20 year old girl wanting to gain muscle, need advice!
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That looks like a pretty advanced split and I assume you are looking at a hypertrophy workout. Have you checked out this website yet? hypertrophyspecific.com/index.html It should give you some good ideas on how to gain muscle mass.0
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JeffseekingV wrote: »Need more detail about your work outs. What do you do on "leg" day? If you're not incorporating a free weight program revolving around bench, squat and deads, then I suggest you find a program that does. And eat.
it looks something like....
start with squats, 10 reps with the bar for a warm up, 65 lb *10, 85*8, 95* 6, 105*3, 105*3, 105 *3
then dead lifts
warm up with bar, 105*10, 125*6-8, 135* 6 ish, 155*1.
then I go on to leg extensions, leg curls, glute machine, lunges, etc etc. 8-10 total exercises in total.0 -
what muscle group am I missing?rainbowbow wrote: »Two things:
One, eat more. Obviously you're eating at maintenance or you'd be gaining. Try to up the calls by 200/week until you start gaining at an appropriate level.
Two, I'd look into a better lifting plan. By reading the description it looks like you're missing out on whole muscle groups? This isn't the time to wing it though, finding a balanced lifting plan is important because it's really easy to forget certain muscles (especially ones we can't see).
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jaimesparkman wrote: »
what muscle group am I missing?rainbowbow wrote: »Two things:
One, eat more. Obviously you're eating at maintenance or you'd be gaining. Try to up the calls by 200/week until you start gaining at an appropriate level.
Two, I'd look into a better lifting plan. By reading the description it looks like you're missing out on whole muscle groups? This isn't the time to wing it though, finding a balanced lifting plan is important because it's really easy to forget certain muscles (especially ones we can't see).
What day do you do back?0 -
jaimesparkman wrote: »
what muscle group am I missing?rainbowbow wrote: »Two things:
One, eat more. Obviously you're eating at maintenance or you'd be gaining. Try to up the calls by 200/week until you start gaining at an appropriate level.
Two, I'd look into a better lifting plan. By reading the description it looks like you're missing out on whole muscle groups? This isn't the time to wing it though, finding a balanced lifting plan is important because it's really easy to forget certain muscles (especially ones we can't see).
What day do you do back?
Technically dead work the back but yes, she doesn't seem to dedicate a specific day to other back exercises besides deads.0 -
JZ_Evolution_Mark2 wrote: »I agree.. You really need to increase your protein intake. I'd say you should eat at least 130g of whey protein... and 30g of the 130g should be Casein protein eaten at night... You need to keep the carbs low... roughly 80g per day... and make sure you do HIIT each day.. Lift Heavy!!!
Are you trying to compete?
She only weighs 104 lbs, more protein than that is overkill.
Nice to see someone actually pay attention versus giving the default " More protein " answer blindly.
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JeffseekingV wrote: »jaimesparkman wrote: »
what muscle group am I missing?rainbowbow wrote: »Two things:
One, eat more. Obviously you're eating at maintenance or you'd be gaining. Try to up the calls by 200/week until you start gaining at an appropriate level.
Two, I'd look into a better lifting plan. By reading the description it looks like you're missing out on whole muscle groups? This isn't the time to wing it though, finding a balanced lifting plan is important because it's really easy to forget certain muscles (especially ones we can't see).
What day do you do back?
Technically dead work the back but yes, she doesn't seem to dedicate a specific day to other back exercises besides deads.
Yeah, but deads are only lower back. I'm thinking middle back and lats, specifically. I don't see a day that would incorporate either unless she does rows as a pull on chest day and pull ups a pull on shoulders.0 -
Hey I'm 20 and also 5"4
although I still have 10lbs for me to lose I am the same, I really want to learn to build muscle, lift heavy weights and have a fabulous derrière and legs. 0 -
I would look into a different routine. I recommend stronglifts or starting strength. Its only 3 days a week, so you wouldn't have to eat as much as you would if you were lifting 5 times a week (if thats hard for you already) but it's also a good strength, building muscle or losing fat routine. Also, try to limit the cardio. Hope this helps.0
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Op: How long have you been lifting?0
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I second (third?) the advice to switch to StrongLifts or StartingStrength and to bump your calories. SL has a free app to track your weights and there is a nice MFP group for it too. This would make sure that you are balanced. It can become a problem if you do too many chest exercises vs back too many push vs pull etc and you may not be able to progress like you would following the structured program. You sound like you are in a decent rep range and are choosing good exercises but it also looks like there is room for improvement. I'm maintaining on 2200 net cals right now, which is much higher than what MFP suggests, looking to find the right number for a slow bulk. You may want to try increasing your fat a bit if you are finding it difficult to eat more. My fat has been somewhere between 35 and 40% for years and my blood work is perfect. 100g is fine for a minimum protein level at your weight. Good luck!0
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Didn't see it mentioned, but it goes along with you needing to eat more.
The 1760 MFP gave as maintenance - is with NO exercise. Estimated. And if you selected Sedentary and you really aren't but really Lightly Active in daily life, that's actually a slight deficit, with no exercise.
But you do exercise, so the extra calories you are eating is just what you burn in exercise.
That's why not actually eating in surplus yet to gain weight.0 -
I second (third?) the advice to switch to StrongLifts or StartingStrength
No. SS and 5x5 are too low volume. By the sounds of your leg workout you are already training at quite a high volume so if you switch to them you will lose muscle.
Stronglifts and starting strength are great for complete beginners but if you have experience of how to train already then they will make you regress.
Try increasing frequency. Optimum training frequency for most body parts is 2-3 times per week (elevated protein synthesis only occurs for ~48 hours after working a muscle). Lower the volume in each workout but spread it over the week. So rather than doing 20 sets of legs in one go, do 10 sets on Monday and 10 sets on Thursday for example.
And of course: increase calories.
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It's not all about volume.
True. Muscle hypertrophy is a function of volume, frequency and intensity. I advised an increase in frequency and I am assuming intensity is remaining constant.jaimesparkman wrote: »I do 8-10 exercises. I go as heavy as i can. 3 sets per exercise (usually), 8-12 reps.
Doing 5x5 would be considerably less work than currently so would lead to plateau or regression.
Your training seems fine apart from the low frequency. Just up your calories, don't be afraid to put on a little fat and you'll be amazed at the gains.
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ScottJTyler wrote: »It's not all about volume.
True. Muscle hypertrophy is a function of volume, frequency and intensity. I advised an increase in frequency and I am assuming intensity is remaining constant.jaimesparkman wrote: »I do 8-10 exercises. I go as heavy as i can. 3 sets per exercise (usually), 8-12 reps.
Doing 5x5 would be considerably less work than currently so would lead to plateau or regression.
Your training seems fine apart from the low frequency. Just up your calories, don't be afraid to put on a little fat and you'll be amazed at the gains.
What? Even doing programs that focus on the 8-12 rep range could lead to a plateau or regression.
The only difference between doing 5 reps and 8-12 reps is that 5 reps and below focus more on strength and less on hypertrophy and 8-12 reps focus more on hypertrophy and less emphasis on strength. Anything above the 12 is hedging more into cardio/endurance.
Her sets are fine and she's training 5 days a week. I don't understand why you keep saying high frequency.
OP, you are saying you want to gain muscle so I'm going to assume your main goal is hypertrophy.
Stronglifts 5x5 is great for strength and beginners (which, although you are a year in, might benefit you better than your split workout unless you are knowledgeable in creating your own programs), but it doesn't focus on hypertrophy. Still, body recomposition and gains happen, just not as quickly than if you were to be on a program that focuses on it.
Other great beginner type programs that focus more on the hypertrophy range are:
Strong Curves (includes beginner, advanced, and bodyweight programs, as well as great info about training in general that I think everyone should know. It also includes a template if you really want to create your own lifting program.)
AllPros
Starting Strength is also a great book to have for technique/form and general knowledge.
For a more intermediate lifting program (that's strength focused, though), you could consider Wendler's 5/3/1.
(This is just for the training. You will still have to up your calories as others have suggested to gain weight for your bulk.)0 -
I agree that Stronglifts and Starting Strength are not hypertrophy programs. They are great, don't get me wrong, but for a 104 pound girl who wants to add mass it's going to be really hard to do so. Stronglifts might work for adding mass for a 20 year old dude eating 4000 calories a day, but not for a woman. She needs every extra advantage she can get, and that would be a hypertrophy specific program. When I was bulking I did an upper/lower body split, which I've read is slightly better than body part splits (which are really only needed by the very advanced). And an upper/lower split allows you to lift more than 3 times a week (which you are limited to with a full body), which is again advantages for gaining (I think). I don't know of a specific published program though. Let me see what I can find.0
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PikaKnight wrote: »
The only difference between doing 5 reps and 8-12 reps is that 5 reps and below focus more on strength and less on hypertrophy and 8-12 reps focus more on hypertrophy and less emphasis on strength. Anything above the 12 is hedging more into cardio/endurance.
Her sets are fine and she's training 5 days a week. I don't understand why you keep saying high frequency.
Some basic information for you:
1. When volume is accounted for, there is no difference in hypertrophy between rep ranges (with the caveat of sufficient intensity).
2. Muscle growth occurs in response to an increase in volume or intensity (assuming calorie surplus)
3. Frequency refers to how often a certain muscle group or movement is trained.
Basically the OP is asking for advice on how to grow muscle. Your response is 'do less work!'. Not helpful.
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ScottJTyler wrote: »PikaKnight wrote: »
The only difference between doing 5 reps and 8-12 reps is that 5 reps and below focus more on strength and less on hypertrophy and 8-12 reps focus more on hypertrophy and less emphasis on strength. Anything above the 12 is hedging more into cardio/endurance.
Her sets are fine and she's training 5 days a week. I don't understand why you keep saying high frequency.
Some basic information for you:
1. When volume is accounted for, there is no difference in hypertrophy between rep ranges (with the caveat of sufficient intensity).
2. Muscle growth occurs in response to an increase in volume or intensity (assuming calorie surplus)
3. Frequency refers to how often a certain muscle group or movement is trained.
Basically the OP is asking for advice on how to grow muscle. Your response is 'do less work!'. Not helpful.
LOL. No, my advice was more pointing to training smarter, which is definitely helpful. And how did I tell her to do less work? Please re-read. I'm pretty sure what I did was explain about rep ranges and guide her to programs that many have been successful with that also include a lot of great info.
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