(another) progam critique (please help!)

[0lawrenz0]

Hi there. Looking for some advice on my training.
First my stats:

20 yrs old
5' 5'' (167cm)
11 stone (70kg)
BF %- Unknown, but fairly low.

Bench 1RM- 90kg (198lb)
Dead 1RM- 160kg (352lb)
Squat 1RM- 110Kg (242lb)

I am currently 4 weeks into my bulk cycle, a 3-day split:

Monday:

Deads
Bench Press
Lat Pull-down
Barbell rows
Dumbell pullovers
Incline press
Close-grip pull down
Flyes
Cable crossovers

Wednesday:

Squats
Barbell lunges
Leg press
Good- Mornings
Power cleans
Clean + jerk (with split)

Friday

Deads
Dumbell Rows
EZ Rows
Bicep curls
Behind head bar press
Seated alternate dumbell press
Lateral raises
Tricep pushdowns.

All excersises are performed to failure, aiming for 5-8 reps, three sets.

I practice Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art, which I train in a class on Sat and Sunday. Its basically very hard cardio and a lot of bodyweight exercises.
I also practice on my own on my off days from weights.

Diet: typical day

9 am- 4 fried eggs 2 toast
12- protien shake (500kcal, 60 pro 10 carb 8 fat)
2pm- Stir fried chicken and vegtables
4pm- 300g Cottage cheese 2 slices toast
6pm- Protein shake (same as before)
8pm- Musli with milk.

I have been training weights for around 5 years but have just started really taking it seriously. I am trying to gain mass, but have gained only a little (2lb maybe) lean mass over the past 4-5 weeks, and a little fat on my lower abs. I want more size!!- although I am getting consistently stronger.

Please advise!!

Danny

 

[StuWard]

Try changing reps to 10-12, go for longer time under tension. You will have to lower the weight. Go 5-6 days a week, either a 1 body part a day split or push, pull, legs, break, repeated every 4 days. Once a month or so go heavy to maintain your strength. You seem to be missing a meal. A protein shake is not dinner. Add a big peice of meat and some veg into your 6PM meal.

 

[s8nlilhlpr2]

well, you already do your cardio during martial arts, so I'd cut back on all that fluff. Curls and lat pulldowns won't really help your training that much. You have cleans/jerks listed, can you perform them properly with a coach?

monday: snatch & powerclean
wed: Clean pulls
friday: Power Snatch & Clean+jerk

Mix your other basic strength movements in throughout, though you probably won't need to push deadlifts too much. I don't know your specific weaknesses, though I would throw a mix of heavy squats, GMs, Military Press, and Rows; along with your standard core work.

If you aren't gaining weight, you aren't eating enough. Simple as that. If you wake up a little earlier, you can sneak a 6th meal in. I would drop at least one of the shakes and add real food. What is musli? some sort of cereal? replace with real food.

 

[0lawrenz0]

thanks for this guys. Yes, on paper I can see I am not eating enough! I find it very hard to cram all the meals. As per clean and jerk execution, I was taught this by my friend, who is a basketball coach- but I've never been coached properly. I have read up on this excercise and also observed the occasional person doing it (I see very few in my gym)- I believe my form is OK. Are there any common errors I should watch for?

 

[s8nlilhlpr2]

thanks for this guys. Yes, on paper I can see I am not eating enough! I find it very hard to cram all the meals. As per clean and jerk execution, I was taught this by my friend, who is a basketball coach- but I've never been coached properly. I have read up on this excercise and also observed the occasional person doing it (I see very few in my gym)- I believe my form is OK. Are there any common errors I should watch for?

Well, there are a lot of common errors for self-taught olympic lifters. Starting Strength is good for pointing out some beginner ones, though they only touch on the powerclean in the book. Honestly if I could do it over, I would've waited until I found my coach. My snatch STILL gives me trouble from the bad habits I taught myself.

Until you can meet up with an oly coach (if you so desire) I'd stick with your basic compounds and drop the oly work. Powercleans + Jerk are fine, not too technical. As long as you "rack" the bar on your shoulders correctly, you'll do fine. I'd stick with mainly standing movement for all your pressing; it should help with your grappling and standup.