hardestgainer

Im looking to switch up my routine and my main focus is LBM, so I am trying to do as clean of a cut as possible since summer is starting up. I think Ive narrowed it down to either a full body workout 3X/week or German Volume Training. Right now Im kinda leaning towards GVT if anyone has tried either before Id appreciate the input.

Critical Mass

This doesn't sound right. Your screen name is "hardestgainer." Am I to believe that you categorize yourself as a hardgainer? IF so, then any "volume" routine should be shunned. Remember, you want to lift as heavy weight as you can for about 3-5 good sets, at a rep range of about 12-8 for muscle growth. Much more over this and you will be burning more calories than you can feed yourself for muscle growth.

More volume=more calories burned..ergo, the more you have to eat to create a caloric surplus. You may get to the point where you are burning more calories than your ability to eat large enough ammounts of food to do this.

I would do a low volume, heavy weight H.I.T. routine for a switch up before I would do a volume routine of any kind.

hardestgainer

well hardestgainer was my name I made back when i was 16 on another forum my intake would be around 4000 cals and im 5'9 180lbs so I think that should be a good enough amt to gain some mass.

oval61251

Hmmmm so volume is bad when trying to gain weight? I am only in the gym for an 45-60 and i get 6 exercises done, thats either 4 sets of 10reps or 5 sets of 6-8reps, with an RI of about 60-90min. Is this ok? Sorry for the hijack.

Critical Mass

It's no hyjack brutha.

Yeah, hardest.... 4,000 cal. is good, but I've been stagnant at 4,000 because my metabolism was so fast. Let us know how it works out. Even though 4 grand is a lot of calories, gvt is still a heck of a lot of volume, and there are better routines for gaining mass than high volume. I believe your food intake could be put to better use.

Oval, yes, by and large, high volume is a no no when you are trying to gain mass. Of course, there may be some freaks of nature who are exceptions to the rule. The rundown you just gave in your post doesn't look like too much volume. With a proper meal plan, you should gain off of that routine.

hardestgainer

well ive done a low volume, heavy weight routine before and just didnt really have a bunch of success with it but maybe ill try it again.

Big Guns

Post your current diet.

Critical Mass

No, no. Lets not go rushing to the other extreme here. I'm not suggesting that low volume, heavy weight is the answer. It's like I said in my first post above.

But yeah, post a sample of your diet. Most of the time, the answer is not in how you're training. It's in your diet.

hardestgainer

Current Typical Day:


*2 scoops whey and 1 scoop waxy maiz starch
*3 eggs and some hashbrowns grilled- no oil used
*Whole wheat sandwich with turkey/lettuce/red onion with a cranberry spread(pretty good)
*Pre WO- 2 scoops gaspari myofusion
*Intra WO- Omega Sports ONE
*Post WO- 2 scoops gaspari myofusion
*2 tilapia filets with lite ceasar salad and potatoe with olive oil
*1 scoop 100% casein protein and natty pb

I plan on trying to increase my intake starting monday, any suggestions are welcome.

strawser9

You have far too many shakes and not enough meals, replace two of those shakes with meals for sure. Also, where is the fat? Your body makes Testosterone from fat, if you have none...how's it going to make it, how will you grow?

Peanut Butter, Olive oil, RED MEAT, etc...

hardestgainer

I do eat a lot of red meat throughout the week. Thats just what I ate yesterday and instead I had fish, which was cooked in olive oil. The only reason I have shakes is because I dont have enough time to make breakfast in the morning since I work at 5:45. Then 2 are pre and post workout. Do you think I should be changing those? and I mix a few tbsp of pb in my bedtime shake. sometime instead of a shake i just eat more pb with a large glass of milk. I could get the pre workout shake switched to a normal meal

strawser9

Definitely on the preworkout meal. I started having a cup of oatmeal preworkout (about an hour and 15 out) and I won't ever go back. True, time gets in the way quite a bit and in that case anything is better than nothing. I just chug egg whites for breakfast lol

Critical Mass

I do like the talapia fillets, but I would like to see you add to that sandwich. That turkey sandwich is not going to be enough. Add more meat to it. I would also like to see you kick up your egg intake to 6 a day if you financially can.

For example, my meals today were:

3 chicken breasts, toast, rock star (I woke up at 3 this morning )
Weight gainer shake
Cheeseburger, 2 new york steaks, fries, drink
Weight gainer shake

.......I'm cooking supper right now, but it's going to be another 2 or 3 chicken breasts, whole wheat toast, salad, milk.

I would also like to see you drinking weight gainer shakes and not just a protien shake. Weight gainer shakes are for more people than others think. Get them calories in! Eat more nutrient-dense foods and shakes.

hardestgainer

OK I guess ill go back to my homemade gainer shakes

2 scoops whey
Ground up oats
a scoops of natty PB
and banana

hows that?

The thing is the egg meal and sandwich I get from work, we have a few cooks there that make everything. Ill ask if they can just double the meat for some extra $ or get to bed a little earlier so i have time to make it before I leave.