I need guidance for workout please help!

[czech6]

First I would like to apologize for a lengthy post, but I'm a bit lost and am looking for some guidance. My goal is to put on as much lean muscle mass as possible while being a goal weight of at least 200 lbs by July of 2016.

I have been weight training off and on since I was about 16. I'm 25 now and I have a solid foundation. I'm 5'7" and 150lbs at about 10-10.5 % bodyfat.

I hadn't lifted for almost 6 months in the past year, and before that I was nearly 165 and lost all the weight since. I want to get up to 200 by 2016.

I'm not exactly sure where I should start though. I started roughly a month in a half ago weighing in at 140 and put on about 10 lbs in the first 10-12 days due to muscle memory, eating more, supplementing, etc. During that time I was doing 4 day splits.

I'm not necessarily a beginner, but I'm not to the point where I'm some advanced elite lifter right now. To give you an idea of where my physical shape is at currently I could go into the weight room after not being in there for a month and crank out maybe 10-12 sets on chest and I may or may not be sore, and if I'm sore I'll be sore for about 2 days maybe. The same would apply for the rest of me.

I have read so many different things the past couple months and am so lost where to start. Should I revert back to beginner workouts and do 3-day splits training at least 2 muscles a day or full body workouts doing multi-jointed exercises, or should I do a 4-5 day split focusing on certain muscle groups each day i.e. mon - chest, tues - tri's/bi's, wed off, thurs back/shoulders, fri legs, etc.

Would be really awesome if I could get some guidance or suggestions and I can go from there.

 

[ha1a1]

Do the basics... squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, bench and chins as the foundation. Work strength in these lifts. 6 - 8 sets of 3-6 reps and eat a lot. Change the set/rep approach every 3 or 4 weeks and find variations s of these basics. If you cant get stronger in a lift switch to german volume training for 4-6 weeks. Use different protocols for reps & sets every time you plateau. .such as 5x5, 6x2 , hepburn, patient method and waves of 3 , 5 and 1s.

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[czech6]

Awesome, I'll try all of that as needed. I'll stick with the 3-6 rep scheme for a while and see how that works while switching up my routine accordingly. Was kind of at a rock in a hard place and didn't know where to start. This looks pretty solid, thanks much.

 

[Mr. Chicago]

Arnies bodybuilding bible is always a nice reference tool and I still look at mine to this day over 10 years later, plus I think it was only $20-$25 new.

 

[bonacris]

Arnies bodybuilding bible is always a nice reference tool and I still look at mine to this day over 10 years later, plus I think it was only $20-$25 new.

I love that book.. Everyone should have a copy of it.

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[raze]

I love that book.. Everyone should have a copy of it.

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+ 1

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[czech6]

I actually have that book, but the only beef I have with it is the training routines look like they are really high intensity for the beginner level workouts they use. (If I remember correctly). I have not looked at it in years, so I could be wrong. If anyone else has input for the subject of the thread, let me know, always open to more knowledge.

 

[czech6]

Yes I'm still at the grind stone. Had a few problems money wise after making some gains to around 152, then ran out of gym membership. It was about 3 months until I was able to get back into the gym and I dropped to around 147 or so. It's been 3.5 weeks since I started and am now around 160 lbs., so I put on 13 lbs in 3 1/2 weeks.

Been rotating my rep scheme every workout and between sets. I like to start heavy for 6-8 reps and sometimes I'll keep that range or I'll lower it and hit around 8-12 for the last set, or do the opposite and start light then finish heavy; depends on how I am feeling. Eating around 3000 calories/day or roughly 6-7 meals, (fairly clean). Substituting a protein shake with 3 glasses of Cass Clay Swiss Chocolate milk, (200 calories/1cup) I drink 3-4 cups for 600-800 calories. I do this 2-3 times a day (Usually 2 since I like to eat some real food too).

Been sticking to mainly hamburger/rice, chicken/rice. Probably average out to around 500 calorie meals or more, and sometimes a glass of chocolate milk w/meal depending on how active my day was to make up for lost calories. Also waking up around 3-4 a.m. to eat (If I don't have to get up at 6 or 7 to work), and basically obsessing. I plan on taking a week break from the lifting at around 8 weeks, but I'll keep up the eating.

My goal is to be at least 170 lbs. before the end of the year (Ideally 180 lbs.) Long-term I want to get to at least 200 lbs by July 25th, 2015 (Day of my wedding). If not by 2015, then 2016 at the very maximum. (To keep realistic) I plan on finding some extra help through the use of steroids not too shortly here. Wish me luck on that! Keep the #Gains coming. You gotta' eat big, to get big.

 

[raze]

Good luck bro

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[czech6]

Still grinding. Came off of being sick for a week, had to put some weight back on and just been maintaining. I finished up with doing an 8 week or so run of a 4x10/12 rep scheme. Didn't gain much size, maybe a couple pounds, if that. Maybe I hit a plateau, chances are I was just being lazy and I wasn't hitting the gym nearly as hard as I should have or eating as much as I should have (which is the most likely case). I had a hard time eating so much a day, needed a break. I'm trying to hit 7 meals a day now again looking to hit at least 3000 kcals a day, ideally 3500+ kcals, looking to put on another 10 lbs in the next 2-4 weeks. Switched up my routine going real heavy now ideally 4-6 reps, with very few failure sets; which is what I started out doing and got the best results, so going to try that again. I feel like I respond quite well to a program such as that.

I bounce at a bar and talked to a patron who competed (He owes me some test and deca!). He told me to do some basic power lifting routines and go really heavy. I'm not a huge fan of the power lifting stuff, have done it in the past and my strength obviously went up significantly. I may incorporate that here and there into my routines, maybe it's what I need to do now if I plateaued, but I'm pushing up heavier weight than I was 2 weeks ago, so I think I'm good to go for now. Just don't think I was eating nearly enough as I should have been, actually I know I wasn't, which is probably why I didn't gain much if at all. Back to the grindstone!

If anyone reads to this point I would greatly appreciate any suggestions or help along the way. I have until July 25th of next year to hit 200 lbs.