Should I Change my Lifting ?

robabob3

Hi guys, I have been going to the gym 6 days a week for probably around 5 months now and the majority of this time I have been doing the same thing, I lift heavy (heavy as in i need my spotter for the last reps of the last set) 5x5 sets for all compound lifts and 6-12 reps for isolation movements such as bicep curls.. triceps extensions.

Mon: Chest/tri's
Tues: Legs & Shoulders
Wed: Back & Bi's
Thursday: Chest/tri's
Friday:Legs & Shoulders
Sat: Back & Bi's

My strength has doubled in almost all of my lifts from when i started and in some cases more then doubled.

My question is two-part, Firstly when do you think i should change up my routine? And secondly my focus has changed from getting stronger to maintaining muscle while i lose weight; is what i currently do at the gym acceptable for that?

Also, I no longer get sore the next day from lifting this has been happening for a while yet my lifts continue to get heavier is this anything worrisome?

FloyMcCaudie

depends on what you tryin to do. Cut or bulk??

Maybe change your routine to a 4 day or 5 day split.

ChrisLindsay9

My question is two-part, Firstly when do you think i should change up my routine? And secondly my focus has changed from getting stronger to maintaining muscle while i lose weight; is what i currently do at the gym acceptable for that?

Also, I no longer get sore the next day from lifting this has been happening for a while yet my lifts continue to get heavier is this anything worrisome?

1)I would say when your goals change or when boredom/lack of interest starts setting in. For example, I decided that I wanted to become stronger and more powerful, rather than focusing on getting bigger (hypertrophic). So I stopped doing splits and started focusing on a program centered around lifts. (Jim Wendler's 5/3/1).

2) So this goes into your second question. When I started this program, I dropped weight pretty quickly, even as my strength increased. I didn't do anything different with the diet (I even increased it a bit). I suspect the change in program must have been a significant factor. I haven't measured it, but my muscle mass has probably diminished. But I'm not concerned with that anymore. It'll come back as I continue to progress.

Regarding the soreness, after awhile your body gets really good at recovery. The only soreness one who has worked out steadily for awhile will typically feel is if they perform a new exercise, or significantly increase the weight, number of sets, or number of reps. For example, I recently introduced glute/ham raises into my program. And the first time I did them, I was sore for three days. Even though I had been doing glute bridges, good mornings, RDLs, leg curls for the glutes and hammies, the glute/ham raise was different enough to give me a soreness in the hamstrings I hadn't felt in a long while.