Looking for muscle gain advice

dave7848

Hoping someone can help me set my goals accordingly
I’m 5’10 &179 lbs
Would like to stay in the 170lb range but have more muscle and definition
Currently working out 3 days a week - full body circuit training
What’s the correct nutritional goals to align with the workout ?

usmcmp

I'm not sure full body circuit training is the best training plan for your goal. For nutrition your essentially hoping to recomp, so eat at maintenance and get adequate protein.

jessef593

I agree in regards to the circuit training. Sure you might gain a slight amount of muscle but circuits are designed for stamina not for progressive overload.

I'd suggest a beginners full body program. Such as starting strength 5x5.

You need to provide adequate stimulus to force adaptation, that's especially important when eating at maintenance. You'll have to give your body every reason you can to build muscle with energy (calorie) constraints.

Along with adequate protein, rest, and nutrition.

steveko89

I agree with the others about picking a more traditional lifting program vs. circuit training. However, I'm not that big on 5x5 (blasphemy, I know) and my assumption would be that coming from circuit training the volume would leave you unsatisfied. Depending on your training history you may have progressed beyond a 3-day full-body plan, at which point I suggest a Push/Pull or Upper/Lower split like PPL, PHAT, PHUL, or Aworkout.

Definition comes from being lean as much if not more than having the muscle underneath. I suggest to pick a lifting program, start with a deficit of 250 or 500 calories per day to cut down to close to 10% body fat. From there, assess where you want to be muscle/definition-wise and you can either maintain if you like what you see, or bulk at no more than +500 calories/day. Ensure you're getting adequate protein (0.8g/lb body weight) and let your other macros fall where they may. To get really lean many find it helpful to carb cycle, haven't dabbled in that yet.

MadGainzBruh

Try doing your split twice a week. Double the workout, double the gains!

steveko89

MadGainzBruh wrote: »

Try doing your split twice a week. Double the workout, double the gains!

Did you even read the OP? He's doing a fully circuit training routine 3 days/week. You're suggestion is for him to just do that everyday?

11Templars

Hi Dave, looks like Steve has you started off w/ some good advice. As Steve said, a push pull is a great place to start. I personally switch my routine up every 8-10 weeks. Push / Pull for 10 weeks, Upper Body / Lower Body Split for ten weeks

i'm happy to pitch in my 2 cents as well, but I would need to know a few things to really be able to offer serious advice.

Like...........

Age:
BF% now:
Are you "clean" or do you take "gym stuff".. Legit question.
What's your diet look like now?
Do you want to put on Muscle, or do you want to lean out? Difficult (not impossible) to do at the same time.

Without knowing really where you're at, I can only share what works for me.

That being said; I am currently in a "maintenance mode" I weigh 200lbs @ about 8-10 % BF
2500 Cals a day, and approx 120 gm of Carbs, 150 + gm of protein.. A bit loosey goosey on the Macros though.. ;-)

Push Pull is listed below.

Upper Body / Lower Body Split = Mon-Wed-Fri = Upper Body, Tues-Thurs=Lower Body x Cardio Every day

ie. I only do two sets per body part x 12 reps and I switch up my exercises so they are different on Mon, Wed, Fri.

For Example:

Mon:

Flat Bench, Ez Curl bar, rest 1 min x 4
Incline Press, Hammer Curl, rest 1 minute x 4
Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Lat Pull, rest 1 min x4
Side Laterals, Chainsaw dumbbell row, rest 1 min x4
Tricep of somekind x4 rest a min. in between.



Push Pull

Currently I my routine looks like this: - I do a push, then a pull, then rest for 1 minute. ie: bench, Arm curl, rest for 1 min. etc etc.

Cardio every day, min. 30 min + I personally do 4 sets x 10-12 reps (last set might be more like 8 reps)

Mondays: Chest & Bicep (Pick your favs.)

Tues: Core and Quads (Same thing here: Stick to the basics.)

Wed: Shoulders & Traps

Thurs: Hamsting / Core

Firday: Back and Triceps

Weekends I'm pretty active as well... I live in the Mountains in British Columbia so I hike and bike allot.

Hope some of this helps!

Good luck!

steveko89 wrote: »

I agree with the others about picking a more traditional lifting program vs. circuit training. However, I'm not that big on 5x5 (blasphemy, I know) and my assumption would be that coming from circuit training the volume would leave you unsatisfied. Depending on your training history you may have progressed beyond a 3-day full-body plan, at which point I suggest a Push/Pull or Upper/Lower split like PPL, PHAT, PHUL, or Aworkout.

Definition comes from being lean as much if not more than having the muscle underneath. I suggest to pick a lifting program, start with a deficit of 250 or 500 calories per day to cut down to close to 10% body fat. From there, assess where you want to be muscle/definition-wise and you can either maintain if you like what you see, or bulk at no more than +500 calories/day. Ensure you're getting adequate protein (0.8g/lb body weight) and let your other macros fall where they may. To get really lean many find it helpful to carb cycle, haven't dabbled in that yet.