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1 month heavy lifting, next month maintence, repeat?????


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My trainer has me working out throughout different kinds of his phases. One month he has me doing the Heavy phase (lifting heavy weights) the next month is a transition/maintence month were I do higher reps but with some intensity, then the next month is back to heavy weight lifting. I'm a female trying to add muscle bulkyness on me.

 

His philosophy is that our bodies will come to a point where it burns out and needs some recovery period. Like a blender, after using it so much it burns out.

 

Do you guys do this? Or do you just work out heavy for months?

Am I wasting time?

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It doesn't sound like the best routine to me. I just add 5 pounds whenever I can do all 24 reps of a 3 set 8 rep workout. There's some truth to goodness in staying at the same weight for a couple workouts to keep form good but not an entire month. And taking a week or two off every year is all you need for 'recuperating'.

It sounds like you're listening to a goofball. If you want to get big fast just do lots of compound lifts and wait 72-96 hours between repeating them.

What I do:

Deadlift, bench press, overhead press, dumbbell shrug and side raise

wait 1 day

Barbell bent row, preacher curl, dip, stomach crunch

wait 1 day

repeat.

 

This is basically a full body routine with emphasis on compound lifts for size and strength. Don't put lots of time into tiny isolation movements like the preacher curl or leg curls until a year of training or when you're satisfied with your frame size. They will slow down your progress getting huge, and will not be as significant as if you start when you're at a size that you would like to stay at. Compound lifts will increase your body size as well as your muscle mass, and toning will become less visible as they shrink back into the larger muscles.

The only thing that the trainer you're doing is suggesting is that you slowly progress in an overly safe manner that turns into toning that shrinks plus some cardio and more likely a lot more form safety than you need.

Just follow your instinct and train as heavy as you want. If the weight/form starts feeling unsafe don't add any for a few workouts and you'll be fine.

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It doesn't sound like the best routine to me. I just add 5 pounds whenever I can do all 24 reps of a 3 set 8 rep workout. There's some truth to goodness in staying at the same weight for a couple workouts to keep form good but not an entire month. And taking a week or two off every year is all you need for 'recuperating'.

It sounds like you're listening to a goofball. If you want to get big fast just do lots of compound lifts and wait 72-96 hours between repeating them.

What I do:

Deadlift, bench press, overhead press, dumbbell shrug and side raise

wait 1 day

Barbell bent row, preacher curl, dip, stomach crunch

wait 1 day

repeat.

 

This is basically a full body routine with emphasis on compound lifts for size and strength. Don't put lots of time into tiny isolation movements like the preacher curl or leg curls until a year of training or when you're satisfied with your frame size. They will slow down your progress getting huge, and will not be as significant as if you start when you're at a size that you would like to stay at. Compound lifts will increase your body size as well as your muscle mass, and toning will become less visible as they shrink back into the larger muscles.

The only thing that the trainer you're doing is suggesting is that you slowly progress in an overly safe manner that turns into toning that shrinks plus some cardio and more likely a lot more form safety than you need.

Just follow your instinct and train as heavy as you want. If the weight/form starts feeling unsafe don't add any for a few workouts and you'll be fine.

 

 

As above, x3 workouts a week with squats, deadlifts, benching & a type of press. These should be the core of your workout. Squats twice a week.

 

You then add assistance work to each workout eg bicep curls, Side raises ect

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I read your post a few days ago and have been.looking for an article I read from a personal trainer. The gist of it is this:

Many bodybuilders will cycle 2-3 months of bulking and then cutting. At the end of the year they net about 10-25 pounds of LBM.

 

He set up mini cycles that were only about six weeks long. At the end of a year his clients would also have the same gains in LBM. The difference being that they would maintain a BF percentage closer to what they felt was ideal. This was opposed to gaining large amounts of BF and having to burn it off.

 

So if your trainer has you lifting heavy one month and high rep the next, don't worry too much. There is probably a method to his madness.

 

Where the attitude goes, the mind goes. Where the mind goes, the body goes. Where the body goes, others will follow.

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