Lazy is the way?

[zen_celt]

I was talking to a friend of mine at lunch today comparing our weightlifting routines. This was brought on by some time spent working out together when I noticed he had made some incredible progress. In three months, he had put about 200# on his squat(maybe more). I was pretty freakin surprised. The dude now has incredible jumping power and his bench press has increased at an ungodly rate. When I asked how, he told me his routine. We'll call it the "P" routine(his name is Pete). Now, my routine, I like a lot because I've found I have a lot of stamina and am making some decent strength gains. But he has progressed so rapidly I don't know what to do. I figured I'd let you guys see our respective routines and we can compare the results and how they work. Mine will be "S".

"P" routine-
Done to an every two days schedule, for example, you lift on Monday, then again on Wednesday or Thursday depending on how you feel. Every exercise is done 6-8 reps to failure only once. If you can do more than 8, you add more weight.

Bench press
Squat
Curls
Dips
Shoulder shrugs
Lat Pull downs

If he lifts on Monday, he'll lift again on either Wednesday or Thursday and add as much weight as he feels like(between 20-45#) He does absolutely nothing else except play basketball occasionally and sometimes jog.

"S" routine-
Lifting every other day with swimming or jogging on the off days and 30 min or so of cardio bike on lifting days. Each weight exercise is pyramided(do 5 reps, add 10-20# do 4 reps, add 10-20# do 3 reps etc.)

Superman crunches 45-50
Back hyperextensions 15 no wgt, 10 with 10#
Squats or leg presses
Hamstring curls
Leg Extensions
Bench Press
Lat Pulldown, medium grip then wide grip
Seated row
3way tri(skull crushers, straight outs, bench til exhaustion all with same weight)
one armed seated bicep curls
Calf raises
wrist curls(for forearm)
Shoulder shrugs
Military press
Flies

That's my general routine which I change every so often to keep from plateuing.

The point of mine is to work every muscle in the body and build lots of stamina. His is to build strength and he has lots of stamina but he's usually done in 30-45 mins, so I don't know how he gets it since he does no real cardio.

So, what do you all think? Should I follow his routine and scrap mine? Should I change mine at all?
-ZC

"The thorn *****s only those who would harm the rose

[joedoe]

Why don't you just try his for a while and see how it suits you?

cxxx[]:::::::::::>
You're fu(king up my chi

[Cyborg]

If you really want to save time, get Pavelized! I've just started so I can't say about the gains but after the workout I'm ready to wrestle a bear!

"Box a fighter and fight a boxer". Bruce Lee

[SevenStar]

you do all that in one workout? seems like a bit much. I break up parts of my body and work them on separate days.

for example, work chest, tris and shoulders one day. The next, hit your back, bis and lats. The next day, work your legs.


I wouldn't exactly say that you're overtraining, but all of that is really taxing your muscles. Are you taking glutamine or any type of supplements? Your friends workout gives him both an opportunity to work hard and ample time to rest. that could be a major factor in why he is progressing so well.

"Just because I joke around sometimes doesn't mean I'm serious about kung-fu.
" - nightair

[IronFist]

200lbs on squat in 3 months? Sounds like roids to me.

Iron

"Now why the **** would you censor "d.ork?"

Ironman PostLog: 1100 - 11/20/01

[zen_celt]

Occasionally I'll take a multivitamin but for the most part, I do the workout and eat. I think I may be doing a bit too much so I think I'll tone it down...I just want to make sure I work EVERYTHING. My main foci are my legs and core strength but I want to enlarge and strengthen everything. I also realized I needed a LOT of endurance when I got whooped a few months ago from being too tired. Any reccomendations on what I should do to change my workout? I like to jog and do cardio for endurance but weights I use for strength, size, and injury prevention. Maybe I'll just do Pete's workout for weights and jog/swim on my offdays? I don't know... Advice anyone?
-Z

"The thorn *****s only those who would harm the rose."

[ged]

zen_celt

can i ask about size? who gains more size, you or this guy?

[zen_celt]

He doesn't gain much size from it, though he has gained. The most I've gained in short periods was around 10lbs. in three weeks(which I promptly lost by doing nothing but theater for two months). Most of his gain is in strength with some decent size and I gain fairly good size and some strength. I noticed, though, that on my program my stamina shot through the roof. The thing is, I'm pretty sore after a workout and he's just fine.

BTW, neither of us use supplements or roids, just food, sleep and weights.
-Z

"The thorn *****s only those who would harm the rose."

[SevenStar]

I was thinking that too Iron, but didn't wanna go there ;)

Zen, you're sore more because you are doing more work. There's a more "scientifical" way of saying it, but I'll let Iron do it - he really gets into that, plus it's frickin 2am and I really should be sleep, since I gotta be at work by 9. To make a long story short though, you should try breaking your regimen up, as it seems like you are doing too much, and not taking any supplements. If I was doing that all on the same day, I'd at least be on glutamine and a if you are trying to gain size, a quality shake.

"Just because I joke around sometimes doesn't mean I'm serious about kung-fu.
" - nightair

[Robinf]

I would break up your routine, too. But, also bear in mind that you gain (or build) muscle during resting periods and your body may need more rest than just one day. If you like your workout, then try doing it every 72 hours instead of 48 hours.

Robin

Surrender yourself to nature and be all that you are.

[ElPietro]

You are not gaining because you are doing too much at once. Your friends program will work well because he is doing all his body with limited amount of work. You are doing everything with too much at once.

No you aren't overtraining your muscles but you are overtraining. With all that work you are using up 100% of your glycogen stores in your body and then when you are halfway done you will be able to lift less as there is no glycogen for energy. Then you add cardio in...I didn't read if you do cardio before, after or separate from your weight training. If before than you are shooting yourself even further in the foot as this will deplete glycogen stores before you even begin to lift. After your workout your cardio will probably start causing a catabolic state which will further limit your muscle-growth. If you do it on seperate days this is the best option but still could limit some strength gain.

Either split up your routine and do 1-3 musclegroups and cardio separate or after you workout, or only do one major lift per bodypart with a few complimentary lifts. You could do squats, bench-press, and chin-ups with a couple other exercises and that's all you'd need.

Your friends not getting very much bigger because he is strength training which doesn't promote hypertrophy of the muscles as much as doing 60-75% of your one rep max for 8-10 reps.

200lbs wouldn't be a big surprise to me considering how he is training if he has trained very little or not at all in the past, as the initial gains will be huge. If you want to keep up make adjustments and eat well with plenty of rest.

Lastly don't worry if he outpaces you...you can't beat everyone...and trying to do so will only result in injury...and then you'll be lifting jack sh!t.

Good luck.