Question about Weight Lifting and how many reps ?

[Labrador]

I started lifting weights again a few months ago, and I do the incline and decline bench press, dumbbell curls and full bar curls, military press, and recently just started dips

On all of these exercises I do these three sets of reps, I will do 12 the first rep, then 10 the second, and on the thrid I move up to a heavier weight and do 8 reps, in between each rep I wait 60 seconds.

So is this a good routine or should I go to 4 sets of reps instead ? I have noticed some muscle gain and getting more toned for sure, but I want to gain mainly muscle mass, I dont want to look huge, I am more looking for the Brandon Lee body type

Check out this guys workout schedule;
http://groups.msn.com/BRANDONLEEALWA...o&PhotoID=1842
http://groups.msn.com/BRANDONLEEALWA...o&PhotoID=1844
http://groups.msn.com/BRANDONLEEALWA...o&PhotoID=1845
http://groups.msn.com/BRANDONLEEALWA...o&PhotoID=1849

[Vendetta]

You only do chest and bicep exercises?
edit: and that "workout schedule" is fucking retarded

[Labrador]

Originally Posted by Vendetta

You only do chest and bicep exercises?
edit: and that "workout schedule" is fucking retarded

Please give me some good advice as to which exercises I should be doing ? And how many sets for each and reps ?

[Vendetta]

Originally Posted by Labrador

Please give me some good advice as to which exercises I should be doing ? And how many sets for each and reps ?

Reading the FAQ would be a good start

[Elipsn]

Originally Posted by Labrador

Please give me some good advice as to which exercises I should be doing ? And how many sets for each and reps ?

Read the faq man...

Deadlift
Squat
Bench
Repeat.

[toga]

Originally Posted by Elipsn

Read the faq man...

Deadlift
Squat
Bench
Repeat.

That's definitely a well-rounded and all-encompassing workout routine.

[Labrador]

I was researching this 5x5 program and this page here makes real sense;

Training Progression Over Time and The Use of Benchmarks
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/sh...&postcount=941

Basically it is saying to add weight to the bar as often as possible, so my third and final set of each exercise should be the heaviest ? And I should up that final set to more weight every week or every couple of weeks ? And by doing that I will gain muscle mass quicker ?

That makes sense to me if it works and I think it will, I just started doing that the last couple of weeks, bought more weights, and I feel it every other day after lifting more than before by going heavier at the final set, but is 3 sets enough or should it be 4 sets ? So for dumbbells I now have 25lb, 30, and 35, I have been doing sets with 25lbs then final set with 30lb and I feel it more, and then in a month or so I can add switch to two sets with the 30lb and final will be the 35lb, and by doing that i think I will get bulkier bigger muscle quicker ?

[Labrador]

So really the only way to gain muscle and get bigger is by always adding weight to your lifting routine, and by eating well and more ?

So for me a beginner of like a few months should I add weight every week or will that stress me out too much, instead increase the weight of the final rep every couple of weeks ? Thank's

[Vendetta]

Did
you
read
the
sticky

[Vendetta]

You should add weight until you fail.
Every set should be like this after warmed up.

"Feeling it" doesnt make a difference.

Muscle gain is NOT a fast endeavor. It will take time, patience, effort, rest, proper nutrition, and hard training.

[Labrador]

Originally Posted by Vendetta

Did
you
read
the
sticky

Yes I did and there was some real helpful information in there, thank's. Actually my goal would be to have the body of Daniel Craig in the James Bond movie, he has what I call the perfect build for a stud man, and I just saw his earlier movie Layered Cake and he was much thinner, but still tone in there, so between those two movies he really bulked up, and like you say it does take time it doesnt happen over night ?

So to recap just add more heavier weight to my final rep of each exercise, and how often should I be adding this heavier weight, once a week, or every couple of weeks, and is three sets enough for each set, like I have been doing two of the regular weight and the last with the hardest weight ?

[bigandy]

you should be lifting as much weight as it takes where you can not do one more rep when you plan to finish. If you're going to be doing 12, 10 , 8 reps etc. you should not be able to do 13, 11, or 9 reps with that amount of weight.

[Labrador]

This site explained it all to me

Basic Training Primer
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow...ing_Primer.htm

[Labrador]

Originally Posted by bigandy

you should be lifting as much weight as it takes where you can not do one more rep when you plan to finish. If you're going to be doing 12, 10 , 8 reps etc. you should not be able to do 13, 11, or 9 reps with that amount of weight.

So for each set should the weight get heavier every time, like the first is 100lbs x 12reps, 120lbs x 10reps, and finally 140lbs x 8reps ?......what I have been doing still is 100lbs the first two sets, then 140lbs the last for 8reps or less depending how much I can push it, is that ok to still gain muscle ?


Last question how often should ya increase/add weight to the bar, like once a week or once a month ? I suppose there is a limit everyone reaches, I mean ya cant start curling dumbbells at 25lbs then one six month's later be doing like 60lbs curls for one arm

[bigwilliestyle711]

does anyone see the rep log being 165-185 and the dude is like benching what looks to be 405? am i seeing things or are those plastic weights