[progress] 31M, 5'10 135-155lbs, 3 years [long post/pictures]

[renatusfueritexaqua]

@solarflare If going to failure, is best to just use the last set and bomb it in. That way you aren't doing too much volume in a wasted state, and mentally you're only going real hard for that one set per exercise. Also, technical failure is pretty much the same in terms of positive response with a lot less recovery resources compared to full blown "gravity wins" failure.

I do a ridiculously low amount of volume compared to a lot of programs, I have two full-body routines and train 3x week, so every other week I only hit a main lift once, twice at the most. I use a main/accessory strategy, so if doing squat one day, the next session I'll use extensions or sissy squats. Deadlift one sessions, hamstring curls the next. etc.

A typical workout is only 4 exercises x 3 sets each (12 sets total, only 4 hard working sets) with a two sets of abs and bi or tricep (alternating) at the end. 36 working sets/week, only 12 are a real mental challenge.

Since I train at home I always pair upper and lower for 2x the recovery time per set for the same total workout time.

If you superset your main lifts make sure the other exercise is mentally less challenging, either by going easier on the effort or using an exercise that is less metabolically taxing - not a big compound movement. And don't be afraid to take a minute between exercises anyway. There is no point in supersetting to the point where you cannot put in a serious effort and you still get the benefit of a longer rest per movement.

And do not forget nutrition. You need to create a demand for more mass/strength and then supply the proper rest and nutrients to make it happen.

You don't need a ton of volume, but you do need a fair amount of effort. More volume than you can recover from is wasted effort and increased cortisol/stress. "you can train long or you can train hard, but you can't do both"

This is me on my 52nd Bday:

https://imgur.com/CYB92UT

 

[solarflare]

@renatusfueritexaqua Thanks for the advice man. I'm gonna apply that to my workouts.

Also, goddamn. Yeah, I'll never look like you. I'll take looking half as good as you in my 30s though!

 

[renatusfueritexaqua]

@solarflare Eat, eat, eat. Train hard and eat. Your initial increase in calories should noticeably increase your stamina in the gym. Bump it up a second time to actually increase mass.

Is old-fashioned, but reduce fat intake to prolong how long you can overeat without putting on fat. Excess carb calories ingested while you are reliably training will NOT be converted to fat. Your base energy expenditure will increase (as much as 30%) and you'll top off every available glucose storage site first. You will burn less fat though, so your stores will shrink more slowly. This is all documented stuff, CICO is 90% and the other 10% you can monkey with.

With your current build there is no reason you can't put on another 20lbs - you'll look plenty jacked at a lean 175. I would increase protein to about 40g, 3-4 times a day, spaced out at least 3-4 hours. This is proven to increase mass by spiking leucine levels. It sounds like a lot of crap to deal with but it really isn't. This is the proven science of increased muscle protein synthesis.

And if you have to do more, include a session of HIIT, also proven to increase acute and resting T levels in older athletes - no more than 2x week. Take no bullshit, your build HAS improved from beginner to latest pick, you just have to revamp how you do things and definitely how you eat as well to kick it into the next stage.

 

[solarflare]

@renatusfueritexaqua Hell yeah!