Advice on my Workout Routine

[kksleepless]

Hey Guys,

I need your suggestions.

I've been working out for three years now with the general goal that everyone seems to get here: get big. I started off kind of in the dark, but after about a year I got into a rythm and since then have gone from 170 to just last week 185 (I'm 5'11''). While this might not seem like a lot, for us skinny white guys who can't put on weight even eating all day long, its a pretty big accomplishment for me. Nonetheless, I have my goals set higher.

Anyway, I was wondering if you guys could give me general suggestions about my routine and diet.

I work out 5 days a week. Here's generally how I split it up:

Monday:Chest, tris, Abs
Tuesday: Back, Bis, Shoulders
Wednesday: Legs, Abs
Thursday: Off
Friday:Chest, tris, Abs
Saturday: Back, Bis, Shoulders
Sunday: Off

For chest, I do one day of benches (decline, flat, incline) and one day of dumbells and cables. For Tris and Bis, I alternate between machines and dumbells, barbells generally. Legs I just do squats (I'm not sure I have the best form though), lunges (for the butt!), leg curls, calf extns, and leg press. Shoulders I do shoulder flyes and presses one day, and shrugs and machine press another. For back, I really only have machine lat pulldowns, machine rows, isolated lat rows (machine), and machine rear delts. I could use some more back workouts. As for abs, well.... I do something for them, which usually isn't enough. Overall, I strive for about 12 reps and 3 sets of each; I also try to warm up one set on a light weight just to get the blood flowing.

For my diet, I try to get 3300 calories, but I get full easy so its tough. I break up meals and try to get about 170g of protein a day. But its difficult... you can only cook so much chicken lol. I know I should be watching fats and carbs, but when is a struggle to get to 3300 anyway, I just eat what I get my hands on. I drink a GNC Mass Gainer shake after each workout with a little creatine and olive oil. Usually gets my to my goal.

Overall, the improvements have been noticeable, but I'm looking for advice to push it further. Thanks for the help!

[MuscledHorse]

Ok. Speaking as a fellow white guy who was a skinny stick that couldn't grow, I feel your pain. I started out at 5'10" 125# and today am 205# and growing.

First training: in my opinion and experience you are training too much. Remember that growth occurs outside the gym during rest and recovery. Ignore any published lifting routine of the pro bodybuilders as you are not a pro and their training needs are vastly different. Doing each body part per week is sufficient and you don't need to fit in every exercise in that time.

That brings things to the routine content. Your routine should be anything but routine. Doing the same things in roughly the she order is the fastest path to stalled growth as your body will adapt and know "oh. It's Monday. We'll be doing flat bench 3 sets of 10 reps followed by..." Mix it up so your body had to constantly adapt. My trainer rarely repeats himself on a week to week basis and even the body part order or pairing changes. If the same exercise is repeated it is not in the same order or with the same set and rep spread. So also change that part up too. Most weeks aim for heavier weight at lower reps after warmup and then every couple months throw in a week or two of low weight high rep to continue to build endurance.

Finally once you've gotten the most you can out of your diet and lifting routine don't be afraid to run a growth Chem cycle. Until that time though stick to eating everything in sight that's NOT cheap fast food and stick to supplement basics: creatine and protein. Most of the supplements out there are crap (especially the sugar and caffeine laden pre - workout drinks).
Hope this helps.

[MuscledHorse]

I forgot to mention above that I train four days a week and get in 12 to 15 sets on a body part. This can be accomplished in 60 to 90 minutes depending on whether we are doing curls or deadlifts. And that reminds me: learn proper form on everything and learn key building exercises: squats and dead lifts.