a brick in your tummy then go for the lower part of that range. 
If you enjoy meats and could eat them many times in the day, and they give you energy...go for the higher end.

Target the fat % on the scale proportionate with the protein. Then inversely proportion the carbs to the protein.

Foods should be fresh whole foods.  Carbs should be from veggies and non processed starches (rice, baked sweet potato, potato, quinoa, amaranth...) with some fruits.  Drop most processed sugars from your diet.

It depends on your preferences and your body chemistry.  Everyone IS different in the way they digest and use food.  You have to work with it to find what gives you the most energy, power, focus, and good feeling.

Yes, I am speaking from experience as a trainer.  I assess clients for where to start their meals, then recommend a starting point and adjustments based upon what we observe.  This is what you will do for yourself.

Experiment with different mixes...at least 1 week strict per "experiment"!

I.E. (these are the extremes and represent points in a whole spectrum!  They give you ideas of parts of the spectrum to explore)

The moderate protein type=
Protein-20%,
carbohydrates-65%,
fat-15%

High Protein type=
Protein-25%,
carbohydrates-45%,
fat-30%

High Carb type=
Protein-15%,
carbohydrates-75%,
fat-10%

Select the foods you will eat for each meal

i.e.
Meal 1
Oatmeal
Eggs
raisins
Apple
Almonds
Flax meal

Meal 2
Bread
Turkey 
Spinach

Meal 3
Rice
Chicken
Grean Beans
Grapes

Meal 4
Quinoa
Beef
Carrots and celery

(Meal 5)
Pre work out carbs+protein/BCAA/EAA
Post Work out carbs+protein/BCAA/EAA

Meal 6
Baked Sweet Potato
Turkey
Broccoli

Use fitday.com to help you plan meals to get what you need not just as a meal journal...it is free! AGAIN...Use fitday.com as a MEAL PLANNER..not just a journal.  To help you tweak your diet into different mixes! 

Go over each meal seperately at first and get it to match what you want.  Over time design more meals that fit your target meal so you have more and more choices! The real secret is to create a new meal every few days that fits your meal plan.  After 2 months you have 20-30 meals to choose from and you can mix and match!

So you start with only a days worth...you eat the same thing for a week..believe me..you will learn soo much doing that, about how much you really need to grow!

Now that you have a meal plan that fits YOUR unique needs...

Lets say you are 200 pounds and are needing to start with 3500 calories to gain.
If you ate that every day for a week you could tell pretty clearly what it would take to gain the muscle you want!

Lets look at what that would mean.
6 meals which includes pre and post work out nutrition
about 600 calories a meal

If you choose for the overall diet of say
25% protein
50% carbs and
25 % fat

It looks something like this
Calories - 3500

3500 calories
25% = 3600 x .25 = 875 calories from protein
50% = 3600 x .50 = 1750 calories from carbs
25% = 3600 x .25 = 875 calories from fat

Protein has 4 calories per gram
Carbs have 4 calories per gram
Fat has 9 calories per gram

875 calories protein divided by 4 = 219 grams protein
1750 calories carbs divided by 4 = 438 gram carbs
875 calories fat divided by 9 = 98 grams fat

Protein - 219 grams
Carbs - 438 grams
Fat - 98 grams

Divide that into each meal but the pre/post work out, since it will have no fat

P/PWO - calories = 480
Pre/during the-WO =
Carbs (juice) 40g
Protein 20g whey(<--30 min prior) or BCAA-5g or EAA-15g <--immediatly pre

Directly Post-WO
Carbs (juice/fruit) 40g
Protein 20g and/or BCAA-5g or EAA-15g

5 Meals @ about 600+- calories each
Protein - 35g
Carbs - 70g
Fat - 20g

So use fitday.com free meal journal and do 1 meal at a time to figure out what you need. Bingo!

The most effective meals are made up of:
Lean Protein
Starchy Carbohydrate
Fibrous Carbohydrate
 
1 meal Consumed every 3 hours you are awake!

Want some samples?  OK . . .

Lean Proteins include:
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Egg Whites
Tuna Fish
Shellfish
Most Fresh Fish Filets
Lean Beef
Lean Buffalo

Starchy Carbohydrates include:
Potato
Sweet Potato
Brown Rice
Oatmeal
Whole Grains
Quinoa
Amaranth
Tomato
Peas
Corn 

Fibrous Carbohydrates include:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Peppers
Onions
Asparagus 
green beans,  
Snow peas 
artichoke,
bok choy,
brussels sprouts,
chili peppers,
jalapeno peppers,
leeks,
eggplant,
endive,
red cabbage,
kale, 
zucchini,
lemon grass
squash
baby carrots
beets
Lettuce
 
(Note: Fruits can act as a fibrous carb!  They are extremely healthy! If your goal is to avoid fat gain or to lose fat then I would focus more on the veggies.
 
Not all fruits are created equal.  If using a fruit for pre or post workout carbs you want a 1:1 fructose:glucose ratio.  Fructose for liver glycogen and glucose (dextrose) for muscle glycogen.
Look up different fruits here for that:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

While the orange has a 1:1 fructose:glucose..there is 2x as much sucrose...
So
With Orange juice the total sugars of 20 g per cup of 25 G total carbs S:F:G =10:5:5
With Orange fruit the total sugars of 17 g per 25 grams of total carbs S:F:G = 8.5:4.5:4
With Banana the total sugars of 13g to 25 g total carbs S:F:G = 2:5.5:5.5

For comparison...The orange juice would deposit 10 grams (the sucrose) either to immediate energy use or to easy fat storage, the orange 8.5 grams and the banana 2 grams. The F and G go to replenish muscle and liver glycogen stores.  Which the banana does more efficiently.

Can you use the orange juice?  Yes.  Is it ideal?  Depends on your body's use of energy.)

Sample Supportive Meals
Chicken Breast, Baked Potato, Broccoli
A Piece of Fish, Brown Rice, a Green Salad
Egg White Omelet with Spinach and Mushrooms, Oatmeal
Sliced Turkey Breast on Whole Grain Pita w/Tomato, Onion, Sprouts

#2 Training
Train your whole body

• Legs (Quads- squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg press; Hams - leg curls, stiff-leg deadlift)
  
• Shoulders (military press, side laterals, rear lat raise, upright row, shrugs)
  
• Chest (bench press, flyes, dips)
  
• Back (pull-ups, rows, deadlifts, lat pull-downs)
  
• Biceps (barbell curls, dumbbell curls, preacher curls, hammer curls)
  
• Triceps (overhead tricept extension, skull crusher, pressdown, kickbacks)
  
• Abs (Crunches, reverse crunches, hanging leg raises, captains chair leg raise, bicycle maneuver)
  
• Calf (standing calf press, seated calf press)

See the bottom for links to various workout programs.

Always warm up! 5-7 minutes light cardio and also light moderate rep sets for major bodyparts you will be working. Once the blood is in there, then go for it!

Always cool down with 5-7 minutes of low intensity cardio to flush out acid buildup etc and get nourishment to the muscles...follow that with static stretching for the muscles you worked.  Hold those for 20-30 seconds, 1-3 stretches per muscle!

Optimal set / rep ranges and days between:
For muscular Endurance the rep range is 12-25 slow pace/30-90 second rests/ 1-3 sets per bodypart / 1-2 days between
For muscle size the rep range is 9-12 slow- moderate pace/30-60 second rests / 3 -4 sets per bodypart / 4-7 days between
For Strength (vs. power) the rep range is 6-8 slow pace/2-3 minute rests/ 3-4 sets per bodypart/ 4-7 days between
For power the rep range is 1-5 fast/explosive pace /3-5 minute rests/ 4-8 sets per bodypart/ 2-3 days between
That has been heavily tested and it works...courtesy of the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

It is essential to vary intensity in your training every cycle of the body to keep the gains going.

There are a lot of intensity principles that you can toy with to spice up your results a bit. Some discussion threads on varying intensity...
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_87226/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#87226
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_93729/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#94039
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_98922/tm.htm#98922
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Methods_of_progression/m_122355/tm.htm

Resources for how to do the exercises:
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html
Http://www.coopersguns.com/videos/exercise-encyclopedia/
http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercise1.htm
http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/home.htm
http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html
http://www.midwestbarbell.com/videos.htm

#3 Cardio
The body adapts very quickly to cardio, even faster than it does to lifting.  For this reason it is important to vary an aspect of your Cardio about every 2-3 weeks, or as needed to maintain the results you are looking for.

If you want mass then your cardio can be at a minimum to keep your caloric needs down!
3x a week at the most.  Keep in mind the pre-post workout cardio you do IS cardio!  Excessive cardio will increase your caloric requirements.  If you need it to keep the fat off, keep the intetnsity low or use intervals for a short cardio workout!
 
Many bodybuilders, however, typically shy away from aerobic exercise, particularly in the growth season, fearing that it will cause a loss of muscle mass. 

If you do the same things every day, you get less and less caloric expenditure from them.  Additionally, as you lose weight, the number of calories expended from an activity declines the reverse is true as you gain weight!!

The solution?  Vary your training to keep your body from getting accustomed to it. 

The things to vary every 2-3 weeks or so - in this order of "importance":

The the intensity of your training...slower/low intensity, moderate speed and intensity, high speed and intensity, intervals
The type of exercise you do...bike, rowing, elliptical trainer, treadmill, walking, etc
The length of time you train...from 20 minutes, to 30 minutes, to 40 minutes, to 50 to an hour.
The frequency with which you train...3 days a week, to 4 days a week, to 5 days a week, to 2x day 3 days a week

Some notes about this...change your frequency only as a last resort!!! 

Again:
The more frequently you do cardio, the quicker the body adapts and the LESS you get from it!!!!!
 
Read more about this here:
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Progressing_your_cardio_for_ongoing_results/m_167907/tm.htm

For HIIT progressions read this:
http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit.asp

Be sure to take 1 full week at least every 2-3 months doing NOTHING!!!  In addition to other benefits, this de-conditions the body so that when you come back your body is more responsive again. 

PWO for stand-alone cardio to spare muscle:
Get 5g BCAA (1/4 teaspoon per 35 pounds) directly before and after cooldown, or .1 gram of protein from whey per pound of bodyweight 30 minutes before and the same directly after cooldown.

#4 track your progress!
On the topic of Body fat measurement...THIS is how you will insure you are on track with whatever you want to accomplish!!!  The methods YOU can use to test your body fat yourself are unreliable on a one time basis.  They are better used to track changes over time on an ongoing basis. 

Test every 1-3 weeks at the same time of day...and use the same scale to take your weight. 
Here is a calculator that allows you to use skinfold calipers (3 or 7 point test) or tape measure
http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

Here is the best price I have found to date for good cheap accurate calipers:
skinfold Calipers <--- link to place on amazon where it is cheapest

Once your diet and training are in place, measure your body composition and go a week following your plan.  Take circumference measurements of your muscles.

At the end of the week (and each week) check your body composition again - always at the same time of day with the same method and tools. 

--If at first you are just gaining fat, then revamp your training it is obviously not sufficient to create muscle gains, also look at adjusting your caloric intake down 250.
--If you are gaining fat and muscle, stay where you are! or if it is too much fat, you can drop calories 250 or add a bit of cardio.
--If you are just gaining muscle go another week as is.
--If you gain muscle and lose fat but gain no weight (or lose weight), add 250 calories
--If you are gaining muscle and losing fat...while gaining weight stay where you are, you are at an optimal balance, muscle will burn more fat.
--If you are just losing fat add 250 calories, then revamp your training it is obviously not sufficient to create muscle gains! 
--If at first you are just losing muscle, adjust your caloric intake up 500 calories.
--If you are losing muscle and fat, adjust your caloric intake up 500 calories
--If you are neither gaining nor losing muscle or fat...you are at maintenance.  revamp your training it is obviously not sufficient to create muscle gains,  adjust your caloric intake up 500 calories.

#5 the basics
Keep the training under an hour (45 minutes is optimum)
Do not over train
Don't miss a meal. 
Don't go low carb on us. 
12-15 cups water minimum a day!!!
Don't let your calories get behind your muscle gains.
Multivitamin to support growth!
8 hours sleep a night
Avoid artificial additives (flavorings, coloring, preservatives) in foods
Cut out processed foods
Get your antioxidants
get pre and post work out nutrition:

Here is a general rule for replenishing glycogen and sparing muscle pre-post workout:
0.2 g/lb high glycemic index carbs (juices/fruit, etc)
0.1 g/lb protein from whey (or Just 5 grams of BCAA or 15 grams of EAAs)

Sip 1 serving of the above before/during and 1 after training (if whey, take the whey 30 minutes prior and sip the carbs during)
 
All carb sugar is not equal.  Table sugar does not replenish glucose in muscle as would a banana.

The ideal thing to sip post workout would contain a 1:1 glucose(dextrose):fructose mixture.

Most of the sugars in Juice are sucrose...

With Orange juice the total sugars of 20 g per cup of 25 G total carbs S:F:G =10:5:5
With Orange fruit the total sugars of 17 g per 25 grams of total carbs S:F:G = 8.5:4.5:4
With Banana the total sugars of 13g to 25 g total carbs S:F:G = 2:5.5:5.5

For comparison...The orange juice would deposit 10 grams (the sucrose) either to immediate energy use or to easy fat storage, the orange 8.5 grams and the banana 2 grams. The F and G go to replenish muscle and liver glycogen stores.  Which the banana does more efficiently.

See how not all fruits are created equal?
Can you use the juice?  Yes.  Is it ideal?  Depends on your body's use of energy. But if you do, dilute it 50% so sipping give you more water...that way it will pass through digestion faster!

Let me give you a link where you can look things up :
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

Remember. ideally you want something with a 1:1 ratio of Glucose (dextrose):fructose.

Another Example of 1 large Apple:
Apple is 1:2.4  / Glucose (dextrose):fructose/
Which is not ideal but if it is what you have, that is fine...fructose reloads the liver, glucose reloads muscle...excess fructose not stored or burned goes to fat.
Carbohydrate,  29.28 g
Sucrose  g 4.39 (This is low which is nice)
Glucose (dextrose)  g 5.15
Fructose  g 12.51

 
Fructse recharges liver glucose more readily in theory.  Glucose is great at all-around glycogen restoration.

Dextrose = Glucose
Maltodextrin is easily digestible, being absorbed as rapidly as glucose.
Fructose is one of the three most important blood sugars along with glucose and galactose and it has a very low Glycemic Index.

Will any of them work to replenish blood glucose.  Yes.

Honey works just as well.  Honey is mainly fructose (about 38.5%) and glucose (about 31.0%) with the remaining carbohydrates including maltose, sucrose, and other complex carbohydrates.

Sucrose (table sugar) breaks down to glucose and fructose and is probably cheaper overall.  Though, there are obvious issues with using pure sucrose!

I prefer whole foods (grapes, banana, etc) because of the nutrients and because they are not denatured.

 

Diet will be your biggest challenge.  You have to get the caloric level sufficient so that you are losing fat but gaining muscle. 

You should expect to gain .5 to 2 pounds a week MUSCLE and maybe lose .3-.5 pounds a week FAT.

Any questions…after you do your homework…post your caloric needs, diet, and training and we can comment to get you in the groove!

Other topics of interest..

Max-OT Training
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_390/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#390

3 day per week training
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=04-073-training

HST (Hypertrophy Specific Training)
http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html

5x5
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler73.htm

S.A.I.S. (Specific Adaption to Imposed Stress) Training
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jeff1.htm

8 x 8 Vince Gironda's Radical Musclen Building Solution
http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/articles-submit/tom-venuto/8-sets-of-8-1.htm

Pre and Post work out Hyper-Anabolic nutrition
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/PWO_Shakes/m_97786/tm.htm
or this one
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/post_workout-whole_foods_or_supplements/m_111290/tm.htm

Meal Replacement Powders of choice
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/MRP/m_109098/tm.htm
 
8-week HIIT Cardio Progression
http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit.asp
 
Get More Strenth More Muscle and More Leanness
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Get_more_Strenth_More_Muscle_and_More_Leanness/m_244801/tm.htm

My Journal Gain Muscle - http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111173 Lose Fat - http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111175

I give you a 10/10 for this article, I'll definitely follow the ways here.
 
Good news is i might be getting a new job meaning an extra possible £90 a week, making me get around £170-200 per week which means i can start gym again and save up for my car, so yay, the main problems i have with are eating
 
I figured out why i wasnt gaining weight, i was eating ****loads but they were carbs that give you instant releases of energy or processed foods.
 
Hopefully with clean cut meats and tons of veggies and supplements everyday i should gain weight on top of my natural weight gain which is still going up up UP
 
I'll post some of me on critique after my growth stops

Generally good contents, could use some restructuring although I doubt perfection was your goal here. Two things: First, about optimal rep ranges, what is that article that has tested the ranges you give that has "heavily tested [them] and [they] work"? I've never heard anything but that rep ranges are highly individual. Second, rep speed. Why should they be slow or moderate? Rather, it's been shown that raising or lowering weights slowly adds nothing. Think about the physics: It requires more force from your muscles to move X pounds a certain distance over a certain time. Increasing weight, distance and decreasing time requires more force. More force = faster, better growth.

what is that article

I have to dig out the references.
These ranges are the ranges that showed the optimal response for the specific goal mentioned.
 

I've never heard anything but that rep ranges are highly individual.

Not really.  The human body is very consistent from body to body in baasic physiology.
 

Think about the physics: It requires more force from your muscles to move X pounds a certain distance over a certain time. Increasing weight, distance and decreasing time requires more force. More force = faster, better growth.

What you are missing is that there are different types of growth.  You are leaving out numerous variables.  Some muscle fibers recruit more slowly.  Doing only fast movements selects for only certain fiber types and certain nerve recruitment patterns.  Varying rep speed over time is even more effective, creting other types of neural stimuli is even more effective!
 
This information is the general overview.  For the lost sheep.  I want to get people on the path with a quick and dirty primer.
 
I agree, it would be good to organize it better...

My Journal Gain Muscle - http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111173 Lose Fat - http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111175

Once again!...

Rather, it's been shown that raising or lowering weights slowly adds nothing.

Tempo variation can increase the progressive overload of an exercise.  Overload leads to growth.  It's one way of manipulating the rep speeds to acheive a harder workout if you cannot or do not want to always increase the progressive resistance.

Lowering the weights in a controlled fashion (not super slow) is 50% of the movement.

People who explode during the concentric phase and let gravity do the work on the eccentric phase are letting gravity do half the work.

It's safer and puts more overall stress on the muscle if it is lowered in a controlled fashion.

I don't mean to imply that slowly and controlled mean the same.  They do not in my definition.

Marc C. David
Support DB! Buy your supplements at Supplements101.com

You know so much. Thanks.

No Matter How Much You Succeed, Never Stop Striving.

about optimal rep ranges, what is that article that has tested the ranges you give that has "heavily tested [them] and [they] work"? I've never heard anything but that rep ranges are highly individual.

There is a HUGE amount of research that has replicated this over and over again.  I will over time add references and highlights to this post as I remember more of them.

These will highlight 2 recommendations I commonly make.  The first being that the various ranges of sets/reps give different responses.  The second being that one should cycle through training, beginning with endurance work, then strength, then hypertrophy...

First some other notes:
Training upper body only (no lower body progressive hypertrophy/strength training) resulted in greatly diminished muscle hypertrophy.

Resting 2 or 5 minutes showed no change in results of strength training.

In hypertrophy training, shorter duration rests resulted in increased hypertrophy compared with longer rests.

In hypertrophy training high set volume (6) did not result in additional muscle growth or hormonal response over moderate set volume (4).  Though it was higher than for low set volume (2).

In strength training with 5 reps/3 minute rests, 2, 4, or 6 sets resulted in no change in hormonal response.

Frequent program variation (daily) causes more lean mass gains than infrequent (4-week) program variation.

Faster movements do stimulate more muscle, demonstrate increased rate of fiber recruitment (power), and strength.  However, as there is the potential for adaptation, variance in training pace can alleviate the adaptation.

Highlights:

Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistance-training regimens: specificity of repetition maximum training zones
European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2002 Nov;88(1-2):50-60. Epub 2002 Aug 15.

Subjects were divided into four groups:

1. a low repetition group performing 3-5 repetitions maximum (RM) for four sets of each exercise with 3 min rest between sets and exercises,
   
2. an intermediate repetition group performing 9-11 RM for three sets with 2 min rest,
   

Many issues have come up in this and other threads that will no doubt remain issues for many. 
 
One such issue is the preponderance of lifters who use high numbers of sets per bodypart.
 
I want to keep this simple...but this is really a complex topic.

All lifters do not respond the same to a certain training regimen for some very simple reasons.  A few reasons would be: training history, diet, rest, genetics, stress, attitude, variations in adherence...

However, in a clinical setting all the like lifters will respond nearly the same within a statistically significant measure.  What does that mean?

It means everyone who has been training with 24 sets per bodypart with 8-10 reps and eating 500 calories over maintenance will respond similarly to a change to 4 sets per bodypart with 10-12 reps to MMF (momentary muscle failure) with only 30 second rests.

So, the notion that everyone is "Individual" has more to do with history than any physiological difference.  We share the same physiology but are biologically diverse...

Let me say now for clarity that diet and nutrition timing are a critical part of this puzzle...and I will not talk again about diet.  Simply, if your nutrition is not adequate for the body to put on more muscle...you will not put on more muscle.

[For those who use stimulants -caffeine, ephedra, etc - before your lifting...keep in mind that just because you are able to train for 2 hours and 50 sets does not mean it is good for you.]

I believe standing the question is:
"How many sets can I do to produce optimal muscle gains?"

The question and the thinking behind it are flawed...so the answers to it carry that flaw forward.

The answer is:
You only need to challenge the body and muscle sufficient to bring about the desired adaptive response...then support recovery as completely as possible.

Because the body adapts quickly to stimuli, you need to vary the challenge to get the body to continue to respond with desirable adaptations.

(Stick with me while I hopefully add to your pallet of potential ways to challenge the body...)

The common 1-dimensional thinking led to adding another rep, more weight or sets as the standard ways to vary the challenge.  Invariably this leads to a frustrating plateau or injury.

2-dimensional thinking identified that there had to me more to the intensity equation than weight x reps x sets.

Some of the other variables included: movement pace, total exercise time, exercise type, exercise frequency...

3-dimensional thinking identified more variables that interwove into the equation: exercise progression, routine progression, program focus, mind-muscle link, attitude and focus...

To bring even more to the pallet we can choose from, we now have planes of motion that we can consciously manipulate to elicit more neural response, and ways to consciously coax more hormonal response from the body.

All together this might give us a whole new question...and it should.

"What do I need to do in order to insure that I am maintaining an ongoing challenge for my body and muscle that is sufficient to bring about the desired adaptive response...and how do I support recovery as completely as possible?"

I hope that makes some of you rethink the way you have been looking at training!  I know it is only the question...but you have to have the right question...if you want the answer.

Going back the the issue that everyone thinks is important...that being how many sets (a one dimensional question..but since so many people train in one dimensional routines...perhaps it needs answering).

Research has shown that untrained athletes respond differently than trained athletes.  We will call anyone who has trained under 6 months untrained.

Additionally the goal of your training is also critical in determining what will be effective: power, strength, hypertrophy, endurance, a sport specific goal...etc.

Lets talk about hypertrophy.


Untrained athletes respond to any training and should start with low endurance type training (1-3 sets, 12-25 reps, slow with focus on perfect form, training the body 3 time a week) and, in 1-4 weeks, progress to strength training . After a few weeks of strength training they should shift to hypertrophy type training.

For experienced lifters, Trainer Chad Waterbury has proposed a set/rep volume of 24-50 for each body part during each session for hypertrophy training.  For instance 8 sets x 3 reps would be a set/rep volume of 24.  There is some reasonable justification for this...look in the post above for some research references.

Keep in mind..you want to start with the least amount of work to get the desired result!  You will always have to shift and change...so leave lots of room!

Whatever you are doing now, your body has probably adapted to it.  Keep a journal of your training and the results!  Don't let your training stagnate into the same routine week after week.  Even if you do, make sure you KNOW you are still growing.  Keep circumference measures, caliper measures body composition, photos and weight.  If your gains slow or stop...find out why!

The key is to stimulate ongoing growth.  This means keeping the body in a state where it has to continually adapt....and is supported in doing so.

Research has shown that changing your training Each subsequent session for the same body part leads to more muscle growth than changing it every 4 weeks.

What else can you think about?

Focus on 80-100% compound (multi joint) movements and 0-20% isolation (single joint) movements.

Cycle your training (endurance, strength, hypertrophy, power) and vary the progressions in every cycle!

Proper form is king.  Accelerate the pace of concentric (lifting/pushing/pulling) portion of lifts in perfect form.  Use control on eccentric portions (lowering) of movements.  Feel full contractions at both isometric ends extended and flexed.

Do not train beyond the threshold of recovery and diminished returns ...instead train muscle with more intensity.

Remember there are unlimited variables available to constantly manipulate your program design.

My Journal Gain Muscle - http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111173 Lose Fat - http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111175

Thank you for that post! It was very helpful.

by

4-7 days between

you mean 4-7 days a week? or 4-7 days rest?

4-7 days between repeat training days.
 
Example
Monday Back & Biceps
So the next day I would train would be Friday at the soonest through Monday...based on the volume and intensity I wish to apply to my training.
 
Tuesday Chest & Triceps
So the next day I would train would be Saturday at the soonest through Tuesday...

My Journal Gain Muscle - http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111173 Lose Fat - http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111175

oh i see, thanks for your reply