Ive just done my Push day from my new routine and managed the following:

(Dumbell weight = each hand)

D/B Flat Bench
warmup 1x10 15kg,
1x10 25kg,
1x8 28kg,
1x8 30kg,
1x6 35kg

D/B Incline Bench
1x10 22.5kg
1x8 25kg
1x8 28kg
1x6 30kg

D/B Seated Press
1x10 17.5kg
1x8 20kg
1x8 22.5kg
1x6 25kg

Dips
3x10 bodyweight (no dip belt available)

CGBP
1x10 35KG
1x10 40kg
1x10 40kg

Last coupe of reps on all excersies were a push but i managed to complete. Our Dumbells go from 30k to 35kg to 40kg and the barbell stops at 40kg. We dont have a bar and rack but do have a smith machine!!

My question is how shud i progress from this next week?

Thats good mate! 6reps at 35 on your 5th set! Your strong!

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

Im quite strong for my size, 5'8 and 11st 10lbs approx

Was quite funny because i lifted the 35's thinking they were 32.5's! I went to asked why we had no 35's and he said we have! He'd added an extra 2.5kg's to each of the 32.5's! Anyway that made me quite happy haha

Problem is after the 35's it goes up to 40's!!!! So its going to be hard to progress properly...I'm thinking the only way in my gym is to get on the Smith Machine so i can bench larger weights...whats your view?

98KG? woah. How tall are you mate? Im 6foot and 11stone. which is 60 odd KG i think and im trying to bulk lean muscle.
Just curious as all.

ORIGINAL: SAFFABOY

Thats good mate! 6reps at 35 on your 5th set! Your strong!

20th May 2008 (start) - 10 stone 8Ib
20th June 2008 - 11 stone
20th July 2008 - 11 stone 5Ib

Me? Im 5.10 15.5 stone

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

Yeah, smith machine can be cery helpfull, to do some heavier weights. Specially f you dont have a partner. But I reckon if you tried 40s on your second set you would do at least 4 no prob.

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

If i tried 40's on my second set and done say 4 what wud i do with the other 2 sets?

Wud it be an idea next to try for example

1x10 warmup
1x8 25's
1x8 28's
1x8 30's
1x8 35's (this set trying for 8 reps?)

Once done this try

1x10 warmup
1x8 28's
1x8 30's
1x8 35's
1x6 35's

and do this until i can do as many sets/reps with 35's until i feel im ready to lift 40's?

Yeah that sounds good, but if you wanted to say try the 40s on your second set, you could do dumbell flyes for the other 2 or three sets. You dont need heavy weights for them, so its a perfect exercise to finish of. But obviously dont jump to the 40s if your not confident. Its a good thing to work for.

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

Is lifting the same weight for each set an ideal thing for mass building? Like if i was to be lifting 30kg for 4x8?
Should i maybe try doing 4 sets of 8 at 28 before adding more to my last set?

for exmaple

1x8 28kg
1x8 28kg
1x8 28kg
1x8 28kg

then week after

1x8 28kg
1x8 28kg
1x8 28kg
1x8 30kg

then week after

1x8 28kg
1x8 28kg
1x8 30kg
1x8 30kg

and so on...

just some progression ideas?

Nah mate in my opinion thats not a good way of training. Going up with the weight on each set, and then doing less reps due to failure is how I build muscle. And then sometimes after the last set when you reached failure, you grab a much lighter weight and continue the exercise till you cant anymore. That has really worked for me in the past.

This is the best routine you posted IMO:

1x10 warmup
1x8 25's
1x8 28's
1x8 30's
1x8 35's (this set trying for 8 reps?)


The last set should be hard and you should really battle to reach 8. The first set Id say do 10 -12, lighter weight, get more reps out of it.

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

Thanks good advice and it makes sense really..lifting bigger weights to gain more muscle!

Hope im not confusing you too much haha

so when i compelete my best posted routine what do u recommend i attempt bearing in mind i acheived 3x8 for my last set on 35's?

ORIGINAL: robbowales

so when i compelete my best posted routine what do u recommend i attempt bearing in mind i acheived 3x8 for my last set on 35's?

Im not quite understanding what you asking there mate?

See on your 5th set today (incl the warm up) you did 6 reps at 35. So I reckon you would have no prob with 40. So say if you did this

1x10 warmup
1x8 25's
1x8 28's
1x8 30's
1x8 35's (this set trying for 8 reps?)


for the next two weeks of chest and then on week three up it to

warmup
1x12 28s
1x10 30
1x8 35
1xfailure 40s

you can keep them all to 1x8, the extra sets are just my recommendation.

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

Sorry but that was the answer i was looking for

Was at the gym today and these two lads were doing arms...they must have done over 220 reps on biceps and triceps?!?! This surely is overtraining? Made me think im not doing enough on arms because i only do 2-3 excersises on my bi's and tri's a week!!!! I know for a fact they do hundreds more reps on all body parts!!!!!

This is my routine

Pull
Deadlift 4x8
Pullups 3x8
BB Row 4x8
Shrugs 3x10
Curls 3x10

Push
Flat Press 4x8
Incline Press 4x8
Dips 3x8
Shoulder Press 4x8
CGBP 3x10

Legs
Squats 4x8
SLDL 3x8
Lunges 3x8
Calf Raise 5x10

Abs on Pull and Legs day

I have never personally done a pull\push routine, but have read alot about them. And your routine looks very good to me!

Yeah dont be bothered about them guys doing 100s of reps! They will be wondering soon why they are not growing at all!

You actually got me keen on this routine now, think I might give the push\pull thing a go for a few weeks!!

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

Cheers, yeah give it a go!! I've been looking for a routine to work with for some time now and i've been recommended this one focusing on compound movements. I plan to do it for 8 weeks then asses from there and maybe change for variation.

I'll be giving my legs day a bash thursday so I'll let you know how it goes!

Just out of curiosity what routine, sets and reps do you currently do and has it worked out well?

Im doing a 5 day split

Chest

Arms

Shoudlers

Back

Legs

25 sets per bodypart on each day.

It has worked well, but I think its time for something new!!

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

Have been doing heavy lifting with alot of negatives and supersets. Really punishes the body! So your three day split might be just the thing for 4 or 5 weeks!

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

Sounds like a plan!!

Any suggestions on what i do after 8 weeks on my 3 day split? Would there be any point in changing it if i enjoy it? Iv'e read elsewhere that a change is good to "shock" the body...

Yeah some people say that, and then again Dorian said: if its working, why change it!

I reckon for as long as you enjoy it and its working, do it. Once in maybe 8 or 10 months your gains start to slow down then think about changing your routine, and even then you only have to make slight adjustments. Bodybuilding tends to be a very personal thing. Cause what works for you might not work for me, so you just gonna have to do the whole trial and error thing! But thats part of the fun as well.

EPIVOL, the first journal!!!!  *click me*

You must be like all muscle lol

ORIGINAL: SAFFABOY

Me? Im 5.10 15.5 stone

20th May 2008 (start) - 10 stone 8Ib
20th June 2008 - 11 stone
20th July 2008 - 11 stone 5Ib