Feel like I've reached a plateau - require knowledge! Or have I?

[taurus]

Plenty Of good info here. Maybe get out of the gym for a week, do some runs or some stuff at home, push-ups, burpees, prison squats etc. Or as [MENTION=12395]Grunta[/MENTION]; suggested, book in to see a PT or BB coach who may inspire you to lift that bit extra and train harder than you already are

 

[Puggy]

Plenty Of good info here. Maybe get out of the gym for a week, do some runs or some stuff at home, push-ups, burpees, prison squats etc. Or as @Grunta ; suggested, book in to see a PT or BB coach who may inspire you to lift that bit extra and train harder than you already are

Yes, some great info.
If anyone does know any bodybuilding coaches around my area, let me know please!!

 

[taurus]

Yes, some great info.
If anyone does know any bodybuilding coaches around my area, let me know please!!

Where in this great wide land are you?

 

[Fadi]

Pugsley, a rhetorical question if I may.........
What the frig takes 2.5 hours in the gym

Da volume man.
I usually combine one part of the leg and train it for one hour.
Then do an upper body part for another hour. Then stretching, abs and a warm down.

Puggy, Darkoz has brought up a very valid point indeed. Had you been an Olympic weightlifter, he would not have, that I am certain of. It's all about the rest intervals between your sets that spells muscle growth/bodybuilding. If you're after some CNS adaptation and neuromuscular efficiency then by all means please do take between 3 to 5 minutes between your sets for a much needed and full recharging of your nervous system.

Now if you are only averaging about 45 seconds between sets, performing a 2.5 hours of high volume workout, in that case I must say you're some kind of a superman bodybuilder, (and I'm not trying to be funny either by the way). Thanks for reading.

 

[Davepuppies]

Agreed. If I am still in the gym at the 1 hour mark, I have either gotten distracted talking to someone, or I am training 2 body parts. Most workouts are sub 45 mins.

 

[Rugby88]

Agreed. If I am still in the gym at the 1 hour mark, I have either gotten distracted talking to someone, or I am training 2 body parts. Most workouts are sub 45 mins.

Yep same here - 35-45 mins max...

 

[Repacked]

Agreed. If I am still in the gym at the 1 hour mark, I have either gotten distracted talking to someone, or I am training 2 body parts. Most workouts are sub 45 mins.

When you say you tend to train higher volume sets [MENTION=17825]Davepuppies[/MENTION];, what does 'high volume' generally consist of?

 

[Puggy]

I train high volume and low rest between sets, and yes for 2 and half hours straight. I do not stop.

I spend 45 minutes just training my calves!!!!

 

[Rugby88]

lol wow....

 

[Rugby88]

I train high volume and low rest between sets, and yes for 2 and half hours straight. I do not stop.

I spend 45 minutes just training my calves!!!!

What would a workout look like of 45 mins of calves/that is non-stop?

 

[Puggy]

What would a workout look like of 45 mins of calves/that is non-stop?

Leg Press Calve Raises
x 50 x 50 x 50 x 50

Seated Calve Raises
x 20 x 20 x 20 x 20

Leg Press Calve Raises
90 rep dropsets x 4 sets

Seated Calve Raises
70 rep dropsets x 4 sets

BW Standing Calve Raises
x 15 x 4 sets

10s Rest Burner Sets
x 10 sets

Recovery between sets/stretching and warm down is your 45 minutes right there.

I do that twice a week.

 

[Rugby88]

Leg Press Calve Raises
x 50 x 50 x 50 x 50

Seated Calve Raises
x 20 x 20 x 20 x 20

Leg Press Calve Raises
90 rep dropsets x 4 sets

Seated Calve Raises
70 rep dropsets x 4 sets

BW Standing Calve Raises
x 15 x 4 sets

10s Rest Burner Sets
x 10 sets

Recovery between sets/stretching and warm down is your 45 minutes right there.

I do that twice a week.

Could you post a pic of your calves?

 

[Davepuppies]

When you say you tend to train higher volume sets @Davepuppies ;, what does 'high volume' generally consist of?

I would typically do 3 or 4 different exersizes per body part.

each exersize would be 6-8 sets.

first set would be 15-20 reps, then with each set i increase weight and decrease reps, but typically never drop below 8-10 reps on last set. Eg incline press. First set 40kgs, second 60, third 80, 4-5 100, sometimes the last maybe 120kgs for slightly less than 10 reps.

rest time between sets no more than 45-60 seconds.

high volume by my mind is high reps, not high weight. Focus is on the pump and contraction.

hope this explanation explains my definition/ thoughts.

 

[Repacked]

I would typically do 3 or 4 different exersizes per body part.

each exersize would be 6-8 sets.

first set would be 15-20 reps, then with each set i increase weight and decrease reps, but typically never drop below 8-10 reps on last set. Eg incline press. First set 40kgs, second 60, third 80, 4-5 100, sometimes the last maybe 120kgs for slightly less than 10 reps.

rest time between sets no more than 45-60 seconds.

high volume by my mind is high reps, not high weight. Focus is on the pump and contraction.

hope this explanation explains my definition/ thoughts.

Yeah mate, always curious about other peoples strategies. At the outer limit there that is a fair few sets per body part/muscle group, but as mentioned you manage to keep your workouts fairly brief. Are you generally doing one group per session but training 6-7- days per week? I reckon I'd struggle to get two groups at similar volume done in under 90 nmins +...

I tend to be a lower volume advocate in theory but in practice tend to blow out over time. Then I'll reassess my routine, cut back and things creep out over time lol. An extra exercise here, extra set there... That being said I'm only training 4 days at the moment (for the most part).

 

[kaz]

Jeebus!

My Calves routine =
Tuesday: Standing Raises 4 x 20 with lighter weight

Thursday: Standing Raises 2 x 20 More ROM on a larger platform heavier weight.

Too early to tell if it works.

 

[Puggy]

Could you post a pic of your calves?

Haha, man I have awful calves. I've put 2 inches on them since I started training 8 months ago though, so they're alot better than they were.

 

[Puggy]

I train similar to Dave Puppies, he is one of the bigger kunces on this forum.
So why shouldn't I train like him?

Seriously though guys, I feel a lot better in myself. And after 9 months of bodybuilding, I've started to pack on some good gains.
It's still a while given my height before I can look really nice though.

 

[Puggy]

Yeah mate, always curious about other peoples strategies. At the outer limit there that is a fair few sets per body part/muscle group, but as mentioned you manage to keep your workouts fairly brief. Are you generally doing one group per session but training 6-7- days per week? I reckon I'd struggle to get two groups at similar volume done in under 90 nmins +...

I tend to be a lower volume advocate in theory but in practice tend to blow out over time. Then I'll reassess my routine, cut back and things creep out over time lol. An extra exercise here, extra set there... That being said I'm only training 4 days at the moment (for the most part).

Man, I find it hard to get one group in under 45 minutes. Calves was a poor example tbh.
Dave's doing a really good job if he can get it done in under 90!

 

[Davepuppies]

Yeah mate, always curious about other peoples strategies. At the outer limit there that is a fair few sets per body part/muscle group, but as mentioned you manage to keep your workouts fairly brief. Are you generally doing one group per session but training 6-7- days per week? I reckon I'd struggle to get two groups at similar volume done in under 90 nmins +...

I tend to be a lower volume advocate in theory but in practice tend to blow out over time. Then I'll reassess my routine, cut back and things creep out over time lol. An extra exercise here, extra set there... That being said I'm only training 4 days at the moment (for the most part).

Yes, typically one body part per session, but sometimes 2. If I do two, it is the assisting arm muscle that has already been worked in the primary workout, I am just taking it further to fatigue, eg triceps after chest, or biceps after back.

its a 5 day split, sometimes 4. Not scared to miss a body part here and there.

my wife and I just had our first child 10 days ago, and I haven't trained in 2 weeks, but will go to 3 sessions a week on my return,mbutmdoingmwo bodyparts and longer sessions.

 

[Repacked]

Yes, typically one body part per session, but sometimes 2. If I do two, it is the assisting arm muscle that has already been worked in the primary workout, I am just taking it further to fatigue, eg triceps after chest, or biceps after back.

its a 5 day split, sometimes 4. Not scared to miss a body part here and there.

my wife and I just had our first child 10 days ago, and I haven't trained in 2 weeks, but will go to 3 sessions a week on my return,mbutmdoingmwo bodyparts and longer sessions.

My issue with time is that I break body parts down a bit e.g. legs = squats/quads/calves one day, sumo deads/glutes/hams another day, arms = bis/tris/forearms on different days with another major group, I currently separate traps from back or delts too which may seem odd to some but at the end of the day there's only so many combinations you can employ over the years and that's just what I happen to be doing currently (for a specific reason, not randomly I should add). Like I said only 4 sessions per week atm. For me the biggest thing is not necessarily getting in the training but getting in the recovery. Over the course of a year there are periods where I'll employ higher volume and periods where I'll go for much lower volume and likewise with weight.

Congrats on the new addition BTW, hope all is well!