3 day progressive overload program help with some issues please?

jeepinshawn

Here is my current routine, 1 workout every other day, 3 one week, 4 the next:
workout 1
Goblet squats 3 sets x 12 @ 85lbs
Dumbbell bench press 3 sets x12 @50lbs
one arm dumbbell row 3 sets x 12 @65lbs
standing dumbbell curl 3 sets X10 @30lbs
Two arm seated dumbbell extension (triceps) 3 sets x 12 @50lbs
Farmers carry 75lbs
sit ups or some other body weight based type of exercise to work the abs/core

work out 2
Dumbbell step ups 3sets x 12(each leg) @ 50lbs
Bent over dumbbell rows 4s x 10@50lbs
Seated(not supported) dumbbell press 3sets x 9 @35lbs
Calf raises 3 sets x 12 @250lbs
Dumbbell shrugs 3sets x 12 @65lbs
Dumbbell side bends 3s X 10 @65lbs
Tricep extension 70 reps at 30lbs
dumbbell bicep curl 70 reps 15lbs

Workout 3
Dumbbell lunges 3s x12 @ 35lbs
Dumbbell floor press 3sets x 12 @50lbs
Pull ups 3s x 6 or wide grip pull downs 3s x 12 @130lbs
hammer curls 3s x 8@30
skull crushers 3s x 8 @30
Lying floor leg raises 3s @25

This is the basic muscle and fitness dumbbell routine. I added in the farmers carry on day 1 and the high volume tri cep/bicep work on work out 2 after a month without it. I have been working steadily on this program for exactly 2 months. Basically I am doing 3 sets of everything with a rep range of 8-12, when I hit 12 reps for all 3 sets then I increase the weight by 5lbs. I have read about newbie gains and I don't know how much longer I can expect to keep doing that or if I should be doing it differently. I have made strength gains in every single lift, but the bi cep and tri cep based lifts are far and away the slowest. I am really focusing on form and trying not to "cheat", so I am not lifting a lot more weight, but Im getting at least more reps every week. I'm wondering if I am not tiring those muscles with other lifts before I get to them? I'm doing the lifts in the order listed by muscle and fitness, but I wonder if I should switch the order of lifts around?

For nutrition I am getting .8g protein per pound of body weight at a minimum, sometimes a little more, and I don't really track any other macros. I started lifting July 2nd and I immediately the first week went from 165lbs to 170lbs. Since then I have slowly gained and the last few weeks I have been weighing in between 171 and 174lbs, my trending weight right now is 172.4lbs. I'm 5'9" tall, so I went from "normal" bmi to "overweight"

The first 7 weeks I was working out in a limited small employer owned gym, only had access to a universal machine and dumbbells. Last week I joined a real gym and have access to anything, good squat rack all kinds of barbells. I feel like I am making good progress with the dumbbells and the new gym has them all they way up to like 120lbs I think, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't switch to something like strong lifts 5x5? IDK the youtubing I have done suggested doing the dumbbell lifts with only 1 weight at a time, so I have tried that on a lot of the exercises and found it does really work the stabilizing and cores muscles much more... Im open to ideas and discussion, I'm highly considering doing a cut soon and trying to get back down to 165, but IDK.

julie_broadhead

Why do you want to switch to SL5x5 when you are still making progress using your current program?

jeepinshawn

I thought it might be a better program? Also looking for any tips to make my program more efficient at building muscle.

Unknown

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jemhh

If you like the current program, stick with it. It's a good program.

As for the bi/tri exercis3s, it is normal to progress slower on those since they are smaller muscles.

piperdown44

Progress will slow after a certain point but not stop completely.
If you're enjoying the workout and it's working keep going. Especially now that you have a larger range of DBs.
I will also point out that while it's possible to run SL 5x5 in a deficit its not fun but it will preserve LBM if you keep your deficit reasonable.
^^^that's not to say I don't like SL 5x5, I do, and I made great gains in strength running it when returning to strength training. And, about once a year, I'll run it for one 12 week cycle, usually when running a surplus.

DiIDE

Your program looks good, I was advised to leave my bicep and tricep exercises till last as they support other lifts and tire easily. Doing them first would impact on other compound exercises.

julie_broadhead

The programing that you are running is actually pretty good. If I had access to more Dumbells, I would run that program:-)

SL 5x5 and Starting Strength are geared towards building pure strength. You can build size on these programs, but you will need to eat at a caloric surplus. As mentioned above, they are not much fun while eating at a deficit. You could do it, but it is not fun! I would recommend doing one of those two programs when you are eating at maintenance and are willing to eat a little more on lifting days. I had the most success eating back 1/2 my workout calories on lifting days.

jeepinshawn

Thanks for the input /reassurance sounds like I should just stay with this program at least until I stall.

sventheviking

If what you currently are doing is eliciting progress do not change until progress stops.