Thread: Stay the Path? Or Time for a Change?

I started weight training about 4 years ago and haven't seen much of a result and I'm completing either just giving up or going a different direction and just focus on fitness. I'm going on 40 this year and currently weight is about 165lbs, natural weight is about 155ish and I'm 6 foot. I'm a naturally skinny guy, small arms and legs especially. I've had a few different approaches through-out my journey but feel like that last year or more I've had a pretty solid effort. I workout at home and have a good collection of equipment including squat stand, weights, dumbbells up to 50lbs, ez bar, plus a home gym that allows me to do lat pull downs, leg extensions, tricep pull downs and more. I've greatly increased my calorie intake at about 3300 cals, 160g of protein and carbs are about 300. Most of my weight I've put on is in the mid section but not much muscle. I've been eating like a horse lately and that's the result. I use to track everything I ate but it ruled my life and I stopped. I now just focus on getting protein, cals and carbs while trying to keep salt, sugar and fat low while eating as clean as I can and get the right nutrition with water. Only supplements I take are creatine, protein powder, the occasional mass gainer for my cals and carbs are low that day and every once and awhile pre work out if I'm feeling sluggish.

My currently plan was taken online but modified abit to fit my equipment.

Day 1
Bench Press, heavy about 6 reps and 4 sets
Pull Ups, as many as I can do (8ish) for 3 sets
Incline Press, lighter for 10 reps and 4 sets
Row for 10 reps and 4 sets
Tricep pull down, 12 to 15 reps for 4 sets
Tricep push down 12 to 15 reps for 4 sets
Chest Flies 10 reps for 3 sets

Day 2
Seated Shoulder Press, heavy at 6 reps for 4 sets
Side Raise 10 to 12 reps for 3 sets
Anrold Press 12 reps for 3 sets
Curls heavy for 10 reps and 3 sets
hammer curl 10 reps and 3 sets
Ez Bar curl narrow grip for 12 reps and 3 sets

Day 3
Squats heavy 6 reps for 4 sets
Leg Ext 15 reps for 4 sets
Calf raise 20 reps for 4 sets
Leg curl 10 reps for 3 sets
RDL's 8 reps for 3 sets
Ab work varies, usually weighted sit ups for 4 set and Russian twist for 4 sets.

These are about a 60 minute workout. My rest days kind of go by my kids schedule, I try to take my rest days the days they are with me but I am taking rest days twice a week. Because of this schedule I've had to back away from other workout plans because they just didn't fit my life.


So is this plan complete crap? Is it too much volume? Should I be doing super sets, I try to super set the arm movements with another body part. Is my diet a larger issue than I think. I was considering going back tot he Viking plan that is on here. There is so much information available it's hard to understand what I should really be doing. I was going to a commercial gym for a bit but because of Covid and time issues I stopped and invested in more home equipment.

Please NEVER give up

I suggest you try a plan like my own…

Im 55 and still making gains. I train for about 75-90 minutes every other day and eat 5 or six times a day and love it.

You can read thru my training journal and see my new tracking sheets which are life changing!

How’s it going?

You really don’t mention how you actually push for progression. You also seem to lack enough frequency of training. What I’m showing you below hits each muscle every four days. I am also giving a suggestion for progress with rep goals.

I’ll suggest a simple progression method that works fantastic based on the general rep ranges you posted.

Try grouping your body parts like this* as it will add freedom and flexibility to your schedule.

Torso- chest/back/ delts

*add five pounds to the bar any time you can do 10 perfect reps. Perform 3-5 sets as tolerated.

Bench press/ pull-ups
Incline/ rows
Shoulder press
Upright rows
Side lateral raises *add when you can do 15
Situps- @as many reps as possible each set


Take a day off, get responsibilities done, prepare foods.



Legs/arms
Squats *add when 8 reps reached
Front squats * add when 10 reps reached
Leg ext *add when 12 reps reached
Leg curls * add when 12 reps reached
Calf raises * add when 20 reps reached

Barbell curls/pushdowns * add when 10 reps reached
Db curls/skull crushers * add when 10 reps reached



Take another day off and continue to lift every other day alternating workouts.

Enjoy flexible sets,rep ranges etc, but always try to break previous rep records. Pick upper limit of reps as goal and add when you reach the goal.
Rest 2-3 min between sets but when possible supersetting pushes with pulls to save time.


For food, eat fats, egg yolks, cheese , nuts….helps with testosterone.
Get your 200ish grams of protein in 4-5 meals and at the very least, match that in carbs.

Originally Posted by pasty64

I started weight training about 4 years ago and haven't seen much of a result and I'm completing either just giving up or going a different direction and just focus on fitness. I'm going on 40 this year and currently weight is about 165lbs, natural weight is about 155ish and I'm 6 foot. I'm a naturally skinny guy, small arms and legs especially. I've had a few different approaches through-out my journey but feel like that last year or more I've had a pretty solid effort. I workout at home and have a good collection of equipment including squat stand, weights, dumbbells up to 50lbs, ez bar, plus a home gym that allows me to do lat pull downs, leg extensions, tricep pull downs and more. I've greatly increased my calorie intake at about 3300 cals, 160g of protein and carbs are about 300. Most of my weight I've put on is in the mid section but not much muscle. I've been eating like a horse lately and that's the result. I use to track everything I ate but it ruled my life and I stopped. I now just focus on getting protein, cals and carbs while trying to keep salt, sugar and fat low while eating as clean as I can and get the right nutrition with water. Only supplements I take are creatine, protein powder, the occasional mass gainer for my cals and carbs are low that day and every once and awhile pre work out if I'm feeling sluggish.

My currently plan was taken online but modified abit to fit my equipment.

Day 1
Bench Press, heavy about 6 reps and 4 sets
Pull Ups, as many as I can do (8ish) for 3 sets
Incline Press, lighter for 10 reps and 4 sets
Row for 10 reps and 4 sets
Tricep pull down, 12 to 15 reps for 4 sets
Tricep push down 12 to 15 reps for 4 sets
Chest Flies 10 reps for 3 sets

Day 2
Seated Shoulder Press, heavy at 6 reps for 4 sets
Side Raise 10 to 12 reps for 3 sets
Anrold Press 12 reps for 3 sets
Curls heavy for 10 reps and 3 sets
hammer curl 10 reps and 3 sets
Ez Bar curl narrow grip for 12 reps and 3 sets

Day 3
Squats heavy 6 reps for 4 sets
Leg Ext 15 reps for 4 sets
Calf raise 20 reps for 4 sets
Leg curl 10 reps for 3 sets
RDL's 8 reps for 3 sets
Ab work varies, usually weighted sit ups for 4 set and Russian twist for 4 sets.

These are about a 60 minute workout. My rest days kind of go by my kids schedule, I try to take my rest days the days they are with me but I am taking rest days twice a week. Because of this schedule I've had to back away from other workout plans because they just didn't fit my life.


So is this plan complete crap? Is it too much volume? Should I be doing super sets, I try to super set the arm movements with another body part. Is my diet a larger issue than I think. I was considering going back tot he Viking plan that is on here. There is so much information available it's hard to understand what I should really be doing. I was going to a commercial gym for a bit but because of Covid and time issues I stopped and invested in more home equipment.

You're doing too much. Focus on squats, deadlifts and Farmers' Walks and alternate overhead pressing with chest presses and dips. Ditto for chinups, rows and cleans. Do the other stuff you do at the end of your workouts if you have the time and energy, but not at the expense of the main lifts. I also highly recommend explosive kettlebell swings and the Spiderman Crawl.

Originally Posted by pasty64

Ill give that a try.

I do progressive overload. I try to add 5lbs to compound lifts every second week or as I push past my rep range.

I've never been a 100% clear of rep ranges for different exercises. Are my reps in check with what I listed above?

Progression and consistent stimulation with a large enough volume dosage matters a lot more than the rep range.

I started doing this and it’s LIFE CHANGING…

I make a PR chart as shown here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi0CR11eT8s

This is only an example, not my actual records…


Reps….Bench….squat
1……….400………435
2………385………..420
3……….375………410
4……….365………410
5………365……….410
6………345……….385
7……..335………..365
8……..305……….355
9……….305………..320
10…….290………315

All of the way to 20 reps


What you do is train as hard as you can in whatever rep range you prefer, pyramid, revere pyramid, straight sets….makes no difference as long as you are always trying to break previous rep records. Give yourself a wider range…all of the way to 20-25.


For example let’s say you are benching

1. 185x11*
2.195x8*
3. 205x6
4. 215x4
5. 225x3*

The * is a new rep record and you update your charts. Soooo motivating and satisfying.

Originally Posted by coachcalande

Progression and consistent stimulation with a large enough volume dosage matters a lot more than the rep range.

I started doing this and it’s LIFE CHANGING…

This is only an example, not my actual records…


Reps….Bench….squat
1……….400………435
2………385………..420
3……….375………410
4……….365………410
5………365……….410
6………345……….385
7……..335………..365
8……..305……….355
9……….305………..320
10…….290………315

All of the way to 20 reps


What you do is train as hard as you can in whatever rep range you prefer, pyramid, revere pyramid, straight sets….makes no difference as long as you are always trying to break previous rep records. Give yourself a wider range…all of the way to 20-25.


For example let’s say you are benching

1. 185x11*
2.195x8*
3. 205x6
4. 215x4
5. 225x3*

The * is a new rep record and you update your charts. Soooo motivating and satisfying.

The "All of the way to 20 reps" if you start with a one rep max as you seem to indicate, looks like a recipe for injury. What's the warmup prior to the single rep set?

Also, it's impossible to always do more/lift heavier.

Originally Posted by supramax

The "All of the way to 20 reps" if you start with a one rep max as you seem to indicate, looks like a recipe for injury. What's the warmup prior to the single rep set?

Pyramid or ramp is warmup when doing a single or anything else in heavy end of rep range.

My single is not a true 1 rm on these sheets instead, it’s simply the last set of a pyramid…see the actual tracking sheets (I already broke 23 more PRS today so needs updating!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi0CR11eT8s

Originally Posted by supramax

The "All of the way to 20 reps" if you start with a one rep max as you seem to indicate, looks like a recipe for injury. What's the warmup prior to the single rep set?

Also, it's impossible to always do more/lift heavier.

Now that I reread your post, it’s clear that I led you to misunderstand, those are NOT sets starting with a single, it’s a PR chart showing the best weight ever used at each rep marker.

Here is the arm workout I just finished. These are my actual journal notes. Each * is a new weight/rep PR that needs to be placed into the chart. I did legs this am and busted a bunch of PRs too.

11 more PRs! What a day!

Pushdowns
117x15*
127x12*
136x8*
146x7*
156x4*

Ez curls
94x15*
104x11*
114x7
124x6
134x5*

Skull crushers
145x20*
155x16*
165x10
175x10
185x7( back cramp)

Alt db curls
45x11*
45x8
45x8
45x9
45x8…big volume gain

Incredible.

Originally Posted by coachcalande

Now that I reread your post, it’s clear that I led you to misunderstand, those are sets starting with a single, it’s a PR chart showing the best weight ever used at each rep marker.

I'm still not sure what you're proposing.

Originally Posted by coachcalande

Here is the arm workout I just finished. These are my actual journal notes. Each * is a new weight/rep PR that needs to be placed into the chart. I did legs this am and busted a bunch of PRs too.

11 more PRs! What a day!

Pushdowns
117x15*
127x12*
136x8*
146x7*
156x4*

Ez curls
94x15*
104x11*
114x7
124x6
134x5*

Skull crushers
145x20*
155x16*
165x10
175x10
185x7( back cramp)

Alt db curls
45x11*
45x8
45x8
45x9
45x8…big volume gain

Incredible.

Did a double take. I get you, now!

Originally Posted by supramax

You're doing too much..

I do 6 sets a week per body part. But I take each set pretty close to the point where I can not maintain proper form.

Originally Posted by paulinkansas

I do 6 sets a week per body part. But I take each set pretty close to the point where I can not maintain proper form.

That's a bodybuilder approach. How many parts do you break up the body into?
I get accused of being a Rippetoe fan sometimes, but I favor training as many muscles at the same time as humanly possible... training the system as a whole rather than the separate parts.