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Couple of bodybuilding Qs

jj80

jj80

Member
I've gained a fair bit of size in the past 3 weeks since switching to higher reps, and I'm just wondering if it's normal. Is it cause their is some residual 'pump' effect from going so hard every workout, not fibre size increase? Previously I did mainly low reps and didn't get a big pump. After 15 sets on chest though these days its like I can fill a bra afterwards (sorry for that imagery).

Also I've been doing chest/bench 3x a week (up from 2x), and I'm having trouble sleeping in the early morning. I'm not depressed/stressed at all, but I can't fucking sleep. Does this ever happen to you guys when upping your training volume/frequency?
 
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The pump is normal for high volume medium to high reps. Enjoy the pump.

As far as not being able to sleep thats not normal. If you are doing high volume. I would not suggest training chest 3 times per week in this fashion. This is why BB's have 3, 4 or even 5 day splits.
 
I find when I start over training my sleep is messed up and im grumpy. It might just be your body adapting to the increased volume. I always do 2 to 4 sets of high rep work with some liw rep heavy work. The increased size is sarcoplasmic Fibers ts like a fluid, Google it you will learn a lot about different training styles and muscle type ect. U don't need to lift heavy to put on size I ppl don't realize higher reps work actually adds more size. Stick in 8 to 15 range

But keep doing a set or two on or close to your 1rm to maintain strengh.

Its not all bro science lol
 
Sleep is a complex one, are you on any stims? Might need to cut them out after 4PM. My sleep has been battered, and certainly all the caffeine doesn't help!
 
I'm just not famililar with a pump staying 1-2 days post workout. 30 minutes, yes.

Don't know what is going on with my sleep.... maybe just the weather. It's annoying though...
 
Joe are you working other muscle groups at all. Seems like you are chest building, i know you got some lowe back issues but bodybuilding is all about balanced physiques. You should be doing just as much volume for shoulders, back, traps, arms, calves and legs (you don't have to squat for legs).

Plenty of other options- stiff legs, hack squats, lunges, goblet squats.

We all like chest but you'll learn to love everything else just as much.
 
I do a lot of back / shoulder / other work. As much as I can.

I will look into other leg options..... maybe lunges.
 
McFLy said:
I find when I start over training my sleep is messed up and im grumpy. It might just be your body adapting to the increased volume. I always do 2 to 4 sets of high rep work with some liw rep heavy work. The increased size is sarcoplasmic Fibers ts like a fluid, Google it you will learn a lot about different training styles and muscle type ect. U don't need to lift heavy to put on size I ppl don't realize higher reps work actually adds more size. Stick in 8 to 15 range

But keep doing a set or two on or close to your 1rm to maintain strengh.

Its not all bro science lol
Click to expand...

I was given a program from a natural bodybuilder a year or two ago.

He recommended doing a set of 30, set of 20, set of 10, and two to three sets of 6. It obviously worked for him very well.

Any reason why this wouldn't work for most people..
 
Mickdog said:
I was given a program from a natural bodybuilder a year or two ago.

He recommended doing a set of 30, set of 20, set of 10, and two to three sets of 6. It obviously worked for him very well.

Any reason why this wouldn't work for most people..
Click to expand...

No reason it won't work. You got the best of noth world's you are working fast twitch and slow twitch Fibres you are getting that sarcoplasmic fluid which will fill your muscles up with fluid and you are getting that mayohypertrophy from the low reps stuff that will give you strengh and more Fibre activation. Natural trainers have to rely more on weight and rep manipulation than an enhanced bodybuilder because you hit plateus more regurly as a natural
 
Yeah as others have said it is normal to get a bigger pump when doing high rep stuff and is quite common when wanting to building muscle, it also helps you target the muscle a little better and helps with joint soreness as it generally places less stress on the joints, however, it is no good for building strength or maintaining it. When lifting like this over longer periods of time you generally will lose some strength if you have been lifting heavy for a while.

I usually combine heavy lifts and high rep stuff during the same workout, start heavy low rep for the main lifts and then low weight high reps stuff after the heavy lifts are done and usually on the smaller lifts such as flyes, lat raises, far flyes, leg press or lunges, etc etc etc, then occasionally I will throw in a couple of workouts just with high rep stuff.
 
I know it's normal to get a bigger pump, I just wondered if its normal for it to stay over several days.
 
Neddysmith said:
I usually combine heavy lifts and high rep stuff during the same workout, start heavy low rep for the main lifts and then low weight high reps stuff after the heavy lifts are done and usually on the smaller lifts such as flyes, lat raises, far flyes, leg press or lunges, etc etc etc, then occasionally I will throw in a couple of workouts just with high rep stuff.
Click to expand...

Not sure I like that. If the compound recruit more muscle fibres why not do high rep compound rather hat just low rep compounds and high rep isolation work. I alternate high rep and low rep fir compounds except deads. Don't usually go over 5 reps for deads.
 
McFLy said:
No reason it won't work. You got the best of noth world's you are working fast twitch and slow twitch Fibres you are getting that sarcoplasmic fluid which will fill your muscles up with fluid and you are getting that mayohypertrophy from the low reps stuff that will give you strengh and more Fibre activation. Natural trainers have to rely more on weight and rep manipulation than an enhanced bodybuilder because you hit plateus more regurly as a natural
Click to expand...

I might have to try that again.
 
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