Getting soft

[Micker]

I just finished a 5x5 a few weeks ago and had very good strength gains. Muscle wise I got thicker for sure, esp. my legs. I took a couple weeks just kinda deloading twice a week. I started another 5x5 and i'm on the second week.

Looking in the mirror, I am starting to look kinda powerliftingish if you know what I mean. My thickness is good, but I am starting to lose that hard bodybuilding look. I was NEVER fat in my life, but now my definition is kinda slowly going. My strength is the highest its ever been, but I feel I am sacrificing look for strength. My arms shrunk about 1/2", but I have been taking a break a bit so no biggie. I am starting to feel like I would rather lean more toward the bodybuilding end then strength training. Not doing direct arm work in the 5x5 didn't seem to be a big deal, but my arms just aren't as good as they were several months ago(but my elbows are healed!!). Also, during the 3x3 phase, I don't get much of a cardio workout. I am 5'7" and weight 180, I was about 182ish when I stopped my last 5x5.

I am thinking about ditching the 5x5 this time for a routine more designed for muscle growth. I loved the 5x5 I did, but I am really feeling crappy about the way I look right now. I am sure its mostly in my mind, but I just don't feel right. You know the feeling when you lift for awhile and grab your arm or chest and are suprised how big it feels, well I am starting to feel the opposite. What do you guys recommend?? I read a bit about the HST, but wonder what you guys think the best program would be for muscle growth, to get that hardness back??

 

[musketeer]

I would reccomend 30-40mins of interval traning cardio on 3 'off' days in between the weight training days to stay more 'dialed in'. DO arms and calves and abs once a week each if you want a more bodybuilder look.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

You can add in just a bit of direct arm work to be done once a week, 3x8-12. Either that, or do one set at the end of each workout M/W/F in order to break the volume down more.

Adding mass will lead to some fat gain, which will take away that hardened look. If you aspire to add a lot more mass, then forget about being lean now. Don't go ahead and become a fat ass, but don't stress. Once you add enough extra LBM, then you can shed the fat that remains and have that solid physique again.

 

[Micker]

I guess your right, I could just add a little arm work in there. I don't mind not being ripped, but I feel I am getting thick around the mid section, not fat, just a little thick. For some reason, I am starting to develop a posture that arches my back and kinda sticks my gut out. My friend asked me if I was getting a gut, I took off my shirt and he said it was weird I don't look fat without a shirt, but with one I look like I have a little belly going. I feel its a stress to stand straight or shoulders foward now, maybe too much rowing??

I am just kinda frustrated. I feel I looked better a few months ago, but I was weaker for sure. It could be that I was just kinda taking some time off lately and will be feeling more solid after I get the program really going. I had to take extra days off so far after each workout cause I am so busy with things. I have also been a bit more tired for some reason, november with its early darkness isn't great for pumping me up when I get home, i'd just feel tired. Just wondering if a new program would have been a good idea, new programs always are fun and help motivate.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Your shoulders should be lined up with your ears. They should be back a little. You may have corrected a postural problem.

Heavy squatting and deadlifting may thicken your waistline a bit. I know CCJ has a very thick waist, much of which he attributed to his erectors growing from lots of pulling or variations. Could also be that you're bloated from eating a lot, could be how your body will be as you get bigger, genetically, or you really could just have extra fat that's making you thick.

As for feeling tired when it's dark, that's noraml. Circadian rhythms. Really, though, you just gotta persevere, I'm tired after work too, but I still manage to get stuff done. Then again, I'm more of a nocturnal person.

If you feel a new program would help with consistency and motivation, then by all means do it! HST is a great way to go if you're concerned with aesthetics. Give it a shot, many people perform wonderfully on it, their joints feel better, and they certainly don't lack in terms of mass gains.

Guinness just ran an HST cycle while cutting. He managed to maintain his weight while losing three inches along his waist. That's over a six week cycle, no less. Many HST trainees will extend to eight weeks, the last two being post-5's where you try to break previous records. If he did this in a month and a half while keeping all his mass, then I'm sure with a bit of overeating, you'll be set.

There are so many ways to go about it, though. You may want to devise your own plan then show it to us, and we can critique it.

 

[Madcow2]

You know - 5x5 isn't a lifeplan here. You can manage diet (i.e. drop bodyfat and you can still train with weights), you can get some caridovascular exercise, GPP is fine, you can do some arm work (which is specifically included in the text just not in the graph because it's incidental and I'd bet a lot of $ they come back bigger than before after a bit). You can even do something else entirely to help achieve your goal and you can still come back and do more 5x5 another time. If you can't make something on your own, try HST, work in a different rep range and watch your ability to handle heavier weight really shine and help you pack on some muscle. It sounds to me like if you did some arm work and dropped some bodyfat you'd be pleased - the program is separate from what you do in the kitchen.

Unlike HIT, this isn't a cult (appologies to the normal and polite hitters but some of your breathren are psychotic, very vocal, and bent on recruiting). You can do it any way you want (most people that have never tried turn it into a 3 day split with 1x frequency and a bunch of assistance crap so I've tried to discourage new people from making changes until they try it because most don't know anything about programming). You can borrow from it. Never do it again. Run it 2x a year. Cardio, cut, bulk, arms, whatever. It's just a template and if you are trying to add muscle you have to eat an excess so, now you know to pair back just a bit from your current intake or increase your expenditure (cardio or other activity). Just some general thoughts but I think they are important.

 

[coolcolj]

once again, think about prinipcals rather than routines and eveyrthing will fall into place...

if you replaced one of the days with a high rep day you could have your cake and eat it

 

[Transporter]

gotta fix your diet. cycle up carbs