Something that is really frustrating for me...

[Mikus]

I've been lifting on & off (mostly off) for the past 4 1/2 years, i'm 5'11", 175lbs, just came off a long cutting phase to get back into shape after i let myself go.

Now to my problem...

Recently, i've been hitting the weights a lot harder in an effort to bulk, as my cutting phase was successful (i'd like to think so anyway). The problem is is that i for some reason can not feel the pain, and uncomfort that i was accustomed too 4 years ago when i started training the first time. I know that i should be sore, but i rarely am (unless it's leg day, i usually can't walk for the next few days after legs).

does any one have any suggestions as to why i'm not feeling the soreness? I feel that it's just that i'm trying to do too much weight and not keeping a proper form, but if i lower the weight and try to keep it steady, i still don't 'feel the burn'. I can go 'til i can't do any more reps, but i still do not usually feel the soreness. I maybe on the wrong track here, and maybe i shouldnt' be judging my workouts based on how i sore i feel...that's where i come to you guys for help...

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Mike

P.S.

Here is my split, but keep in mind i usually dont do more than 3-4 excercise's per body part, and i like to change this up a lot so this is just kind of a base i use to keep me on track. I like to keep things intense in the gym, and generally do not workout more than 1hour.

http://69.144.29.32/exerciseplan.xls

Also, i do dead's and squats i've just not added them to the worksheet.

 

[sh4dowf4lcon]

if you never feel sore, you aren't going heavy enough or hard enough IMO.

 

[Mikus]

alright, thanks for some insight...i'm going to try to switch some thing's around for chest/tri's today, so we'll see how it turns out

 

[sh4dowf4lcon]

"go to the cage, go hard, and go home..." somebody famous or something

 

[Mikus]

i guess after today's workout it's mainly my chest...my chest never feels the pain...what do you recommend to hit the chest (mainly the inner chest, i can work the outter chest alright). I dont know, maybe i'm just not to the point where i can lift heavy enough weights to do any damage to the hard to get to muscles...

 

[onerepmaximum]

You shouldn't lift so much that you have to break form, especially for the first several reps. I can understand that toward the end of a set you get a bit sloppy, but you should pick a weight that you can handle. If you have the right weight with perfect form, I promise that you will hit whatever muscle you are tareting. That is very important in my opinion. I see that you do a lot of machine excersizes. I would get away from that as much as possible. I also see that you don't do deadlifts (other than stiff leg). For chest, lose the declines and throw in inclines. There are actually a lot of changes that I would make, but those are what jump out at me. If you have a training partner it will be easier for you to train to the point that you need to. The solution is not to go so heavy that you can't safely control the weight though.

 

[Mikus]

Oops forgot to mention that i've added real squats and deads to my legs. My college coach has started to get me away from machine excercise's as well, so maybe that will yield results. Thanks for the info!

Mike

 

[onerepmaximum]

Oops forgot to mention that i've added real squats and deads to my legs. My college coach has started to get me away from machine excercise's as well, so maybe that will yield results. Thanks for the info!

Mike

You should do deads on back day.

 

[Mikus]

alright, thanks a lot for the information. any other feedback on my training split is very much appreciated...keep in mind, that this is pretty much me starting all over since 4 years ago when i started, i had gained a lot of fat since then, partly from not lifting in those 3 1/2 years. I went from 230 to 175 and definetly lost some strength / muscle in that time frame. I've been lifting dilligently for the last 7 months but it still feels like i'm not going any where (now that i'm actually bulking).

Mike

Oh, how often should i do cardio now that i'm bulking?

 

[onerepmaximum]

alright, thanks a lot for the information. any other feedback on my training split is very much appreciated...keep in mind, that this is pretty much me starting all over since 4 years ago when i started, i had gained a lot of fat since then, partly from not lifting in those 3 1/2 years. I went from 230 to 175 and definetly lost some strength / muscle in that time frame. I've been lifting dilligently for the last 7 months but it still feels like i'm not going any where (now that i'm actually bulking).

Mike

Oh, how often should i do cardio now that i'm bulking?

Someone else is gonna have to respond to that. I don't even do cardio when I'm cutting. Good luck bro.

 

[Mikus]

Thanks for all the info you have gave me, and impressive physique!

Mike